A bill is introduced to permanently extend ABLE account provisions, New Jersey helps support home and community-based workers, and more developmental disability news for the week ending July 5, 2024.
New York
Youth program expands to help NYS children with special needs In collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine, ACT (Assets Coming Together) for Youth will become a state Center of Excellence for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, working directly with local health departments to help them connect families with care and navigate the health care system. (Cornell Chronicle)
There’s still no ‘Pre-K for All’ for all lof NYC’s special needs children Earlier this spring, the city acknowledged 700 children were waiting for a seat in preschool special education classrooms. It’s a number advocates say has grown. (Spectrum News NY1)
Outside of New York
New Jersey Student Loan Redemption Program Will Support Home and Community-Based Workers Eligible workers can receive up to $50,000 in loan relief in exchange for one year of service at an approved home- and community-based services provider agency or as a self-directed employee. (tapinto.net)
For families seeking respite care for severe disabilities, NJ just got a bit more generous New Jersey will provide $7.3 million to pay for additional hours of emergency caregiving for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (northjersey.com)
ABLE Accounts
Bi-Partisan Bill Introduced to Permanently Extend Provisions for ABLE Accounts The bipartisan Ensuring Nationwide Access to Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act was recently introduced in the Senate. (Press release from office of U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt)
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court Just Opened the Door to the Criminalization of Disability The Supreme Court held that people experiencing homelessness could be subject to criminal and civil penalties for sleeping in public spaces. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities in particular face a housing crisis. (Slate)
Climate Change
States Could Help Disabled People Survive Climate Change—By Involving Them Centers for Independent Living have a new challenge: helping disabled people prepare for and survive extreme weather events. (Mother Jones)
Disney
Disney’s new theme park disability policy sparks anger Its new policy continues to really piss off a bunch of people. (Yahoo News)
First Person
My daughter has a disability. This is the reaction from strangers I hate the most (Today)
