A police reform bill to protect people with disabilities, the U.S. government funds efforts to boost the employment of disabled youth, a new streaming service will launch devoted to disability-related films, and more news for the week ending May 20, 2023.
MISC. NEWS
Medicaid, Disability Programs Could Face Cuts In Debt Ceiling Negotiations “The future of Medicaid and other programs critical to people with disabilities are on the line amid a Washington standoff over the nation’s debt ceiling, advocates say.” There’s no getting around how scary this is. (Disabilityscoop.com)
ReelAbilities Set To Launch Streaming Service Dedicated To Disability-Related Films ReelAbilities, the organizer of the largest film festival in the U.S. devoted to celebrating the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities, has announced that it will be launching a brand-new streaming service. A soft launch is planned for July, 2023. (Forbes.com)
Pa.’s Casey sponsors police reform bill to protect people with disabilities, mental illness U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., unveiled a suite of police reform legislation aimed at avoiding violence between law enforcement and people living with mental illness and disabilities. (penncapital-star.com)
The wait for government disability services can last years. Some states are trying to change that “There are currently 37 states … that maintain waitlists for waivers that grant funding for Medicaid home and community-based services as an alternative to institutional residential facilities.” (PBS.org)
Free All-Terrain Chairs Are Making the Great Outdoors Even Better The Boost wrote about Westchester’s adaptive hiking programs and their all-terrain chairs, and this article takes a broader look at how public parks nationwide are offering the “rugged technology for visitors.” (Wired.com)
Cruising Altitude: Progress for disabled travelers is not coming fast enough Last week The Boost reported on a recently introduced bipartisan bill to help disabled travelers with mobility devices, and this article says it’s not nearly enough. (usatoday.com)
US Department of Labor Announces $1.5M Funding Availability to Support Policy Development to Expand Employment of Disabled Youth Administered by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the funding will continue the work of the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth. (US Dept. of Labor news release)
NEW YORK STATE
Obituary: Esta-Ann Baitler, champion for people with developmental disabilities, community Esta-Ann Baitler, a Rockland County resident who demonstrated daily the value and contributions of people with developmental disabilities, has died. (lohud.com)
For Manhattanites with Disabilities, Trek to Prove Access-A-Ride Worthiness Gets Worse “While Access-A-Ride’s assessment requirements have long been a sore point for paratransit users — many with limited mobility — there are now fewer location options for screenings, and none in Manhattan.” (thecity.nyc)
NOT NYS
Colorado is pouring more money into schools for kids with behavioral health issues and disabilities, but are they helping? Some are questioning whether maintaining separate schools for children who act out aggressively, including those with intellectual needs, are holding centers for kids with behavior problems. (Chalkbeat.com)
Virginia to study Maryland program after backlash over disability caregiving change The Maryland program allows certain family members to be paid for caregiving services for people with disabilities. (Virginiamercury.com)
First cohort of students with intellectual disabilities completes UMatter Program The first set of students have graduated from the Eileen Hoffman Hafer UMatter Program in St. Petersburg, Fla., which provides young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to experience higher education and campus life, and which launched in 2020. (stpetersburg.usf.edu)
