Family Voices Indiana

To: Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services (BDDS) Providers  From: Julie Reynolds, Director, Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services  Re: Money Follows the Person-Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver (MPF-CIH) 
Date: October 23, 2014
In cooperation with the Division of Aging, the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services (BDDS) is excited to announce its participation in the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program beginning this month. The MFP program is a federal grant awarded to help states move individuals from institutional settings to home- and community-based settings. The Division of Aging was awarded the MFP demonstration grant in 2007 to serve individuals who reside in nursing facilities and meet program and level of care requirements for the Aged and Disabled (A&D) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waivers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the addition of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilit…

Region 4 Midwest Genetics Collaborative is happy to share our new family video: Receiving a Diagnosis: The Journey from Cope to Hope.  Please click on the postcard below to view and feel free to share itwith your networks.

As part of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today issued guidance to schools reminding them that bullying is wrong and must not be tolerated—including against America's 6.5 million students with disabilities. The Department issued guidance in the form of a letter to educators detailing public schools' responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the bullying of students with disabilities. If a student with a disability is being bullied, federal law requires schools to take immediate and appropriate action to investigate the issue and, as necessary, take steps to stop the bullying and prevent it from recurring. "While there is broad consensus that bullying cannot be tolerated, the sad reality is that bullying persists in our schools today, especially for students with disabilities," said Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistan…

Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation presents #Work4LifeIN, a campaign to bring awareness about the importance of employment for individuals with disabilities throughout the state. Employment experiences are a key factor in the future success and independence of young people as they prepare to leave high school. However, youth with disabilities often face significant challenges when seeking employment opportunities. Youth with disabilities need employers and other adults in their community who will guide them to see what work they can do for their life and give them opportunities that will help them reach their full employment potential. Please join us in spreading the word that Hoosiers with disabilities are ready and able to work! Follow @IndianaVR and join the #Work4LifeIN campaign Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation is teaming up with the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services, The Arc of Indiana, Indiana Institute of Disability and Community, INAPSE, INARF, INSOURCE, Governor’s…

While not directly tied to our services, we often get questions about low income housing options for families and individuals with disabilities. In that vein, we share this announcement:
From The Indianapolis Recorder:
The Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) will be opening the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list – commonly known as the Section 8 waiting list – for the first time since 2004, agency officials said. Section 8, administered by IHA, is a federal voucher program that currently helps more than 8,000 qualified low-income families in Marion County find safe and affordable housing in the private rental market. As long as their housing choice meets reasonable rent requirements, voucher holders pay no more than 30% of their monthly income toward rent and utilities. The Section 8 program subsidizes the rent balance to the property owner. Due to the limited funding available for the program, there is a waiting list to receive a Section 8 voucher. Space on the current waiting list i…