[Nfbkabs] FW: [coca] AUCD Legislative News In Brief

[Scott Spaulding]

OOPS! my reply that just went out was meant for another message. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbkabs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbkabs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Shannon Caldwell
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:54 AM
To: nfbk at yahoogroups.com; nfbkl at yahoogroups.com; j.glisson at insightbb.com;
pglisson at independenceplaceky.org; nfbkabs at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbkabs] FW: [coca] AUCD Legislative News In Brief

FYI 

This is for your information. Note I know it is mostly about persons who
have developmental disabilities but I particularly call your attention to
the two hearings which are to occur on Jan. 16, which is Wednesday. They are
both about important SSA issues concerning us. 

Shannon Caldwell 

sjgc at mis.net 

 

 

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: coca-bounces at aucd.org [mailto:coca-bounces at aucd.org] On Behalf Of Joe
Caldwell
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 3:00 PM
To: AUCD1; LDT; List - coca
Subject: [coca] AUCD Legislative News In Brief

 


aucd_bulletAUCD Legislative News In Brief



January 14, 2008


Vol. VIII, Issue 2


 

Coming up this Week

The House of Representatives opens the second session of the 110th Congress
this week while the Senate remains in recess for another week.  There are
two important hearings in the House this week. One on Medicaid and
community-based services and supports and another on Social Security income
supports.  AUCD legislative affairs staff will also be participating in the
annual meeting of the Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (DDRCs)
and the annual meeting of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities.
The AUCD Legislative Affairs Committee meets tomorrow afternoon by phone.

 

Community Choice Act/CLASS Act

The Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold
a hearing this Wednesday on long-term services and supports, focusing on the
Community Choice Act.  The hearing is entitled, Helping Families with Needed
Care: Medicaid's Critical Role for Americans with Disabilities.  AUCD
assisted in developing potential questions for members of the committee
along with the CCD Long Term Services Task Force.  The AUCD Action Center
contains a number of Action Alerts asking members of Congress to co-sponsor
pending bills in Congress that address long-term services and supports,
including the Community Choice Act, CLASS Act, Expanding the Promise to
Individuals with Autism Act, and the Direct Support Professionals Fairness
and Security Act:  http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm.  The hearing
will be webcasted at 10AM and January 16.  More information visit the
Committee website at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/schedule.shtml

 

Social Security/ work incentives

The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security will hold a hearing
January 16 on Social Security benefits for economically vulnerable
beneficiaries.  AUCD signed on to the testimony prepared by the Consortium
for Citizens with Disabilities Social Security and Employment Task Forces
that will be delivered by Terry Moakley of United Spinal Association on
behalf of CCD.  The testimony addresses two priority issues for CCD:  (1)
Proposed changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) appeals process
that we believe are unfair to people with disabilities; and (2)
Recommendations for work-related improvements that would modernize the
programs to allow people who want to work to do so without fear of
repercussions.  The written testimony will be available on the CCD website
following the hearing: www.c-c-d.org <http://www.c-c-d.org/> . 

 

Postsecondary Education

Last week AUCD submitted comments to a National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) on a center on postsecondary education for
students with intellectual disabilities under the Disability Rehabilitation
Research Projects (DRRP) program.  Education Secretary Spellings referenced
this center in remarks last October at the 2007 Special Olympics Global
Policy Summit in Shanghai.  AUCD worked with colleagues at the National Down
Syndrome Society on responses to the notice.  AUCD recommended an increased
funding level and grant period as well as flexibility in research design and
methods.  AUCD also recommended that this center remain distinct from
pending provisions in the Higher Education Act that could create additional
mechanisms for national training and technical assistance.     

 

2008 Presidential Election

With the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary completed and a string of
primaries across the country coming up, there are several resources
available on Health and Disability issues.   The Kaiser Family Foundation's
health08.org <http://www.health08.org>  website offers a many resources on
health care and the elections.  AAPD has created a website devoted to
disability issues, including candidate responses to questions from the
disability community and a transcript of the New Hampshire Disability forum
co-sponsored by AUCD: http://www.aapd-dc.org/News/election/peac2008.php. In
addition, AUCD's online Election Center offers visitors state by state
information on how to register, information on all the state and federal
candidates up for election, and election results at
http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm. 

 

AUCD Policy Fellow

Please join AUCD in welcoming our new Disability Policy Fellow, Tammie
Picklesimer, who joined the national office on Jan. 10.  Tammie is a
doctoral student in the field of exceptionalities at the University of
Hawaii and a trainee for the Center on Disability Studies where she
conducted research on postsecondary education for students with disabilities
among other projects.  She is also most recently a high school teacher in an
alternative learning program for at-risk students.  At AUCD, Tammie will be
assisting the legislative affairs staff in pursuing its legislative goals,
especially in the area of education policy, as well as assisting program
staff to fulfill on ADD contract activities.   Tammie can be contacted at
tpicklesimer at aucd.org. 

 

AUCD Legislative Affairs Committee

The AUCD Legislative Affairs Committee will meet by conference call tomorrow
at 4PM.  The Committee will discuss legislative goals for the second session
of the 110th Congress. An agenda and call-in information will be emailed to
committee members today.

 

Disability Policy Seminar

Registration is open for the 2008 Disability Policy Seminar, Advancing
Disability Policy in an Election Year (March 2-4).  Please visit the AUCD
website for all the information you need to register for the event and
hotel:

http://www.aucd.org/template/event.cfm?event_id=930
<http://www.aucd.org/template/event.cfm?event_id=930&id=379&parent=379>
&id=379&parent=379.  The deadline to register without financial penalty is
Feb. 7.  AUCD hopes that you plan to attend this exciting
association-sponsored event.

 

For copies of this and previous issues of Legislative News In Brief please
visit the Public Policy Page of the AUCD website:
http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=27