Disability Policy Consortium Weekly Update
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Nothing About Us Without Us, So Count Us!
The U.S. Census will be arriving in people’s mailbox beginning March 15th. The DPC strongly urges all members to complete the form. To request materials in alternate formats or to complete the Census by telephone, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center at 1-866-872-6868 or via FedRelay 1-866-783-2010 (for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). For more information on Census assistance available for people with disabilities, visit www.2010.census.gov or www.dpcma.org.
Want to Learn More about the Census?
Looking for something fun to do this week? Visit a Census Road Show – learn more and get many free giveaways!
Friday, March 12
Road Show comes to Harvard Square
3:00 to 6:00 Brattle Street at corner with Palmer
**DPC will be present
Saturday, March 13
11:00 to 3:00
Boston Road Show at Madison Park Community Center
55 Malcolm X Blvd. Boston
Budget Advocacy Training – RSVP Today!
Although we are in the middle of the Budget process, it is not too late to make a difference! The Governor has proposed his budget for FY11 and now is the time to communicate your concerns to the legislators about disability issues. Don't miss this important training! Come learn:
What's included in the budget proposal for people with disabilities
How decisions made by your state representatives will affect your services
How you can best communicate your concerns to your elected officials
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
1:00p-3:00p
State House, Room B-1
Please RSVP to Robyn Powell by March 19, 2010 rpowell@dpcma.org or 617-542-3522. Please contact Robyn Powell immediately to request accommodations, such as ASL Interpreters, CART, or alternate formats for handouts.
Conducting Effective Accessibility Surveys Part I
Tuesday March 16 (Part II is on Tuesday April 20) 2 - 3:30 pm EST
Speaker - Don Brandon, Project Director, ADA Northwest Center and Panel
Description
What to measure, how to measure, who is qualified to do a survey and what tools are available to support this activity are commonly asked questions. This two-part series will explore the requirements to conduct accessibility surveys by business, government and educational institutions to ensure that they meet the requirements of the ADA. Topics to be covered include what to look for in an existing facility as well as a facility that has undergone renovation and/or was newly constructed since the implementation date of the ADA. Experts in the field will share their "lessons learned" and tricks of the trade.
How
This session is delivered by telephone (call a toll free phone number). The session is also offered in real-time captioning and streaming audio on the web. Participants are in "listen-only" mode until the question and answer period.
Cost
Non profits
$25 per telephone connection
$15 per streaming audio on the web connection
$15 per real-time captioning on the web connection
For profits
$40 per telephone connection
$25 per streaming audio on the web connection
$25 per real-time captioning on the web connection
Registration at www.ada-audio.org/Registration
If you have problems/questions with registration: contact the Great Lakes ADA Center at 877-232-1990 voice/tty or email gldbtac@uic.edu.
You are welcome to come to our office at 200 Portland Street in Boston to participate at no cost, we’ve already registered. Please call or send us an email. ADAinfo@NewEnglandADA.org or 1-800-949-4232 voice/tty.
The session will be audio recorded and a written transcript will be created. Both will be posted within two weeks of the program to the archives on www.ada-audio.org
Health Care Cost Trends Hearings
The Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (Division), in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), is required by state law to hold annual public hearings regarding health care costs, provider and insurer costs, and strategies to mitigate these cost trends.
The hearings begin Tuesday, March 16 and will continue for two additional days - Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19, 2010 - and will be held at Joseph P. Healey Library, University Club, 11th Floor, University of Massachusetts, Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the hearings begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. each day.
The hearings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend. For more information (including a detailed agenda, preliminary reports that will inform the hearings' discussion, and submitted written testimony), please visit www.mass.gov/dhcfp/costtrends.
In addition, the Division has posted the Let's Talk Health Care blog regarding the hearings at http://publichealth.blog.state.ma.us/health-care-cost-trends/ and now has a Twitter account (www.twitter.com/masshealthcare) that will provide frequent updates and facts regarding key health care issues in the Commonwealth.
Deaf-Blind Awareness Day
Date: March 16th, 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: State House – Grand Staircase
Description
The critical services of more than a dozen deaf-blind-related agencies and organizations will be on exhibit. A short program will include remarks by EOHHS Assistant Secretary Jean McGuire, MCB Commissioner Janet LaBreck, and MCDHH Commissioner Heidi Reed. Awards will be given to honor individuals whose contributions to the Deaf-Blind community are particularly noteworthy. The afternoon allows for visits with State Representatives and Senators.
Program
10:00–1:00 Exhibits
12:00 Presentations
1:00–3:00 Visits with Legislators
Communication Access Requests by MARCH 1: Please contact State House ADA Coordinator, Carl Richardson at carl.richardson@state.ma.us.
For more information please visit www.necdbp.org (website for the Massachusetts Deafblind Project) or call 617-972-7514 and leave a message.
Second Annual Blind Legislative Informational Networking Day
Date: April 5th, 2010
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: State House – Great Hall
Description
Advocating for the maintenance funding for vital blindness services from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and for the Massachusetts Talking Book Program libraries at the Worcester Talking Book Library and the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Reinforcing the importance of specialized services for people who are blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind.
Program
11:30 Registration and technology demonstrations in the Great Hall
12:00 Lunch available
12:15 Speakers and Program
1:00 Legislative Issues Briefing
1:15-2:00 Afternoon visits with legislators
Communication Access Requests by MARCH 20: For all communication access requests, please contact State House ADA Coordinator, Carl Richardson at carl.richardson@state.ma.us.
Standing – and walking – in Haiti
With thousands of survivors needing amputations to save their lives following the January 12 earthquake, the PIH/Zanmi Lasante team has been increasingly concerned with how to help amputee patients literally get back on their feet.
A partnership with Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) is starting to fit these patients with prosthetic devices. With a well-stocked factory in partnership with prosthetics manufacturer Hanger, HAS has already begun accepting patients from the Central Plateau and Artibonite regions referred by PIH/ZL.
Earlier this week, the PIH/ZL team brought three patients with lower extremity amputations to HAS for their prosthetic fitting. Staff noted the immediate change in the women as soon as they received their new legs--they were each able to stand up and walk with the aid of parallel bars, and quickly left behind their fears, prejudices, and doubts with each determined step. PIH/ZL staff also report that the three women are now able to walk as well as kick soccer balls.