NEWS BRIEFSAt AbilityMaine we are developing a special page for events, committee meetings, board meetings, etc. that are of interest to people with disabilities. The calendar link will still be on our site, but this special page will be specifically for disability related meetings and events. If you have items to add to this page, if you are a committee member who can provide dates for your meetings,or if you are planning an event, send items to Mainefun40@hotmail.com with CALENDAR in the subject line. We're always looking for news and information at Abilitymaine. If you have items you think we can use, send them to Mainefun40@hotmail.com with NEWS in the subject line. NewsBriefs In this issue, we're trying to wrap up 2006 with a real good batch of material — Scholarships and internships, information about Courthouse accesibility, and way at the bottom, an opportunity in Nova Scotia next summer to view or participate in a sailing competition. Hope these resources are useful for you, and a Happy New Year from your news gatherers here at AbilityMaine. Maine Statewide Independent Living Council looking for new Members! If interested, write to Dennis Fitzgibbons, membership chair, Dfitzgibbons@alphaonenow.org New Resource for the Deaf Community From National Disability Rights Network: "Ways to make complex information simple": Self advocacy: Advocating Change Together: Accessible Courthouses: Diabetes Discrimination: When Schools Have Children Arrested for School-Related Behavior Problems: Attention Deficit Disorder resource Postsecondary Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities: HHS Launches New Website Promoting Long-Term Care Planning HHS' Assistant Secretary for Aging Josefina G. Carbonell announced a new Web site that will make it easier for consumers to get the information they need to plan for long-term care. The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information website provides comprehensive information about long-term care planning, services and financing options, along with tools to help people begin the planning process. The clearinghouse Web site is designed to increase public awareness about the risks and costs of long-term care and the potential need for services, and to provide objective information to help people plan for the future. The clearinghouse Web site was designed by HHS' Administration on Aging (AoA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). The new Web site also supports the "Own Your Future" education campaign, a joint federal state initiative designed to increase consumer awareness about planning for long-term care. HHS recently announced new federal-state partnerships with several states designed to help Americans take an active role in planning ahead for their future long-term care needs. For more information about the "Own Your Future" campaign and the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, please visit From the Kaiser Foundation; The Foundation's Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) released a new report, Profiles of Medicaid’s High Cost Populations http://www.kff.org/medicaid/7565.cfm, which examines the role that Medicaid plays in addressing six populations with serious health needs resulting in high costs. For each population profiled (preterm birth babies, foster care children, individuals with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, individuals with mental illness, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and people with Alzheimer's disease), the report describes the condition and the need for services and supports, as well as the role of Medicaid in meeting those needs. Profiles of six real people with these conditions are included with descriptions of model programs or cutting edge practices designed to meet the health needs of these individuals. The new report highlights Medicaid’s role in anchoring care for individuals with exceptional needs. With recent policy debates about the future of Medicaid, KCMU has issued several publications in recent months that address key policy issues when examining Medicaid's role for high cost populations who typically rely on Medicaid for both acute and long-term care services (LTC). Do you know a young disability or transportation advocate? The Federal Transit Administration, Office of Civil Rights, is looking
for young leaders ages 16 to 28 to participate in the 2007 National
Youth Transit Dialogue July 27-28 in Washington, D.C. Participants will
discuss transportation issues related to the ADA with national
disability leaders, national public officials, and other active young
leaders with disabilities from across the country. Visit the Center for
Independent Living's Web site and apply to participate in this
conference. Airfare, hotel lodgings, meals and special services expenses
will be covered for participants by the OCR (Office of Civil Rights). USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships: The Guild for the Blind maintains a list of education scholarships on its web site. Visit New scholarship breaks down the barriers for students with
disabilities: 2007 Summer Congressional Internship Administered by AAPD and sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, second-semester sophomores through first- semester seniors interested in working on Capitol Hill are encouraged to apply. Accepted candidates will work in congressional offices in Washington, DC. Roundtrip travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each student will receive a stipend. Apply by: January 3, 2007 (5:00pm, EST).
Questions and submissions for Congressional program to: 2007 Summer Information Technology (I.T.) Internship for College Students with Disabilities Administered by AAPD and sponsored by Microsoft Corporation, undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in information technology are encouraged to apply. Accepted candidates will work in various agencies in the executive branch of the federal government. Roundtrip travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each student will receive a stipend. Apply by: January 3, 2007 (5:00pm, EST). Questions and submissions for I.T. program to: aapdmsintern@aol.com. For more information, please contact: Future Librarians: Scholarship available Mobility Cup 2007 – Halifax, Canada, August 28 – September 1, 2007: |