NDSC Governmental Affairs Newsline

[Guest guest]

NDSC Meets with Obama-Biden Transition Team

On December 17, 2008 Goodman, Director of NDSC Governmental

Affairs and Tonia Ferguson, NDSC Board member met with the Obama-Biden

transition team, along with the ARC/UCP, American Association for

Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, and the National Down Syndrome

Society. We met with Kareem Dale, Disability Coordinator in the

Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs Department, Sharon ,

Department of Education Agency Review Team and Henry Claypool, HHS

Agency Review Advisor and Marcie Roth, Civil Rights Review Team.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Presidential transition

and broad disability policy issues. The issues we raised and

discussed were lack of inclusive opportunities, quality instruction

and accountability in education for students with disabilities and, in

addition, lack of job and community living opportunities for adults

with disabilities.

All groups were in agreement about the crisis in adult services that

is resulting from the state of the economy as well as the issues about

educational accountability. Mr. Dale stressed the desire of

transition team to ensure that the transition is a “transparent†process.

The website devoted to transition issues can be found at

http://www.change.gov. There are many opportunities to comment on

issues on that forum.

Bring the Urgent Issues of the Wait List for Adult Services

to the Attention of the Obama-Biden Transition Team

In 2006, there were over 280,000 individuals with disabilities on

waiting lists for community living services also know as Medicaid Home

and Community Based Services in 31 states. Other states do not keep

official waiting lists so the true number of individuals with unmet

needs is much higher and growing with the aging of the U.S.

population. There is no entitlement to adult services as in education

through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) so many

individuals with Down syndrome and other disabilities leave school

with no job opportunities or supports to live in the community

independently.

A group of parents have been conducting a national campaign to end the

waiting list. They are asking people to vote for Medicaid waivers for

individuals with disabilities as a top health care issue. You can

read about this group at http://www.noewait.net.

It is very important to shed light on the critical problem to the new

Administration. We encourage members to vote on this health care

initiative and if you have a personal story about an individual you

know who is on the waiting list, please follow the directions received

given below by the noewait organization.

1. VOTE on the issue at the Obama Transition team site.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/fully_fund_medicaid_waivers_for_the_development\

ally_disabled

We need over 900 votes to get to the top of the Health Care list of

ideas.

2. Send a message to every listserv you are on and ask others to

vote. Then, if you have a web site or blog, create a widget to put on

your site or blog to get others to vote. Put it on your Myspace or

Facebook page.

3. go to:

http://change.gov/agenda/disabilities_agenda/

PLEASE HELP GET THIS ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE OBAMA TRANSITION TEAM.

In addition, please notify susan@... when you have voted on

this crucial issue.

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our website, and click on “Contact Usâ€.)

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professionals who work with them. The Congress is known for its

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timeâ€!

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If you have questions or comments about this Newsline, please contact

susan@....