May 18th, 2012
The Illinois High School Association is violating the rights of students with disabilities by not allowing them to compete in state athletic events, according to a lawsuit filed this week by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The federal lawsuit seeks to require the association to adopt policies that would give athletes with disabilities the opportunity to compete at IHSA-sanctioned events.
The lawsuit cites the case of Mary Kate Callahan, a junior at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill. who is paralyzed from the waist down and hopes to participate in the state’s swimming competition next school year.
Callahan, 16, has asked the IHSA, which regulates state high school athletic events, to establish a scoring system and accommodations that would allow students with disabilities to participate competitively in the track and swimming state finals.
“I’ve always loved competition,” the teen said. “It’s feeling that sense of pride and accomplishment.”
According to advocates, other state athletic associations have adopted policies aimed at making competition more inclusive for students with disabilities.
“Close to half of the country is ahead of Illinois,” said Alan Goldstein, an attorney with Chicago-based Equip for Equity, a disability-rights group that has jointly sued the IHSA with the attorney general.
The attorney general’s office, he said, filed the lawsuit after the IHSA failed to act on a request that it introduce three track events for students with disabilities at the state meet this week at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
“Every student athlete should have a chance to compete, including athletes with disabilities,” Madigan said in a statement Wednesday. “Many other states give student athletes with disabilities the opportunity to compete. Students in Illinois should have the same chance.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleges the association has discriminated against students with disabilities.
“We always have promoted opportunities for student athletes with disabilities, making accommodations upon request in a number of events,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman.
Although officials from the IHSA say they are working on new rules that could expand access to athletic events for those with disabilities, the debate could grow contentious.
Athletic associations face “a delicate balancing act” in creating a scoring system to bring students with disabilities into the fold while ensuring a “fair playing field” for able-bodied athletes, according to the Indianapolis-based National Federation of State High School Associations.
Representing 50 state high school athletic and activity associations, the NFHS helps draft standards and rules for competition.
“It’s difficult for people to understand — why would you disallow a handicapped person from participating,” said Jim Tenopir, the organization’s chief operating officer.
“But the state associations … were established to provide a level playing field, and it is incumbent for (them) to determine what’s in the best interest and fair for every participant.”
The athletic associations, he said, can’t risk tipping of scales in favor of athletes with disabilities by making competition unfair for others.
© 2012 the Chicago Tribune
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May 18th, 2012
The finding suggested that billions of dollars earmarked for institutional care in New York had been used for other purposes over the last several years. No penalty is recommended, however, because the payments were approved by federal regulators.
Instead, the report recommends that federal and state officials do what they have already been trying to do for the last several months — negotiate a more accurate system of how Medicaid reimburses the state for care of those with developmental disabilities. The report also recommends that the new reimbursement system comply with federal requirements that “payment for services be consistent with efficiency and economy.”
Most of the people with developmental disabilities in residential care in New York are not in institutional settings, but rather in group homes spread across communities throughout the state. State officials have said that extra Medicaid dollars earmarked for institutions have been redirected to other parts of its system of care, including group homes. But the inspector general’s office is considering a further review of how the excess money was spent.
Concerns about inflated reimbursements to the state for its institutions have been discussed for some time. In 2010, The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that Medicaid was spending more than $4,000 a day on residents of institutions for people with developmental disabilities. The inspector general’s report said the actual cost of care was about $1,500.
The findings help explain one of the reasons New York spends roughly $10 billion a year caring for people with developmental disabilities — more than California, Florida, Illinois and Texas combined — while serving fewer than half as many people. As part of the continuing negotiations, federal officials plan to scale back reimbursements to New York, but over a period of several years.
The report was drafted by the office of Daniel R. Levinson, the inspector general of the federal health department. In comments appended to the report, both New York and federal regulators agreed to work together to address the issues raised in the report.
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May 18th, 2012
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Sprint (NYSE:S – News) today has made it easier for individuals with speech
disabilities to initiate calls using a wireless phone. Sprint’s newly
launched “My Wireless STS” service enables individuals with speech
disabilities to simply dial a short wireless code – *787 – to place an
operator-assisted call.
A Speech to Speech (STS) operator listens to the conversation and
repeats the words of the person with a speech disability to the other
party. STS users can instruct the STS operator to repeat every word
spoken or to simply repeat the words that are unclear. No special
equipment is needed.
STS users can access the *787 service from anywhere in the country 24
hours a day, 365 days per year – and at no charge to the user.
“We are very excited to announce *787 – a service that’s tailored to the
needs of STS users,” said Michael Ellis, Director, Sprint Relay. “We are
the first in the industry to bring this service to market, and we’re
pleased to have developed it in collaboration with speech disabled
communities across the country.”
Sprint also offers “My Email Set-up” for STS users with access to email.
“We know that some STS users may tire and speech may become more
difficult during long calls. Our new Email Set-Up makes it easier,”
Ellis said. “To reduce the amount of energy needed to provide calling
instructions, STS users can email that information directly to the STS
operator 2 to 24 hours prior to the call. This can include information
such as the number to be dialed, the name of the person being called,
any special instructions and subject of the call, or anything that makes
it easier for the STS user to complete the call.”
Sprint also recently announced the availability of dedicated customer
service for STS users. Sprint’s STS support staff provides one-on-one
assistance, training on the STS service and can assist STS users to
register their calling preferences. The new STS support toll-free number
is 1-877-787-1989.
More information about the enhanced STS features can be found at www.sprintsts.com
For its innovation and industry-leading customer service in the deaf,
hard of hearing and speech disabled communities, Sprint has been lauded
with third-party awards and endorsements. The Paisley Group National
Relay TTY Performance Index™ ranked Sprint Relay highest in customer
care and speed of service. Sprint Relay also earned ABILITY Magazine’s
Best Practices Award for its “spirit of inclusion” in the workplace and
in the consumer marketplace.”
Sprint now provides relay service to 32 states and the federal
government, to the country of New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico. Sprint also provides Captioned Telephone “CapTel” services to 31
states and the federal government.
About Sprint Relay
Sprint is the largest and most technologically advanced TRS provider in
the nation with more than 20 years of experience in providing relay
services to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or have a
speech disability to communicate with hearing persons on the phone.
Sprint’s experience in this field ensures Sprint Relay users receive
quality service regardless of the type of relay service they are using.
Sprint’s relay service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,
with no restrictions on the number of calls placed or the length of
calls. For more information, visit www.sprintrelay.com.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers,
businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56
million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is widely
recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative
technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national
carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data
services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost
Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international
push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek
ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of
the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications
company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com
or www.facebook.com/sprint
and www.twitter.com/sprint.
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May 16th, 2012
County Council Chairman Butch Kirven, above, and other council members hear how the new interim director of the Greenville County Disabilities and Special Needs Board says he is working to correct problems there.
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May 16th, 2012
The man known as the "Horse Whisperer" is offering his talents to help Utahns with disabilities experience the outdoors.
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May 16th, 2012
The Idaho Fish and Game has released details of new rules that have taken effect that allow people to recover, possess, sell and, yes, eat certain wildlife killed by accidental vehicle collisions.
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May 14th, 2012
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) — Young adults with an autism
spectrum disorder are less likely to continue their education or get a job
after high school when compared to young adults with other disabilities,
new research indicates.
According to the study, only about 35 percent of young adults with
autism attended college and only 55 percent had a job during the first six
years after high school. Overall, they faced a greater than 50 percent
chance of being unemployed or not attending college when compared to those
with other disabilities, the researchers reported.
More than half of autistic young adults had no participation in either
work or education during the two years after leaving high school, and even
six years later more than one-third were without work or higher education,
the study found.
“Many families with children with autism describe leaving high school
as falling off a cliff because of the lack of services for adults with an
autism spectrum disorder,” said senior study author Paul Shattuck, an
assistant professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis.
“So much of media attention focuses on children. It’s important for people
to realize autism does not disappear in adolescence. The majority of
lifespan is spent in adulthood.”
Part of the reason that young adults struggle after high school is that
a core feature of the disorder is difficulty knowing how to interpret
social interactions and handle a wide variety of social situations,
something that is a necessity in many jobs, experts say.
But researchers also note that more educational and job-related support
could help people with autism — including the wave of children recently
diagnosed — who will be aging over the next decade as they find their
place in society.
“We need to find ways to make room for adults with autism in our
communities and help them get connected to opportunities that people with
other forms of disabilities are participating in,” Shattuck said.
The study is published online May 14 and in the June print issue of
Pediatrics.
In it, researchers examined data from the National Longitudinal
Transition Study 2, a nine-year study of adolescents who were enrolled in
special education because of autism, learning disabilities, intellectual
disabilities or speech and language impairments.
Compared with youth in the three other disability categories, autistic
teens and young adults had significantly lower rates of employment and the
highest overall rates of no participation in any work or education.
For example, only 55 percent of young adults with autism had paid
employment, while 86 percent of those with a speech or language
impairment, 94 percent of those with a learning disability and 69 percent
of those with mental retardation did.
The education picture was a little brighter. About 35 percent of kids
with autism attended a two- or four-year college; 51 percent of those with
a speech or language delay did so, while 40 percent of those with a
learning disability and 18 percent of those with mental retardation
did.
For lower-income autistic teens and young adults, participation rates
were even lower.
An estimated one in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder,
according to the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. About 50,000 youths with autism will turn 18 this year in
the United States.
Peter Bell, executive vice president of programs and services for
Autism Speaks and the father of a young adult with autism, said the
transition to adulthood can be particularly difficult for the families of
children with autism. During childhood, most services are centered in the
educational system and children are entitled to receive a public
education. In many states, special needs teens can continue to get some
services through the schools until around age 20 or 21.
After that, parents have to seek help from the social services system,
which is more fragmented and difficult to navigate. And yet, he added, the
report is not all bleak.
“I was pleasantly surprised that about 35 percent went on after leaving
high school to attend some form of college,” Bell said. “I was told 16
years ago when my son was diagnosed that there was very little chance he
would ever go to college. So the fact that over one-third of the autism
population goes on to some form of education after school should say to a
lot of parents, ‘You shouldn’t automatically assume your child is not
going to go to college’.”
His own 19-year-old son isn’t attending college, but he does work at
several jobs in their town, where he is a well-known and accepted part of
the community, Bell added.
More information
Autism Speaks has a toolkit to help teens with autism and their families
make the transition out of high school.
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May 14th, 2012
Two and a half years ago, Michael O'Connell of Sacramento, California, was a recently unemployed automobile claims adjuster and wheelchair user with muscular dystrophy.
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May 14th, 2012
DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Building upon its rich history of growing talent and recognizing ability
through greater diversity in the workplace, Walgreens (NYSE:
WAG – News)(NASDAQ: WAG – News) today launched its national Retail Employees with
Disabilities Initiative (REDI). The in-store training program aims to
help people with disabilities gain retail and customer service skills,
and works closely with community organizations and vocational
rehabilitation agencies to train and develop candidates. Another similar
initiative at Walgreens distribution centers (DC) resulted in 10 percent
of the workforce being made up of people with disabilities at all levels
across all 20 DCs. The company hopes to see the same success with REDI.
In 2010, the drugstore chain piloted the REDI program in the Dallas/Fort
Worth area bringing together Walgreens store managers and job coaches
funded by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
(DARS) to train candidates. After more than 200 trainees and 66 percent
of REDI graduates were recommended for hire, the program grew to more
than 150 stores throughout Texas, New York and Connecticut. To date,
nearly 400 externs have completed training and more than 46 percent have
been employed by Walgreens or other retailers.
“We are committed to helping customers live well, stay well and get
well, and to do that you need team members who are dedicated to
excellent customer service,” said Mark Wagner, Walgreens president of
operations and community management. “This program highlights ability
and gives candidates the tools to be successful in any retail setting.
This is a meaningful program for everyone touched by the initiative.
Already, one enthusiastic REDI graduate now working for Walgreens in New
York was named Customer Service Employee of the Month, just three months
after being hired.”
According to a 2012 Allsup disability study analysis based on U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the unemployment rate for people with
disabilities continues to be much higher than for those with no
disabilities.
The first phase of REDI will begin in parts of Arizona, Florida,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, with plans to reach all states
by the end of 2013. Once a local agency is identified, there is a
four-week training program which takes place in up to five stores per
district. The goal is to prepare qualified candidates for employment in
store positions, as well as positions in any retail setting that
requires similar skills. Responsibilities include cash register
operations, customer service, merchandising, store inventory and
maintaining store signage and displays.
Walgreens is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce. Trained
candidates can apply for service clerk positions at http://careers.walgreens.com/.
Walgreens Distribution Centers
Walgreens began designing its distribution center facilities and
training for people with disabilities with the opening of its DC in
Anderson, S.C., in 2007. The new DC, followed by the opening of another
similar facility in Windsor, Conn., in 2009, helps drive opportunity,
efficiency and productivity for the entire workforce.
About Walgreens
As the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72
billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com)
vision is to become America’s first choice for health and daily living.
Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most
convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and
trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and
advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy
services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail
service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health
outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care
organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public
sector. The company operates 7,855 drugstores in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a
Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager
of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care
clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.
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May 12th, 2012
by Elizabeth Stawicki, Minnesota Public Radio
ST. PAUL, Minn. —
A Twin Cities-area program that serves adults with disabilities and complex medical conditions has won a major innovation grant under the federal health care law.
Courage Center competed nationally to win nearly $1.8 million. The Golden Valley-based program is one of 26 groups nationwide to receive funding for projects aimed at better coordinating and improving patient care.
Through faster access to primary and specialty care, Courage Center patients were able to cut the time they spent in the hospital by 80 percent, which saved more than $3 million per year.
CEO Jan Malcolm said it’s important that health reform not forget people with disabilities and chronic medical problems.
“We’re really very excited by the opportunity to help document this as a model that we hope will inform the national dialogue about better care models for people with disabilities,” Malcolm said.
Too often people with disabilities aren’t front and center in discussions about reforming the health care system, Malcolm said.
“This is a really great opportunity to really underscore that it’s important for health care reform to embrace and serve all populations in our state and in our country,” Malcolm said.
The money will allow Courage Center to expand the project it began in 2009 from 200 to 300 adults.
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