Family Voices Indiana

 

The Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services is excited to share an opportunity for individuals and families to learn more about using remote support services. One of six Indiana remote supports providers, THS Remote Support Services, is offering a webinar on Jan. 28, 2021, at 11 a.m. EST, for individuals and families that are interested in learning more about how remote supports can assist them in their vision of a good life. Please see registration information below. THS Remote Support Services will be hosting this particular webinar and BDDS will continue to share information from our other approved providers as they offer similar opportunities. This announcement is not meant to be an endorsement or recommendation of THS Remote Support Services over other remote supports providers and is only intended to share an opportunity for individuals and families to learn more. When:  Jan 28, 2021, 11 a.m. EST Topic:  Remote Supports Introduction / Information Register in advance for thi

  Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Autism Research Institute are investigating whether the reason why boys are more affected than girls is related to differences in intestinal bacteria.     We are seeking families to participate in this study who have  both boy and girl siblings  with autism. These families will be mailed stool kits with instructions and will be asked to collect samples. A brief medical history will be taken.   For additional information, and enrollment details, please contact Harland Winter, MD by phone 617-724-2004 or  email .   CLICK HERE to email the study administrator for more information

You are invited to complete a brief survey regarding mobile response services. Your feedback will help determine whether Indiana children, families, and communities would benefit from mobile response when there is an urgent behavioral health concern. Here is a little bit of background: The Indiana Commission on Improving the Status of Children has a Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MHSA) Task Force to address the needs of children in the Indiana. One of the goals under this task force is to evaluate availability and access to evidence based behavioral health services across the state. The Mobile Response Subcommittee is reviewing practices that would make services more accessible, available, and timely. Mobile Response Stabilization is one of the services under review. It would provide support to children and families in crisis – as defined by the individual child or family – within their home and community. Please take a moment to fill out this survey. We appreciate your response! G

The Department of Transportation has changed its guidelines with regards to service and emotional support animals on airlines. Airlines are now not required to accommodate emotional support animals, psychiatric service animals, or any service animal except for service dogs--including miniature horses or Capuchin monkeys. For the full breakdown of the changes, check out the DOT's comments   here .   If you want to learn more about your rights or the rights of individuals with disabilities who use service animals or emotional support animals, the Great Lakes ADA Center has an archived webinar  here .  

  From the ABLE National Resource Center AchievABLE Newsletter On November 19, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published the  final regulations  for the ABLE Act in the federal register under Section 529a, of the IRS code. The regulations provide guidance to states in their management of ABLE plans as tax-favored savings and investment accounts and defines qualified disability expenses (QDEs). The IRS regulations, which were effective November 19, 2020, provide a transition period of at least two years for ABLE plans to implement these rules which gives the IRS an opportunity to address concerns and issues through notices or other guidance. Certain select provisions from the final regulations are summarized in the  ABLE NRC’s Highlights and Key Takeaways document .

  From Justice in Aging When Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, it included critical protections for people who rely on Medicaid during the pandemic. Congress provided additional Medicaid funding and said that states accepting the increased funding could not cut health care coverage, services, or increase costs. In November, the Trump Administration rolled back these protections. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an  Interim Final Rule (IFR)  that allows states to keep the extra Medicaid funding but strips away protections for people. For example, under the IFR, states can:  Cut full Medicaid coverage for older adults turning 65 years old. These older adults will face increased costs and lose coverage for critical services such as transportation, dental, vision, and hearing that Medicare does not cover.  Eliminate or cut home and community-based services (HCBS) for older adults and individuals with disabilities, which may cause health cr

FSSA News Release SNAP recipients in Indiana now have a third option for using their Hoosier Works EBT cards to purchase groceries online for pickup or delivery: ALDI, working in partnership with Instacart, joins Amazon and Walmart, which were   approved for online purchases earlier this year . SNAP participants are automatically eligible to participate in this program and do not need to apply. “We are pleased to add another retailer to provide Hoosier SNAP recipients with this important service – particularly those who are most at risk for COVID-19 infection and those who are homebound,” said Jennifer Sullivan, M.D., M.P.H., FSSA secretary. “We are thankful to our federal partners at the Food and Nutrition Service for working with us to continue to remove barriers and provide safety and convenience for Hoosier families. While this service will initially and immediately address needs caused by the pandemic, we intend to keep this service in place permanently.” Currently, ALDI via Insta

  From The Hill, original can be found here Four congressional committees on Friday reached a bipartisan deal on legislation to protect patients from massive "surprise" medical bills after a series of tense negotiations.  The agreement is a milestone in a roughly two-year long effort to pass legislation to protect patients from what is widely seen as an especially egregious practice in American health care.  Backers of the deal are hoping to include it in the year-end spending package slated to go through Congress next week. The deal was struck by the leaders in both parties of the Senate Health and House Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor and Ways and Means Committees, though it would still need buy-in from leadership to be added to the year-end package. The legislation would protect patients from receiving medical bills for thousands of dollars after routine occurrences like going to the emergency room and getting care from a doctor that is outside the patient's i

Indiana Disability Justice is looking for people with disabilities and their allies to submit pieces of work, including artwork, that capture life with disabilities to publish on their website. Are you the creative type, storyteller, research oriented? However you express yourself is a way to convey your message! The creators of entries that are selected for publication will receive $250. Find all the details   here .