Month: September 2020

LEO’s ADA30 Kickoff Event is Tomorrow

From Office of Employment and Training: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Register Today!

This event is the official kick-off to LEO’s efforts – with BSBP and MRS touting all their services and resources.

About this Event

About ADA30: This is the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Statewide efforts are spearheaded by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, with LEO’s Office of Employment and Training leading our agency’s involvement in the festivities.

LEO-E&T is hosting 90-minute informational sessions every Thursday in October to highlight the work of the agency and its connection to the ADA.

A link to the virtual event will be sent to you prior to the event.

CMS Seeks Input on Recommended Quality Measures for Home- and Community-Based Services

From ACL: For Entire Post, Go Here…

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a Request for Information (RFI) on a Recommended Measure Set for Medicaid-Funded Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).

The RFI seeks feedback on potential benefits of and challenges that could result from a nationally available set of recommended quality measures for voluntary use by states, managed care organizations, and other entities engaged in the administration and/or delivery of Medicaid-funded home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS is also requesting stakeholder comment on the purpose and organization of the recommended measure set, the criteria used to select measures, and a preliminary draft set of measures for assessing the quality and outcomes of Medicaid-funded HCBS.

Comments should be submitted electronically to HCBSMeasuresRFI@cms.hhs.gov no later than October 19, 2020.

See the Measuring and Improving Quality in Home- and Community-Based Services webpage for more background and information.

157. Are pressure ulcers avoidable?

From The Nursing Home Abuse Podcast: For Entire Post, Go Here…

The term “avoidable” is defined in the Federal regulations governing the operations of nursing homes.

A pressure ulcer is avoidable when nursing homes neglect to assess a resident’s skin integrity, complete a care plan with personalized interventions based on that assessment, or update that care plan based on observation. Neither age, chronic illness, or non-compliance plays a factor.

In this week’s episode, we talk about a nursing home’s obligation to residents to prevent pressure ulcers, and what it means to be avoidable or unavoidable.

Forcing treatment isn’t the answer to psychiatric disabilities

By Kathleen M. Flaherty: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Another racially marginalized person with a psychiatric disability dies at the hands of law enforcement. But the most substantial barriers to mental health care are not those outlined in Sabah Muhammad’s Sept. 8 op-ed, “Being Black and mentally ill shouldn’t be a death sentence.” The chronic underfunding of the community-based system of mental health care is a significant problem. The failure of that system to provide culturally competent and relevant care is another. The failure to respect the human and civil rights of people labeled with a mental health diagnosis is the largest.

A system that relies on the legal authority to compel people to go to a psychiatric facility and be held against their will is complicit in the perpetration of violence against marginalized people. When the players in a system perceive someone as “dangerous” based on bias that reflects systemic racism, classism and ableism, the most marginalized people pay the price. We do not need to increase the ways in which people can be forced into treatment. We need to meet people where they are, and expand access to voluntary services and supports. The Gerstein Crisis Centre in Toronto provides a model.

CREATING A VOTING SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR ALL

From MichiganVoting: View the Know Your Rights Guide

There have been changes to Michigan’s voting laws in order to make voting more accessible for Michigan voters. This website is a non-partisan resource to help voters navigate Michigan’s new voting laws so that we can all successfully cast our ballots in 2020.

Voting Rights of Students

Michigan students can vote at either their home or school address. Learn More

Voting Rights of People Currently or Formerly Incarcerated

You can vote as long as you’re not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison. Learn More

Do I Need a Photo ID to Vote?

The short answer, no. Learn More

What if I Need Assistance Voting?

There are services available to ensure that your polling location is accessible.Learn More

Spinal Cord Stimulation Reduces Pain and Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s

From Neuroscience News: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Summary: Spinal cord stimulation significantly decreased pain and reduced motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, both as a singular therapy and for those who deep brain stimulation proved ineffective.

A team of researchers in the United States and Japan reports that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) measurably decreased pain and reduced motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, both as a singular therapy and as a “salvage therapy” after deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapies were ineffective.

AI for Good Shows Promise to Enhance Work Accessibility

By Scott Michael Robertson: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Rapid technological change and fresh thinking now fuel the development of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software applications in industries across America and other countries worldwide. These software applications could help to increase access to job opportunities in high-growth fields, mitigate systemic barriers, and foster inclusion.

This theme especially resonates in 2020 as we commemorate 30 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the upcoming 75th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October. Technology has rapidly transformed our society during this period, including through the growth of the Internet, expanded wireless communications, and widespread use of mobile devices. The next 30 years can carry forth more technological achievements to further the ADA’s goals for equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.

Personalized Accommodations and Supports

AI-powered software could intelligently analyze data on workplace settings (virtual and physical) to produce personalized accommodations and adapted supports for workers with disabilities. This new approach to identify and customize accommodations and supports for workplaces could help boost productivity and performance while strengthening the self-empowerment of workers with disabilities.

AI-embedded software, including data analytics, offers strong potential to improve accessibility for workers with cognitive, sensory, and physical disabilities. It can support tools for physical and virtual workplaces that account for differences in workplace communication, thinking and learning, sensory experiences, and mobility. AI-powered software could also enhance how employers and service providers approach providing supports to increase accessibility in all facets of hiring, recruitment, and career advancement.

‘Deaf U’ Goes Inside the Deaf College Experience in First Trailer (VIDEO)

By Meaghan Darwish: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Fall is here and Netflix is celebrating by heading back to school with its new docuseries Deaf U, a coming-of-age series following students at Gallaudet University.

The Washington D.C.-based school is home to a tight-knit group of deaf and hard of hearing students who are at the heart of this story. In celebration of the show’s impending arrival, Netflix has unveiled its first full trailer on International Day of Sign Languages (September 23).

The holiday, which highlights the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of the Deaf community and other sign language users globally, is the perfect time to introduce viewers to these students. As one would imagine, the students at Gallaudet are similar to any found at universities across the country.

Emergency Preparedness: Even More Important During COVID-19

From ACL: For Entire Post, Go Here…

Emergency Preparedness: Even More Important During COVID-19

By Kathleen Votava, Aging Services Program Specialist at ACL

What’s the plan?

That’s the question we ask ourselves every September as we observe National Preparedness Month. Having an emergency plan is important at any time, but especially during a pandemic. The challenges of COVID-19 make thinking about preparedness and planning more complex—and more critical.

Fortunately, good resources are available to help. FEMA’s Ready.gov provides guidance and tips on preparing for a variety of situations. ACL preparedness resources and links focus on older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers. The American Red Cross has a useful disaster-planning page especially for COVID-19.

Two key parts of preparation are:

  • Make a plan of actions to take before, during, and after an emergency
  • Build a kit of supplies you may need at home or away during an emergency

Review the following steps to make sure your plan and kit reflect your situation and needs.

MEET THE CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY CREATING A MENTAL HEALTH APP FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

by Dana Givens: For Entire Post, Go Here…

The rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive economic fallout and job layoffs, especially in marginalized communities. According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 41% of respondents said that they have experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression or having some adverse mental health condition as a result of the public health crisis. Now, one civil-rights-attorney-turned-advocate is creating a new app to service those in underserved communities dealing with mental health issues.

Areva Martin is the founder of the Butterflly App. This consumer-based app allows users to connect with others that may be experiencing similar symptoms and provide resources for them to seek treatment. In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Martin talks about creating a platform like this and the importance of discussing mental health within the Black community.

BE: What motivated you to create the Butterflly app?

Martin: I created Butterflly Health because I am the population the platform seeks to serve. [The Butterflly App] is a first-of-its-kind digital therapeutic platform that focuses on underserved and underrepresented Medicaid populations. Butterflly delivers high quality, evidence-based, culturally sensitive digital behavioral health therapies in a more scalable, destigmatized way than traditional in-person therapy.