The AP takes a look at the 7- to 10-year waitlist nationwide for disability services, Rockland County, N.Y., has an upcoming DSP rally, and more developmental disability news for the week ending March 2, 2024.

New York

Rockland rally to demand higher pay for workers who aid New Yorkers with disabilities A rally is planned for March 8 in Stony Point in protest of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s shamefully low proposed 1.5% cost-of-living increase to nonprofits for DSP wages. (lohud.com)

Bill calls for adult changing tables in public spaces across New York “Traveling with Dignity Act” would provide spaces safer and more sanitary to use. (Spectrum Local News)

Long Island high schoolers make sports accessible for people with disabilities “Lacrosse My Heart,” spearheaded by lacrosse players from Roslyn High School, raised funds to support a wheelchair lacrosse team. (nypost.com)

Outside of New York

In NJ, people with disabilities face 7- to 10-year wait for group home funding Almost 4,400 people with developmental disabilities are on the waiting list. (Northjersey.com)

Colorado Medicaid discriminates against people with disabilities: federal complaint Families of people with disabilities are receiving notices that they’re no longer eligible for services, causing panic and delays. (The Colorado Sun)

Colorado bill would limit use of shortened school days for students with disabilities Some states use these shortened school days even if not requested via the learning plan nor are due to disciplinary reasons (doing so is in and of itself highly problematic). (Chalkbeat.org)

Maine lawmakers hear input on bill to have local schools provide pre-school disability services Child Development Services, overseen by the state Dept, of Ed, has been falling short of its responsibilities. (Pressherald.com)

Toledo has created a Mayor’s Office on Disability It’s believed to be the first such office in Ohio. (Toledo City Paper)

The Wait

States offer services for disabled kids, then make families wait 10 years for them A report on the hundreds of thousands of individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities nationwide waiting for state-covered services. (AP)

I/DD

New study estimates almost 1% of adults in US have an intellectual disability With no national survey measuring prevalence of intellectual disability among adults, researchers turned to data collected between 1980 and 1999. (Disability Scoop)

Autism

Autism diagnoses are soaring. Here’s how some colleges are responding The rate of completion for autistic students lags that of general postsecondary population, 39% to 59%. (The Saratogian)

Autistic people held back by job interview questions Interesting report from Great Briatin. (BBC)

Direct Care Workforce

Dept. of Health and Human Services Announces Multi-Pronged Effort to Strengthen Direct Care Workforce It’s meant to address the workforce crisis. Does it? (ACL.gov)

Tech

New ‘smart’ supportive home opens in Montreal to help young people with intellectual disabilities The first in Canada, this (very) expensive house’s features include tech that creates recipes based on what’s inside the fridge and screens that explain how to brush teeth, and for how long. (Globalnews.ca)