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VACIL is a statewide association of Centers for Independent Living (CILs)
that advocates for the integration and inclusion of people with
disabilities into all aspects of society. The association also
promotes the professional development, improvement, and expansion of
community-based, consumer-controlled CILs, and promotes community
education throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
"People with disabilities will have a community-based consumer-directed
service delivery system."
Planning District Listings
*Areas in
white are unserved. Areas that are light grey with dots are
severed by Satellite offices.
2011-2013 State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL)
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SPIL Public Comment Process
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SPIL Input Form
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Dear Fellow
Director:
I am
writing on behalf of the Center on Knowledge Translation for Technology
Transfer (KT4TT), of which Western New York Independent Living is a full
partner. This center is funded by the National Institute on Disability
Rehabilitation Research and operating since October 2008 led by Joe
Lane, of the University at Buffalo. We previously held the NIDRR grant
for Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer,
which was able to get over 50 products for people with disabilities into
the market place, before getting this current award.
I am
writing this with a special request regarding augmentative
communication. Our Center’s research is focused on knowledge
translation strategies and currently we are working with AAC
technologies. Our research interest is about best ways of communicating
research knowledge to AAC stakeholders ?and this includes consumers,
clinicians, brokers, policy makers, manufacturers and researchers.
If you can
help us identify consumers over the age of 18 who use AAC equipment, and
who will participate in our study both you and the consumer will
benefit. For any consumer who participates in the study he / she
will receive $100 for each one of the 3 questionnaires we will ask them
to complete.
For each
participant an organization is able to offer us, a chance will be put
into a drawing for $1000. (This means if you are able to help us find 1
consumer you will get 1 chance at the drawing, if you assist us in
finding 10 consumers you will get 10 chances in the drawing.) We are
only seeking 60 participants so you can see your chances of winning the
drawing is greatly enhanced with more referrals.
If you are
able to assist us, or wish to know more about the study please feel free
to email me or call: (716) 204-8606 ext. 205. I look forward to your
assistance in helping us identifying the best way for new knowledge to
reach the person’s who can best benefit by it. |
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Regards,
Douglas J. Usiak
Co-PI
Knowledge Translation for Technology Transfer
(716) 204-8606 ext. 205
www.kt4tt.buffalo.edu
Or
Executive Director
Western New York Independent Living
3108 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 836-0822 ext. 117
djusiak@buffalo.edu
www.wnyil.org
People with disabilities throughout Virginia
have been angered by the remarks of Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas.
Delegate Marshall stated that "the number of children who are born
subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased
dramatically" implying that disability is a "special punishment."
The Virginia Association of Centers for
Independent Living (VACIL) does not believe that disability is a
punishment. VACIL is proud of the thousands of people who are born
with disabilities and their accomplishments. Virginias' with
disabilities continue to be discriminated against and denied services
needed to live in the community. Most Virginias respect the
lives of people with disabilities and support efforts needed to improve
community integration. These biased and hurtful remarks have no place in
contemporary dialogue. "The Virginia Association of Centers
for Independent Living is extremely disappointed by Delegate Marshall's
remarks. These comments are a poignant reminder that Virginias
with disabilities have a long way to go in fighting for their civil
rights," said Karen-Karney, President of VACIL.
Lisbet Dula from Virginia Beach said,
"I have a full and rewarding life and my disability is part of what
makes me who I am and has been part of the path to what I have
achieved. To say that my disability is a punishment or that my life and
personhood are less than someone else’s takes away my social equality as
a Virginian.?lt;/span>
“To discount people with disabilities
and to call them a "punishment" is wrong. I may be a person with a
disability but that's the point...first and foremost I am a PERSON. I am
not my disability and my disability does not define me,?said Jason Neal
from Abingdon who was born with spina bifida.
Stephanie George who lives in Manassas
independently and who has cerebral palsy said, “The moral dilemma is
that people with disabilities must beg and fight for services.
Apparently for some legislators, life is valuable before birth, and then
some sort of transformation occurs to lessen the value of that life
after birth.?nbsp; |
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The
Virginia General Assembly is considering major cuts to Medicaid services
that will:
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Reduce the number of
hours of respite from 720 hours to 240 hours a year
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Reduce Medicaid
Waiver provider rates by 5%
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Increase waiting
lists for the DD and ID/MR Waivers
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Stop new enrollment
into the DD, EDCD, and ID/MR Waivers
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Eliminate thousands
of jobs, including personal care attendants/aides and respite staff
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Eliminate podiatry
services and adult optometry services
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Reduce
therapy services
Contact
your State Senator and Delegate, the Governor, and leaders of the
legislative money committees. Let them know how these cuts will impact
you. Read more for contact info...
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and
CESSI, the Program Manager for Recruitment and
Outreach for the Ticket to Work (Ticket) program,
are pleased to announce the launch of the new Choose
Work web site at
www.choosework.net for people with disabilities
receiving Social Security benefits in celebration of
the 10th Anniversary of the enactment of the Ticket
to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (Ticket
Act).
In 1999, Congress passed the landmark Ticket Act
to expand choice and provide improved services and
supports to beneficiaries with disabilities who
decided to Choose Work. SSA has worked
continuously to improve the Ticket program over the
past decade and the program has come a long way
since the first Ticket was issued in 2002.
Based on input SSA received from beneficiaries,
Employment Networks and the disability community,
regulatory improvements were made to the Ticket
program in July 2008 and those changes have resulted
in significant program growth and the emergence of
some very encouraging trends:
Increased Ticket
Assignments:
Over 270,000
beneficiaries are using their ticket to get help
finding a job. That is up 72% from the
beginning of 2007.
More Beneficiaries are Working: In 2008,
96,993 beneficiaries had their Ticket in use and
were working. That is up from 59,443 in 2007,
a 63% increase. Many of these beneficiaries
are achieving significant levels of self-sufficiency
and some have successfully transitioned off SSA
benefits.
SSA is launching this web site to renew Congress'
challenge to willing SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to
"Choose Work" by participating in the Ticket to Work
program and using the other SSA Work incentives.
For the first time, those unfamiliar with the
program can view short, informative videos; hear
powerful stories told by people just like themselves
whose circumstances have led them to explore the
ticket and other Work Incentives; experience a Work
incentive Seminar event; find local resources and
other helpful information in one interactive
location online.
Stop by
www.ChooseWok.net
and hear directly from some of the people wit
disabilities the Ticket program has helped to
Choose Earnings, Choose Fulfillment and Choose Work.
December 1, 2009 - The Disability Law
Lowdown podcast just posted a podcast about new
regulations that just went into effect regarding
GINA - the Genetic information Nondiscrimination
Act. The regulations were issued by the U.S.
Department of Health Services, Labor, and Treasury.
The Disability Law Lowdown podcast is available at
www.DisabilityLawLowdown.com, as well as on
iTunes. People can listen to the podcast
directing from a computer or can download it to an
MP3 player, like an iPod.
The healthcare bill introduced by Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid in November contains numerous
provisions that affect people with disabilities.
Please note that this bill will be debated over the
next few weeks and some of these provisions could be
modified and even removed. This is an analysis
of the bill as it stands December 1, 2009, and not a
final bill.
If you have questions about the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care or about the legislative
process, contact NCIL Policy Analyst Jason Beloungy
at 202-207-0334 (toll-free 1-877-525-3400) ext. 1008
or e-mail:
jason@ncil.org
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November 18, 2009
Information received from Senator Barbara Boxer:
"A new benefit from the Department of Defense offers
compensation to service members who were kept in the
military under the "stop loss" policy, which
extended service for many members of the military.
I urge you to spread the word to anyone you know who
might have been impacted by the Department of
Defense stop loss policy. The Department of
Defense estimates that approximately 185,000
personnel are eligible for Retroactive Stop Loss
Special Pay of $500 per month for every month of
stop loss service."
Don't let any veterans miss out on this benefit if
they've earned it. If you or someone you know
is eligible for this payment, visit one of these
websites to learn more:
Army:
http://www.stoplosspay.army.mil
Navy: send e-mail to
NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marine Corps:
https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss
Air Force:
www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss
Please accept this invitation from the Virginia Statewide Independent
Living Council (VASILC) to participate in a web based survey to gather
comments from Virginians with Disabilities about their service
needs. The survey is on the SILC website
http://www.vasilc.org
Responses will be accepted through September 7, 2009. These
comments will assist the SILC in directing the development of the
2011-2013 State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) currently being
developed.
Virginia Senator James Webb is open to co-sponsoring the
Community Choice Act (CCA), but wants to know what organizations and people in Virginia support CCA. By
visiting the following
link, advocates can send a pre-drafted letter encouraging support to Senator Webb and Senator
Warner:
http://capwiz.com/rochestercdr/issues/alert/?alertid=11372496 You may also contact Maribel Ramos in Senator Webb's
office at
202.224.4024 or e-mail her at
Maribel_ramos@webb.senate.gov on behalf of your organization.
Virginia launches website describing community living choice project for
seniors and individuals with disabilities.
For more information and updates visit:
http://www.olmsteadva.com/mfp
or read more about the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration. |Word|
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June 4, 2010
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