The caregiver shortage has only gotten worse. The problem will only worsen if the jobs don't improve, advocates say. The solution? Better pay, more training and options for career advancement. Since immigrants make up a large portion of the direct-care workforce, immigration policy also needs to be addressed, some say. 

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Advocates are highlighting a system of state tax credits across the US that allow employers to pay employees as low as $3 an hour. Disability advocates have made progress in recent years. Thirteen states have passed laws banning the subminimum wage exemptions for people with disabilities.

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Going into the April 4th supreme court election, Wisconsin voters are still confused about ballot assistance and ballot return assistance. This is due to the February 2022 ruling that said voters must return their own ballot, making no exception for people with disabilities. A federal judge did later clarify that voters with disabilities can have assistance returning their ballot, but many people are still confused. People are being told wrong information by municipal clerks and poll workers. All of this is leading to mass confusion for the April election.

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RRTC on Community Living Policy: The purpose of this particular RRTC is to engage in disability policy research, statistical analyses and modeling, knowledge translation, development of informational products, and dissemination to contribute to policies that facilitate and improve community living outcomes among people with disabilities.

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Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on May 22, 2023.

RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities: The purpose of this particular RRTC is to generate new knowledge about the experiences and outcomes of individuals with disabilities from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds that can be used as a foundation for developing interventions to improve those outcomes. Another purpose of the RRTC is to conduct research on the feasibility and effectiveness of methods and models to enhance disability and rehabilitation research capacity and infrastructure at minority-serving institutions.

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Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on May 22, 2023.
 

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program Funding Opportunity

The purpose of the RERC program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers. RERCs also demonstrate and evaluate such technologies, facilitate service delivery system changes, stimulate the production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, and provide training opportunities.

RERC on Prosthetics and Orthotics: The purpose of this particular RERC is to conduct research, development, and related activities toward advances in prosthetics and orthotics technologies that improve health and function, employment, or community living outcomes among people with limb loss or impaired limb function. 

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Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on May 22, 2023.
 

A proposal in Congress would do away with Medicaid's institutional bias and guarantee people with developmental disabilities access to services in the community. Backers of the measure known as the HCBS Access Act say the bill would eliminate waiting lists for community-based services over time by increasing funding for the program, providing grants to states to expand their service capacity and taking other steps to bolster the workforce of caregivers who support people with disabilities.

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The Accessibility professional is not just a change agent but in fact, part of a larger tribe that sees the world through a lens of inclusivity and espouses a new cultural norm that is essential in defining the mindset of the digital economy of the here-and-now and the future of the industry. The Tribe of Accessibility is a bridge between technical know-how, commerce, and a desire to imagine new possibilities where there is a bridge between design and technologies that allows for all users to be engaged in the digital ecosystem that is so vital to the way we live today. It is the Accessibility professional who understands that they have a responsibility not only to drive change but to be a conduit for the Disability Economy.

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In a tight labor market, overlooking those who can work but face obstacles comes at a steep cost to the economy. At a time when some 10 million US jobs are unfilled, Covid-19 still lingers and the workforce is aging at an alarming rate, it’s never been more urgent for employers to strengthen their resolve to hire and retain workers with disabilities.

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Care provided by millions of unpaid family caregivers across the U.S. is valued at a staggering, estimated $600 billion annually. An estimated 36 billion hours of care annually are provided by family caregivers for older parents, spouses, partners, and friends with chronic, disabling, and serious health conditions.

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