From the Washtenaw Intermediate School District:

Join us next week on May 19 from 5:30-7:00 pm for a community-wide Open House for our renovated High Point School!

Come see this beautiful gem: take a tour, check out the brand new fully accessible playground, and see how High Point benefits our community!

This unique school facility is home to WISD's High Point program, which serves students ages 3-26 with severe and multiple disabilities from across Washtenaw, along with WISD's Deaf & Hard of Hearing program, Honey Creek Community School, and Gretchen's House.

The renovated school was made possible thanks to voters.

Washtenaw Intermediate School District
May 19th, 2022
5:30 - 7:00 PM
1735 Wagner Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Abelone Kelley May 15, 2022 0

Biden program offers discounted internet to low income households

This is from an Associated Press article on discounted internet service for low income households. People with disabilities often fall into this category making life more difficult with less ability to receive information available to most of the public. This affects many people living in rural areas as well as people in more populated areas who struggled to find internet service for their children to participate in on-line schooling.

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Biden announces program offering discounted internet service
By AAMER MADHANI and WILL WEISSERT, 5/9/22

"WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy..."

..."The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on internet service for millions of lower-income households.

"With the new commitment from the internet providers, some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service — making internet service fully paid for with government assistance if they sign up with one of the providers participating in the program."

..."Biden noted that families of four earning about $55,000 annually — or those including someone eligible for Medicaid — will get a $30 monthly credit, meaning about 40 percent of Americans will qualify."

..."The participating providers are Allo Communications, AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom), Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink), Astound, AT&T, Breezeline, Comcast, Comporium, Frontier, IdeaTek, Cox Communications, Jackson Energy Authority, MediaCom, MLGC, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starry, Verizon (Fios only), Vermont Telephone Co., Vexus Fiber and Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV.
American households are eligible for subsidies through the Affordable Connectivity Program if their income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or if a member of their family participates in one of several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) and Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit."

Abelone Kelley May 10, 2022 0

Budget Alert from the Michigan Assisted Living Association (MALA)

This is from the Michigan Assisted Living Association (MALA) on increasing wages for direct care workers who provide services to people with developmental disabilities as well as those who are aging or have mental illness or physical disabilities. 

The only thing I would change about this appeal is to make sure it applies to direct care workers regardless of where the individual served lives. Workers in group homes, nursing homes, and other settings are as vital to the care of people with disabilities as those who are hired to work in the individual's own home.

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MALA Budget Alert - Your Action is Needed Now!

Your advocacy is urgently needed as the Michigan Legislature works on the state budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022. Please see the message and link below for you to communicate with your state legislators.

The behavioral health coalition, of which MALA is a member, is urging the Michigan Legislature to appropriate an additional $127.0 million in General Fund dollars. This funding equates to an approximate $4.00 per hour wage increase which would be in addition to the $2.35 per hour wage increase.

We expect the $2.35 per hour wage increase to be funded in the next fiscal year’s state budget. However, the potential exists for an additional wage increase particularly if the state revenue estimates released later this month are positive.

Please take a few minutes to contact your state legislators to urge their support for the additional funding referenced in the message below. An additional $4.00 per hour wage increase would result in an estimated average starting wage rate state-wide of $18.00 per hour for direct support staff. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions related to this MALA Budget Alert.

ROBERT L. STEIN

General Counsel
, 734-525-2400,
rstein@miassistedliving.org
 

KATHLEEN M. MURPHY

General Counsel
, 734-525-2401,
kmurphy@miassistedliving.org

BRENDA L. ROBERTS

Director of Quality Assurance and Education,
734-525-2407,
broberts@miassistedliving.org

Please Support Michigan’s Direct Care Workers

When a Michigan resident experiences a mental illness or developmental disability, they should be able to hire the help they need to ensure their safety and wellbeing. But right now, they can’t.

In today’s tight labor market, it is difficult to find a Direct Care Worker, whether you are looking for care for yourself, a loved one, or hiring an employee for your agency. This leaves our state’s most vulnerable residents at risk.

Our coalition proposes a General Fund appropriation of $127.0 million in FY 23 which would increase the average starting wage rate in the behavioral health system to approximately $18.00 per hour. That’s what many entry-level jobs pay across the state right now and is the least we can do to compensate our Direct Care workforce.

With significant amounts of GF dollars and pandemic-related federal funding available to the state right now, Michigan has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address the long-standing direct care workforce crisis in a meaningful and sustained manner.

Let’s reach out and make it happen.
 

Click Here

Abelone Kelley May 06, 2022 0

Michigan: Whitmer announces additional assistance to lower the cost of food

Most people with disabilities who qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income through the US Social Security Administration) also qualify for food assistance benefits. In a recent press release, Governor Whitmer announced additional help with food costs:

Whitmer Announces Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance to Lower the Cost of Groceries
April 19, 2022                      
 
"LANSING, Mich. – Governor Whitmer today announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in April to help lower the cost of groceries and ensure Michiganders can keep more of their hard-earned money. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.31 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households.

"'Michiganders will receive additional assistance to put food on the table in April as we continue growing our economy,' said Governor Whitmer. 'This relief ensures that families can thrive and help us build on our economic momentum. We will continue collaborating with our federal partners to get things done by lowering out-of-pocket food costs and put money in people's pockets with our proposals to roll back the retirement tax, triple the Earned Income Tax Credit, and lower the cost of gas.'
 
"In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.
 
"Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card from April 16 - 25. These benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that is provided earlier in the month.
 
"All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received over $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount."...

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For additional information on accessing benefits and future plans to help people on fixed incomes with rising costs, see the press release...

Abelone Kelley April 26, 2022 0

Severe Autism Awareness: An Interview with Isaac

April is Autism Awareness Month. 

Severe autism takes many forms, but lets be honest, it makes many people uncomfortable. It is not well understood by the general public. Even families that have been living with severe autism for decades and can tell you exactly how it affects their family member, are almost as clueless as everyone else as to its cause and how to treat it effectively. Sometimes there is a reluctance to speak about it because it contradicts the rosy picture that is painted by advocates for people with autism who are not intellectually disabled and have average or above average abilities. It is as if using the autism label for people who are not performing at this level will reflect badly on people who are. 

In this video, Irene Tanzman introduces her son. She projects their affection for each other, but without needing to wear rose-colored glasses to see severe autism clearly.

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An Interview with Isaac, Diagnosed with Severe Autism

Apr 1, 2022

Irene Tanzman

This is my interview with my son, Isaac, an adult diagnosed with severe autism. I filmed this video in April 2022, Autism Awareness Month. Most often, the autism you hear about is not the type of autism that my son and many others have. It seems to me that Autism Awareness for this type of autism seems at its lowest point since my son was diagnosed. The kind of autism that the public is aware of is not the autism that Isaac has. Individuals like Isaac need quality disability specific programming and instruction to lead productive and fulfilling lives. They need therapies such as behavioral, speech, and occupational therapies. This type of help is nearly impossible to obtain. While Isaac is quite loveable and endearing, the idea that he will work in competitive employment is not realistic. He needs the type of services that the National Council on Severe Autism advocates for. Please be aware that this type of autism exists, and that people like this need help and services. Thank you for watching my video.

Visit my website at: https://irenetanzman.com/ . 

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/itanzman . 

Visit the National Council on Severe Autism: https://www.ncsautism.org/

Abelone Kelley April 06, 2022 0

The War in Ukraine

The invasion of Ukraine has lasted for over a month now. On March 2, the BBC reported on the ongoing battles for Kharkiv, Kherson and Kyiv: the chaos, the rubble, the dispair of peaceful Ukrainians in the bomb shelters, the tears of refugee families parting into exile...  This distressing report, which is introduced by Clive Myrie, an experienced BBC foreign correspondent and TV presenter, is suitable for B2 students and above.  

You will come across interesting expressions like: "in broad daylight, to leave a trail of destruction, the aftermath of a deadly missile attack, the target [is] an airbase, in the rubble, to keep myself together, shooting, to have captured, sirens wail, [deserted streets] echo fear and dread, [the children made] pistols [to kill the enemy], as war closes in, to put on a brave face in, the national anthem, hit by sustained rocket fire, airborne troops, [planes] shot down, distressing images, [calm] in the wreckage [of people's homes], to hide in basements and bunkers, made a dash, to make it onto a train, to go back and forth, to refuse to be cowed, shoving forward, chaos, desperate to get on board, to swear at [all those who have caused the suffering], to flee abroad, to break down".

In the next BBC News report (29/03/22), Iryna Babich, a refugee English teacher,  explains how she has found peace of mind in a Romanian monastery "Only here, at the monastery, I stopped hating.  Last Sunday, I even prayed for Putin", Iryna says while she sadly misses her husband who is delivering fuel back in the besieged city of Kharkiv. This short interview can be followed by B1 students and above and you will find expressions like: "a place of retreat, prayer, meditation, my [lovely] van, just to smell [my husband, my house], stayed behind [...] delivering fuel, [a city] under Russian siege, [they can stay] as long as they wish, [I wished Putin] to become wiser, to feel sympathy to Russian troops, sunflowers in the yard, to breathe [this beautiful mountain air], they fled Ukraine, they might be home by Easter, their best hope is by summer".

Abelone Kelley April 03, 2022 0

Michigan: The Washtenaw County CMH Recipient Rights Advisory Committee seeks new members

"Every person who receives public mental health services has certain rights. The Michigan Mental Health Code protects some rights. Some of your rights include:

The right to be free from abuse and neglect

 
The right to confidentiality

 
The right to be treated with dignity and respect

 
The right to treatment suited to condition..."

This notice is from the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Recipient Rights Advisory Committee (RRAC):

WE NEED YOU…to join the Recipient Rights Advisory Committee!

What we do:

• Meet in person four times a year to review recipient rights complaint data.
• Protect the Rights Office from pressures that could interfere with the impartial, even-handed, and thorough investigations.
• Receive trainings on WCCMH programs and policies.
  
• Act as the appeals committee for any accepted rights appeals.  
• Receive a $25 stipend for every meeting attended!
  

Call the Office of Recipient Rights at 734-219-8519 or email Leah Raehtz raehtzl@washtenaw.org for more details!

Abelone Kelley March 16, 2022 0