HDC’s LEND Trainees Can Fulfill Clinical Hours in PAY Check Program

HDC’s PAYCheck program is being offered as one option for LEND trainees to fulfill their clinical hours. LEND trainees will be able to support the PAYCheck students by helping them figure out their schedule with transportation and classes, providing emotional and social support, assisting them is studying for their courses, etc.. For more details on this training activity, read the write-up on the Training Toolbox at the Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (ITAC) website.

ITAC website link: https://www.aucd.org/itac/template/strategy.cfm?id=173

PAYCheck website link: https://www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/PayCheck/default.aspx

DD Waiver Provider and Support Coordination Rates Restored

The rates for DD waiver providers and support coordination were restored to 2008 levels effective 4/1/2019 using money from the New Opportunities Waiver (NOW) Fund.  You all will recall the Council approved the use of the NOW Fund for this rate restoration at the October 2018 Council meeting and we had hoped the rates would be restored in January 2019.  However, OCDD did not receive the needed approval from the legislature and administration to use the funding to restore the rates at that time.

The rate restoration that went into effect today is through the end of this fiscal year.  Funding will have to be appropriated by the legislature to continue it beyond June 30^th.

Please see attached letter from Julie Foster Hagan that was disseminated to providers and others this morning.

Letter about Restoration of Waiver Fees

AUCD “Celebrating Leadership in Civil Rights”

For AUCD centers and programs across the country, the core civil rights vision of the ADA and other disability rights laws informs the approach we take to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.

AUCD highlighted HDC in their “Celebrating Leadership in Civil Rights” Article found here: https://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=1095

HDC’s example includes expanding their ‘diverse by design’ model of service delivery by intentionally developing policies to promote socioeconomic and racial integration in early childhood settings and inclusion of children with disabilities (e.g., increased quality, mixed funding and effective inclusion). Additional information on HDC’s efforts can be found here: https://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=1095#LA

Countdown to Smooth Transitions

Transitions can be difficult for all students, particularly those with ASD and related disabilities.  It is especially tricky if we are asking them to transition from a preferred activity to one that is less preferred. In this webinar we will talk about why the skills necessary for smooth transitions are so hard for our students/children, what we can do to teach or support these skills and tools that can help us to smooth out the rough spots during transitions.

Employment First Training Fall Schedule 2019

HDC in collaboration with Louisiana APSE has upcoming training classes on Employment First for the 40-Hour Core & 5-Hour Continuing Education Credits for LRS and Medicaid Employment Providers. (There is a reduced fee for LA APSE members.)

See the LSU HDC Employment Initiatives Website for more information and to register

40 Hour Employment Core Training Certificate for LRS and Medicaid Employment Providers

• Baton Rouge – September 10-12, 2019
• New Orleans – October 22-24, 2019
• Alexandria – December 10-12, 2019
• Additional 5.0-hour classes available, see website for dates and topics

Employment First Trainings Available

HDC in collaboration with Louisiana APSE has upcoming training classes on Employment First for the 40-Hour Core & 5-Hour Continuing Education Credits for LRS and Medicaid Employment Providers. (There is a reduced fee for LA APSE members.)

See the LSU HDC Employment Initiatives Website for more information and to register

40 Hour Employment Core Training Certificate for LRS and Medicaid Employment Providers

• Baton Rouge – March 26-28, 2019
• New Orleans – April 16-18, 2019
• Lafayette- May 21-23, 2019
• Additional 5.0-hour classes available, see website for dates and topics

LRS Opens Order of Selection Category 4

Effective February 14, 2019m Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) opened Order of Selection (OOS) Category 4 and has begun serving those currently on the Category 4 waiting list, in addition to serving new referrals and applicants determined eligible in OOS Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4. See the following letter available in different accessible formats from LRS Director Melissa Bayham:

• PDF format .pdf: Opening OOS 4 – February 2019
• Word document .docx: Accessible Format Opening OOS 4 – Feb2019

ABLE Age Adjustment Act

Sen. Casey together with Sens. Moran, Van Hollen, and Roberts, reintroduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act(S. 651). The bill makes ABLE accounts available to anyone who has acquired a disability prior to their 46^th birthday. ABLE savings accounts allow people with disabilities to save for disability expenses and long-term needs without risking many of their federal disability benefits, and are currently available only to those who acquire their disability prior to their 26^th birthday, leaving out millions – including veterans – who would otherwise qualify.

Learn more:

• Review information shared during Aging Committee hearing entitled, Supporting Economic Stability and Self-Sufficiency as Americans with Disabilities and their Families Age
• Visit the ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC)
• Watch a TWL about age expansion.

If you feel strongly one way or another:

• Call your Senators: Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (TTY) and ask to be connected to your Senators to educate them about this bill.

Chairman Scott, Senator Casey, and Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Workers with Disabilities Transition to Competitive, Integrated Employment

Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor; Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA); and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) have introduced a bipartisan bill that would allow a series of competitive grants that would ease the transition as Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows subminimum wage, is phased out. Read the full press release on the Transition to Competitive Employment Act here.