Holiday Dinner Dance to support Special Olympics in Macomb

By JERRY WOLFFE

A holiday dinner dance is scheduled for Thursday (Dec. 3) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Mirage located at 16980 18 Mile Road in Clinton Township, Michigan.

The event is presented by Special Olympics of Macomb. Tickets cost $27 per person and include dinner, dancing and a special visitor.

Contact Nancy Keefer at (586) 634-5602 for information. Please make checks payable to Special Olympics Macomb, 3631 Jasper, Sterling Heights, Michigan, 48310.

Go see Red Wings alumni play to raise money for MORC

The Carhartt vs. Red Wings Alumni game for MORC is just a couple weeks away.  Please join us at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center for a lot of fun and a good cause - our people we support! To see some action from other years, click on the url below....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEGv55eVyUk

Congress tries to stop caregivers from receiving overtime pay

(CREDIT: Kourtney Liepelt as writer from Home Health Care News for this story)

Legislation aimed at restoring overtime exemptions for home care workers has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, just days before the Department of Labor is slated to actively enforce a rule extending federal minimum wage and overtime protections to such employees.

Given the bill’s chances of survival, though, one trade organization has now vowed to take its previously filed lawsuit against the rules to the Supreme Court.

The measure, dubbed the “Ensuring Access to Affordable and Quality Home Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act,” seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to return home care workers to a category that exempts them from receiving overtime. It is sponsored by Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, and Rep. Tim Walberg, a Republican from Michigan.

Earlier this year, a federal court ruled that nearly 2 million home care workers are in fact eligible for minimum wage and overtime after the DOL in 2013 stated home care agencies could no longer claim that the workers were excluded from FLSA provisions instated in the 1970s. The DOL’s move was originally challenged by a handful of trade organizations, including the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), arguing that access to care could be compromised if costs go up.

Now, NAHC was quick to express support for the new legislation, which was introduced Nov. 7.

 

“While home care workers deserve fair and reasonable wages for their crucial services in keeping seniors and persons with disabilities safely at home with high quality care, the regulatory changes do not further that goal appropriately,” NAHC President Val Halamandaris wrote in a letter to lawmakers. “[The] bill would provide the opportunity for all those involved in home care to design and implement effective changes that protect workers and our most vulnerable citizens at the same time.”

Provisions officially took effect Oct. 13, but the DOL indicated it wouldn’t start enforcing them for 30 days, or Nov. 12. Still, the effective date prompted mixed reactions, as some providers voiced concerns about their business models while others maintained a more positive outlook, claiming that higher home care rates are indeed sustainable.

States have made moves to adhere to the federal rules. Kansas, in particular, recently submitted a request for $6.5 million in funding to cover associated costs after previously claiming its Medicaid budget doesn’t account for the $12 million needed to increase home care workers’ wages, meaning a potential reduction in services offered — both plights topping NAHC’s list of concerns.

“The recent regulatory changes in the definition and application of these longstanding FLSA exemptions have only served to erect needless barriers to home care and to increase costs to financially strapped state Medicaid programs,” Halamandaris wrote. “At the same time, the dedicated and invaluable workers who provide this care have not seen any improvement in their overall wages as the funds necessary to cover overtime costs are simply not available from consumers and government health programs such as Medicaid.”

While NAHC indicated it views supporting the legislation as “another avenue for addressing the impact of the DOL rules in home care,” according to a news release, the organization plans to move forward with alternate efforts.

“The legislation has a limited chance of success in the immediate future…Similar measures to defund the implementations of the rules are likely to face similar results,” the release states. “As a result, NAHC has vowed to take its lawsuit to the Supreme Court by appealing the decision of the appellate court.”

 

(Compiled by Jerry Wolffe, writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.)

Carhartt team to take on Red Wings to aid MORC

For more information, call (248) 390-0788

By JERRY WOLFFE
MORC Writer-in-residence

Carhartt employees will take on the Detroit Red Wings Alumni for the 11th straight year to benefit children and adults with disabilities served by the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center (MORC).

This year's game will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4th at 7 p.m. at the Dearborn Ice Center at 14900 Ford Road in Dearborn.

This game will raise funds for food, beds, appliances and emergency help for Christmas and throughout the year. In the past, Carhartt has helped thousands of the people MORC serves in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, Genesee, Washtenaw, Monroe, Sanilac, Lapeer, and Livingston counties.

Please help us spread the word about the game by encouraging family, friends, colleagues and neighbors to attend. We also would appreciate support from sponsors. Be sure to come out and support Detroit hockey at its finest.

The event is free for individuals with disabilities and caregivers or family members who accompany them.  Please RSVP to (248) 390-0788 and let us know how many people are attending.  You will receive your tickets at the door on game day.

General public tickets are $10 each and are only available on game day at the arena.
The venue is wheelchair accessible and discounts will be available on hot dogs and pop.

Macomb-Oakland Regional Center names new Executive Director

By JERRY WOLFFE

Dennis Bott has been named the new Executive Director of the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, Inc. by the Board of Directors, replacing Jerry Provencal, who plans to retire in March 2016.

“Dennis stood out for his strong organizational skills, knowledge of MORC’s operations and established relationships with key funders and providers,” said MORC Board Chairman Dave Reece. “We were also impressed with the vision he articulated to lead the company into the future.”

Bott, who lives in West Bloomfield and is the organization’s current Chief Operating Officer, has been with the agency since 1976.

He worked directly on early community placement initiatives including participating in the closure of many of the state’s largest institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. He then assisted with MORC’s transition from a State agency to a non-profit entity in 1996.

Bott played an integral role in promoting the organization’s growth through oversight of critical operational areas including finance, information technology, contracts and reimbursement. Bott is a past recipient of the ARC of Oakland County President’s Award. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University.

The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, with offices in Clinton Township, Auburn Hills, and Livonia, provides wide-ranging services to individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illness. It is the largest non-profit in Southeast Michigan.

MORC's mission is to serve men, women, and children with differing abilities so they may, as true citizens, celebrate life, freedom, and independence in the community. MORC currently provides services and supports to close to 5,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties with the goal of helping them live more independently in the community setting of their choice.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at MORC. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

Study: Companies discriminate against qualified candidatfes with disabilities

CREDIT: Noam Scheiber of the NEW YORK TIMES

 

Employers appear to discriminate against well-qualified job candidates who have a disability, researchers at Rutgers and Syracuse universities have concluded.

 

The researchers, who sent résumés and cover letters on behalf of fictitious candidates for thousands of accounting jobs, found that employers expressed interest in candidates who disclosed a disability about 26 percent less frequently than in candidates who did not.

“I don’t think we were astounded by the fact that there were fewer expressions of interest” for people with disabilities, said Lisa Schur, a Rutgers political scientist who was part of the research team. “But I don’t think we were expecting it to be as large.”

The sole variation among the otherwise identically qualified candidates appeared in the cover letters, which revealed a disability for some but not for others.

                                              

The study, though it deals only with the accounting profession, may help explain why just 34 percent of working-age people with disabilities were employed as of 2013, versus 74 percent of those without disabilities.

                 

Previous studies attempting to explain why disabled people are employed at lower rates generally suffered from their inability to control for subtle differences in qualifications that may have made disabled job candidates less attractive to employers, or for the possibility that disabled people were simply less interested in employment.

Other studies, based on surveys or laboratory experiments that asked people how likely they would be to hire a hypothetical disabled candidate, suffered from the possibility that some respondents were simply telling researchers what they thought was socially acceptable. Volunteers in such studies may have also differed in key ways from the human resources personnel who act as gatekeepers for job candidates, according to Meera Adya, another co-author, who is a social psychologist at Syracuse University.

The fictitious cover letter approach, which other scholars have used to document discrimination on the basis of race and gender, largely solved these problems.

“These kinds of experiments are very important in research on discrimination, and to the best of my knowledge this is the first serious attempt to do this kind of experiment on disability discrimination in the United States,” said David Neumark, a labor economist at the University of California, Irvine, who studies discrimination. “The study is well done.”

The researchers constructed two separate résumés: one for a highly qualified candidate with six years of experience, and one for a novice candidate about one year out of college. For each résumé, they created three different cover letters: one for a candidate with no disability, one for a candidate who disclosed a spinal cord injury and one for a candidate who disclosed having Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder that can make social interaction difficult.

Earlier studies had suggested that better qualifications might help disabled candidates overcome employment discrimination, but the researchers found the opposite. Employers were about 34 percent less likely to show interest in an experienced disabled candidate, but only about 15 percent less likely to express interest in a disabled candidate just starting out his or her career. (The latter result was not statistically significant.)

 

The study showed that the Americans With Disabilities Act, the 1990 federal law banning discrimination against those with disabilities, appeared to reduce bias. The lack of interest in disabled workers — and especially in the rate at which they were called back for an interview — was most pronounced in workplaces with fewer than 15 employees, the study found. Businesses that small are not covered by the federal law.

At publicly traded companies, which may be more concerned about their reputations and more sensitive to charges of discrimination, evidence of discrimination on the basis of disability seemed largely to disappear. The same was true at firms that receive federal contracts, which are required by the government to make a special effort to hire disabled workers.

“The problem was concentrated,” said Douglas Kruse, a Rutgers economist who was part of the research team and who has used a wheelchair since a spinal cord injury in 1990. “It does suggest a pretty convincing pattern.”

 

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

Legislation would OK mental illness treatment before incident occurs

By JERRY WOLFFE

Family and friends would be permitted to get mental health treatment for a person close to them before an unfortunate incident under legislation passed by the House.

In 2004, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed "Kevin's Law" in honor of Kevin Heisinger, who was beaten to death in a Kalamazoo bus/train station by a man with schizophrenia who stopped taking his medication.

Current law allows judges to order involuntary assisted outpatient treatment, but only after a major incident occurs.

Under HB 4674, which passed 103-2, sponsored by Rep. Tom Leonard III (R-DeWitt Township), a family member or friend would be allowed to petition the court and allow judges to order outpatient treatment for those who have had their mental illness confirmed by a physician, all without a crime being committed.

"This reform is sorely needed because current law makes it very difficult for people who might not recognize the severity of their situation to obtain the treatment they need," Leonard said in a statement. "In the same vein, we must guarantee individuals' due process rights are protected by providing legal counsel to guide them through the court process if they believe (assisted outpatient treatment) AOT is not necessary. This protects both the public safety and the privileges of the individual."

Supporters have said under current law (passed about a decade ago), a crisis needs to occur before intervention could happen, and communities have been confused by the complexity of "Kevin's Law" and it hasn't been used often.

"We must make public safety - including the well-being of the individual in need of care - a priority in this type of situation, but also ensure that their rights remain protected. This legislation strikes that delicate balance."  Leonard said. "I want to thank Lt. Gov. Calley for bringing this issue to my attention, and for the strong leadership he has shown working to protect our state's most vulnerable citizens."

HB 4674 does the following:

·         Offers early intervention, since current law requires a serious incident that might endanger public safety to occur before AOT may be requested;

·         Simplifies the process of seeking court-appointed treatment; and

·         Allows a judge to order AOT before an incident has occurred that could cause injury to the prospective patient or a member of the public.

The measure has been referred to committee on Health Policy for further consideration.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

Medicaid eligibility for those working who have disability changes

Credit: Mark Tower who covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News.

 LANSING -- Any disabled Michigan resident denied Medicaid eligibility in the past because of their income level should recheck their eligibility, a state senator advises, according to a report in MLive.

Republican State Sen. Jim Stamas of Midland issued a press release reminding constituents of a change to eligibility requirements in Michigan's "Freedom to Work" program that took effect on Oct. 1.

The program, first developed in 2003, helps protect disabled Medicaid recipients who choose to work from losing access to health benefits.

Stamas said recent reforms to the program have changed what it takes to be eligible to participate, encouraging anyone rejected in the past to contact their local Department of Health and Human Services office to check if the changes impact their eligibility.

"Many Michigan residents with disabilities may now be able to receive medical assistance after a reform to the program's eligibility requirements went into effect earlier this month," Stamas said.
To be eligible for the Michigan Freedom to Work program, a resident now must:

• Be working
• Have a disability
• Be between the ages 16 and 65
• Have a total income at or under 250 percent of the federal poverty guideline
• Have individual assets that do not exceed the Medicare Savings Program limit

Both the income level and asset total requirements have changed, according to information disseminated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

(Details: Bulletin outlining changes on DHHS website)

 

According to the DHHS, depending on a person's level of income, participants may or may not have to pay a premium for the coverage. Residents who wish to enroll in the program should contact their county DHHS office and ask about the new amended "Freedom to Work program" and "Bridges Eligibility Manual (BEM) 174."

• (Click here to: Find your local office)

"The goal of this program is to continue to assist those with disabilities without penalizing them for income they receive while working," Stamas said. "I encourage anyone who might meet the new requirements to contact their local human service department and check or recheck their eligibility."

-- Compiled by Jerry Wolffe, writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at MORC. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

Gala raises $40,000 for Futures Foundation

Kensington Church received the Heart of MORC Award for its longtime volunteer service and generosity to the people served by the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. Kensington representatives Emilee Skinner (far left) and Margaret Humenik (far right) accepted the award October 9 at the 17^th Annual “Giving Back To The Futures” Gala, held at the San Marino Club in Troy, from Futures Foundation Interim Director Lindsay Calcatera (middle left) and MORC Executive Director Gerald R. Provencal (middle right).

 

By JERRY WOLFFE

 

TROY – Nearly $40,000 was raised by the Futures Foundation for individuals with disabilities served by the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center at the 17^th Annual “Giving Back To The Futures” Gala.

The gala was held Oct. 9 at the San Marino Club in Troy. Some 350 attendees at the annual event enjoyed dinner, live entertainment and dancing, participation in a silent auction, and raffle drawings for prizes.

The gala is the premier annual fall event for The Futures Foundation, the fundraising arm of MORC. Along with other year-round efforts, the event generates resources to provide for the needs of people with developmental disabilities.

“It was a joy filled evening,” said Jerry Provencal, MORC’s Executive Director, who plans to retire next spring after having served 50 years in the mental health field.

“From the opening strains of the jazz quartet to the announcement of the silent auction winners, it was a fun, exciting event. The video presentation was inspiring and reminded everyone of why we were there – to help realize the needs and dreams of the people we serve at MORC.”

Live music was provided by the RJ Spangler Jazz Quartet during the cocktail hour and by the Pulse band after dinner. The silent auction offered more than 60 items such as restaurant gift cards, art, electronics, outdoor/home accessories, and casino/hotel getaways.

This year’s Presenting Sponsor was Netsmart, and other major sponsors included PVS Chemicals, Nancy Tancredi, Fifth Third Bank, Gerald Provencal, Afia, New Horizons, Jewish Vocational Services, JS Clark Agency, Plante Moran, RX Specialties, and the MORC Holding Company Board of Directors.

“We couldn’t have had such an outstanding event without the critical, generous support from all of our sponsors,” said Lindsay Calcatera, Interim Futures Foundation Director.

The annual Heart of MORC Award, for exemplary service, was given to Kensington Church.

With the backing of donors and community partners, the Futures Foundation awarded over $100,000 in grants in 2014 to help fund a better quality of life for those served by MORC.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at MORC. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

 

 

 

 

Study: Life expectancy of those with Down Syndrome increases

http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/7470/20151011/down-syndrome-life-expectancy-today-increased.htm

By JERRY WOLFFE

 

The life expectancy of those with Down Syndrome, the most common genetic condition, is increasing, according to a report in the Science Times.

 

One in every 691 babies born in the United States has Down Syndrome, according to the website of the National Down Syndrome Society.

 

The National Down Syndrome Society added that each year 6,000 babies are born with the condition in the United States and about 40,000 of Americans have Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome includes the presence of an extra chromosome 21, and is characterized by mild to severe mental impairment, weak muscle tone, shorter height and a flattened facial profile.

According to the doctors and experts, children born with Down Syndrome suffer from a number of problems with their organs such as hearing loss and eye cataracts. However, most of them do not experience this kind of issue but do have cognitive delays from mild to moderate, and yet, children with this condition have well-developed social skills.

Different advancements are being made to help people with Down Syndrome and their families. Screening now happens during pregnancy, which enables the mothers to identify before birth if they will have a child with the syndrome.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released recommendations for doctors to help and provide the needs of children with this condition which led to a higher detection rate and is vital to their overall health.

The local media centers have created support centers for children and families with Down Syndrome.

Our society has also changed the way individuals with disabilities are treated overall. At the same time, medical technology has been advanced, which paved the way in making the life expectancy of those with Down Syndrome.

Thus, the life expectancy of those with Down Syndrome has significantly increased, ranging from the age of 25 to 60 as of today. This was due to early intervention that improves the condition of those children, says Debra Emerson, CEO of St. Madeleine Sophie's Center of El Cajon, California.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer in residence, advocate at large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

 

Troy market selects The Arc of Oakland County for gift

By JERRY WOLFFE

 

TROY --   Whole Foods Market has chosen the The Arc of Oakland County, Inc. as its Community Support Day partner. On Oct. 20, the market will donate 5 percent of the day’s sales to the nonprofit.

Staff from the ARC will be in the store welcoming patrons and talking about the organization from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Whole Foods Market in Troy is located at 2880 West Maple Road. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Arc of Oakland County, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that provides direct legal, general advocacy, informational and referral services as well as community awareness for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

The Arc is the world’s largest community-based organization of, and for, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization exists to ensure that all individuals with disabilities are valued, and that they and their families can participate fully in, and contribute to, the life of the community.

For more information on the Community Support Day, please contact The Arc of Oakland County, Inc. at (248) 816-1900.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large for the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

Voices of Disabilities: DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and v...

Voices of Disabilities: DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and v...:   Staff from the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center and some of the people who the nonprofit serves tour the Detroit Institute of Arts ...

DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and veterans

 

Staff from the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center and some of the people who the nonprofit serves tour the Detroit Institute of Arts before trying classes to make ceramic art. / DIA/File

By Jerry Wolffe, For Digital First Media

Posted: 10/05/15, 4:17 PM EDT | Updated: 2 hrs ago

The Detroit Institute of Arts is bringing discovery, joy and art to the lives of those with disabilities, seniors, and veterans with its Community Group Program.

The program provides meaningful experiences through art with gallery tours and hands-on art making. The last class this fall for those with disabilities will be Thursday.

During September and early October, the DIA invited 15 to 18 people with disabilities who the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center serves to visit the Institute to create artworks, says Patty Sims Sunisloe, MORC’s project director.

“They are opening their doors and hearts to people with disabilities and changing lives to a great extent,” says Sims Sunisloe, who added individuals MORC serves attended classes in the Walter Gibbs educational studio on Sept. 17, 24 and Oct. 1.

The MORC attendees have made painted masks and lithographs and will frame them at their last class this week, Sims Sunisloe says. DIA spokesman Larisa Zade said the artworks from last year’s session are on display in the teaching studio.

“The DIA has been proud to partner with local social service agencies for over 20 years through the Community Group Program,” says the DIA’s Director of the Studio Program Charles Garling. “We strive for diversity in the organizations with whom we seek to partner, working to serve individuals across all ages and physical and cognitive abilities.”

Projects during the past year have been multimedia self-portraits, clay masks, drums and pots, printmaking, bookmaking and wood sculpture.

Current groups in the program besides those from MORC include veterans from the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and Piquette Square for Veterans and seniors from the Hanna House, all of Detroit, according to a statement from the DIA.

“One of our goals is to help people understand that the Detroit Institute of Arts is for everyone, regardless of your abilities or background with art,” Garling says. “Through the Community Group Program, we strive to provide safe space for individuals, who might otherwise be marginalized, to explore and express through art-based discussions and art-making experiences. Year after year, program participants have happily expressed their appreciation of the program, noting an increase in their confidence and openness to communicate with others.”

To facilitate these classes, DIA teaching artists such as Byron Nemela utilize a learner-centered, process-oriented teaching practice which uses motivating questions and topics that allow participants to create something personally meaningful, Zade says.

Sims Sunisloe adds, “The feedback I consistently get from families, parents and caregivers is that this program is changing lives. We really appreciate how warm, welcoming and hospitable the staff at the DIA has been to everyone.

“The staff’s ability to find a way to reach inside those with disabilities to express their talents is something quite extraordinary,” she says. “(There are) no boundaries to their abilities to be expressive or show who they are as an individual.”

The DIA paid for materials and for transportation on a private bus from MORC facilities in Clinton Township or Auburn Hills to the DIA.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

Sheltered workshops being phased out

DEPEW, N.Y. (WIVB)- For some, it’s the only job they’ve ever had, and only job they can get.
Every day, people with developmental disabilities show up for work at Southeast Works in Depew, N.Y. and prepare products to be sold in stores like WalMart or Office Depot. But what makes this ‘sheltered workshop’ different is that all the workers have a disability and don’t work alongside the non-disabled.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a plan to phase out sheltered workshops like this to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that ensures everyone the right to work in an integrated setting, according to a report from a Depew, New York TV station.
New York State Sen. Robert Ortt, Republican-North Tonawanda, hosted a public hearing about the issue at the University at Buffalo’s Center for Tomorrow.
Speaker after speaker tried answer the big question about what will happen to most of the clients if the State actually does close sheltered workshops, like Southeast Works in Depew, where people with developmental disabilities prepare products to be sold at WalMArt of Office Depot, but they do it for less than minimum wage.

Paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage for working is also legal in Michigan.

“We should give them the opportunity to advance competitive employment elsewhere so that they can not just sustain themselves, but flourish.” said Jennifer Monthie of Disability Rights New York. She would rather the State programs work individually with each client to help them get jobs that are suited for them in the traditional workplace.
“You’re gonna find people that are gonna stay employed longer, they’re gonna advance in the their employment because they’re in an area where they can shine.” said Monthie.
But not all of these clients can flourish outside, like Tim Powers, who is 56 and  has a disability.

“If you offered him a one dollar bill and a five dollar bill, he wouldn’t know which one is worth more.” said his father Martin Powers. “He lives in a group home because we’re gonna die, and he has to have a place to live, and he now has a place to live and a place to work and we’ve spent our entire life working this whole process out and now you wanna say, “Nope that’s not good.” well how are we going to deal with this in the future, I don’t know.”

The State Office of People With Developmental Disabilities plans to put out guidelines in late October that will give these families a better idea of what the transition will be like as the sheltered workshops are phased out by the year 2020.

Grant allows for Fraser park to be place of fun for all kids, including those with disabilities

For information on the Oct. 5 opening day, call Anna Cameron (586) 294-4847

By JERRY WOLFFE

A $300,000 grant from the state is being used to turn a Fraser park into one that is accessible to all children, including those with disabilities, a member of the Fraser First Booster Club says.

"The park will not be exclusive to youngsters with disabilities because all kids will be encouraged to play there, too," said Anna Cameron, 75 and vice president of the booster club, of McKinley Park.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the park at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, with local dignitaries such as Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, said Cameron.

The park will include a pavilion with space for 10 picnic tables, a labyrinth, gardens, a mile-long asphalt-covered walking path, an airplane, fire engine and police car, she said.

There's also an accessible bathroom and a parking lot with a turnaround area large enough to accommodate a bus.

The park is located at 31470 Grove Street in Fraser, north of 13 Mile Road.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

Warren church reaching out to minister to the disabled

To find out more information, call (586) 751-1721 or visit www.firstofwarren.com

By JERRY WOLFFE          

A Warren church will start an “inclusion ministry” program on Oct. 1 to focus on helping fulfill the spiritual and social needs of people with disabilities.

“Jesus was the first advocate for people with disabilities,” said Marijo Hockley, who has earned a Master’s of Divinity degree and will coordinate the ministry.

“We want to get people like myself that haven’t (felt included in a faith community) and help them feel more comfortable about coming to services and talking about God,” said Hockley of Madison Heights. She uses a power wheelchair because she has arthrogryposis, a congenital disability where two or more joints in the body are frozen, eliminating range of motion.

Currently, “four or five people with disabilities” attend the accessible church, The First Presbyterian Church of Warren, which is located at 3000 East 12 Mile Road in Warren.

The open house will be from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 and attendees will have a dinner, see a video, “God’s Beautiful Creation,” and have a time for fellowship, Hockley said. Inclusion meetings will then be held the first Thursday of every month thereafter.

“We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable,” she said. “We’re hoping this program will create a faith-space within our church that will let people with disabilities learn to express their own unique voices as part of God’s good creation.”

The Rev. Julie Delezenne of First Presbyterian helped Hockley win a grant from the Detroit area Presbytery to fund the program for a year.

“When I first started out in ministry, I didn’t want to be the ‘disabled pastor,’ but God called me to do something and I need to show people I have been called to do God’s work,” Hockley said.

Register on the website or call so the church can prepare enough food for those in attendance, Hockley said.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

Warren church reaching out to minister to the disabled

Box: To find out more information, call (586) 751-1721 or visit www.firstofwarren.com

By JERRY WOLFFE          

A Warren church will start an “inclusion ministry” program on Oct. 1 to focus on helping fulfill the spiritual and social needs of people with disabilities.

“Jesus was the first advocate for people with disabilities,” said Marijo Hockley, who has earned a Master’s of Divinity degree and will coordinate the ministry.

“We want to get people like myself that haven’t (felt included in a faith community) and help them feel more comfortable about coming to services and talking about God,” said Hockley of Madison Heights. She uses a power wheelchair because she has arthrogryposis, a congenital disability where two or more joints in the body are frozen, eliminating range of motion.

Currently, “four or five people with disabilities” attend the accessible church, The First Presbyterian Church of Warren, which is located at 3000 East 12 Mile Road in Warren.

The open house will be from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 and attendees will have a dinner, see a video, “God’s Beautiful Creation,” and have a time for fellowship, Hockley said. Inclusion meetings will then be held the first Thursday of every month thereafter.

“We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable,” she said. “We’re hoping this program will create a faith-space within our church that will let people with disabilities learn to express their own unique voices as part of God’s good creation.”

The Rev. Julie Delezenne of First Presbyterian helped Hockley win a grant from the Detroit area Presbytery to fund the program for a year.

“When I first started out in ministry, I didn’t want to be the ‘disabled pastor,’ but God called me to do something and I need to show people I have been called to do God’s work,” Hockley said.

Register on the website or call so the church can prepare enough food for those in attendance, Hockley said.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

 

 

Robotic exoskeleton helps those paralyzed walk again

By JERRY WOLFFE

BLOOMFIELD HILLS – A 52-year-old Army veteran was on his feet and crossed the “threshold from impossible to possible” by taking a few steps while wearing a robotic exoskeleton.

Gene Laureano of the Bronx incurred a spinal cord injury in 2001 that left him paralyzed from the waist down when he fell 20-feet off of a ladder while working on a welding project in Manhattan.

In early 2013, Laureano joined a clinical trial of the device at the VA Medical Center in his hometown. After being told he’d never walk again, he used the exoskeleton and “stood up. I knew I was about to cross the threshold from impossible to possible.”

He demonstrated the $77,000 exoskeleton at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills to the media in mid-September.

After putting on the 50-pound device, he pressed a button and he was lifted up. The exoskeleton is like braces that surround each leg and there’s a thick strong waist harness that holds the torso upright. Laureano uses crutches when walking with the exoskeleton to keep his balance.

The demonstration was sponsored by Fitness Therapy Unlimited of Troy, a provider of massage, land and aquatic therapy for those with chronic and acute physical conditions or disability caused by auto accidents or chronic conditions, said CEO Greg Kirk.

Craig Peters of Milwaukee, a physical therapist for ReWalk Robotics, Ltd., said the exoskeleton was approved after four years of effort by the FDA on June 26, 2014.

“It’s the only one of its kind cleared for use in the home or in public,” he said in an interview. “It does take a fair amount of upper body strength.”

Fitness Therapy works with potential users of the exoskeleton to get their trunks, arms, and shoulders strong enough to help balance themselves using crutches. The high-tech device has several microprocessors to control motion of the joints in the hips, knees, and ankles.

“Some people spend a large majority of their day in the device and others use it for exercise,” said Peters. “The maximum use per day is usually 3.5 hours.”

Kirk of Fitness Therapy said the advantages of the exoskeleton include getting a person’s body back in motion, reduced pain, improved bladder, and bowel function, increased bone density, reduced chance of developing decubiti ulcers on the buttocks and the psychological benefit of being able to stand up and look someone in the eye.

The device was invented by Israeli founder of Argo Medical Technologies, Dr. Amit Goffer who has quadriplegia. The only manufacturer in the United States is ReWalk of Marlborough, Mass. Other manufacturers are in Germany and Israel.

Two Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will cover the cost of the device, Peters said, but refused to say where the insurers were located. However, he said efforts are under way to get “approval from No Fault insurance for purchase of the exoskeleton” so more people who have paralysis can get back on their feet.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center.

Some $120,000 raised in community to keep Lahser respite home open

By Elizabeth Scussel of  C&G Newspapers

BEVERLY HILLS/ROYAL OAK — The Lahser Respite Home, in Beverly Hills, will remain fully operational for the upcoming year, Judson Center officials say.
The announcement was made three months after news that the home may close its doors indefinitely.
Kelli Dobner, vice president and chief development officer for the Judson Center, said that thanks to donations from the community and a number of local businesses, they were able to reach their goal of $120,000 — the home’s yearly operating cost.
“We even had kids coming out of the woodwork to help,” Dobner said, explaining that one young boy came in and emptied his piggybank, while another girl gave a single dollar for the cause. Another group of children, she said, held a drive and collected 6,000 bottles and cans — resulting in a $600 donation.
“It’s really inspiring and energizing. It’s heartwarming,” Dobner said. “We never thought this could happen — this outpour from the community, this fundraising campaign. We realized we’re not alone in this. People really care about the services we provide.”
For more than nine decades, the Judson Center has offered services to aid children, adults and families impacted by autism, developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, abuse and neglect.
Annually, the Judson Center helps more than 6,000 people through programs for children and adults, including counseling and therapy, social groups, vocational services, foster care and more.
While private pay is an option at LRH, financial aid is offered through the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center — a state agency providing services and support for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Due to a decline in mental health funding, state money covers about 50-60 percent of the yearly operating cost of the home, and LRH must raise the additional funds to keep the home running.
The LRH serves as Judson Center’s only respite home in Oakland County and assists 45 families, which, due to the budget cuts, is a decrease from last year’s 61 families. The home also serves as the only respite home in Oakland County for youth ages 18 and younger.
Comfort, care and activities are provided at the home, offering a break to family members and caregivers.
The services provided at LRH, Dobner said, are a necessity, as caring for someone with a mental or physical disability can be unbelievably taxing on families.
News of the home remaining open is travelling quickly around the community.
“(The families) are just overjoyed,” Dobnew said. “A number of the parents were crying. Tears were coming to their eyes immediately. They were just overwhelmed. Lahser is a lifeline for many of these families. One parent actually said, ‘It fills my heart to the point of bursting.’”
One woman overjoyed with the news is Nora Bushman, whose 21-year-old son has frequented the home for more than a decade.
“When I heard it was staying open, I burst out in tears,” she said.
Bushman’s son, Blake, has had a neurological disorder since birth, is nonverbal and portrays autism-like characteristics.
The home, she said, not only allows her extra freedom, but it also exposes her son to other situations and environments.
The closing of LRH would not only send a ripple through the lives of the parents and their children, Busman said, it’s also a matter of the home’s care staff losing their jobs.
“We love the staff,” she said. “Everyone there has been so supportive, and there’s not a huge turnover rate. You see the same faces there for years.”
Bushman said she — as most parents are — was hesitant and leery of leaving her son in the care of someone else.
For parents feeling that way, Bushman said to take baby steps.
“Once I became comfortable sending him there, I thought, ‘Why didn’t I use this before?’ she said. “Just give it a try.”
As of now, annual fundraising efforts must be made in order to keep LRH fully functional, but as far as future fundraising is concerned, Dobner said she’s feeling confident because of the communal outpour they have already received.
“We just have the most immense  and deep gratitude at the Judson Center for these true community efforts. My words cannot do it justice, just so much gratitude for how much they care.”
LRH offers accommodations for six children between the ages of 5 and 17, and their stays can last anywhere from four hours to several days. If a child begins service at LRH before the age of 17, the home will provide services until he or she reaches the age of 26.

LHR is located in Beverly Hills. For more information on the Judson Center or to get involved, visit www.judsoncenter.org. To reach the LHR, call (248) 646-1297.

DOJ issues guidelines on testing for those with disabilities

By JERRY WOLFFE

 

The Justice Department today issued technical assistance on the obligation of testing entities, both private and public, to ensure that the test scores of individuals with disabilities accurately reflect the individual's aptitude, achievement, or the skill that the exam purports to measure, rather than his or her disability.

 

The document discusses who is entitled to testing accommodations, what types of testing accommodations must be provided, and what documentation may be required of the person requesting testing accommodations. The document also discusses prohibited flagging policies and how test scores for test-takers receiving disability-related accommodations should be reported.

 

For a copy of the Guidance Document or to find out more about the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).

 

Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.