Medicaid rolls continue to shrink, Rutgers has a new disability study minor, a family opens a flower farm to give their autistic son a job and more news to know for the week ending Sept. 2, 2023.

Spotlight

Family-run Little Otter Flower Farm in central Virginia gets a lovely profile. It’s of interest both because its owners opened it to give their son, who’s autistic, employment in work he enjoys, undeniably awesome, and because it points out the unfortunate fact that parents are forced to be this creative: Nearly 99% of working-age autistic adults who potentially need employment services actually receive them.

Education

Special-Needs Students Flourish in Sensory-Designed Schools One school, for instance, has lockers and stairwell doors with windows so students don’t have to stress over what’s on the other side. (the74million.org)

New York

A reminder of why it’s so hard to get elected officials to pay attention to issues we care about: Lobbying in 2022 topped $300 million in N.Y., a record.

NYC subway stations remain accessibility nightmares (nytimes.com)

Westchester, Rockland retail store nonprofits team up  Girl AGain now has stock and staff at the Independence Cafe. (lohud.com)

Riverdale home for adults with disabilities has vegetable garden for residents I hereby command all group homes to have vegetable gardens. Read more about it at YAI, which also finds the garden a useful advocacy tool. (Bronx 12 New York)

Westchester disability advocacy group says Lyft won’t provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles to passengers (News12 Westchester)

Outside of New York

Pa. is changing its special-ed rules: Students with disabilities can now attend school until age 22 (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

California bill would reform ‘failing’ disability system The state’s regional centers are “failing in significant ways to deliver critical, adequate, and timely services … especially to Californians of color.” (sacbee.com)

New Jersey’s Rutgers Univ. launches disability studies minor It’s a response to the growing awareness of “disability as a fundamental aspect of human diversity.” (northjersey.com)

U.S. Govt.

Despite federal warnings, red and blue states aggressively cull Medicaid rolls  Since pandemic protections expired, nearly 4 million people have lost coverage. FYI, in June, the Biden administration urged states to ensure that they aren’t wrongly terminating Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities. (stateline.org)

Social Security Proposes Update To SSI Calculation The rule seeks to expand a more lenient” standard used in seven states including New York. (Disabilityscoop.com)

Employment

RJ Peete isn’t just a clubhouse attendant with autism. He’s a central part of the Dodgers family  Another heartwarming and all-too-pointed story about employment, only this time the son has celebrity parents. (latimes.com)

Tech

New VR programme promotes exercise among people with intellectual disabilities (mobilehealthnews.com)

Podcast

How To Navigate Adult Autism The How To! podcast from Slate tackles neurodiversity. (slate.com)

Rodeo!

I promised more on the Monument Special Rodeo held Aug. 26 in Rapid City, S.D., for people with disabilities. Check out the video!