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Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
Governor Ted Strickland, John L. Martin, Director
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Pipeline is published at least twice monthly. Issues are archived at http://www.mrdd.ohio.gov/publications/pipeline.htm. Please share your thoughts with us at feedback@odmrdd.state.oh.us. Visit us at www.mrdd.ohio.gov
Wednesday October 1, 2008
Volume 2, Issue 20
1. Family Advisory Council Members Engage Director Martin on Issues Important to Families
2. National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2008
3. Self-Determination – Persistence Drives Change in Athens County
4. ADA Amendments Act Signed Into Law September 25, 2008
5. Coordinating Center of Excellence in Dual Diagnosis Introduces Website
6. Medicare’s New Competitive Bidding Program
Reminder: Register Now to Vote in the November General Election
1. Family Advisory Council Members Engage Director Martin on Issues Important to Families
Among the subjects discussed at the September 23, 2008, Family Advisory Council (FAC) meeting were state budget cuts; progress on the implementation of MRDD Futures Recommendations; and, how to get the most from Medicaid and Medicare benefits for family members.
ODMRDD Director John Martin joined the group of more than 50 individuals, family members and other interested stakeholders gathered in Columbus for the group’s regular meeting, noting that the most recent budget cuts announced by Governor Ted Strickland this month (See Pipeline Extra! September 10, 2008) were challenging the Department to continue to oversee services to 80,000 Ohioans with disabilities, while looking very closely at every expenditure, every process, and every efficiency possible. He commented,
“ We need to re-evaluate, and look at different options. What can we redirect or do differently to make it through these difficult economic times? These are the kinds of things we are going to be working through.”
Director Martin went on to discuss progress on the implementation of MRDD Futures Recommendations, highlighting several areas of interest to FAC members. One such area focused on providing opportunities beyond the Individual Options (IO) Waiver, to allow for more flexibility in service options. Discussion on this subject included the concept of service ‘utilization’. Utilization, in terms of County Board of MRDD services, looks at which services are used most often by most people, and what services may be under-utilized or available through other sources. Director Martin noted,
“We want to make resources available to meet needs in the most economical way possible, and throughout the MRDD system we need to be asking people what they really need. What do they need now? What might they need later on? What we are trying to do is simplify, simplify, simplify.”
Family Advisory Council members shared their concerns regarding fewer subsidy dollars going to County Boards of MRDD, and fewer dollars then trickling down to families, in light of budget issues. These concerns and others will be taken into consideration in Futures planning, and are also of great concern to ODMRDD and to the Governor’s office. Director Martin explained,
“Families as caregivers are the backbone of the service delivery network, and we know that. Governor Strickland cares deeply about how these cuts will affect people. It is our hope that the economy begins to turn around, and that in the meantime we can be creative and get through this.”
(See pdf attached to this email for captioned photos from this meeting)
2. National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2008
‘America’s People, America’s Talent ... America’s Strength!’
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has announced the official theme for this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, observed each October by congressional designation, nationwide. The theme, "America's People, America's Talent ... America's Strength!" attempts to capture the many accomplishments of people with disabilities.
"Full access to community life for Americans with disabilities is an imperative, and this year's theme conveys the tremendous contributions that these Americans can make in the workplace," said Secretary Chao.
People with Disabilities are Redefining the Workforce
The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) leads the month’s activities and produces materials to increase public awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. The ODEP is leading a 21st Century federal response to the historic underemployment of people with disabilities. "It is important to note that having people with disabilities in the workplace is valuable to the individual and to businesses," said Neil Romano, assistant secretary for the ODEP. He continues,
"People with disabilities are the next great wave of diversity, and diversity fosters innovation to drive our economy and our nation into the future."
In collaboration with other state government agencies such as the ODMRDD, public and private employers, and other stakeholders, ODEP develops and implements policies and practices to achieve a fully inclusive workplace. For more information about National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit www.dol.gov/odep.
As part of the ODMRDD Futures Implementation work now underway, providing improved community employment opportunities for individuals is an important focus in the planning and development of statewide services and supports. In addition, targeted programs such as Medicaid Buy-In (see article in Pipeline Volume 2 Issue 16, ) can assist in making better job opportunities a reality for people with disabilities.
Posters promoting the month are available for ordering at www.dol.gov/odep
(See pdf attached to this email for photos related to this article)
PIPELINE FEEDBACK REQUEST – Send your response to feedback@odmrdd.state.oh.us
Do you feel that your community/county is open to hiring people with disabilities in community-based or private-sector jobs? If yes, what examples of this have you seen?
3. Self-Determination – Persistence Drives Change in Athens County
Persistence Drives Change in Athens County – Self-Advocates Prevail
Following is a speech presented by Andy Leinbaugh at the recent Ohio Self-Determination Assn. (OSDA) conference, prior to the official introduction of HB 620 and HB 621, recommending name changes (removing the words ‘mental retardation’) to County Boards of MRDD and to the Ohio Department of MRDD. Andy is a self-advocate and participant in Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ PersonnelPlus employment opportunities. We share this presentation, as written and with Andy’s permission, as an example of what self-determination can accomplish. Special thanks to Andy for allowing us to share this.
Hello my name is Andy Leinbaugh.
I am a member of the PersonnelPlus Consumer Advisory Council in Athens, Ohio. Our Council for three years has been discussing the topic of the usage of the words Mental Retardation and its effect on people with disabilities.
The Council members expressed their feelings and anger towards these words. People expressed how hurtful this term is to them. We decided as a Council to address the Athens County Board with our feelings and concerns about the words Mental Retardation.
We started a petition drive to gather support to remove the words ‘mental retardation’ at our annual Disability Awareness Festival in March 2007. We gathered several hundred signatures.
We then attended the County Board meeting in May of 2007 and presented to the Board members our petitions. We told our stories and about how we felt about the words mental retardation.
We asked the Board to consider changing the name to the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The Board members and the management team agreed to consider changing the name.
They thought about putting this idea into the strategic plan that the County Board was working on. They said they would get back to us with any progress towards this recommendation.
We waited for awhile and did not hear back from the administration or the management team.
We invited Jody Harris, our superintendent, to come to one or our Council meetings to update us on the progress. Jody reported about the concerns that she was hearing about changing the name and that some surveys did not necessarily show strong support one way or another for the change.
To our Council members this did not demonstrate to us that our recommendation was receiving the consideration we thought it was due. This upset the Council members.
We decided to go to another County Board meeting. We also decided to enlist the support of other self-advocates in Athens County by attending the Developmental Disabilities Council Center on Public Policy (DDCCPP) meeting.
There we spoke with other self-advocates and they also had strong feelings about the words mental retardation. They agreed to send representatives to join us at the May 2008 County Board meeting.
On May 27th, 2008, we went to the County Board meeting with our Consumer Advisory Council members and some members from the DDCCPP. We asked what progress had been made on changing the name of the County Board and we pointed out that nothing had been done to address this concern.
The County Board members did not know how to respond to our challenge to them. We again told them how we felt about changing the name, how we felt about the words mental retardation, and told our personal stories about discrimination and name calling that we have experience in our lives.
Some speakers told how the term is outdated and contradicts the new mission statement of the County Board. The County Board members were obviously moved by our testimony.
A Board member made a motion to change the name right there and then at the Board meeting. It was seconded and passed unanimously. The self-advocates were surprised and delighted that the Board chose to support our recommendation.
So as of that day, the name is now the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Thank you for listening. This is an important issue to me.
(See pdf attached to this email for photos related to this article)
4. ADA Amendments Act Signed Into Law September 25, 2008
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act was signed into law on September 25, 2008. ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights, the nonprofit organizations behind the Road To Freedom bus tour, praised all of those involved in this successful campaign to advance disability rights.
According to the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), disability rights advocates participating in the Road To Freedom bus tour traveled the nation for nearly two years in a modified bus, educating citizens and policymakers about the pressing need to restore vital civil rights protections contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
In recent years, the ADA – the world’s first human rights law for people with disabilities – has been narrowed in the courts, leaving citizens with epilepsy, diabetes, mental illness, and other disabilities unprotected from discrimination. The ADA Amendments Act clarifies the intent of Congress, and reverses the ‘judicial activism’ that has resulted in a high percentage of employment-related ADA cases being dismissed on summary judgment.
ODMRDD Director John Martin notes this about the landmark legislation:
“The passage of the ADA Amendments Act is a significant event for the MRDD community, as it better defines the protections that have been eroded by various Supreme Court rulings over the years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. This Amendments Act strengthens and clarifies areas that will help improve opportunities for people with disabilities in the workforce and the community.”
For example, the Act makes important changes to the definition of the term "disability" by rejecting the holdings in several Supreme Court decisions and portions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC’s) ADA regulations.
The Act, which becomes effective January 1, 2009, also retains the ADA's basic definition of "disability" as an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. However, the Act changes the way that these statutory terms should be interpreted. For specific information on these changes, see http://www.eeoc.gov/ada/amendments_notice.html or http://www.adabill.com/ .
The National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) is a coalition of national, state and local disability, civil rights, and social justice organizations united to protect and promote the human rights of children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities. Websites are at www.adawatch.org and www.roadtofreedom.org.
5. Coordinating Center of Excellence in Dual Diagnosis Introduces Website
The Coordinating Center of Excellence in Dual Diagnosis (CCOE) has introduced a website at www.ohiomidd.com . The Center’s mission is to focus on the systemic and clinical treatment needs of persons with co-occurring mental retardation/developmental disabilities and mental illness.
The CCOE is operated by Wright State University Department of Psychiatry in Dayton, the Nisonger Center in Columbus, and Ascentia, in coordination with the Case Western Reserve Department of Psychiatry in Cleveland. It is funded and endorsed by the Ohio Department of Mental Health, the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council.
The CCOE works to identify best practices; train professionals in mental health, mental retardation and developmental disabilities and related service systems; and, provide systemic and clinical consultation across Ohio. In addition, the CCOE plans to initiate the development of best practices to meet needs, and promote and demonstrate systemic and clinical best practices. Models of such practices will be shared with local communities to help meet needs at local levels.
Prior to the creation of the CCOE, individuals with a dual diagnosis were identified as underserved primarily due to a lack of systems collaboration, lack of specific staff training, and the absence of evidence-based practices for treatment. For more information visit the new website at www.ohiomidd.com.
6. Medicare’s New Competitive Bidding Program
What You Should Know if you Need Medicare-Covered Equipment or Supplies
Recently, Congress changed the way Medicare determines how much it pays for certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies and, redefined who can furnish these items. In line with this, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has started a pilot program designed to help save beneficiaries money; ensure that they can get quality medical equipment, supplies, and services; and, help limit fraud and abuse in the Medicare program.
The new Competitive Bidding Program lets Medicare use competitive bids submitted by suppliers to determine the amount Medicare pays for certain medical equipment and supplies. Under this program, beneficiaries who are permanent residents of, or who visit a zip code that is a part of a Competitive Bidding Area, are required to obtain certain medical equipment and supplies from a contract supplier in order for Medicare to pay for these items. The pilot program has been in effect since July 1, 2008.
You can find information about the new program by visiting www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. In addition, there is a helpful booklet, written in a question/answer format, at http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11307.pdf .
Acknowledgments to the National Council on Disability for this information.
Reminder
Register NOW to Vote in the November General Election
Thanks to Ohio Legal Rights Service (OLRS) for the following reminder. If you are in a position to help someone with a disability register to vote, or otherwise understand their voting rights, please keep this information in mind:
In order to vote in the upcoming Ohio general election, individuals must be registered to vote at least 30 days before the election. The deadline to register for the November general election is October 6, 2008.
The OLRS website at http://olrs.ohio.gov/asp/VoterFaqRegister.asp features a Fact Sheet listing Frequently Asked Questions. You may also contact the Ohio Legal Rights Service Intake Department at (voice) 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181; (TTY) 614-728-2553 or 1-800-858-3542.
Toll-Free Hotline for Reporting Abuse, Neglect, and other Possible Major Unusual Incidents (MUIs)
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MUIs is 1-866-313-MRDD (6733). Please note that MUIs are to be reported to the local County Board of MRDD, however, it is understood that there may be times an individual, staff member, or family member may feel it is a conflict -- or that, potentially, a County Board may be involved in the allegation. In those instances it is important to remember that the hotline number exists, and is to be used for reporting concerns in these situations.
Pipeline feedback … direct from you to the state …
Questions? Comments? Pipeline is an electronic publication of the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (ODMRDD), distributed approximately twice monthly to update and inform readers of time-sensitive, relevant information affecting MRDD stakeholders. Please share your questions or comments with us about Pipeline at feedback@odmrdd.state.oh.us , or contact Sherry Steinman at sherry.steinman@dmr.state.oh.us , phone (614) 644-0262.
Editor's Notes: ODMRDD values subscriber confidentiality and does not intentionally share subscriber addresses with others. However, in the event of a public records request, the ODMRDD will comply with all applicable Public Records Laws.
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