By JERRY WOLFFE
TROY -- Some 659 people walked around the Somerset Collection in Troy to raise $25,000 for the Autism Society of Oakland County, said the society's president, Barbara Brennan.
The walk took place on the first floor of the posh shopping center off of Big Beaver Road on Sunday.
The money will go for "resources and programs in Oakland County for those with autism," said Brennan, who has two sons, aged 22 and 10 with autism.
"We are focusing on helping adults 18 and over which is an under served population," she said.
The society began in 1985 and Brennan has worked there for some 16 years. It provides no direct care but it "collaborates and helps create programs to improve the lives of those with autism," she said.
One-in-68 children being born in the United States is diagnosed with autism, a complex developmental disability that affects the individual's ability to communicate and interact with others.
To chronicle the progress of those with disabilities in America and the world.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Voices of Disabilities: New law goes into effect soon to help disabled fin...
Voices of Disabilities: New law goes into effect soon to help disabled fin...: By JERRY WOLFFE The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act became law last July 22 and goes into effect in the nation's 50 states th...
New law goes into effect soon to help disabled find jobs
By JERRY WOLFFE
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act became law last July 22 and goes into effect in the nation's 50 states this July 1 with the goal of increasing the number of people with disabilities find meaningful jobs.
Mary Costillo of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department in Texas said only "one in five" people with a disability in this nation is employed, an astoundingly horrific economic and social situation for the estimated 58 million people in the United States who have a disability.
She criticized employers in her state saying Tuesday (4.28.2015) that employers are hiring "not based on a person's need." Thus, an environment of failure is being created. Apparently, employers have not been implementing reasonable accommodation in hiring people with disabilities as required by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, she noted.
"We hope to change this," she said.
A Facebook page, Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act, has been created to get the word out about the new law.
The LEAD Center, funded by the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Policy, is hosting a four-part webinar series titled "WIOA From a Disability Perspective."
To participate in this webinar Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST), go to https://leadcenter.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=leadcenter&service=6&rnd=0.8158714542156543&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fleadcenter.webex.com%2Fec0701lsp13%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D1751339289%26%26EMK%3D4832534b0000000241b0ae009847272940ae84496a0476c54b1bad4870160e2b5142ea13f034d88a%26%26%26siteurl%3Dleadcenter
to participate in the webinar.
WIOA represents new opportunities for support for job seekers with disabilities that increases responsibility of WIBs and American Job Centers to be fully accessible and offer necessary accommodations to provide job seekers with disabilities effective and meaningful participation in the use of skills training and career pathways for 21st century jobs.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act became law last July 22 and goes into effect in the nation's 50 states this July 1 with the goal of increasing the number of people with disabilities find meaningful jobs.
Mary Costillo of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department in Texas said only "one in five" people with a disability in this nation is employed, an astoundingly horrific economic and social situation for the estimated 58 million people in the United States who have a disability.
She criticized employers in her state saying Tuesday (4.28.2015) that employers are hiring "not based on a person's need." Thus, an environment of failure is being created. Apparently, employers have not been implementing reasonable accommodation in hiring people with disabilities as required by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, she noted.
"We hope to change this," she said.
A Facebook page, Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act, has been created to get the word out about the new law.
The LEAD Center, funded by the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Policy, is hosting a four-part webinar series titled "WIOA From a Disability Perspective."
To participate in this webinar Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST), go to https://leadcenter.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=leadcenter&service=6&rnd=0.8158714542156543&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fleadcenter.webex.com%2Fec0701lsp13%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D1751339289%26%26EMK%3D4832534b0000000241b0ae009847272940ae84496a0476c54b1bad4870160e2b5142ea13f034d88a%26%26%26siteurl%3Dleadcenter
to participate in the webinar.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is designed to help job seekers access
employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the
labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need
to compete in the global economy.
Congress passed the Act by a wide bipartisan majority; it is the first legislative reform in 15 years of the public workforce system.
Every year the key programs that form the pillars of WIOA help tens of millions of job seekers and workers to connect to good jobs and acquire the skills and credentials needed to obtain them. The enactment of WIOA provides opportunity for reforms to ensure the American Job Center system is job-driven—responding to the needs of employers and preparing workers for jobs that are available now and in the future, according to a press release.
WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In general, the Act takes effect on July 1, 2015, the first full program year after enactment, unless otherwise noted. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will issue further guidance on the timeframes for implementation of these changes and proposed regulations reflecting the changes in WIOA soon after enactment.
At a state and local level, Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) must engage in a unified strategic planning process that will enhance their focus on cross-system collaboration (Title I Adult and Youth programs and services with Wagner-Peyser Employment Services and Title I of the Rehabilitation Act programs).Congress passed the Act by a wide bipartisan majority; it is the first legislative reform in 15 years of the public workforce system.
Every year the key programs that form the pillars of WIOA help tens of millions of job seekers and workers to connect to good jobs and acquire the skills and credentials needed to obtain them. The enactment of WIOA provides opportunity for reforms to ensure the American Job Center system is job-driven—responding to the needs of employers and preparing workers for jobs that are available now and in the future, according to a press release.
WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In general, the Act takes effect on July 1, 2015, the first full program year after enactment, unless otherwise noted. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will issue further guidance on the timeframes for implementation of these changes and proposed regulations reflecting the changes in WIOA soon after enactment.
WIOA represents new opportunities for support for job seekers with disabilities that increases responsibility of WIBs and American Job Centers to be fully accessible and offer necessary accommodations to provide job seekers with disabilities effective and meaningful participation in the use of skills training and career pathways for 21st century jobs.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Hundreds to run in ‘Miles for Smiles 5K’ to raise funds to help those with disabilities
Registration deadline for the 5k May 2nd event
at Independence Oaks Park is April 29. The fee to run or walk is $30. Sign up
at www.morcinc.org/events/morc-miles-for-smiles
or contact Jennifer Lasceski at (586) 416-2075
By JERRY WOLFFE
A 5K run/walk at the Independence Oaks County Park in
Clarkston on May 2 is expected to have about 300 participants with the goal of
raising at least $10,000 to provide for dental care for people with
disabilities that the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, Inc. serves.
It is the fourth year for the event and about 200 people ran
or walked last year along the paved path in the park.
“It’s very hard to find dentists because a lot of our
individuals need to be sedated to get dental work and that’s not covered by any
insurance or Medicaid,” said Kerri Pfaffenberger, a speech pathologist at MORC,
based in Clinton Township.
She said it can cost $1,000 alone just to sedate someone
with a severe disability so a dentist can work on their teeth.
Too many times people with disabilities do not receive
proper dental care and hygiene and end up in hospitals with systemic infections
that result from an abscessed tooth, costing as much as $100,000, when early
treatment could have prevented hospitalization.
The deadline to register for the event is April 29. Check-in
for participants will be at Twin Chimneys Shelter beginning at 8:30 a.m. The
5k, or 3.1 mile race, begins at 10 a.m. There also is a one-quarter mile walk
that begins shortly after the runners take off.
“We walk the course a couple of days ahead of time,”
Pfaffenberger said, noting it is wheelchair accessible. “This year we are
having the MORC Choir sing the National Anthem before the 10 a.m. start.”
“We were looking for alternative ways to raise money but the
5K seemed to be a very good fund-raising event,” said Pfaffenberger. “There are
a lot of people in the community who participate because they enjoy the park,
the cause and they know about MORC helping those with disabilities,” she said.
Awards will be presented to the top three male and female 5K run finishers overall and top three
in each division: 14 & under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and over. Separate awards will be given for
top three 5k overall walkers, Pfaffenberger said.
Prizes also include medals and gift certificates to
different running stores. A “tin can” raffle will be on-site too that day.
“Response from the public has been wonderful,” said
Pfaffenberger.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence,
advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at
(586) 263-8950.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Oakland County CMH says more cuts to be laid on providers
By JOHN TURK
Of The Oakland Press
A projected $11 million deficit at the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority has officials admitting that cuts to service providers, programs and layoffs are distinct possibilities to mitigate the shortfall.
After recently releasing some budget numbers on the projected deficit, Oakland’s authority said it is working with its provider agencies to look at reductions that could be necessary before Oct. 1, which is the beginning of the entity’s 2015-16 fiscal year.
Executive Director and CEO Willie Brooks said since 2013, a $14 million reduction in Medicaid dollars from the state, combined with an $8 million decrease in the general fund and a $7 million increase in service demand, left the agency with a $29 million budget shortfall.
After reserve money was used to reduce the deficit to $11 million, in 2015 “what happens is that the budget does not go away — it carries over into the next year. We still have that $11 million that we have to make up,” said Brooks.
Of The Oakland Press
A projected $11 million deficit at the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority has officials admitting that cuts to service providers, programs and layoffs are distinct possibilities to mitigate the shortfall.
After recently releasing some budget numbers on the projected deficit, Oakland’s authority said it is working with its provider agencies to look at reductions that could be necessary before Oct. 1, which is the beginning of the entity’s 2015-16 fiscal year.
Executive Director and CEO Willie Brooks said since 2013, a $14 million reduction in Medicaid dollars from the state, combined with an $8 million decrease in the general fund and a $7 million increase in service demand, left the agency with a $29 million budget shortfall.
After reserve money was used to reduce the deficit to $11 million, in 2015 “what happens is that the budget does not go away — it carries over into the next year. We still have that $11 million that we have to make up,” said Brooks.
Layoffs, the consolidation of providers and reductions to improve efficiency could all be on the table, Brooks said, adding he’s meeting with providers later this week to discuss the impact to those the entity serves. Some providers could potentially go out of business, he added.
The Arc, which has hosted three packed town hall meetings on the issue and has reached out to the community for action in other ways, has more than 1,000 dues paying members whose family members have some type of disability.
“With another decrease in funds, it’s going to mean less services for people with disabilities ... staff people for these service providers are essentially at minimum wage, maybe a little higher, with very little benefits,” said Kendziorski.
“If cuts continue, who wants to work for close to $8 an hour? They could make more working at their local WalMart or McDonald’s.”
Kendziorski added that the state’s Medicaid cuts are not proportional to the number of people served — and benefits provided — in Oakland County, which is about 27,000, by the mental health authority’s count. Less and less are individuals seeing community living support services, vocational training programs, transportation to those programs and residential services, he explained.
“Parents may have to shoulder more responsibility for caring for their adult children. But parents do get older, too, you know. They become 60 and 70 and can’t do what they used to do in their 30s and 40s.”
Jerry Wolffe, writer in residence and advocate at large at the Macomb Oakland Regional Center (MORC) in Clinton Township, said although he isn’t speaking on behalf of MORC, he personally believes society will regress if adequate funds aren’t seen for mental health statewide.
“You can’t cut millions of dollars and expect to provide services where the person has an optimal life,” said Wolffe.
“In these last 10 years, the rate of inflation has increased 30 percent, and funding had been chopped by millions of dollars. It leaves providers with the only option of cutting the salaries of the caregivers, who make an average of $9.06 an hour. There’s no more room to cut.”
Kendziorski agrees.
“We’re leading toward a collapse,” Kendziorski said.
“If we don’t have enough money to maintain the level of services that this generation expects ... it could mean that only the most severely disabled could be served, and the moderately impaired wouldn’t see much help, if any. That’s not a good situation.”
Kendziorski added that there is no cap on how much in reserve money the Community Mental Health Authority can use to stave off the deficit.
But Brooks said: “We can’t continue to use reserves — we’ll be out of Medicaid reserves next year at this time, at this rate.
We have to balance what’s going out to what’s coming in.”
The cuts came after years of assessment from the state’s Department of Community Health to reshuffle, or rebase, a new Medicaid rate across Michigan.
On top of the $14 million Medicaid dollars cut in Oakland alone, a worst-case scenario would be more cuts handed down from the state in 2016, Brooks said.
The county’s mental health authority has been working with legislators and the Department of Community Health to help the statewide division “develop a statewide solution, and understand their goal,” Brooks said.
“But at the same time, we want to maintain the infrastructure that we have here.”
Vicki Suder, the mental health authority’s director of rights and advocacy, said in 2010, the state closed the last institution for people with developmental disabilities. She said state funding is needed “to show people that they are valued members of the community, and we need to be able to support them.
“They are getting some of the basic care, not way above and beyond.”
In Macomb and Wayne, budgets seem to be balanced, barring any more state cuts, directors of each regional mental health authority recently told Crain’s Detroit.
The Detroit Wayne County Community Health Authority serves about 75,000 people, and has made reductions that have led to no projected cuts in services necessary in fiscal year 2015-16 fiscal.
The Macomb County Community Mental Health Authority said although it saw $23 million in cuts the past two years, it doesn’t expect reductions in 2016, either. It serves about 30,000 people.
Effects to residents
Tom Kendziorski, executive director at mental health advocacy group The Arc of Oakland County, said the deficit is “yet another low point” for people with mental health care issues, and for those who serve them.The Arc, which has hosted three packed town hall meetings on the issue and has reached out to the community for action in other ways, has more than 1,000 dues paying members whose family members have some type of disability.
“With another decrease in funds, it’s going to mean less services for people with disabilities ... staff people for these service providers are essentially at minimum wage, maybe a little higher, with very little benefits,” said Kendziorski.
“If cuts continue, who wants to work for close to $8 an hour? They could make more working at their local WalMart or McDonald’s.”
Kendziorski added that the state’s Medicaid cuts are not proportional to the number of people served — and benefits provided — in Oakland County, which is about 27,000, by the mental health authority’s count. Less and less are individuals seeing community living support services, vocational training programs, transportation to those programs and residential services, he explained.
“Parents may have to shoulder more responsibility for caring for their adult children. But parents do get older, too, you know. They become 60 and 70 and can’t do what they used to do in their 30s and 40s.”
Jerry Wolffe, writer in residence and advocate at large at the Macomb Oakland Regional Center (MORC) in Clinton Township, said although he isn’t speaking on behalf of MORC, he personally believes society will regress if adequate funds aren’t seen for mental health statewide.
“You can’t cut millions of dollars and expect to provide services where the person has an optimal life,” said Wolffe.
“In these last 10 years, the rate of inflation has increased 30 percent, and funding had been chopped by millions of dollars. It leaves providers with the only option of cutting the salaries of the caregivers, who make an average of $9.06 an hour. There’s no more room to cut.”
Kendziorski agrees.
“We’re leading toward a collapse,” Kendziorski said.
“If we don’t have enough money to maintain the level of services that this generation expects ... it could mean that only the most severely disabled could be served, and the moderately impaired wouldn’t see much help, if any. That’s not a good situation.”
Kendziorski added that there is no cap on how much in reserve money the Community Mental Health Authority can use to stave off the deficit.
But Brooks said: “We can’t continue to use reserves — we’ll be out of Medicaid reserves next year at this time, at this rate.
We have to balance what’s going out to what’s coming in.”
More state cuts?
Last year, Medicaid cuts came to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties mental health authorities to the tune of $48 million. The three regional mental health authorities cover more than 60 percent of the state’s Medicaid recipients.The cuts came after years of assessment from the state’s Department of Community Health to reshuffle, or rebase, a new Medicaid rate across Michigan.
On top of the $14 million Medicaid dollars cut in Oakland alone, a worst-case scenario would be more cuts handed down from the state in 2016, Brooks said.
The county’s mental health authority has been working with legislators and the Department of Community Health to help the statewide division “develop a statewide solution, and understand their goal,” Brooks said.
“But at the same time, we want to maintain the infrastructure that we have here.”
Vicki Suder, the mental health authority’s director of rights and advocacy, said in 2010, the state closed the last institution for people with developmental disabilities. She said state funding is needed “to show people that they are valued members of the community, and we need to be able to support them.
“They are getting some of the basic care, not way above and beyond.”
In Macomb and Wayne, budgets seem to be balanced, barring any more state cuts, directors of each regional mental health authority recently told Crain’s Detroit.
The Detroit Wayne County Community Health Authority serves about 75,000 people, and has made reductions that have led to no projected cuts in services necessary in fiscal year 2015-16 fiscal.
The Macomb County Community Mental Health Authority said although it saw $23 million in cuts the past two years, it doesn’t expect reductions in 2016, either. It serves about 30,000 people.
DOJ: Girl can bring service dog to school
The U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a Letter of Findings regarding civil rights violations by the Gates-Chili Central School District in Rochester, N.Y. The DOJ found the District has violated title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by its refusal to permit a student to bring her service dog to school unless the student's mother also provides a full-time handler. The Letter of Findings is available on DOJ's ADA website.
For more general information on the ADA visit www.ADA.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800)-514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).
-- By JERRY WOLFFE
Monday, April 6, 2015
MORC Lights it up Blue to boost awareness of autism
By JERRY WOLFFE
Blue lights shone into the night sky as “Light It Up Blue” was celebrated worldwide, including at MORC in Clinton Township, to increase awareness of autism, a developmental disability affecting more children every year.
At the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center along 19 Mile Road between Hayes and Garfield there were 120 large balloons with lights inside on the lawn Thursday night to garner the attention of passersby to mark the Eighth Annual Worldwide Autism Awareness Day. April is also autism awareness month.
Project Director Patricia Sims Sunisloe and several other workers at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center set up the balloons in windy and rainy conditions to catch the attention of the public.
The MORC cafeteria in Clinton Township served chilled blueberry soup and gave workers and visitors Blue Moon ice cream until the supply was exhausted. At the nonprofit’s Auburn Hills office blue candy was given to help people realize the impact autism is having on America as well as the world.
There are 3.5 million people in the United States and 70 million worldwide who have autism, a term for a group of complex disorders of brain development. The disorder is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behavior, according to the nonprofit Autism Speaks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1 in 68 children being born today have autism. The number for newborn boys is higher with the rate being being 1 in 42 births. It costs about $60,000 a year to provide treatment for each child with autism, the Website Autism Speaks noted.
“We put up all the blue balloons to try and increase awareness and support those with the lifelong disability,” said Sims Sunisloe. MORC has two autism treatment center, one in Clinton Township and the other in Troy. “Therefore I felt we had an obligation to join with people around the world to ‘Light It Up Blue,’” said Sims Sunisloe.
Since 2000, the number of children born with autism has increased 119.4 percent, or more than double, according to the CDC. Costs of treatment in the United States are estimated at between $236 billion to $262 billion a year.
“Given the rise in the increase of autism, it is important for the public to be welcoming and accepting of those with differing abilities, including autism, and to have some knowledge of autism,” said Diane Lindsay, the Director of Select and Clinical Supports at MORC, which serves 4,300 people with disabilities in southeastern Michigan.
“It’s good to increase awareness,” said Julia Whitcher, the Supports Intensity Scale Assessment Coordinator at MORC. The SIS is a tool to evaluate the type of supports an individual with a disability needs to live to his or her optimum level.
“If more people knew about autism, they’d contribute more toward research and better support for the families who have children with the disorder.”
One of the treatments for those with autism is Applied Behavioral Analysis, said Maddie Wedyke, an ABA technician who works at the Clinton Township Autism Center.
Last April, the federal government decided to pay for treatment for children from newborns to age 6. It is hoped the program will be expanded to those who are older than six.
“We try to reduce behaviors and prepare the children we are working with for school so they can be mainstreamed into regular classrooms,” said Wedyke. “We currently have 17 children receiving treatment at the Clinton center which has been open for two years.
“I’ve seen improvement in some of the children we’ve helped.
“We work on daily living skills such as brushing teeth, zipping up jackets and teaching the children to feed themselves.”
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at MORC. He can be reached at 586 263 8950.
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