Family Voices Indiana

Public Hearing – Indiana WIOA Unified State Plan Update The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) invite the public to share comments regarding the Draft Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Unified State Plan Update. Monday, March 5, 2018 
1 p.m. EST
Centre Township Branch Library – Alligator Room
1150 Kern Road
South Bend, IN46614
American Sign Language Interpreter Available
Monday, March 5, 2018 
11 a.m. EST
Indianapolis Public Library
College Avenue Branch
4180 North College Avenue 
Indianapolis, IN 46205 
American Sign Language Interpreter Available
Monday, March 5, 2018 
1 p.m. CST
Evansville Vanderburgh Central Public Library 
Browning Event Room B
200 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 
Evansville, IN 47713 
American Sign Language Interpreter Available
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 – Call-in option 
10 a.m. (EST)
Call-in Toll Free at 1-877-422-1931 (enter Conference Code 5096611778). Also available through Video Remote Services (…

By Bob Cunningham, Ed.M. It’s never easy to talk about your child’s behavior problems. But the teacher likely has seen the behavior issues before with other kids. Here are conversation starters that will help you understand the problems better. 1 of 5 Can you give me a specific example of what my child does? This is an important question because it lets you get on the same page as the teacher when discussing behaviors. The more specific the examples the teacher gives, the clearer the conversation can be. Let the teacher know if you see the same behaviors from your child at home. 2 of 5 When and where does the behavior occur? Does the behavior occur on certain days, at certain times, during certain activities or around certain people? Knowing the answer will help both you and the teacher to see possible patterns in the behavior. Every behavior has triggers. If you can identify your child’s triggers, you can change the behavior. If the teacher is unsure of the answer, you can suggest that…

from National FV:


The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 On February 15, the House approved the "ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017" (H.R. 620) by a vote of 225-192. Although the bill is bipartisan, it is opposed by disability advocates because it would weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The bill's supporters are concerned about frivolous lawsuits against businesses that allege non-compliance with the ADA's requirements regarding physical accessibility. If the bill were enacted, it would reduce incentives for businesses and other entities to comply with the ADA's requirements. See the Judiciary Committee's report on the bill, dissenting views (House Report 115-539 (pp. 17-27); and HR 620- Myths and Truths about the ADA Education and Reform Act (ACLU). At this time there is no companion bill in the Senate, and it will likely be difficult to get the 60 votes that would be needed in the Senate to advance the bill. See House Passes Bill Critics Sa…

The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the Healthy Indiana Plan for an additional three years. 
Following is information about the renewed plan provided by FSSA:
To help ensure Indiana has a healthy workforce, starting in 2019 participation in the Gateway to Work program will be required for some HIP members. Unless they fall into one of several exempt categories, such as being medically frail, pregnant, in treatment for substance use or having a child younger than school age to take care of, HIP members will be required to work, go to school, volunteer or participate in other qualifying activities up to 20 hours a week. Members required to participate will need to meet these requirements for at least 8 out 12 months of the year. More information will be shared with stakeholders about this initiative in the coming months.
Adds new benefits and approximately $80 million in annual funding authority for substance use disorder treatment for members struggling with a…

from AUCD:

President Donald Trump on February 12 released his budget proposal to Congress for Fiscal Year 2019, which will cover October 1, 2018-September 30, 2019 (FY19). The entire budget can be found on the White House homepage.In general, President Trump's budget, titled "Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget," would dramatically impact Americans with disabilities, with cuts far deeper than any ever enacted. The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) examines the budget's cuts to the national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs, key disability programs, research, and a broad set of public services critical to the lives of people with disabilities. As we did upon the release of the President's budget last year, AUCD will strongly advocate for the network's program funding in an effort to build on the recent expansion of LEND funding in Congressional appropriations and the growing recognition of UCEDDs in i…

Health plans will help pay the cost of certain prescription medications. You may be able to buy other medications, but medications on your plan’s “formulary” (approved list) usually will be less expensive for you. Does my new insurance plan cover my prescription? To find out which prescriptions are covered through your new Marketplace plan: Visit your insurer’s website to review a list of prescriptions your plan coversSee your Summary of Benefits and Coverage, which you can get directly from your insurance company, or by using a link that appears in the detailed description of your plan in your Marketplace account.Call your insurer directly to find out what is covered. Have your plan information available. The number is available on your insurance card the insurer's website, or the detailed plan description in your Marketplace account.Review any coverage materials that your plan mailed to you. What do I do if I’m at the pharmacy to pick up my prescription, and they said my plan no…

BY DR. DUSTY COLUMBIA EMBURY AND DR. LAURA CLARKEWith lockdowns and evacuation drills becoming a regular occurrence in schools, students with disabilities are often faced with disruptions of routine, unrealistic behavior expectations, accessibility problems, and other challenges that may not have been addressed in the IEP and remove necessary supports. Friendship Circle asked Dr. Dusty Columbia Embury and Dr. Laura Clarke, who’ve written about safety and students with disabilities, to answer some questions about how schools can include these students in their planning for unexpected events and how parents can make sure their children’s needs are accounted for. Introduction from Dusty and Laura We are passionate about creating and sustaining inclusive settings and experiences for all children, and we began our research about school safety and children with significant disabilities after the Newtown school shooting. What started out as a panicked conversation between friends who both ha…