Office of Child Care (OCC)

The Office of Child Care (OCC) supports low-income working families by providing access to affordable, high-quality early care and afterschool programs. OCC administers the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and works with state, territory and tribal governments to provide support for children and their families juggling work schedules and struggling to find child care programs that will fit their needs and that will prepare children to succeed in school. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ

Please don't forget to visit children's disability .org

Open Enrollment for Medicare

Open Enrollment (and to change plans) is Oct 15, 2013 to  Dec 7, 2013
http://www.medicare.gov/medicare-and-you/whats-new/whats-new.html

THE CHANDA PLAN FOUNDATION

Improving the quality of life for persons with physical disabilities through education and programs to access integrative therapies. Our programs give persons with disabilities a service that can improve their overall health & participation in life by providing access to acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, cranial sacral and adaptive yoga. The ultimate aim is to help persons with disabilities heal with their whole body.
http://www.thechandaplanfoundation.org/ 

HHS Secretary Wants ObamaCare for Illegals Through Citizenship

Ok, so here I am reading the internet news and sipping on a diet cola (yep I know it's bad for me but I need my daily vice). I come across an article on how the Sec of Health and Human Services wants undocumented individuals to receive healthcare, you know Medicaid, Medicare...that sort of healthcare. At about that time I choked on the diet cola sending carbonation up my nose (not feeling good about carbonation up the nose!!!).

I'm not getting it. I worked YEARS pumping my money into the SSA system, paying taxes to help the healthcare, EMS, and other infrastructure systems but I get hammered on healthcare costs. The puzzle isn't fitting together anymore. HHS Secretary Wants ObamaCare for Illegals Through Citizenship

Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn’t Honey

I've been on sort of a kick lately. I've been trying to embrace nature. Now I'm not tree hugging (not that there's anything wrong with that) or bird watching but making a consorted effort eat better and use natural ingredients more often. Honey is one of my latest and greatest efforts. Come to find out though that not all honey was created equally or purified equally or for that matter...even honey {{gasp}}. Here's an interesting read on the subject of honey. Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn’t Honey

Traveling and Disability: What You Should Know

by Lisa Evans

The social model of disability asserts that “disability” is not due to the medical circumstances of an individual but rather it is a result of society. Society disables people because it is constructed in a way which prevents people with disabilities from properly accessing society. If our social environments were made more accessible then the limits placed upon people with impairments would be incredibly reduced and as such they would become less disabled. The social nature of disability can appear most prevalent in the area of travel. Many modes of transport are not designed with passengers with disabilities in mind and accessible accommodation can often come with a premium charge. Thankfully there are a variety of organizations, such as charities, where help can be found.

Travel insurance

People with disabilities are often more susceptible to illness when traveling. It is important that you check your health insurance before taking any vacations as you may find that you are not covered if you leave the state or the country. Normal travel insurance, such as that offered with package holidays and cruises, will not cover pre-existing conditions. When taking out insurance you will need to consider the ‘look back period’, this is a period of time prior to taking out the insurance in which your health must have remained stable. This can vary from between 60 to 180 days, although 90 is the most common. An illness can be considered to be pre-existent for a variety of reasons, but the general rule is that if it is an illness for which you would have had symptoms during the lookback period which would have caused most people to visit a physician then the condition will be thought of as pre-existing. Clearly many people with disabilities will fall into the category of having pre-existing conditions. Many insurance companies will automatically exclude people with pre-existing conditions from taking out travel insurance. There are options for people seeking a policy which waives pre-existing conditions, however, you must be prepared to pay a premium which, depending upon your personal health and the various insurance firms, can become incredibly expensive and so it is best to shop around.

Cruises

In 2001 a lawsuit brought by the disability rights campaign group Access Now, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), led to the company Carnival Cruise agreeing to make ‘substantial changes’ to their ships to make them more accessible to people with disabilities. Following on from this Access Now went on to take out lawsuits against various cruise companies. This was hailed as a success as it meant that people with disabilities could fully partake in cruising whilst maintaining their independence. The Federal Register announced an amendment to the ADA stating that guidelines will be implemented so that ‘vessels are readily accessible to and usable by passengers with disabilities’. This new access has opened up the world of cruising to people with disabilities but there are still numerous issues to consider before taking your trip, such as the accessibility of excursions and the manner in which the boat will be tendered at its varying locations.

Following the sinking of the Italian ship the Costa Concordia, in which passengers with disabilities died after being abandoned, many cruise companies have become more stringent in demanding that people with disabilities travel with an able bodied companion. If you do not have an able bodied person who can travel with you, you can arrange, at your own expense to have a travel companion escort you on your vacation. This entails paying for an additional ticket and for the charge of the companion, so it can be financially restrictive, yet it can also offer a lifeline to those who have no other options. Another expense people with disabilities should consider is the need to pay for a larger cabin; P&O and their sister company Cunard angered passengers with disabilities when they implemented a new policy in the spring of 2013 stating that passengers who use wheelchairs and scooters must book cabins large enough to keep their aids in their rooms rather than keeping them in gangways. Other cruise companies have similar policies. It is possible to book accessible rooms with little to no extra expense these can be very limited and so it is necessary to book as early as possible to avoid having to pay much higher costs for larger cabins or suites.

Accessibility

There are a variety of options for people with disabilities when choosing a vacation. This can include home exchanges with people with similar needs. This ensures that whilst visiting another part of the world you are still provided with all of the disability aids and access you need for your particular disability. There are numerous companies and charities offering specialized vacations for people with disabilities and additional needs. These organizations ensure that there is little that people with disabilities cannot do when it comes to their choice of vacation. There are even companies specializing in providing people with disabilities with accessible African safaris and, for the adventurous, companies offering rafting and kayaking activities. For those seeking a less white knuckle vacation the Handicapped Travel Club run rallies and meets, and provide information for those seeking to modify RVs so that they are accessible for people with disabilities. If you choose a foreign vacation it is wise to register your trip with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This is a free government run program and helps to ensure that if you require emergency assistance whilst traveling abroad that help can be made available sooner.

This is not to say that all is rosy. There are still many barriers for people with disabilities when traveling. This can include inadequate access to hotel rooms, transport and restaurants; little information about accessibility to attractions; inadequate provision of accessible, adapted toilets; and the poor training of customs staff when dealing with aids and prosthetic. These barriers are surmountable though and with the right support and a little research people with disabilities should now be able to enjoy the same travel privileges as those without disabilities.

The Pass It On Center

The Pass It On Center is creating national and state resources to foster the appropriate reuse of AT so that people with disabilities can get the affordable AT they need in order to live, learn, work and play more independently.
http://passitoncenter.org/ 

Parent Centers

I encourage parents, guardians, and teachers of special needs children to view this informative site.  There are plenty of sites and information on benefits for children with a disability.  Please check back for updates or visit Children's Disability Resource for updated information.

Parent Centers - Parent Centers provide training, information and assistance to families of children with all disabilities ages birth to 26 years and the professionals who work with them. 

http://www.parentcenternetwork.org/

Returning Troops & the Transition Back to School

It stands to reason that the ones set to return over the next year will likely consider higher education an appealing option as well, filling programs offered both online and off. And with the Post-9/11 GI Bill now providing living stipends for students opting for Internet-based courses and degree programs, colleges and universities are even more accessible to veterans than they ever were before.

http://www.onlinedegrees.org/returning-troops-the-transition-back-to-school/
Here's a great article for vets and their families to read concerning going back to school.

 

The Family Center on Technology and Disability

The Family Center on Technology and Disability - Knowing where to begin and how to proceed can be daunting though. We're here to help. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, the Family Center on Technology and Disability provides a wide range of resources on assistive technology, from introductory fact sheets and training materials to in-depth discussion of best practices and emerging research. Try setting aside 30 minutes a day to review an FCTD resource. 

http://www.fctd.info/ 

Self-Help Group Awareness

This guide has been developed to act as your starting point for finding every type of national, international, model and online self-help support group that is available. The self-help groups, contained in the database that you can access by keyword in the box at the bottom, can help you find and/or start a support group in your community.

http://www.mentalhelp.net/selfhelp/

New site for children's disability support, benefits, resources.

I know everyone has been chomping at the bit for this site to go active.  I'm excited for everyone to see it and post comments, questions, and tell me how good it looks...lol.

ChildrensDisability.org

A lot has been added to my main site since Jan 2012.  New site template plus more info on disability benefits and resources.  Hope you'll find the site informative.

disabilityhelpsite.com

I'd like to make mention of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving.

Here's the mission statement for the RCI:
The Rosalynn Carter Institute establishes local, state and national partnerships committed to building quality long-term, home and community- based services. We believe this begins with providing caregivers with effective supports and making investments that promote caregiver health, skills and resilience. We also believe strongly in the need to provide greater recognition and support for professional and family caregivers. Our focus includes supporting individuals and caregivers coping with chronic illness and disability across the lifespan as well as limitations due to aging.

The following link will take you to the caregiver resource page.
http://www.rosalynncarter.org/caregiver_resources

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. I personally feel that "most" disabled folks have a lesser sense of self-esteem then most non-disabled people. Am I right?

Anyway, when it come to starting your own business self-esteem plays a huge part in the start up and relative success of the venture. I believe as a vital segment of society, we are needed to invest our time and effort toward contributing to the business community. We have much to offer.

Here is an article on starting your own biz and the help which is available. I have researched the grant money possibilities but apparently they exist.

If you think the job market is tough for the able-bodied, consider the case for those with disabilities.

In Florida, estimates of the jobless rate among disabled, working-age adults — including large numbers of young, severely injured soldiers returning to civilian life — run as high as 50 percent.

To address the problem, nonprofit organizations and government agencies recently have begun pushing an option that many with disabilities may have once thought unlikely: becoming entrepreneurs.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-11-12/business/os-disabled-jobs-20111112_1_disabilities-business-incubator-business-plans

US Labor Department awards more than $21 million in Disability Employment Initiative funding to 7 states.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $21,166,560 for seven states under the Disability Employment Initiative to improve education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults who are unemployed, underemployed and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. The initiative is jointly funded and administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration and its Office of Disability Employment Policy.

"During these difficult economic times, it is important to ensure that all workers, including those with disabilities – who as a group face employment barriers even during times of prosperity – are able to benefit from the Labor Department's employment and retraining services," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These federal grants will help to provide services and support to individuals with disabilities in seven additional states, and put them on the path to permanent and secure jobs."

Ya know, It's wonderful to see the disabled receiving well needed financial support toward securing better job opportunities. I do hope that this money is not being spread too thin by extending it into sectors such as "Medicaid Infrastructure Grant-supported activities, independent living centers, business leadership networks, and other community and nonprofit organizations". Make sure to put the money to use for the disabled and not "collaborations"

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/27/3942316/us-labor-department-awards-more.html#ixzz1ZMW7Lrfj

I post an article (and comments of course) on "Navigating Growth Attenuation in Children with Profound Disabilities" on my forum awhile back and thought it would be a great idea to post it here as well for those who missed it.

So, here we go. The process of growth attenuation involves stunting the growth of an individual (adolescent) with profound disabilities. Here's the article snip:

Our working group sought to engage the underlying ethical and policy considerations of growth attenuation—that is, administration of short-term, high-dose estrogen to close growth plates, thereby permanently limiting height. We hoped to move beyond staking out positions with divisive and polarizing rhetoric about growth attenuation in order to find common ground and better identify and understand the areas of deep disagreement. In this paper, we offer sympathetic accounts of differing views so that those who hold a particular view can better understand others’ concerns. We also reach for a middle ground—a moral compromise based on respect for sustained disagreement rather than on consensus. Most of our group agreed to the compromise that growth attenuation can be morally permissible under specific conditions and after thorough consideration.

http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Publications/HCR/Detail.aspx?id=4961

Article about a 9 year old girl they performed this on.

GROWTH ATTENUATION, PARENTAL CHOICE, AND THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN:
LESSONS FROM THE ASHLEY X CASE.

Most medical cases involving parental choice on behalf of a child proceed with no public oversight. Parental choice is, by design, a private matter. A parent makes medical decisions for a child behind the closed doors of the family doctor or pediatrician’s office after evaluating the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a proposed course of treatment. The choices are generally implemented without note in the media or in law. Only the exceptional parental choice, such as a decision to forgo potentially life-saving treatment for a child, may be deemed so risky to the child’s future well-being that it triggers court intervention. Other parental choices, such as those to use elective cosmetic surgery on children, occasionally generate media attention, but those decisions are not legally regulated. With few exceptions, the general rule is that unless a particular decision can be characterized as medical neglect, parental decisions about children’s health care are subject to virtually no attention or legal limitation.

http://www.law.uh.edu/hjhlp/Issues/Vol_82/Ouellette.pdf

My forum thread: http://www.disabilityhelpsite.com/forum/index.php?topic=160.0"

What do you think of this growth stunting process?

I was reading an article today concerning a study done by a pediatric group. The study concluded that children who are disabled are bullied more often than children who are not disabled. It also stated that special health needs children also fall into that category. They pondered what could be done to to stop the bullying of these children.

It all starts at home. Those who are doing the bullying need to be taught empathy and respect for others. This can only be done through example and encouragement.

Oh man, it's been 4 years since I posted on the blog? A lot has been happening that's kept me busy. 2008 I had a kidney/pancreas transplant. It was pretty dicey for a while. In ICU a couple of times, re-admitted at least twice and a follow-up operation for a incision hernia (ouch). I'm doing well right now, no more insulin shots and the kidney is working well. I have side effects going on and BP probs but I won't complain.

My two sons both got married and I'm a g-daddy now. WoW, she is a great little girl.

I'm on facebook now with alot of new info. Plus, a whole new look to the main website and forum.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Disability-Help-Site
http://www.disabilityhelpsite.com
http://www.disabilityhelpsite.com/forum

Hope you'll stop by and if you do take a look at a sponsor's info. There maybe something of interest for you.

Dave

This may not be directly affecting the disabled community (yet) but I thought it deserved mentioning. In this day of identification thievery and our information scattered from here to Timbuktu, we are now faced with having medical information implanted under our skin for the medical industry to "accurately and reliably access necessary vital information". I'm not buying that rational when compared to my information being readily available to insurance companies, possibly before an employment opportunity. Wouldn't it make sense (correct me if I'm wrong) that the very first individual REQUIRED to have these EHR implants would be the disabled, seniors, and the poor. All of which receive federal medical aid.

Oops, did I leave the cat out of the bag. Yes folks we are talking about Electronic Health Records. These little implants are placed under your skin to allow anyone (doctors, pharmaceuticals, insurance companies) to access your info. This info would be available on computer software.

Here is more info for you to read:

Background information on EHR
http://www.hoise.com/vmw/07/articles/vmw/LV-VM-06-07-5.html

Current plans
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/87290.php