Legislative issues
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Family Members storytelling training
City of Philadelphia
Department of Behavioral Health/Mental Retardation Services
For Family Member’s of children and/or adults who have received MH and/or D&A Services)
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008
Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)
1101 Market Street, Philadelphia PA 19107
Aramark Tower, (Connected to EL Train at 11th Street)
8th Floor (Must Have Photo ID to enter Elevator)
Hospitality: A Light Breakfast and Lunch will be Provided
(Feel free to bring food and beverages with you.)
RSVP: Contact Jazmin Banks at: (215) 685-4989 or
E-Mail: Jazmin.Banks@phila.gov
Note: Additional questions related to the training site, etc., can be directed to the
Receptionist at: (215) 685-5400
Family Member Story Telling Training (FM-STT) is a wellness and recovery-oriented training which recognizes that the stories of Family Members are a critical tool in moving Systems Transformation forward. Therefore, the Department of Behavioral Health/Mental Retardation Services, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Compact, are sponsoring (free) trainings especially for family members of children and/or adults who have received mental health (MH) and/or substance abuse (D&A) services in the City of Philadelphia. Family Member Story Telling Training (FM-STT) offers many helpful tools for sharing personal and challenging experiences and encourages networking and resource sharing. FM-STT is also a gateway for other opportunities for those who are interested in: participating as a Panelist (paid Story Teller/Speaker) during the DBH/MRS Recovery Foundations Training (RFT) and other speaking engagements; joining the Philadelphia Compact and partnering with other Family Advocates and Recovery Champions throughout the behavioral health system in Philly.
Please note that space is limited and registration is required.
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quality of services for persons with intellectual disabilities
To: Consumers, families and others concerned with the
quality of services for persons with intellectual
disabilities
From: Dee Coccia and Ilene Shane
Re: ODP Rate Setting
About two weeks ago, ODP distributed part of their proposed new rate-setting methodology. Comments were due last Friday. Attached are the comments of four provider groups and one provider. While many of these issues would appear to primarily affect providers, there are very real risks to consumers and families as well.
If these problems are not corrected, here are some of the problems that participants in the mental retardation waivers and their familieswill face:
· People may lose services they are receiving if they go to the hospital or to rehabilitation for an extended period of time.
· People in group homes may lose services if the people they live with move elsewhere or die.
· Restrictions may be placed on how often residents of CLAs can visit their families overnight or go on vacation.
· People with significant medical problems may have a much harder time finding a provider to serve them.
· Small and medium sized providers are likely to go out of business or be forced merge with large providers.
· As people's needs change, there is a significant risk that their programs will not change quickly to meet these needs.
· Participant choice is likely to be more limited and more difficult.
· New program expansion to address the waiting list is likely to be much more difficult.
We are members of the FIAT (ODP's Financial Implementation Advisory Team). For years, this group, which includes counties, providers, ODP representatives, parents and advocates, has met two days each month to struggle with the changes required by CMS. The group made numerous recommendations as to how to make these changes yet preserve the system of services and assure a smooth transition. In the last two months, it has become clear that ODP (relying on consultants from Mercer who are unfamiliar with Pennsylvania's system) is moving away from the recommendations of the FIAT and imposing changes on the system which will hurt the people that it serves. It is heartbreaking to see the progress of the last 25 or more years being dismantled by this administration.
People do not need to understand the complexity of the rate-setting methods to understand that there is a problem here. You are urged to contact ODP and DWP and ask them to correct the significant problems in the current rate-setting proposals.
Henry Lynch- Comments to DPW-4/11/08
Cost Reporting Comments
Phila Alliance e-letter
PARF Comment
PM08-127 PAR Comments
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Election Day Survival Kit for Voters with Disabilities
Election Day Survival Kit for Voters with Disabilities
With Election Day coming next Tuesday, voters with disabilities need to be prepared for the challenges they may face. This Survival Kit will provide you with much of the information you may need to fight to cast your vote and have it counted. Justin Dart, the "father" of the Americans with Disabilities Act, said: "Vote as if your life depends on it -- because it does."
Most of this message is specific to the laws and procedures in Pennsylvania. I encourage you to forward this message to anyone who may be assisted with this information. Anyone receiving this message who lives in a state other than Pennsylvania, please note that some of the laws and procedures in your state may be different. I've attempted to locate the official forms that you might need, and put them in accessible formats.
Since this message is long, here is an outline of what follows:
How do I locate my correct polling place?
Will I be required to show I.D. to vote?
Can I get assistance in the voting booth if I need it?
What if I find my polling place is inaccessible on Election Day? How can I vote?
What if my right to vote is challenged? What if someone says I'm not competent to vote?
What can I expect from the new voting machines?
New procedures for Emergency Application for Absentee Voting
Who can I call on Election Day if I'm prevented from voting?
How do I locate my correct polling place?
https://www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us/Pages/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx
This is the official Pennsylvania Department of State site; it will even tell you whether your polling place is considered accessible -- or not. If your Election Day experience is that the accessibility information is not accurate, please let the Department of State, your County, and me, know.
Will I be required to show I.D. to vote?
All first-time voters, and all voters who are voting for the first time in a precinct, can be required to show an acceptable form of I.D. You can find a list of acceptable forms of I.D. here:
http://www.hava.state.pa.us/hava/cwp/view.asp?a=1189&q=442291&havaNav=|
If you do not have I.D. when you go to vote, and if returning later with proper I.D. is not an option, you have a right to vote by a Provisional Ballot. Provisional Ballots receive greater scrutiny than other ballots. However, if you are registered to vote, and if your signature matches the signature on your voter's signature card, then your Provisional Ballot should get counted. If necessary, casting a Provisional Ballot is much better than not voting at all.
Can I get assistance in the voting booth if I need it?
Voters with disabilities have the right to have the person of their choice provide assistance in the voting booth. The person providing assistance can be almost anyone -- a friend, a family member, or even a poll worker. However, the assistant cannot be: (1) the voter's employer; (2) the voter's union representative; or (3) the Judge of Elections.
When a voter with a disability requests assistance in the voting booth, the poll worker should look up your registration card to see if it has a notation indicating that you require assistance. If there is no notation on the card, you will be required to complete a written statement explaining the nature of your disability. Some voters may be offended at intrusive questions like asking for the name, phone # and address of their doctor. But the poll workers are required to enter all this information, along with the name of the individual who provided assistance, into the "Record of Assisted Voters." The voting process is a very formal process with many safeguards.
What if I find my polling place is not accessible on Election Day? How can I vote?
Voters with disabilities, as well as seniors 65 and older -- who are assigned to inaccessible polling places -- are eligible to cast an Alternative Ballot. It is called an "Alternative" ballot because it is a method of voting provided to the voter as an alternative to having an accessible location. (Some deal!) http://www.dos.state.pa.us/voting/cwp/view.asp?a=1194&q=442998
An Alternative Ballot looks exactly like an Absentee Ballot, but a different colored envelope is used to distinguish it from an Absentee Ballot.
The normal deadline to file an application for an Alternative Ballot is the Tuesday before Election Day. However, if you did not know that your polling place is inaccessible, or if you had some good cause for not being able to file by that deadline you can still vote! The Pennsylvania Department of State created procedures for an Emergency Application for an Alternative Ballot, which may be filed as late as Election Day at 8:00 p.m. A voter with a disability who discovers on Election Day that their polling place is not accessible can file an Emergency Application for an Alternative Ballot. This Emergency Application must be filed on Election Day, before 8:00 p.m., at your County Elections Office.
What if you can't get to your County Elections Office on Election Day? If you are unable to travel to the County Elections Office on Election Day, you can get a friend or relative to act as your agent to travel back and forth to the County Elections Office.
>>You will need to prepare three forms: (1) the Emergency Application for Alternative Ballot; (2) the Designated Agent Form; and (3) the Certification of Designated Agent Form.<<
What if my right to vote is challenged on Election Day? What if someone says I'm not competent to vote?
In Pennsylvania, we have only 3 qualifications for a person to register and to vote. The individual must be:
A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election;
A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district for at least 30 days before the election;
At least 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.
Pennsylvania does not have any laws that restrict the right to vote of people who happen to have developmental, mental health, or physical disabilities. In rare instances, Courts issue orders depriving people of the right to vote. But, so far, "electors" in Pennsylvania cannot be challenged on competence, ability or worthiness to vote.
Persons convicted of felonies (or any other crime) are eligible to vote only individuals incarcerated in penal institutions for felony convictions are denied the right to vote.
What can I expect from the new voting machines?
Many voters will be using the new voting machines for the first time. For many voters with disabilities, these machines will be easier to use than the older systems -- for others there may not be much difference. What should you expect?
The Help America Vote Act says that these machines "shall be accessible to individuals with disabilities in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters." If your experience with the voting machine you use is that is does not provide you with equal access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters, please inform the Pennsylvania Department of State, you County, and Disability Rights Network of Pa., of that fact.
Reports from last year indicated these machines may be adequate for voters with visual impairments. But, poll workers were occasionally unable to switch the machines to audio mode, and the voting process can take an extremely long time for a voter using the audio mode.
However, reports from the Primary Election indicated that many models of voting machines did not provide voters with significant manual dexterity limitations with a private and independent voting experience. Many of these voters found the new machines to be as useless as the old machines. If this is your experience, please let us know.
New procedures for Emergency Application for Absentee Ballot
The Pennsylvania Legislature created procedures for voters to vote by absentee ballot when circumstances prevented the voter from applying by the regular deadline of one week prior to Election Day. If you become physically disabled or ill between 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day and 8:00 P.M. on Election Day or if you find out after 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day that you will be absent from your municipality of residence on Election Day because of your business, duties or occupation, you can receive an emergency absentee ballot if you complete and file with the court of common pleas in the county where you are registered to vote an emergency application or a letter or other signed document, which includes the same information as that provided on the emergency application.
Obtaining an Emergency Absentee Ballot If You Are Not Able to Appear in Court
If you are not able to appear in court to receive the ballot, you can designate, in writing, a representative to deliver the absentee ballot to you and return your completed absentee ballot to the county board of elections.
If you are not able to appear in court or obtain assistance from an authorized representative, the judge will direct a deputy sheriff of the county to deliver the absentee ballot to you if you are at a physical location within the county.
>>You will need to prepare three forms: 1) EMERGENCY APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT; 2) Designation of Authorized Representative - Emergency Absentee Ballot; 3) Certification of Authorized Representative - Emergency Absentee ballot.
Who can I call on Election Day if I'm prevented from exercising my right to vote?
Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
1-800-692-7443
1-877-375-7139 (TODD)
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Transition
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Moving from High School to Post-school Opportunities
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education is pleased to announce the following teleoconference opportunity: Title: Moving from High School to Post-school Opportunities: Transition Components for High School Redesign2007 - 2008 NASDSE Satellite Conference Series When: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Location: PaTTAN-PittsburghPaTTAN-HarrisburgPaTTAN-King of PrussiaVarious Downlink Sites Time:1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Description: With increased accountability under No Child Left Behind for student outcomes based on high standards and demanding content, many educators and parents are asking questions about transition and its place in high school restructuring. The presenters will discuss the importance of a continuing focus on transition, some of the components and strategies necessary for successful programs, the importance of youth/young adult participation in policy and practice, and the necessary resources to support successful implementation. Target Audience:Special education directors and supervisors; local agency administrative and direct service staff; general and special education teachers; related services staff; paraeducators; higher education faculty; parents; family members; other stakeholders Presenters: Bill East, Executive Director, National Association of State Directors of Special Education -- Dr. East provides leadership for NASDSE, an organization that focuses on partnerships for assisting states to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. During his tenure at NASDSE, Dr. East has made numerous speeches across the nation on educational policy and other related matters. Special areas of interest and emerging work include development of deaf education service guidelines and training; transition/vocational rehabilitation initiatives; students with disabilities and juvenile justice; mental health; communities of practice and Response to Intervention (RtI). Carl Suter, Executive Director, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation -- Carl Suter assumed this position in November, 2001. Prior to joining CSAVR, he served as director of the Illinois Office of Rehabilitation Services for five years. He oversaw a budget of nearly $500 million dollars that included programs such as vocational rehabilitation, a $300 million dollar in-home care program for persons with disabilities, three schools for children with disabilities and Disability Adjudicative Services for determining eligibility for benefits for Social Security Supplemental Security Income in Illinois. During his tenure as state director, he led sweeping reforms of the Illinois Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program to provide world-class customer service to the nearly 70,000 individuals with disabilities served through its programs. Mr. Suter has also served as the executive director of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities and as the associate director of the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities. Carolyn Roman, Young Adult Advocate --Carolyn Roman is attending Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she is currently a senior majoring in speech-language pathology. Ms. Roman has been involved since high school in various volunteer programs focusing specifically on the needs of disabled students. She has also presented on numerous panels across the country on leadership and transition issues for youth with disabilities. She understands that students with special needs often require advocates, and she hopes to make this the focus of her career. Credits offered:Act 48 Clock Hours You may register directly on-line by visiting www.pattan.net and entering the Registration On-line page. For registration information, please contact: Kristen Olszyk at 412-826-6848 or via email at kolszyk@pattan.net. To obtain directions to PaTTAN, please select the appropriate location: PaTTAN Harrisburg:http://www.pattan.net/contact/pattanharrisburg.aspx PaTTAN King of Prussia:http://www.pattan.net/contact/PaTTANKingofPrussia.aspx PaTTAN Pittsburgh:http://www.pattan.net/contact/pattanpittsburgh.aspx
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THE LAW AND DISABILITIES
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Autism, Law Enforcement & First Response Training
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education and the Autism Society of America, Greater Harrisburg Chapter is pleased to announce the following videoconference: Title: Autism, Law Enforcement & First Response Training When: Tuesday, May 13, 20089:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.Videoconference at various downlink sitesLive presentation at PaTTAN Harrisburg, 6340 Flank Dr., Suite 800, Harrisburg, PA 17112-2764 Special Evening Presentation for Families:Live presentation at PaTTAN Harrisburg from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 PM Fee for those attending at Harrisburg PaTTAN office ONLY: In honor of Police Officer Appreciation Week, the ASA will pay for law enforcement, fire rescue and emergency response professionals. All other professionals and family members will be charged a nominal fee of $10.00. Refreshments and lunch are included at the Harrisburg location only. Checks should be made out to Autism Society of America Greater Harrisburg Area Chapter, and mailed to Judy Chabanik at 500 Walton Street, Lemoyne, PA 17403 Fee for all other videoconference locations: No registration fee Description: This training is designed to assist first responders who may unexpectedly encounter or be called to a situation involving a person with autism. Recognizing the behavior symptoms and knowing contact approaches can minimize situations of risk--risk or victimization of the person with autism, and risk to the first responder. Participants will learn: Common characteristics and behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum DisordersPublic safety issuesInitial contact options and how to establish communicationBehavioral de-escalation techniquesRestraint and arrest optionsPerpetrator and victim trendsDilemmas in interrogation and interview settingsTools for working proactively with families, advocacy organizations and educational systems Presenter: Dennis Debbaudt You may register directly on-line by visiting www.pattan.net and entering the Registration On-line page. Content Related Information and Question
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