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Legislative
Updates
District
of Columbia
State
Federal
Links
 District
of Columbia
Proposed early intervention and early childhood
regulations available for public comment
The proposed
regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), Part C, transition, complaint procedures and more
are available to view on the Office of the State Superintendent
of Education
(OSSE)
web
site under
Special
Education. Comment periods close soon. See the website for
directions on how and where to submit comments.
Proposed Part C Regulations
http://www.osse.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,a,1222,Q,563811,PM,1.asp
Comment period open
until
October 19, 2009
Special Education Page: Transition, Complaint Procedures, and
more
http://www.osse.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,a,1222,q,561151.asp
Various comment periods open until October 25, 2009
Medicaid Update: DHCF Raises Physician Rates
Effective April 1, 2009, rates for Medicaid reimbursable physician
services have been increased for the District’s Medicaid
fee-for-service program. For updated physician rates see http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/dhcf/section/43/release/16771
The Office of Disability Rights
The mission of the DC Office of Disability Rights (ODR) is to ensure that the programs, services, benefits, activities and facilities operated or funded by the District of Columbia are fully accessible to, and useable by people with disabilities. They offer investigation and ADA training services and are responsible for overseeing ADA compliance within DC, community integration planning and making recommendations to make DC more accessible. The ODR staff encourages you to visit their website frequently at http://odr.dc.gov/odr/site/default.asp and contact their office at (202) 724-5055 with any ADA or disability-related questions.
The DC Government Guide on Accessible Meetings & Conferences provides DC government agencies and officials with practical tips and recommendations to ensure the full participation of individuals with disabilities in meetings and conferences.
This guide was compiled and developed by the DC Office of Disability Rights (ODR). The guide’s purpose is to assist in the planning process and reflects an optimal level of accessibility. Some facilities may not meet all of the criteria outlined in this document. If the agency is in doubt about the level of accessibility at a potential venue, the agency officials should consult the DC Office of Disability Rights.
The ODR staff hopes that this guide is helpful as agencies and organizations plan their future events.
The Council of the District of Columbia
The DC Council is the legislative branch of the DC Government. It creates and approves budgets and oversees DC government programs. There are 13 members elected to the council. If you have questions or concerns about DC government, contact your council member at http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/findmycouncilmember
DC Council website http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/
DC Register
The DC Council publishes the notices, proposals and contents
of hearings in the DC Register which is available for viewing
at: http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm$vid=dcr:free
Revisions to the Medicaid Waiver or Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver
For information about this waiver, potential changes to this
waiver and information about what families and advocates can
do click here.
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
100 Days and Beyond: 2007 Action Plan for the District
of Columbia
This document covers the specific goals of the Fenty Administration for
the first 100 days in office.
http://dc.gov/mayor/100dayPlan/index.asp
State
New Directions Medicaid Waiver- A Waiver That Works
Information
and a personal story about how the Maryland New Directions
Waiver for self directed services works. En
Español
Federal
Celebration of the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA)
The President of the United States celebrated the 19th
anniversary of the landmark ADA legislation with a proclamation and
an announcement of his intent to sign the United Nations Convention
on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Attorney General also
made an official statement about the Justice Department's committment
to actively enforcing this critical civil rights legislation. See
the White House web site issue page on disability for more information. http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/disabilities/
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
The health program for children with families with low income
that do not qualify for Medicaid is called CHIP. CHIP, formerly
SCHIP or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program,
has gone through changes recently that increased funding
to states. For information on CHIP go to http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/chiphome.htm
President Barack Obama's Agenda
The President's agenda many items related to individuals with disabilities. See the White House for the description of the agenda related to education, employment, independent and community based living, funding for research, and participation of the United States in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/disabilities/
Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
This act to increase volunteerism in America for all ages and
abilities was signed into law by President Obama in April 2009.
The law includes increased funding to include people with disabilities
in volunteer initiatives. See the US House of Representatives,
Committee on Education & Labor website for more information.
http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/03/the-edward-m-kennedy-serve-ame.shtml
Links
For
more information about policy
and legislation
see
the links
below
Find out about current legislation in Congress
A website, named Thomas, after Thomas Jefferson, was created by Congress in 1995 to make federal legislation freely available to the public. This website that allows you to look up current bills before the House of Representatives or the Senate, up-to-date activities in Congress, access to the Congressional Record, Committee information, schedules and calendars for current and upcoming legislation, government resources and more. http://thomas.loc.gov
The
Association of University
Centers
on Disabilities
(AUCD)
This
association promotes
and supports
the
national
network
of university
centers
on disabilities,
which
includes University
Centers
for Excellence
in Developmental
Disabilities
Education,
Research,
and Service
(UCEDD),
Leadership
Education
in Neurodevelopmental
and
Related
Disabilities
(LEND)
Programs
and Developmental
Disabilities
Research
Centers
(DDRC).
They
also
provide updates
on policy
and legislation
that
impact
people
with
developmental disabilities
and
their
families
on their
Public
Policy
page. http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=27
Family
Voices: Policy
and
Legislation http://www.familyvoices.org/policy.php
This
webpage
gives
information
and
updates
on
pending,
reauthorization
and
proposed
legislation
as
well
as
court
cases
effecting
health
care
policy
and
people
with
special
health
care
needs
and
disabilities
and
their
families.
Office
of
Legislative Policy
and Analysis
(OPLA): http://olpa.od.nih.gov/
This
office serves
as the
principal office
within the
Office of
the Director
(OD), National
Institutes of
Health (NIH),
for providing
legislative analysis,
policy development,
and liaison
with the
Congress. OLPA
facilitates and
enhances the
relationship between
NIH and
the Congress;
advances NIH
legislative priorities;
and ensures
that the
NIH community
receives essential
information, advice,
and guidance
regarding developments
in the
Congress that
affect NIH.
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