Assistive Tech fund helps those with disabilities

GAYLORD — For a number of reasons, persons with disabilities often find it difficult to access loans to purchase necessary equipment, but there is an option. The Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund allows people to buy ramps and elevators, hearing aids, power wheelchairs, computers and peripherals, vehicles with adaptive controls or lifts, home modifications and more. The Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund program is available through United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan and Option 1 Credit Union.
Any resident of the state of Michigan who has a disability or a person aged 60 and older who needs assistive technology may apply, she said. There is no minimum loan amount; however, there is a maximum of $30,000.

Subscription Required

Need an account? Create one now.

The interest rate is determined by Option 1 Credit Union based on your credit score and is a fixed rate for the duration of the loan. Repayment terms are based on the expected useful life of the assistive technology device or service and are for as long as possible, up to a maximum of seven years.

For more information or an application form, visit www.michiganloanfunds.org or contact the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging at (800) 219-2273 ext. 261. Region 9 provides services in the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon.

Activist: Much to do for Michigan's disabled

Carol Cain 11:03 a.m. EST February 22, 2015

Jerry Wolffe has been fighting for rights of those living with disabilities for decades.

(Photo: Lindsay Calcatera)

717 CONNECT 21 TWEET 3 LINKEDIN 2 COMMENTEMAILMORE

As Gov. Rick Snyder's health improves following hospitalization for a blood clot resulting from a torn Achilles tendon, the saga has left an indelible imprint on him.
"It has given me an ever greater appreciation and sensitivity to — and respect for — what people with disabilities must struggle with every day," said the 56-year-old who will need crutches and wear a boot for a few more weeks.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, 76, who suffered major injuries in an auto accident a few years ago, remains in a wheelchair. He too has experienced life changes as a result.
"I am very impressed about our region's effort, both public and private, to accommodate the physically challenged. It's something I probably would not have paid that much attention to before my accident," said Patterson. "I'd give our region an A-plus."
Jerry Wolffe, who was born with cerebral palsy and has used a wheelchair the past 20 years, sees it a bit differently. He has been fighting for rights of those living with disabilities for decades.
Wolffe, 68, has fought for greater accessibility such as passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"New construction has to comply with ADA Architectural Guidelines so we are doing well in this area as far as access such as getting into buildings, and bathrooms," Wolffe said. "However, older and smaller buildings are doing poorly, pretty much ignoring the laws."
Wolffe teamed up with Richard Bernstein, a Michigan Supreme Court justice who is blind, to work on lawsuits to make the University of Michigan football stadium comply with federal law, as well as Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
"My manual wheelchair is about $3,500," Wolffe said, explaining the costs. "A power wheelchair costs about $15,000 to $20,000. It weighs at least 100 pounds," which also means the need for someone to help get around.
Wolffe, who has been married to wife, JoAnn, since 1976, was a journalist for 45 years at United Press International, the Oakland Press and other publications. He now works as an advocate at Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, a nonprofit that provides services for people with disabilities.
"More than 60% of people with disabilities are unemployed. We need accessible, affordable transportation. We need universal and affordable health care," said Wolffe, calling the Affordable Care Act not affordable. "We need affordable and accessible housing."
Wolffe spoke to a gathering of 3,000 people in front of the Capitol building steps last spring about prospects for the disabled amid declining funding.
"It was then I noticed there was no way a guy who uses a wheelchair could get into the front door of the Capitol building (no ramp)," he said. "This story isn't yet done."
Carol Cain can be reached at 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of "Michigan Matters" airing 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Sen. Gary Peters, L. Brooks Patterson and Mark Hackel on today's show.

Advocate: More needs to be done to create opportunity for those with disabilities

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/columnists/carol-cain/2015/02/22/jerry-wolffe-activist-disabilities/23747581/

MORC reaches out to help those with disabilities of Middle Eastern heritage

PRESS AND GUIDE News

Group focuses on helping Dearborn's Muslim population with disabilities

Published: Monday, February 09, 2015

Share on facebook

Share on twitter

Share on stumbleupon

Share on reddit

Share on pinterest_share

More Sharing Services

By JERRY WOLFFE

The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center wants to build on inroads made with members of the Muslim community in southeastern Michigan to let those of Middle Eastern heritage know it wants to do more to help them care for family members with disabilities.

“We want them to live out their dreams and goals,” said Patricia Tate, Livonia site manager for MORC’s Human Services of Wayne County.

The main focus is the Dearborn area, which has the largest Muslim population of any region in the nation.

Those from Middle Eastern countries in the Dearborn area are not always “aware of the services available for those with disabilities from MORC, the Wayne County Community Mental Health Authority or state and federal governments,” Tate said.

“Our first task is to let them know we are in their community to help them,” she noted.

To be eligible for MORC services, a person with a disability must be a recipient of Medicaid, Healthy Michigan, or Mi-Child.

“There is usually no cost for service to the family,” Tate said. “It is real important that we offer services to those of the Islamic faith in the area,” said MORC Executive Director Gerald Provencal. “We have great respect for their culture and we want to expand our services to them.”

“When we (MORC) came to Wayne County in October of 2012, we wanted the people to know we were here to help them,” Tate said.

The process has included creating contacts with school teachers, counselors, and Muslim community organizations to let them know MORC is available to provide services for those with disabilities.

The goal is to “build a trusting relationship with our office so we can create bridges to the Muslim community,” Tate said. 

“Right now, we have about 40 to 50 Islamic people who are active with us,” said Tate. “We’ve had more than 100 inquiries from parents through the Dearborn schools about what we can offer families. We also are seeing parents who receive our services encourage others in their community to call MORC.

“We’ve had success with reaching those in need with help from counselors and teachers in the Dearborn School District,” Tate said. “We are trying to build bridges to the Dearborn (Islamic) community and especially to those who have children with disabilities.”

Schools involved in MORC’s expansion program to those of the Islamic faith include Dearborn’s Howe Special Ed, Snow Elementary and Edsel Ford High School, among others, Tate said.

“Once we determine a family’s needs, we work with them and connect them with services,” said Tate.

MORC’s Wayne County intake worker Ruth Sullivan makes sure each family is properly evaluated so appropriate services are provided.

Services may include an evaluation to determine need, respite, help with caregiving, positive behavior supports, psychiatry as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy for someone with a disability, as needed.

“They want someone who understands their culture, their language and respect their privacy,” Tate said, adding MORC makes sure these desires are obeyed.

After one becomes a MORC client, a support coordinator is assigned to make sure the family and individual’s needs are addressed. An Individual Plan of Service also is created so someone with a disability receives the type of help they need to grow “to their maximum potential,” Tate said.

Interpreters who speak Arabic or other Middle Eastern languages accompany a MORC worker (if needed) when they are meeting with a family to determine how MORC can help.

“We want the individuals with disabilities who are of the Islamic faith to live as full a life as possible and MORC is here to help them achieve these goals,” Tate 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.

Michigan Announces Enrollment Launch for MI Health Link

By JERRY WOLFFE

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) today (2.6.2015) announced the start of enrollment for MI Health Link, the state's demonstration project to integrate care for individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. 
MI Health Link will be launched in four regions of the state in two phases. Phase 1 includes the entire Upper Peninsula and eight counties in southwest Michigan, including Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren. Phase 2 includes Macomb and Wayne counties.

Residents eligible for MI Health Link in Phase 1 counties will receive an introductory letter from MDCH advising them of their options for enrollment, who to contact for help, and the benefits of participating in MI Health Link. These individuals can now enroll in the program, with services beginning March 1, 2015. Passive enrollment for residents included in Phase 1 will be effective May 1, 2015. Through passive enrollment, eligible individuals will be enrolled if they did not elect to enroll or did not opt out of the program. Residents in Phase 2 will receive introductory letters in late March and can enroll in the program in April with services starting on May 1, 2015.

The Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) is available to provide free un-biased options counseling through a toll free number 1-800-803-7174. MMAP local representatives understand the details of MI Health Link and can assist people in selecting a health plan which best meets their needs.

MI Health Link seeks to improve quality and access to care for residents by aligning Medicare and Medicaid services, rules, and funding through better care coordination. The goals of the program are to provide seamless access to all Medicare and Medicaid services and supports; offer a person-centered care coordination model; streamline administrative processes; eliminate barriers to home and community based services; provide quality services focusing on enrollee satisfaction; and realign financial incentives.

More information about MI Health Link is available online at www.michigan.gov/mihealthlink.

Justice Department orders Texas County to improve accessibility to "civic life"

The Justice Department today (Jan. 30) announced a settlement agreement with Nueces County of Texas to improve access to all aspects of civic life for people with disabilities.

he agreement was reached under Project Civic Access, the Justice Department’s wide-ranging initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Under the agreement, the County will take steps to improve access for people with disabilities, such as: physically modifying facilities surveyed by the Department so that parking, routes into the buildings, entrances, service areas and counters, restrooms, and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities; posting, publishing and distributing notices to inform members of the public of the provisions of the ADA and their applicability to the City’s programs, services and activities. 

Notably, under the terms of the agreement, the County will ensure that its websites and all online services, including those websites or online services provided by third parties upon which the County relies to provide services or content,comply with, at minimum, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0.  The County will also officially recognize the Texas telephone relay service as a key means of communicating with individuals who are deaf, are hard-of-hearing, or have speech impairments and train staff in using the relay service for telephone communications; and, develop a method for providing information for interested persons with disabilities concerning the existence and location of the County’s accessible services, activities and programs.
-- By JERRY WOLFFE

Service dogs must be allowed in public schools, feds say

The Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest today (1.26.2015) in a Florida case to clarify that the Department's Title II regulation. The statement says the DOJ generally requires public entities, such as schools, to permit individuals with disabilities to use their service animals, subject to specific exceptions. This regulatory framework furthers Congress's intent to honor individuals' choices to be accompanied by their service animals wherever feasible and to respect such individuals' autonomy and self-determination.
To find out more about this Statement of Interest or the ADA, call the Justice Department's ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov.