National DBTAC Launches Accessible Technology Web Site!

The Accessible Technology Web Site, developed as a national project for the Disability & Business Technical Assistance Centers across the country, is now
live and ready for public use. The Web Site is "AccessibleTech.org" and its purpose is to build a partnership between the disability and business communities
and to promote full and unrestricted participation in society for persons with disabilities through the promotion of technology that is accessible to all.
To access this Web Site, go to: 
www.AccessibleTech.org.

Assemblymember Clifford Crouch Supports Timothy's Law

I have voted in support of Timothy's Law and will continue my support for
A.5659 sponsored by Peter Rivera. This bill removes the December 31, 2009
sunset date on Timothy's Law and thereby makes mental health parity
permanent in New York State. It also requires the Commissioner of Mental
Health to prepare a report on the effectiveness of Timothy's Law by March
31, 2010. Although the Governor's 2009-2010 budget does propose a one year
extension, this bill goes further and makes this important and historic
statute permanent. I fully support A.5659.

Sincerely,
Cliff

Stimulus Bill Provides Business Contracts with Disabled Entrepreneurs

Stimulus Bill Provides Business Contracts with Disabled Entrepreneurs

A stimulus bill being considered by the Secretary of the Treasury may give special consideration to businesses owned by people with disabilities. U.S. Senator
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Enable America, a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities, have
been working in support of the bill. The original bill included special consideration for businesses owned by women and minorities, but Harkin's version
aims at aiding people with disabilities, a demographic of the population with significantly lower employment rates. Enable America hopes that providing
benefits for employers in the stimulus bill will not only help businesses owned by people with disabilities during difficult economic times, but also will
encourage employers to hire people with disabilities when they might otherwise not be considered for a job.

Full Story:
Stimulus Bill Is a Victory for People with Disabilities, PR.com, February 19, 2009, available at
http://www.pr.com/press-release/133616

Accessible Voting Down Under

Voting Down Under

Blind fury: vote veto by vision impaired
Phillip Hudson
April 4, 2009

ADVOCATES who are visually impaired will refuse to vote in the next federal election as an act of civil disobedience if the Rudd Government abandons electronically assisted voting.

Special machines - telephone-style keypads and headphones connected to a computer - that allow the visually impaired to cast a secret and unaided vote were introduced at the 2007 election at 29 polling booths.

Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes, who is totally blind, said he was overjoyed to cast that vote because he always had to rely on someone to help him.

"I had tears in my eyes," he said. "I was able to exercise what I regard as a very important democratic right."

Mr. Innes is angry at the call by the Parliament's electoral matters committee for the $2.2 million scheme to be scrapped after just one election because only 850 people used it. Disability groups had raised hopes more than 20,000 people would cast electronically assisted votes.

The committee said the cost for each vote cast was $2597, compared with the average cost of $8.36.

Committee chairman, Sydney Labor MP Daryl Melham, said: "I understand their hurt. It was a trial and in terms of turnout and cost per vote. It was a failure.
I don't feel good about making the recommendation."

The deputy chairman, Liberal MP Scott Morrison, said: "It's not a never-ever recommendation.

"If circumstances change, if technology improves, if we're able to get those costs down then the committee would be prepared to look at it again."

Blind Citizens Australia president David Blyth said scrapping the system would be contrary to the recently signed United Nations convention on the rights of persons with a disability. He called for "civil disobedience".

"If my right to vote in a confidential, secret and independent ballot is denied then I choose not to exercise my right to vote,"20Mr Blyth said. "I urge other people who are blind or vision impaired to consider doing the same."

The Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, said: "Instead of abandoning electronically assisted voting, Australia should be promoting it … on the established principle that the more who use it, the cheaper it gets."

The final decision will be made by the Special Minister of State, John Faulkner.

Provided by:
Helen S. Benlisa

Project HAVA Coordinator
NYAIL Election Reform Committee, Co-Chair
888 NYS HAVA (v/tty)
(888 697 4282) (v/tty)
nyshava@ccfi.us

Catskill Center for Independence
PO Box 1247 Oneonta, New York 13820
607-432-8000 (Voice/TDD) 607-432-6907 fax
www.ccfi.us
"EVERY DAY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY"

Home Health Program Becoming a National Model

Home Health Program Becoming a National Model

The Baptist Health Home Health Network, a program in Arkansas, received national attention for using technology and teamwork to help patients who have trouble understanding and following doctors' orders because of illness, disability or illiteracy. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice is now trying to use the network as a model for a national pilot program. The network is made up of nurses who often call patients at home to check in on them, and use
technology such as a “Telehealth” computer to monitor patients in their homes.

Read the full Story from:
Carolyne Park, Baptist's Home-Health Program Is Seen as a National Model, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, February 2, 2009, available at:
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/251269/

New York State Budget - Victories For People With Disability

New York State Budget Contains Victories For People With Disabilities

The 2009-10 New York State Budget contains a number of victories for people with disabilities, most of which would not have been possible without the ongoing advocacy efforts of all of you. Listed below are some budget highlights of particular interest to ILCs the Statewide Systems Advocacy Network and people with disabilities.

We will keep you up-to-date as further budget analyses are done and as we track movement of additional legislation on the NYAIL Disability Priority Agenda. Many thanks to all of you for your dedication and hard work fighting for the rights of people with disabilities year round.

ILC Funding remains level for 2009-2010 at the 2008-2009 level of $12,361,000.
We were successful in avoiding cuts in the proposed 2009-10 Executive Budget and the Legislature approved the ILC appropriation as proposed.

Restoration of SSI cuts - Thanks in large part to your endless calls, faxes, letters and emails; the Governor and Legislature have restored funding for the state share of SSI for people with disabilities.

CDPAP - The budget includes $500,000 for expanding participation in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, including contracts with peer based programs to assist those eligible, provide education and outreach, as well as training for discharge planners, LDSS and others. In addition, the CDPAP statute will be amended to include county enrollment targets for CDPAP and annual implementation plans to DOH by counties that promote consistency regarding approved service levels across the state. These requirements will broaden access to the CDPAP program throughout the state.

Regional Long Term Care Assessment Centers - there will be a three year demonstration program established with two long term care assessment centers, one in a county within NYC and the second in another region consisting of one or more contiguous counties elsewhere in the state. The intent of the
established centers will be to consolidate and standardize the assessment and
authorization process for home and personal care services, allowing the state
to better manage Medicaid resources, including due process provisions and
consumer oversight, ensuring that individuals receive the services they need to
stay in the community. The commissioner of health will be responsible for
submitting bi-annual reports on the centers to the Governor and State Leaders
which will include an assessment of the project, an analysis of the level and
costs of the services and recipient satisfaction.

The Cash and Counseling Demonstration proposed in the Governors Budget has been rejected.

Cuts to home care and personal care rates were restored; however the 2008 and 2009 trend factors have been eliminated and an assessment will be collected of 0.35% on home care provider revenues effective March 1, 2009.

An appropriation of $2,303,000 was made available for housing subsidies to participants in the Nursing Facility Transition and Diversion (NFTD) waiver.

No premium increases for Medicaid Buy-In Program for Working People with Disabilities.

Elimination of barriers to general Medicaid application such as the asset test, finger printing and face-to-face interview requirements.

Pharmaceutical Reforms - Efforts to preserve Medicaid pharmacy benefits for people with psychiatric disabilities were successful in that the proposal to expand the Preferred Drug List to include antidepressants was rejected.

Proposals to eliminate EPIC Part D wrap and Medicaid wrap around coverage for dual eligible with Part D were also rejected. However, limits on frequency, amount and duration of prescriptions in Medicaid, as well as the creation of a step-therapy approach for prior authorization were approved.

The proposal to weaken and delay NYs SHU Law, the law to end solitary confinement of state prisoners with psychiatric disabilities, was rejected.

Transit outlook grimmer after record '08

Transit outlook grimmer after record '08

By
Marisol Bello,
USA TODAY 

The number of people riding buses and trains hit a 52-year high in 2008 as skyrocketing gas prices and a faltering economy pushed riders toward less expensive
travel. 

Public transit ridership last year increased 4% to 10.7 billion rides, according to a report released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association. 

PUBLIC TRANSIT:
Usage rises from 2007 

The outlook is gloomy, though. Ridership growth in the fourth quarter slowed as more commuters lost their jobs and budget shortfalls pushed transit systems
to reduce service or raise fares. 

The number of rides from October through December increased 2% to 2.7 billion compared with the same period a year earlier. 

Unemployment reached a 25-year high of 8% in February, the government reported Friday. 

The more it rises, the more ridership will shrink, says William Millar, the association's president. 

"If people don't have the jobs, they are not taking those trips," Millar says. He says 58% of public transit riders are people going to and from work. 

At the same time, cuts in state and local funding are forcing agencies to raise fares and reduce service, Millar says. 

Congress has approved $8.4 billion in federal stimulus money for public transportation systems, but that won't close the gap, he says, because the funding
is mostly for capital projects such as building new rail lines or buying new buses and train cars, not operating expenses. 

There are signs the boom of 2008 is stalling.

In Boston, 11 consecutive months of ridership increases on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ended in December when weekday rides fell 2% from
December 2007. In January, ridership fell 3% from January 2008. 

The decline "was likely a result of increasing unemployment, a struggling economy and low gas prices, which generally lead to fewer public transit trips
being taken," spokesman Joe Pesaturo says.

The agency raised parking lot fees in November and is considering raising fares by at least 20% and eliminating 20 bus routes. 

Even agencies that saw growth in January are preparing for leaner times. 

Rides in the Sacramento Regional Transit District were up 10% in January compared with a year earlier. 

Still, general manager Mike Wiley says, the system had to increase the base fare 25 cents to $2.25 because he expects state funding and sales tax revenue
to decrease. 

The Charlotte Area Transit System saw a 4% increase in January from January 2008. However, CEO Keith Parker says he expects layoffs to mean fewer commuters. 

Unemployment in the Charlotte area increased to 9% in December, compared with 5% a year earlier. 

The agency increased the base fare from $1.30 to $1.50, eliminated six bus routes and cut hours of service to deal with an anticipated drop in revenue. 

"It's going to happen nationwide," Parker says. "If your primary function is get people to and from work and you're seeing unemployment numbers the likes
of which we haven't seen in a generation, I don't know how you're not impacted." 

Recession hits Social Security increases

AP

Recession hits Social Security increases
Budget experts predict no Social Security cost-of-living increases for 3 years

Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday March 31, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The recession is projected to wipe out annual cost-of-living increases for 50 million Social Security beneficiaries for the next three
years, something that hasn't happened since automatic adjustments were adopted in 1975.

The Congressional Budget Office says in its latest budget estimates that inflation will dip so low that Social Security recipients will not qualify for
annual increases in 2010, or for two years after that. In 2013 through 2019 -- when projections are less reliable -- CBO estimates annual increases of
2 percent each year, which would be among the lowest.

David Certner, director of legislative policy for the AARP, said many recipients rely on those increases to help pay for rising health care costs, which
tend to outpace inflation. Many older Americans have also seen the values of their homes and savings decrease because of the nation's financial crisis.

"They are going to feel like they are falling behind," Certner said.

If the projections hold true, Social Security recipients would forgo a total of $378 billion in increased payments through 2019, according to the CBO estimates.

The Social Security Administration will set next year's cost-of-living adjustment in October, based on inflation over the previous year, as measured by
the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), spokesman Mark Lassiter said.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that consumer prices will drop this year by 0.7 percent, a slightly bigger drop than projected by the Obama administration,
but smaller than some private projections.

Since 1975, when automatic increases were adopted, the smallest cost-of-living increase for Social Security was 1.3 percent, in 1986 and 1998. In 2008,
the increase was 5.8 percent, according to the Social Security Administration.

The estimates were included in the CBO's 2010 budget projections issued last week. In the report, CBO projects that the Social Security trust funds will
collect just $3 billion more in cash receipts than they will pay out in benefits in the 2010 budget year that starts in October. A year ago, before the
economy slipped into recession, the CBO projected an $86 billion cash surplus for the same year.

The development will have little practical effect on the program's short-term operation, thanks in part to an additional $116 billion in interest income,
as well as a $2.4 trillion balance in the Social Security trust funds. Most of that balance is on loan to the government to pay for other federal programs.

The smaller cash surplus would reduce the government's ability to borrow more from the trust funds, by about $83 billion. But that represents only a small
portion of the more than $1 trillion the government is expected to borrow next year.

The shrinking Social Security surplus does highlight future problems for a retirement system that has to accommodate the post-World War II baby boomers
reaching retirement age.

The Social Security Administration projected last year that the trust funds will begin paying out more than they collect in payroll taxes in 2017.

By 2041, the balance will be exhausted unless major changes are made, such as levying more payroll taxes on high earners, changing the formula for annual
cost-of-living benefit increases or raising the retirement age.

The administration is scheduled to issue new long-term projections in about a month.

Christian Weller, an associate professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, said the Congressional Budget Office figures highlight
the program's dependence on a strong employment market.

"If you lose millions of jobs, you have millions fewer taxpayers. That will put a damper on the tax receipts that Social Security gets," Weller said.

He said it is unclear whether the recession will have much impact on the long-term solvency of Social Security. That depends on how quickly the economy
recovers and the long-term growth rate, he said.

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Recession-hits-Social-apf-14806888.html

The race in New York’s 20th Congressional District

The race in New York’s 20th Congressional District

The race in the 20th Congressional District between Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy is too close to call.

According to the Albany Times Union, With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Murphy leads Tedisco by only 59 votes, 77,344 to 77,285.

Thousands of absentee ballots will essentially decide the race - but not until after April 13.

Visit The Albany Times Union at:
timesunion.com/
for vote totals and more information about the race by county.