Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Urge Congress to increase funding for family support

Patti's Comments: Please urge Congress to increase funding for family support!

Summary:
Congress is currently considering funding levels for the FY 09 Budget.  Please urge members of the Senate and House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees to provide additional funding for key family support programs.

Background:
While over 80% of all long-term services and supports are delivered informally, little funding is provided to support family and other informal caregivers. Investing in family support is fiscally wise: The economic value of informal caregiving is over $350 billion a year.  American businesses lose between $17.1 and $33.6 billion annually in lost productivity costs due to family members providing informal supports. Respite and other supports contribute to the well-being of caregivers and can reduce undesirable, costly placements in nursing homes and other institutions.

Funding for programs key family support programs has not kept pace with growing demands and pressures on families. Three important programs are:

National Family Caregiver Support Program
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is authorized under Older Americans Act. It is intended to provide a variety of supports to: a) caregivers of older individuals and individuals with Alzheimer's; b) older caregivers providing care to children and adults with disabilities. Funding for the NFCSP has not kept pace with an aging population and actually received a slight cut last year. It is currently funded at $153.4 million; it is recommended that Congress increase funding to $250 million for FY 09.

Lifespan Respite Care Act
The Lifespan Respite Care Act was signed into law by on December 21, 2006. It is intended to provide competitive grants to states to assist states in developing statewide respite systems to make quality respite available to family caregivers regardless of age or disability. However, it has not yet received any funding. It is recommended that Congress provide funding at the full authorization level of $53.3 million for FY 09.

Family Support Program
Title II of the Developmental Disabilities Act authorizes the Family Support Program to promote and strengthen systems of family support services to families with relatives with developmental disabilities. Currently, only 21 states receive grants and funding is provided through a different section of the Act. It is recommended that funding for family support be increased from approximately $7.2 million to $17 million for FY09 to allow every state and US territory to receive grants. It is also recommended that this funding be provided through Title II without negatively impacting funding for other initiatives within Projects of National Significance.

Action:
Contact members of the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees and urge them to provide funding for family support programs at the levels recommended above, which are consistent with recommendations from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD).

Beware of websites that charge fees for filing unemployment claims

Patti's Comments: Beware of websites that charge fees for filing unemployment claims!

From The Daily News: (click for entire article)

The state of Michigan is warning unemployed workers to avoid using independent websites to apply for unemployment benefits.

"There is only one official website that unemployed workers should use when applying for unemployment benefits in Michigan," Keith Cooley, director of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth said, "and that site belongs to the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) at www.michigan.gov/uia,, and there is no fee for using the site."

Department of Justice Proposes Vast Changes in ADA Regulations

Patti's Comments:  Please consider submitting your comments.

From Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund:  (click for entire article and how to submit comments)

The Department of Justice recently issued major proposed revisions to its regulations implementing Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Some of DOJ's changes are excellent, and urgently needed. It is important that the disability community laud these, to support DOJ against industry attack. Good proposals include adoption of the new 2004 ADAAG, stronger hotel reservation and ticketing provisions, recognition of psychiatric service animals, additional companion seating in theaters and stadiums, and stronger provisions for effective communication for people with hearing, visual, and speech disabilities.

However, there are also many draconian changes that would radically reduce the rights of people with disabilities.  For example, DOJ proposes:

• A significant weakening of the readily achievable barrier removal requirement for public accommodations;
• A significant reduction of elements required to be accessible in state and local government facilities;
• An exemption for all existing facilities from the new recreation and playground rules;
  and many others. 

DOJ must receive a flood of comments from the disability community in favor of a strong, comprehensive ADA. Comments must defend the principle of individual, case-by-case assessment, which DOJ is largely abandoning in favor of many blanket reductions. We must remind DOJ that the ADA is already carefully crafted to take the needs of covered entities into account, and that reductions to our civil rights would be a devastating blow to our daily lives.

Disabilities Act changes studied

Patti's Comments:  Interesting case studies on ADA.

From The Washington Times:  (click for entire article)

Thousands of gallons of water pulse through cascading waterfalls and rapids at Adventure Mini Golf in Lake Worth, Fla. The course, which covers about an acre, features different elevations with two sets of stairs connecting them. When people ask whether it's accessible for the disabled, owner Jerry Doser says he jokingly tells them, "No, but I'll paint some lines in the parking lot and put some cups out there, and then you can play. "But who wants to pay to play that?" he adds. Mr. Doser's course could soon enter the annals of miniature-golf history.

Miniature golf courses are among the millions of businesses and other public facilities that would be affected by proposed regulatory changes under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the milestone 1990 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

McCain, Obama Support ADA Restoration Act

Patti's Comments:  Great article - at least we all agree on something!

From Somebody Heal Me:  (click for entire article)

Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain promised his support for proposed changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act at a disabilities forum in Columbus, Ohio, last week to celebrate the law's 18th anniversary.  McCain was a co-sponsor of the original 1990 bill. Rather than criticizing the Supreme Court's interpretation of the law, he said Congress must assume responsibility for clarifying and strengthening the law to ensure it provides the intended protections. "We must clarify the definition of a disability to assure full protection for those the law is intended to serve," said McCain.

Sen. Tom Harkin appeared on behalf of the other main presidential candidate, Sen. Barrack Obama, who was returning to the United States from an international trip and unable to attend. Harkin said Obama also supports the ADA restoration bill.

Last Call for Seniors

Patti's Comments: This is an interesting article about how folks react differently to medication and drinking as they age.

From Caring Right at Home: (click for entire article)

One out of ten elderly adults on Medicare reports drinking more alcohol than is recommended, according to a new study from Brandeis University, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "Even though alcohol problems are more prevalent in younger people, a substantial proportion of older adults are consuming alcohol in amounts that exceed recommended guidelines," said study co-author Elizabeth Merrick, senior scientist at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management. The study sheds light on a complex problem that has received scant attention and is often missed by healthcare and other providers.

10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List

Patti's Comments: Wow - this is great!  Maybe I will actually have a good nights sleep tonight.  But I still worry about work, clients, my kids, health, not staying in touch with family and friends enough, politics, student loans, nukes, etc...

From The New York Times:  (click for entire article)

For most of the year, it is the duty of the press to scour the known universe looking for ways to ruin your day. The more fear, guilt or angst a news story induces, the better. But with August upon us, perhaps you’re in the mood for a break, so I’ve rounded up a list of 10 things not to worry about on your vacation.

Voters face a lengthy judicial ballot

Patti's Comments: Connie - Congratulations on your well qualified rating!  Just an FYI - I can personally recommend Connie Marie Kelley.  I have known her for several years, worked with her, respect her, and highly endorse her.  Too bad I am a resident of Oakland County and cannot vote for her.  Connie, you go girl!

From Freep.com: (click for entire article)

It's a good year for newcomers hoping to land a seat on Wayne County Circuit Court.  Voters will elect three new judges to the 41-member court in the primary and general elections -- more than in any previous election in the past two decades.  Eleven candidates -- lawyers, prosecutors and two current or former judges from other courts -- are competing for 6-year terms that pay $139,919 annually. The Aug. 5 primary will narrow the field to six candidates.  The newcomers will replace retiring Judges Helen Brown, William Giovan and Warfield Moore.

Here are the candidates and their ratings by the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, which interviewed most of the candidates to determine their qualifications for the jobs:  (Note:  See article for entire list)

• Connie Marie Kelley, 52, of Redford Township, a family law specialist and a member of the executive board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. Rated "well qualified."

New program aims to keep seniors safe

Patti's Comments: I am sorry that this is such a growing concern, but glad to see preventive steps that can be taken.

From ABC News: (click for entire article)

A new public safety program was announced in Genesee County Tuesday. The program, called "Keeping Seniors Safe," is an effort to help local law enforcement quickly assist those suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's when they wander off. The statistics are alarming. "We have about five million people that now have some form of dementia, and 60 percent of those people from the tracking that they do have wondered away," said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.

The Detroit Zoo needs your help!

Patti's Comments:  Consider saving the Detroit Zoo!

Attached is brochure that has some info on the Zoo proposal. There will be a tri county board for oversight of the funds raised from the proposal. The city no longer operates the Zoo.

Download the_detroit_zoo_needs.pdf