Family Voices Indiana

FV Indiana is, with our members, deeply concerned about proposed changes to the income  eligibility for Indiana's  Children's Special Health Care Services  program.  The changes are outlined in the chart below. We became aware of them on April 21, 2009.         HOUSE HOLD SIZE   CSHCS 250% ANNUAL Income Equal To Or Less Than   *  CSHCS 225% ANNUAL Income Equal To Or Less Than Size 250% 225% 1 $27,075 $24,368 2 $36,425 $32,783 3 $45,775 $41,198 4 $55,125 $49,613 5 $64,475 $58,028 6 $73,825 $66,443 7 $83,175 $74,858 8 $92,525 $83,273 9 $101,875 $91,688 10 $111,225 $100,103 11 $120,575 $108,518 12 $129,925 $116,933     Each additional member add $9,350 $8,415   *  Effective for all applications and reapplications with application dates on or after 7/1/2009, the maximum federal poverty level allowed for eligibility for the program shall be changed to 225% from 250%.  FPL’s of 226+ will be financially ineligible.  We have been working and will continue to work to stop these changes

FV Indiana is very aware of and grateful for the work of many Hooiser parents that have paved the way. Indiana lost one of our great pioneers this week. Donna Gore Olsen has shared the following reflection of the tremendous impact Chuck Gilbert made: On Saturday, May 9th, Chuck Gilbert lost his fight with cancer and the state of Indiana lost a champion for children with special needs. Chuck was working at Hoosier Broach in Kokomo when his son, Matt, was born with a diaphragmatic hernia at St. Joseph’s Hospital and was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. After eighteen months of being in and out of the hospital, on a ventilator to breathe, and needing round the clock care, the employer’s health plan had tripled the insurance premiums and was threatening to cancel the insurance for the entire employee group unless Matt’s family found another insurance plan for Matt. Through eight months of tireless work, and the help of Governor Evan Bayh, Congressman Jim J

The following was provided by: Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey www.spannj.org FV Indiana believes it provides a summary that will be helpful to Indiana families. On December 1, 2008, the U.S. Department of Education issued regulations to supplement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) final regulations published on August 14, 2006. These supplemental regulations address several issues of major importance to families and to parent centers. This mini-guide provides an overview of the three major areas of change that will most impact families and parent centers; the opportunities and challenges they provide for families. The major areas of change impacting families and parent centers are: · Parental revocation of consent and withdrawal from special education (300.300(b)(4)); · State authority to govern representation by non-attorneys at due process hearings (300.512(a)(1)); · State accountability (timeline to correct noncompl