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California
~Providing competitive, integrated employment, career counseling and information and referral (CC&IR) services to all individuals with a significant disability and employed at subminimum wage and known to the California Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR) is reaffirmed in a recently...
~~“The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), California Department of Education (CDE), and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have entered into a new agreement consistent with the State’s “Employment First” policy and other laws to make employment in an integrated...
~~• “The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today awarded $2 million in Disability Employment Accelerator grants to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities. The EDD awarded the funding to six workforce development organizations that serve...
“(1) Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
This bill would require...
“This bill would require the retention of placement on the waiting list for, or the reenrollment in, specified HCBS waiver programs for an individual who is a dependent child or spouse of an active duty military service member and who transfers out of state with the military service member on...
Vermont
~~“In 2018, Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) applied for and received new funding for a national apprenticeship expansion grant. The grant led to the creation of a State Apprenticeship Team that is charged with:
•Gaining expertise in federal Registered Apprenticeship program requirements...
~~“Stakeholder Alignment, Coordination, and Engagement Process; Vision; Goals–Implementation Update
The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) approved the plan for implementing Act 189 1(a) on December 6, 2018. The plan describes activities related to Regional and State Work force...
~~“No Wrong Door is an effort to streamline access to services and support options with the goal of reducing the need for individuals to contact multiple agencies to get the assistance they need, when they need it. This includes making assistive technology available to all populations,...
~~“The State Rehabilitation Council partners with VocRehab Vermont to find ways to improve and expand services to Vermonters with disabilities. The Council is made up of representatives from the business sector, people with disabilities, advocates, the Vermont Client Assistance Program (CAP) and...
Currently displaying 249 records.
Being Part of the Solution: Building on the Promise of the ADA
July 21, 2020 | blog
Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush declared these motivating words as he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, which provided the path to civil rights protections for people with disabilities in employment, public ...
On the Horizon
April 01, 2020 | story
Webinar: Financial Strategies for Workers with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Webinar: How WIOA Can Support Workers Facing Economic Challenges – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Webinar: Equal Opportunity Webinar I ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
April 01, 2020 | story
The March 10th webinar, Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways, explores strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include how collaboration can be ...
Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities
July 23, 2019 | resource
This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document. ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | resource
Employment is central to all of our lives. A good job contributes to our self-worth, offers membership in a community, provides benefits like health insurance, and is critical to financial stability and independence. The same is true for people with ...
LEAD Center Brief on Ways to Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | story
LEAD Center released the brief, Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community, authored by Alison Barkoff from the Center for Public Representation. This brief can be shared with others who are interested ...
LEAD People – The SETA Team
September 26, 2018 | story
Michelle O’Camb serves as a Workforce Development Manager for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), alongside colleague Jennifer Fischer, Workforce Development Analyst Supervisor. Together, O’Camb and Fischer oversee a number of programs ...
Give Us Your Feedback!
September 26, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you fill out a very brief feedback form, which should only take five (5) minutes or less to complete. Also, if you ...
LEAD Partner: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)
September 26, 2018 | story
What is SETA? The Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA), an agency that works in the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. From its inception, SETA has been an effective force in connecting people to jobs, business owners to ...
LEAD Resources
September 26, 2018 | story
1. Complying with Section 511: Approaches that Promote Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults http://leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/complying-section-511-approaches-promote-competitive-integrated-employment-youth-and-adults 2. ...
Employment First Community of Practice: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
September 17, 2018 | resource
In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) core states, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created an Employment First Community of Practice. ...
LEAD Center Website Survey
September 06, 2018 | news
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you take a very brief survey, which should only take 5 minutes or less to complete. Also, if you would be willing ...
Louisville’s Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), Emerges as Leader in Advancing Financial Empowerment and Economic Advancement for People with Disabilities
June 28, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center has supported the expanding work of LADDER (Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity Empowerment and Resources) since its inception in 2014. LADDER, a collaborative of community-based organizations, workforce services, ...
My Dream Job: On the Importance of Networking
March 29, 2018 | blog
Hello, I’m Alec Frazier. I’m autistic and have been a self-advocate and an advocate since I can remember, although definitely professionally since I gave my first speech in third grade in 1994. I am currently the Director of Autistic Reality, my own ...
Important New Resources
March 28, 2018 | story
Customized Employment: Stories and Lessons from the Field http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/customized-employment-stories-and-lessons-field Disability Benefits Counseling Services: Free Resources for Social Security Administration Disability ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Promote Knowledge Translation
December 19, 2017 | story
On November 29th, the LEAD Center and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a discussion with LEAD Center’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium. Featured speakers in this virtual meeting included leadership from ...
Important New Resources
December 19, 2017 | story
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/business-30-second-training-series-and-resource-guide Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Disabled ...
TASH 2017 Conference
December 19, 2017 | story
In December, the LEAD Center participated in the national TASH Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The LEAD Center added to this diverse community of stakeholders by providing five presentations on strategies to improve the employment and economic advancement of ...
LEAD Center Blog Round-up
December 19, 2017 | story
During October and November, the LEAD Center's guest bloggers offered valuable information about employment for job seekers with disabilities, job coaches, community organizations, and hiring managers. All the posts highlighted how disability employment ...
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
December 13, 2017 | resource
The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in ...
Double Duty: Hire a Veteran with a Disability
November 09, 2017 | blog
As an employer, do you want to easily find valuable and talented employees to fill your job openings AND incentivize your workplace diversity? If inclusion and diversity is important to you and your workplace culture, look no further and hire a veteran with a ...
Your First Job Should Not Be Your Last
October 12, 2017 | blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean: a. Capacities based on tipping b. Capacities based on structural ...
Important Additional Resources
September 27, 2017 | story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017 The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application
LEAD Center’s Top 10 Accomplishments in Year 5
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities. Read on to ...
Updates from the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER)
September 27, 2017 | story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), led by Louisville Metro Government's Office of Resilience and Community Services. LADDER is a ...
LEAD Center Knowledge Translation Activities
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities. This included the national Association of People ...
LEAD PARTNER: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
September 27, 2017 | story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state. Oregon VR is participating with every Local Workforce ...
LEAD PEOPLE: Nancy Boutot
September 27, 2017 | story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting. Her work focuses on promoting employment and ...
A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Releases National Autism Indicators Report for 2017
August 31, 2017 | story
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute recently released its National Autism Indicators Report for 2017, “Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.” The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has released these reports since 2015, as part of its Life ...
Senate Finance Committee Announces Bipartisan Hearings on Health Care in September
August 31, 2017 | story
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) has announced that it will hold bipartisan hearings on how to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market during the first week of September. According to Senator Lamar ...
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2017 and Gains Made by People with Disabilities in Employment and Community Integration
August 31, 2017 | story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities. Since the passage of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made great strides in ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
August 31, 2017 | story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan On June 13, 2017, Kentucky received final approval for its home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plan from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Final approval was ...
Kentucky Submits Amendment to add a Work Requirement to its Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver
August 31, 2017 | story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal, Kentucky HEALTH, which would make changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion. The proposal with its amendment would require all adults covered by the Medicaid expansion, as ...
Mathematica Policy Research Releases Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program Annual Report for 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration program. The MFP demonstration program is a grant offered by CMS that provides support to ...
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Truyven Health Analytics Release Report on Medicaid-Funded Long-term Services and Supports Expenditures for FY 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time. Truyven recently released its latest report, “Medicaid Expenditures ...
The Transformative Power of Work and Inclusion: Reflections on the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 26, 2017 | blog
One of the benefits of being in the disability field for such a long time is the perspective that it brings. I started in the field before the implementation of most of the public laws, legislation and legal actions that ensure the rights of children and ...
Important New Resources
June 29, 2017 | story
The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities Employment, Health Care and Disability ...
Virginia’s Accessibility and One-Stop Taskforce Models Cross Agency Collaboration to Address Equal Opportunity and Access for People with Disabilities
June 29, 2017 | story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system. LEAD Center staff presented on WIOA from a Disability Perspective: Implementing Section ...
LEAD Center Hosts National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways
December 21, 2016 | story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collaboration with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment ...
Assisting Providers and State Systems in Implementing Employment First Practices
December 21, 2016 | story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for All Job Seekers with Disabilities, a product of the Office of Disability Employment ...
CMS RFI Seeks Information on How to Accelerate Access to Home and Community-Based Services
November 29, 2016 | story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality ...
United States Department of Justice Releases Statement on Application of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead to State Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
November 29, 2016 | story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. apply to state and local governments’ ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
CMS Releases National Data Report for 2012 on Demographics of Beneficiaries Receiving Medicaid-Funded Long-Term Services and Support
November 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,” which describes the 2012 population who were receiving Medicaid-funded Long-Term Services and Supports ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
Nation Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
November 29, 2016 | story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go. This ...
Provider Transformation Issue Brief: Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for all Job Seekers with Disabilities
November 07, 2016 | resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider ...
Practical Steps to Change Social and Human Service Delivery
November 02, 2016 | resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif. The session, Practical Steps to Change Social and ...
Model Cooperative Agreements Between VR Agency and Medicaid, Mental Health, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies
October 25, 2016 | resource
Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal ...
High Expectations
October 17, 2016 | blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me. When I was a kid, my school district strongly suggested that, because I was legally blind, I ride a “short bus” that would pick me up and drop me off at my house ...
From Screen to Society: How Television Increases Disability Inclusion
October 11, 2016 | blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view. Gail Williamson a well-known talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin and Associates heads their Diversity Department working specifically with diverse talent with ...
September HCBS Transition Plan Update
October 03, 2016 | story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state of Florida released a revised version of its HCBS Transition Plan and posted it ...
U.S. Department of Justice Issues New Regulations Clarifying What Is Considered a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
September 30, 2016 | story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title II and Title III regulations in order to fully implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The regulation restores the original, ...
Research on Disability Releases Monthly nTIDE Report and Webinar which Shows Rising Disability Employment
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report and “Lunch and ...
Texas Health and Human Services System to Transform Its Service Offerings
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will have its ...
Illinois Passes New Employee Sick Leave Act Allowing Employees to Take Leave to Support Family Members’ Health Needs
September 30, 2016 | story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick Leave Act would allow employees to use paid sick leave benefits provided by the employer to care for any spouse, child, or other family ...
Brooklyn Law School Files Federal Complaint Challenging Private Health Insurance Company
September 30, 2016 | story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth. The complaint alleges that GHI and EmblemHealth together violated a contract ...
October Marked Opening of ACA Exchanges
August 30, 2016 | story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013. These exchanges, established pursuant to the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provide individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance the opportunity to ...
New Hampshire Self-Advocates and Long-Term Support Agencies Sue to Prevent Managed Care of Medicaid-Funded Supports
August 30, 2016 | story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-funded LTSS ...
ABLE Act Gains Traction in the States
August 30, 2016 | story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures. The ABLE Act, which was signed by President Obama last year, allows states to authorize special ...
CMS Releases Report on Medicaid LTSS Expenditures
August 30, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “Improving the Balance: The Evolution of Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), FY ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Update on Select Plans
August 30, 2016 | story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment. The state of Delaware was granted ...
EEOC Releases New FAQS for Employers on How to Create Notices That Comply with Its Final Regulations on Employee Wellness Programs
August 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016. The final regulations ...
Harvard School of Public Health Study Finds Lack of Workplace Accommodations and Supports May Lead to Poorer Health Outcomes for Workers with Disabilities
August 30, 2016 | story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to report ...
HCBS Advocacy
August 07, 2016 | resource
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on ...
Two Exciting Grant Opportunities to Promote Employment for Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Partnerships and Collaborations
June 30, 2016 | story
Disability Employment Initiative The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of grant funds for its seventh round of funding for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program. DEI is a joint program of ...
Federal Partnership Supports Career Pathways
June 30, 2016 | story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment. On April 28, 2016, 13 Federal agency leaders issued a ...
CMS Grants Initial Approval to HCBS Transition Plans for Kentucky and Ohio
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio. Kentucky and Ohio are now the second and third states to receive initial ...
Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Release Memo Detailing Major Changes to Authorization of Facility-Based Day Services Under Its Section 1915(c) Intellectual Disability Waivers
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employment ...
Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Regulations Implementing the Nondiscrimination Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Including Impact on Employee Health Benefit Programs
June 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Section 1557 provides that no individual shall be discriminated ...
Study by Dartmouth Health Researchers Finds That People with Mental Illness Who Receive Supported Employment Services Have Improved Quality of Life
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the form of ...
OPM Proposes Regulations to Implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, Giving Disabled Veterans Who Are Federal Employees Access to New Type of Leave for Medical Appointments
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 gives 104 ...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Wellness Programs, Clarifying How the Programs Can Remain in Compliance with the ADA
June 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The final rule sets ...
EEOC Issues New Resource Related to Getting Employees Crucial Disability-Related Employment Leave, Including Medical Leave
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act ...
National Core Indicators Reports (NCI) Released for 2014-15, with Statistical Indicators Connecting Health Care and Employment to the Well-Being of Consumers with I/DD, in Addition to NCI’s Data Briefs and Webinars
May 31, 2016 | story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental disability ...
CMS Releases Its Final Rule Addressing Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS), including Employment LTSS, Under Managed Care Plans
May 31, 2016 | story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs. The rule is the first major overhaul of the managed care rules in ...
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces Publication of Final Rule on Overtime in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under FLSA, employers are required to pay most employees overtime ...
CMS Releases Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements in HCBS Settings Requirements Compliance Toolkit
May 31, 2016 | story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people have had, ...
Unclear Language in Iowa’s Health Care Budget Bill Prevents $750,000 from Being Spent on Supported Employment
May 31, 2016 | story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been spent. The ...
CMS & ACL Partner with Tennessee To Host Webinar for Advocates and External Stakeholders on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan
May 31, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the Statewide ...
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work
May 01, 2016 | resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topics useful to ...
CMS Finalizes Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Rules, Providing Access to Behavioral Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services
April 29, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Children’s ...
Department of Health and Human Services Releases Report on the Benefits of Expanding Medicaid to Cover More Behavioral Health Programs, Including Its Impact on Employee Productiveness
April 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance and behavioral health services. According to DHHS, people who need behavioral health services make ...
Senator Schumer Promotes Disability Integration Act Initiative, a Bill that Requires Providers to Deliver All Support Services (Including Employment Services) in the Community
April 29, 2016 | story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA). Senator Charles Schumer announced his ...
Congress Considering Bills that Would Expand the Amount Working People with Disabilities Can Save in ABLE Accounts
April 29, 2016 | story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). The bills are the ABLE To Work Act ...
Kansas State Officials “Sending Mixed Messages” on Disability-Related Medicaid Waiver Integration
April 29, 2016 | story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur. The planned waiver ...
Maine Department of Health nd Human Services (DHHS) Proposes Changes to Reimbursement for Mental Health Providers
April 29, 2016 | story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The study was part of a compromise budget bill ...
CMS Approves Tennessee’s HCBS Transition Plan, Including Supported Employment Provisions
April 29, 2016 | story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS has ...
In The Know: The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
April 04, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
DOL National Convening Supports Workforce Leadership in Implementing WIOA
March 31, 2016 | story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approaches to ...
LEAD Releases New Toolkit to Promote Collaboration between Centers for Independent Living and American Job Centers
March 31, 2016 | story
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Release Fourth Employment First Technical Brief
March 31, 2016 | story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts. The brief provides state governments and external ...
LEAD PEOPLE Bob Williams, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA). ...
LEAD PARTNERS Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). AoD works to increase the independence, productivity and community integration of individuals ...
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Releases Its Recommendations for Improving Financing for Long-Term Services and Supports, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report, Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of ...
National Quality Forum Hosts Second In-Person Meeting on Measuring Quality in Home and Community-Based Services, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C. The project was designed to measure performance gaps in HCBS to inform the future ...
EEOC Requests Public Comment on Its New Affirmative Action Employment Regulations
March 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “Affirmative Action for People with Disabilities in the Federal Government,” which would codify all existing federal disability-related ...
Wisconsin: Update on Wisconsin’s Overhaul of Its Medicaid Program, IRIS, and Supported Employment Program
March 30, 2016 | story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier coverage on Wisconsin), Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has decided to replace its eight regional ...
Iowa’s Medicaid Program Moves to Managed Care for Its Services
March 30, 2016 | story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016. The new ...
Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs
March 22, 2016 | resource
This toolkit is dedicated to our friends and colleagues, Speed Davis and Jamie Kendall. Their work to promote independent living, disability rights and full inclusion is the noble legacy they leave behind and from which future generations will long ...
President Obama’s 2017 Budget: Impact on Employment and Health Care for People with Disabilities
February 29, 2016 | story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of people with disabilities in the competitive workforce and funding increases for ...
Disability Advocates Create Comprehensive Toolkit Calling for Strong Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule
February 29, 2016 | story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to promote the full integration of people with ...
EconSys and ODEP Release State Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates and Employment First Brief on Federal Resources
February 29, 2016 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc. (EconSys) have jointly released a 50-state review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for supported employment and ...
StatsRRTC Releases Its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and 2015 Annual Report
February 29, 2016 | story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and the 2015 ...
NPR Explores Disparities in Workers’ Compensation Options
February 29, 2016 | story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Due to state employer opt out provisions in workers’ compensation laws, 1.5 million workers in Texas and Oklahoma lack ...
Update on HCBS Transition Plans: Washington State
February 29, 2016 | story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community. It proposes a four-year plan to transition the state away from the use of sheltered ...
Minnesota Waiting List for Services Ends for Many
February 29, 2016 | story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employment. A ...
In The Know: I'm In To Hire
February 19, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
EconSys and ODEP Release Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates for Supported Employment and Integrated Day Services across All 50 States
January 29, 2016 | story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc. and jointly released a review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers for supported ...
NASUAD Publishes Tip Sheets for Increasing MIPPA Outreach
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and ...
EEOC Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Title II of GINA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance document ...
EEOC Issues Guidance about HIV-Positive Employees’ Human and Health-Related Rights Under ADA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive. The first publication, Living with HIV Infection: Your ...
ANCOR and Disability Advocates Call for CMS to Consider Supported Employment and HCBS Services in Its Managed Care Network Adequacy Rulemaking
January 29, 2016 | story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) ...
Oregon Court Approves Settlement in Lane v. Brown
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon. The Final Settlement Agreement requires a ...
Connecticut: Waiting List for Services Never Ends for Individuals with I/DD and Their Families
January 29, 2016 | story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services. The State Department of Developmental Disability Services spends nearly 25 ...
Open Enrollment For The Affordable Care Act Began November 1st
December 31, 2015 | story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016. Consumers must sign up by December 15th if they wish to begin January 2016 with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The ...
Capitol Hill Budget Deal Avoids Premium Hikes and Budget Cuts in Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance
December 31, 2015 | story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Specifically, the deal will stave off a 52 percent premium increase ...
CMS Issues Guidance on Non-Residential Settings for Home and Community-Based Services
December 22, 2015 | story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings. The new rule, which took effect in March 2014, prohibits states from ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Additional Updates And Concerns
December 15, 2015 | story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner. Some of these interpretations classify a certain type of setting as meeting ...
ODEP Partners with LEAD Center and Social Dynamics to Launch Employment First Website
December 15, 2015 | story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for Employment First information. This ...
Not-to-Be-Missed New Resources on Implementing Employment First
December 15, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that are “must-reads” for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
December 15, 2015 | story
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) is a national technical assistance and dissemination center jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation ...
Employment First Technical Briefs
December 14, 2015 | resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released four Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: ...
Kansas: Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Returns $15 Million to Federal Government
December 02, 2015 | story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services ...
The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
November 03, 2015 | resource
Reducing health care spending is a national priority. As of 2013, health care spending represented over 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a disproportionate amount of that spending going towards adults with disabilities. In fact, on a per-capita ...
ACL No Wrong Door System Grants Helps Streamline Access to Services and Supports
October 29, 2015 | story
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ODEP and Administration for Community Living Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memorandum of ...
CMS Responds to Statewide HCBS Transition Plans
October 29, 2015 | story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan. These plans describe a ...
Minnesota: New Olmstead Plan Addresses Barriers to Living in the Community Faced by People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., ...
Wisconsin: Changes to Family Care and IRIS Programs
October 29, 2015 | story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s budget, passed in July, which would require the state to contract with insurance companies to administer long-term services and supports, including ...
Kansas: State Delays Changes to Medicare/Medicaid System Until January 2017
October 29, 2015 | story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, ...
CMS’ New HCBS Regulations Opens the Door to Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
October 09, 2015 | blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful and ...
Launch of the National Employment First Website
October 08, 2015 | news
Today, we are proud to announce the official launch of the national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, ...
Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 01, 2015 | news
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment issues and ...
Office of Disability Employment Policy and National LEAD Center to Launch Employment First Web Platform
September 30, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1. This platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policy-makers, researchers, and ...
LEAD Center Addresses Employers in St. Louis, MO about Hiring People with Disabilities
September 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) in recognition of the 25th ...
LEAD PEOPLE Tami Hoar, Montana Independent Living Project, Program Director
September 30, 2015 | story
Tami Hoar has a background of working with people with disabilities in a variety of venues. She is currently the Montana Independent Living Project’s (MILP) Program Director, responsible for monitoring and reporting for all grants and program ...
LEAD PARTNERS Montana Independent Living Project
September 30, 2015 | story
Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services that promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. MILP supports the development and expansion of community-based services that ...
CMS Announces Performance-Based Payment Options for Employment Services
September 25, 2015 | story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based options for ...
National Employment First Online Policy and Data Platform Launch
September 25, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and activities ...
Department of Health and Human Services Proposes Revisions to the Non-Discrimination Policy of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
September 25, 2015 | story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination by health programs based on race, color, national origin, ...
Minnesota: Plaintiffs in Minnesota Lawsuit Claim Department of Human Services Underspent $1 Billion in Medicaid Disability Waiver Funds
September 25, 2015 | story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for waivers ...
Utah: The Need for Healthcare Reform
September 25, 2015 | story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July. The expansion, authorized under the Affordable Care Act, would have provided Medicaid coverage to all adults earning less ...
Career Pathways Initiatives
September 16, 2015 | resource
As students plan and prepare for and transition to college and careers, career pathways programs help students to gain workforce experience and skills and consider the connection between their career interests and educational plans. This brief describes major ...
CMS Responds to State Transition Plans
August 26, 2015 | story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing all services ...
State Medicaid Integration Tracker Update Published for July
August 26, 2015 | story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. NASUAD’s State Medicaid Integration Tracker is a monthly report summarizing changes in each state on ...
National Quality Forum Publishes Interim Report on HCBS, Convenes Stakeholder Committee on Quality Measurement
August 26, 2015 | story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS). NQF recently released its interim report ...
Massachusetts: University Of Massachusetts Medical School Partners with State to Increase Employment of People With Disabilities
August 26, 2015 | story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment. In July, the UMass Medical School announced a new partnership ...
New Jersey: Governor’s Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Costs to New Jersey Taxpayers and Health Care Providers
August 26, 2015 | story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years. The proposal would be the largest Medicaid funding reduction in New ...
Alaska: Governor Announces Alaska to Become the 30th State to Expand Medicaid
August 26, 2015 | story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provide health ...
New Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Changes and Updated State Plan Amendments in Washington State, Tennessee And Indiana
July 31, 2015 | story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings. Washington State has submitted transition plans for ...
Comment Period Ends for EECO’s Proposed ADA Wellness Plan Rule
July 31, 2015 | story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans. The EEOC earlier concluded that medical exams and ...
Massachusetts Home Health Workers Win Wage Hike to $15 Per Hour
July 31, 2015 | story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-paid ...
KANCARE Not Working for People with Disabilities, Advocates Say
July 31, 2015 | story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of KanCare, the ...
Transition Quickguide: Take Charge of Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
July 26, 2015 | resource
Because the ability to manage one’s health and wellness is critical to going to school, learning, and transitioning into employment, planning your health and career goals goes hand in hand. The first step to making your career dream a reality is taking care ...
Letter to Governors on Employment First
July 23, 2015 | news
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their committment to advancing the Employment First ...
In the Know: HCBS Advocacy
July 02, 2015 | blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. Unfortunately, even more than a year later, some people are still ...
LEAD Center Presentation on Knowledge Translation
June 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware. ...
LEAD PEOPLE Marie Parker, Program Manager for TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms. Parker, a Subject Matter Expert working with LEAD Center through TransCen, Inc., is the Program Manager and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project (MCPIP), in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
TransCen, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1986, that develops creative and innovative projects for school to work transition, education systems change and employment for people with disabilities. TransCen is dedicated to improving ...
Changes Recommended for Medicaid Managed Care
June 30, 2015 | story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care. The network adequacy guidance include quality ratings, profit guidelines, and safeguards to protect members with ...
Kaiser Releases New Analysis Detailing Potential Impact of King V. Burwell
June 30, 2015 | story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging whether low- and moderate-income ...
Connecticut: Budget Would Cut Health, Social Services, But Less Than Original Plan
June 30, 2015 | story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts originally ...
Ohio: Developmental Disabilities Service Delivery System Changing
June 30, 2015 | story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run institutions. ...
EEOC Proposes Rule Allowing Financial Incentives for Wellness Programs
May 29, 2015 | story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace wellness ...
Special Commission Finds Medicaid Expansion Would Benefit New Hampshire’s Economy
May 29, 2015 | story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 . New Hampshire’s Department of ...
University of Massachusetts Studying Patterns of Health Care Use Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
May 29, 2015 | story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual disabilities. ...
Supporting Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Their Communities
May 01, 2015 | resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
Emerging Practices in the High Performing States Transition Model
May 01, 2015 | resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. ...
New Proposed Rule on Mental Health Parity in Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans. The rule would eliminate hard limits on coverage (such as caps on the number of ...
Mathematica Releases Annual Report on Money Follows the Person Program
April 30, 2015 | story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report examined the experiences of 19,877 MFP participants in 30 states. The ...
Minnesota Must Submit Statewide Olmstead Plan Following 2011 Settlement
April 30, 2015 | story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan for ...
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Ending Medicaid Expansion
April 30, 2015 | story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year. NHHPP ...
New York Bill Proposes Expansion of Home Health Workforce
April 30, 2015 | story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications. The proposal creates a new designation of ...
Montana Republican Unveils New Bill to Expand Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It will also require enrollees to pay monthly premiums and ...
LEAD Center Hosts Webinar on CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and Its Implications for Employment
March 31, 2015 | story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National LEAD Center, hosted a webinar entitled, “Redefining Home ...
New Study on Employer Compliance with Mental Health Parity Laws
March 30, 2015 | story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based on surveys of human resources and disability professionals of diverse employers from across the nation. Of the 314 employers who responded ...
State Transition Plan Highlight: New Jersey Transition Plan Would Improve Day, Employment and Housing Services
March 30, 2015 | story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), includes major changes to day, employment and housing services. Each state ...
Pending Florida Legislation On Disability And Workplace Participation
March 30, 2015 | story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities. Legislative proposals include measures allowing people with disabilities to keep health insurance while working, encouraging state agencies ...
Texas Republicans Champion Higher Wages for Home Care Workers
March 30, 2015 | story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average. More than 150,000 Texas residents rely on the ...
Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to the Governor and Kansas Legislature
March 01, 2015 | resource
Kansas has been a trailblazer in supporting competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities. As the first state in the nation to pass an Employment First Initiative Act, Kansas is poised to dramatically improve its outcomes regarding ...
Senate Panel Examines Effect of Employee Wellness Programs on Workers with Disabilities
February 27, 2015 | story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs. These programs, which are encouraged under the Affordable Care Act, allow companies to reward employees ...
GAO Calls For Greater Interagency Collaboration on Mental Health Services, Including Employment Programs
February 27, 2015 | story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness. The testimony, based on a report released in December 2014, reported that eight Federal ...
NCD Releases New Report on Social Security Disability
February 27, 2015 | story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) programs. The ...
North Carolina Services for People with Disabilities at Heart of Class-Action Settlement
February 27, 2015 | story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions) originally filed in 2011. The managed care organization had ...
Open Enrollment Ends February 15
January 30, 2015 | story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace must be ...
Judge Strikes Down New Overtime Rules for Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has recently issued two decisions striking down aspects of a Department of Labor regulation governing overtime pay for home care workers for people with disabilities. The regulation made most home care workers for people ...
Proposed Virginia Medicaid Budget Caps Hours of Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one family as well as capping overtime hours for workers paid under certain waivers.7 The proposed changes may limit workers ...
In the Know - The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
January 16, 2015 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center Welcomes New KT Consortium Members
December 21, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium. The KT Consortium is the first-of-its-kind partnership, which brings together virtually federally-funded ...
The Art of the Possible: Aiming High in Employment First - Federal Policy Changes and Opportunities
December 03, 2014 | resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. As part of a pre-conference program to promote Employment First, this presentation reviewed the exciting recent Federal initiatives that ...
In the Know: I'm In To Hire
November 25, 2014 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
Reflections on Roosevelt
October 31, 2014 | blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its ...
I'm In To Hire
October 17, 2014 | resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Buddies' I’m In To Hire offers numerous resources, ...
In the Know: A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
October 09, 2014 | blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this week's "In the Know" ...
CIL-AJC Community of Practice Continues to Build Momentum
September 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance. The CIL-AJC CoP meets monthly to improve ...
Part Three: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 11, 2014 | blog
Part Three of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris June 22, 2014 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, which required states to eliminate the ...
LEAD Center Travels to Baltimore for Reinventing Quality 2014
August 06, 2014 | news
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference. The event provided disability service organizations and providers the opportunity to network, discuss new ideas and learn about innovative models of support that ...
Part Two: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 04, 2014 | blog
Part Two of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris As we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary this year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, the LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael ...
LEAD Presents at 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 31, 2014 | news
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Morris led a panel discussion on best practices that have been field tested ...
Part One: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
July 28, 2014 | blog
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to ...
Policy Roundtable Update: LEAD Center Presents to Federal Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor
June 30, 2014 | story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), convened a Policy Roundtable to focus on the challenges and opportunities of leveraging resources across public ...
Employment, Health Care and Disability Monthly Policy Updates Examine Issues, Connections, Progress and Impact
June 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy. Launched in November 2013, and created in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
June 30, 2014 | story
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national partner of the LEAD Center. NCIL is the oldest national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands ...
LEAD Center Establishes Community of Practice with NCIL to Promote Employment and Economic Advancement
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Centers for ...
LEAD Center Releases Policy Roundtable Report
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. LEAD Center policy roundtables work to bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency ...
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Release New Regulations on Home and Community-Based Settings
March 30, 2014 | story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs. The regulations clarify that, in order to receive federal HCBS funding for ...
LEAD PARTNERS Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
March 30, 2014 | story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN is a national partner of the LEAD Center and ASAN President and Co-Founder Ari Ne’eman serves as co-lead with National Disability ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Next Disability Community Call February 26th
February 21, 2014 | news
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST. The call will provide participants with information about various ...
LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report Available
February 05, 2014 | news
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. The policy roundtables bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers, ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Disability Community Call on Thursday, Jan. 30
January 29, 2014 | news
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official. The call will keep listeners informed about various ...
2013 LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report – Making Collaboration Real
January 28, 2014 | resource
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state ...
In the Know: The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
January 28, 2014 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
New CMS Rule On Home and Community-Based Services Gives States Greater Flexibility to Serve the Disability Community
January 17, 2014 | news
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs. The new rule requires states seeking federal HCBS funding to provide services ...
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
December 31, 2013 | resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for people with ...
In the Know: Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
December 12, 2013 | blog
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
In the Know: Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
September 19, 2013 | blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The programs were administered by nine federal agencies and ...
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
September 01, 2013 | resource
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center and CILs Showcase Workforce Pilot at NCIL Conference
August 15, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C. Karen ...
LEAD Center Hosts First Annual Policy Roundtable on Blending and Braiding Resources
July 19, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18. More than 40 leaders with and without ...
White House to Hold Conference Calls on Affordable Care Act Implementation in 8 States
July 10, 2013 | news
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states. The briefings will feature Administration officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ...
Working for Adults: State Policies and Community College Practices to Better Serve Adult Learners at Community Colleges During the Great Recession and Beyond
June 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D. and Maria Heidkamp June 2013 Community colleges, with their open access and focus on workforce preparation, are often highlighted as well suited to provide the education and training needed by adult ...
Community College Practices that Serve Older Dislocated Workers
April 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D., Maria Heidkamp and Emily Manz April 2013 This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of ...
CIL Pilot Sites Selected
March 26, 2013 | news
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD Center. The ...
Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
March 18, 2013 | resource
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
June 01, 2012 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office June 2012 This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The ...
Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities
March 01, 2012 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Richard W. Johnson March 2012 This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties. The report explores the key provisions and work ...
Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Urgent Local Workforce Needs
February 01, 2012 | resource
Government Accountability Office February 2012 Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations. Almost all of the collaborations grew out of efforts to address ...
Fiscal Austerity and the Transition to 21st Century Employment Disability Policy: A Road Map
November 01, 2011 | resource
Mathematica Policy Research - Center for Studying Disability Policy David R. Mann and David C. Stapleton November 2011 Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations ...
Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that Include People with Disabilities
September 01, 2011 | resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The report examines the use of braiding resources, which for the purposes ...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA): What Are the Implications for the Employment of People with Disabilities?
July 01, 2011 | resource
This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities: employment disincentives/dependence initiatives, life events that lead to coverage gaps, and limitations of ...
Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies
June 01, 2011 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center April Kaplan and Nanette Relave June 2011 This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment. The brief examines the ...
Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers for People with Disabilities Through Collaborative Approaches
April 01, 2011 | resource
NTAR Leadership Center Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011 Research shows that people with disabilities can work and want to work, and workers with disabilities meet or exceed the job performance of ...
Actions That Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities
July 01, 2010 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office July 2010 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for the full participation of individuals with disabilities in society, including the workforce. This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years ...
Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential ...
Promoting Leadership: Effective Strategies for Integrating Employment Outcomes and Services into Managed Care Models
December 31, 1969 | webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities. We will discuss a variety of strategies for embedding integrated ...
Using Medicaid Buy-In to Support Employment and Economic Advancement
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), also known as Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities, breaks down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. It allows workers with disabilities access to Medicaid-funded services not available through other insurers. Most ...
Innovative Strategies for Using Medicaid State Plan and Waiver Options to Promote Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
Implications of HCBS Final Rule on Non-Residential Settings – The Impact of New HCBS Guidance on Employment & Day Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
New CMS Regulation on HCBS Settings: Implications for Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the new CMS ...
Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead and State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring ...
Redefining Home & Community Based Services: CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and its Implications for Employment
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar is presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the LEAD Center. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...
National Employment First Website Launch
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information? Do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related ...
WIOA Implementation Partnerships: The Important Role of Centers for Independent Living
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. To support these ...
Competitive Integrated Employment as a Civil Right for People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) is making progress in improving state infrastructures that prioritize competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities over segregated sheltered work or non-work activities. These ...
Cooperation and Collaboration: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Securing Competitive Integrated Employment for Transition
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization. Ideally, Transition is a highly cooperative and collaborative ...
Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving aspects of ...
Most Integrated Employment Settings: Tools to Advance System Outcomes in Your State
December 31, 1969 | webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems. This user-friendly tool will help states pinpoint where they may need to focus more ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar will explore strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. For example, how can you promote collaboration among workforce development professionals, school and ...
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California
~Providing competitive, integrated employment, career counseling and information and referral (CC&IR) services to all individuals with a significant disability and employed at subminimum wage and known to the California Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR) is reaffirmed in a recently...
~~“The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), California Department of Education (CDE), and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have entered into a new agreement consistent with the State’s “Employment First” policy and other laws to make employment in an integrated...
~~• “The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today awarded $2 million in Disability Employment Accelerator grants to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities. The EDD awarded the funding to six workforce development organizations that serve...
“(1) Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
This bill would require...
“This bill would require the retention of placement on the waiting list for, or the reenrollment in, specified HCBS waiver programs for an individual who is a dependent child or spouse of an active duty military service member and who transfers out of state with the military service member on...
Vermont
~~“In 2018, Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) applied for and received new funding for a national apprenticeship expansion grant. The grant led to the creation of a State Apprenticeship Team that is charged with:
•Gaining expertise in federal Registered Apprenticeship program requirements...
~~“Stakeholder Alignment, Coordination, and Engagement Process; Vision; Goals–Implementation Update
The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) approved the plan for implementing Act 189 1(a) on December 6, 2018. The plan describes activities related to Regional and State Work force...
~~“No Wrong Door is an effort to streamline access to services and support options with the goal of reducing the need for individuals to contact multiple agencies to get the assistance they need, when they need it. This includes making assistive technology available to all populations,...
~~“The State Rehabilitation Council partners with VocRehab Vermont to find ways to improve and expand services to Vermonters with disabilities. The Council is made up of representatives from the business sector, people with disabilities, advocates, the Vermont Client Assistance Program (CAP) and...
Related LEAD Center Results
Currently displaying 249 records.
Being Part of the Solution: Building on the Promise of the ADA
July 21, 2020 | blog
Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush declared these motivating words as he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, which provided the path to civil rights protections for people with disabilities in employment, public ...
On the Horizon
April 01, 2020 | story
Webinar: Financial Strategies for Workers with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Webinar: How WIOA Can Support Workers Facing Economic Challenges – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Webinar: Equal Opportunity Webinar I ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
April 01, 2020 | story
The March 10th webinar, Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways, explores strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include how collaboration can be ...
Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities
July 23, 2019 | resource
This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document. ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | resource
Employment is central to all of our lives. A good job contributes to our self-worth, offers membership in a community, provides benefits like health insurance, and is critical to financial stability and independence. The same is true for people with ...
LEAD Center Brief on Ways to Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | story
LEAD Center released the brief, Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community, authored by Alison Barkoff from the Center for Public Representation. This brief can be shared with others who are interested ...
LEAD People – The SETA Team
September 26, 2018 | story
Michelle O’Camb serves as a Workforce Development Manager for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), alongside colleague Jennifer Fischer, Workforce Development Analyst Supervisor. Together, O’Camb and Fischer oversee a number of programs ...
Give Us Your Feedback!
September 26, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you fill out a very brief feedback form, which should only take five (5) minutes or less to complete. Also, if you ...
LEAD Partner: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)
September 26, 2018 | story
What is SETA? The Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA), an agency that works in the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. From its inception, SETA has been an effective force in connecting people to jobs, business owners to ...
LEAD Resources
September 26, 2018 | story
1. Complying with Section 511: Approaches that Promote Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults http://leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/complying-section-511-approaches-promote-competitive-integrated-employment-youth-and-adults 2. ...
Employment First Community of Practice: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
September 17, 2018 | resource
In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) core states, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created an Employment First Community of Practice. ...
LEAD Center Website Survey
September 06, 2018 | news
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you take a very brief survey, which should only take 5 minutes or less to complete. Also, if you would be willing ...
Louisville’s Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), Emerges as Leader in Advancing Financial Empowerment and Economic Advancement for People with Disabilities
June 28, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center has supported the expanding work of LADDER (Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity Empowerment and Resources) since its inception in 2014. LADDER, a collaborative of community-based organizations, workforce services, ...
My Dream Job: On the Importance of Networking
March 29, 2018 | blog
Hello, I’m Alec Frazier. I’m autistic and have been a self-advocate and an advocate since I can remember, although definitely professionally since I gave my first speech in third grade in 1994. I am currently the Director of Autistic Reality, my own ...
Important New Resources
March 28, 2018 | story
Customized Employment: Stories and Lessons from the Field http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/customized-employment-stories-and-lessons-field Disability Benefits Counseling Services: Free Resources for Social Security Administration Disability ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Promote Knowledge Translation
December 19, 2017 | story
On November 29th, the LEAD Center and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a discussion with LEAD Center’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium. Featured speakers in this virtual meeting included leadership from ...
Important New Resources
December 19, 2017 | story
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/business-30-second-training-series-and-resource-guide Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Disabled ...
TASH 2017 Conference
December 19, 2017 | story
In December, the LEAD Center participated in the national TASH Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The LEAD Center added to this diverse community of stakeholders by providing five presentations on strategies to improve the employment and economic advancement of ...
LEAD Center Blog Round-up
December 19, 2017 | story
During October and November, the LEAD Center's guest bloggers offered valuable information about employment for job seekers with disabilities, job coaches, community organizations, and hiring managers. All the posts highlighted how disability employment ...
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
December 13, 2017 | resource
The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in ...
Double Duty: Hire a Veteran with a Disability
November 09, 2017 | blog
As an employer, do you want to easily find valuable and talented employees to fill your job openings AND incentivize your workplace diversity? If inclusion and diversity is important to you and your workplace culture, look no further and hire a veteran with a ...
Your First Job Should Not Be Your Last
October 12, 2017 | blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean: a. Capacities based on tipping b. Capacities based on structural ...
Important Additional Resources
September 27, 2017 | story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017 The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application
LEAD Center’s Top 10 Accomplishments in Year 5
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities. Read on to ...
Updates from the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER)
September 27, 2017 | story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), led by Louisville Metro Government's Office of Resilience and Community Services. LADDER is a ...
LEAD Center Knowledge Translation Activities
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities. This included the national Association of People ...
LEAD PARTNER: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
September 27, 2017 | story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state. Oregon VR is participating with every Local Workforce ...
LEAD PEOPLE: Nancy Boutot
September 27, 2017 | story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting. Her work focuses on promoting employment and ...
A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Releases National Autism Indicators Report for 2017
August 31, 2017 | story
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute recently released its National Autism Indicators Report for 2017, “Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.” The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has released these reports since 2015, as part of its Life ...
Senate Finance Committee Announces Bipartisan Hearings on Health Care in September
August 31, 2017 | story
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) has announced that it will hold bipartisan hearings on how to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market during the first week of September. According to Senator Lamar ...
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2017 and Gains Made by People with Disabilities in Employment and Community Integration
August 31, 2017 | story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities. Since the passage of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made great strides in ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
August 31, 2017 | story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan On June 13, 2017, Kentucky received final approval for its home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plan from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Final approval was ...
Kentucky Submits Amendment to add a Work Requirement to its Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver
August 31, 2017 | story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal, Kentucky HEALTH, which would make changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion. The proposal with its amendment would require all adults covered by the Medicaid expansion, as ...
Mathematica Policy Research Releases Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program Annual Report for 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration program. The MFP demonstration program is a grant offered by CMS that provides support to ...
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Truyven Health Analytics Release Report on Medicaid-Funded Long-term Services and Supports Expenditures for FY 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time. Truyven recently released its latest report, “Medicaid Expenditures ...
The Transformative Power of Work and Inclusion: Reflections on the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 26, 2017 | blog
One of the benefits of being in the disability field for such a long time is the perspective that it brings. I started in the field before the implementation of most of the public laws, legislation and legal actions that ensure the rights of children and ...
Important New Resources
June 29, 2017 | story
The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities Employment, Health Care and Disability ...
Virginia’s Accessibility and One-Stop Taskforce Models Cross Agency Collaboration to Address Equal Opportunity and Access for People with Disabilities
June 29, 2017 | story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system. LEAD Center staff presented on WIOA from a Disability Perspective: Implementing Section ...
LEAD Center Hosts National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways
December 21, 2016 | story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collaboration with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment ...
Assisting Providers and State Systems in Implementing Employment First Practices
December 21, 2016 | story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for All Job Seekers with Disabilities, a product of the Office of Disability Employment ...
CMS RFI Seeks Information on How to Accelerate Access to Home and Community-Based Services
November 29, 2016 | story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality ...
United States Department of Justice Releases Statement on Application of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead to State Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
November 29, 2016 | story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. apply to state and local governments’ ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
CMS Releases National Data Report for 2012 on Demographics of Beneficiaries Receiving Medicaid-Funded Long-Term Services and Support
November 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,” which describes the 2012 population who were receiving Medicaid-funded Long-Term Services and Supports ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
Nation Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
November 29, 2016 | story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go. This ...
Provider Transformation Issue Brief: Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for all Job Seekers with Disabilities
November 07, 2016 | resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider ...
Practical Steps to Change Social and Human Service Delivery
November 02, 2016 | resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif. The session, Practical Steps to Change Social and ...
Model Cooperative Agreements Between VR Agency and Medicaid, Mental Health, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies
October 25, 2016 | resource
Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal ...
High Expectations
October 17, 2016 | blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me. When I was a kid, my school district strongly suggested that, because I was legally blind, I ride a “short bus” that would pick me up and drop me off at my house ...
From Screen to Society: How Television Increases Disability Inclusion
October 11, 2016 | blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view. Gail Williamson a well-known talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin and Associates heads their Diversity Department working specifically with diverse talent with ...
September HCBS Transition Plan Update
October 03, 2016 | story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state of Florida released a revised version of its HCBS Transition Plan and posted it ...
U.S. Department of Justice Issues New Regulations Clarifying What Is Considered a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
September 30, 2016 | story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title II and Title III regulations in order to fully implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The regulation restores the original, ...
Research on Disability Releases Monthly nTIDE Report and Webinar which Shows Rising Disability Employment
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report and “Lunch and ...
Texas Health and Human Services System to Transform Its Service Offerings
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will have its ...
Illinois Passes New Employee Sick Leave Act Allowing Employees to Take Leave to Support Family Members’ Health Needs
September 30, 2016 | story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick Leave Act would allow employees to use paid sick leave benefits provided by the employer to care for any spouse, child, or other family ...
Brooklyn Law School Files Federal Complaint Challenging Private Health Insurance Company
September 30, 2016 | story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth. The complaint alleges that GHI and EmblemHealth together violated a contract ...
October Marked Opening of ACA Exchanges
August 30, 2016 | story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013. These exchanges, established pursuant to the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provide individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance the opportunity to ...
New Hampshire Self-Advocates and Long-Term Support Agencies Sue to Prevent Managed Care of Medicaid-Funded Supports
August 30, 2016 | story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-funded LTSS ...
ABLE Act Gains Traction in the States
August 30, 2016 | story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures. The ABLE Act, which was signed by President Obama last year, allows states to authorize special ...
CMS Releases Report on Medicaid LTSS Expenditures
August 30, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “Improving the Balance: The Evolution of Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), FY ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Update on Select Plans
August 30, 2016 | story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment. The state of Delaware was granted ...
EEOC Releases New FAQS for Employers on How to Create Notices That Comply with Its Final Regulations on Employee Wellness Programs
August 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016. The final regulations ...
Harvard School of Public Health Study Finds Lack of Workplace Accommodations and Supports May Lead to Poorer Health Outcomes for Workers with Disabilities
August 30, 2016 | story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to report ...
HCBS Advocacy
August 07, 2016 | resource
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on ...
Two Exciting Grant Opportunities to Promote Employment for Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Partnerships and Collaborations
June 30, 2016 | story
Disability Employment Initiative The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of grant funds for its seventh round of funding for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program. DEI is a joint program of ...
Federal Partnership Supports Career Pathways
June 30, 2016 | story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment. On April 28, 2016, 13 Federal agency leaders issued a ...
CMS Grants Initial Approval to HCBS Transition Plans for Kentucky and Ohio
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio. Kentucky and Ohio are now the second and third states to receive initial ...
Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Release Memo Detailing Major Changes to Authorization of Facility-Based Day Services Under Its Section 1915(c) Intellectual Disability Waivers
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employment ...
Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Regulations Implementing the Nondiscrimination Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Including Impact on Employee Health Benefit Programs
June 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Section 1557 provides that no individual shall be discriminated ...
Study by Dartmouth Health Researchers Finds That People with Mental Illness Who Receive Supported Employment Services Have Improved Quality of Life
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the form of ...
OPM Proposes Regulations to Implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, Giving Disabled Veterans Who Are Federal Employees Access to New Type of Leave for Medical Appointments
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 gives 104 ...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Wellness Programs, Clarifying How the Programs Can Remain in Compliance with the ADA
June 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The final rule sets ...
EEOC Issues New Resource Related to Getting Employees Crucial Disability-Related Employment Leave, Including Medical Leave
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act ...
National Core Indicators Reports (NCI) Released for 2014-15, with Statistical Indicators Connecting Health Care and Employment to the Well-Being of Consumers with I/DD, in Addition to NCI’s Data Briefs and Webinars
May 31, 2016 | story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental disability ...
CMS Releases Its Final Rule Addressing Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS), including Employment LTSS, Under Managed Care Plans
May 31, 2016 | story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs. The rule is the first major overhaul of the managed care rules in ...
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces Publication of Final Rule on Overtime in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under FLSA, employers are required to pay most employees overtime ...
CMS Releases Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements in HCBS Settings Requirements Compliance Toolkit
May 31, 2016 | story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people have had, ...
Unclear Language in Iowa’s Health Care Budget Bill Prevents $750,000 from Being Spent on Supported Employment
May 31, 2016 | story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been spent. The ...
CMS & ACL Partner with Tennessee To Host Webinar for Advocates and External Stakeholders on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan
May 31, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the Statewide ...
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work
May 01, 2016 | resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topics useful to ...
CMS Finalizes Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Rules, Providing Access to Behavioral Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services
April 29, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Children’s ...
Department of Health and Human Services Releases Report on the Benefits of Expanding Medicaid to Cover More Behavioral Health Programs, Including Its Impact on Employee Productiveness
April 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance and behavioral health services. According to DHHS, people who need behavioral health services make ...
Senator Schumer Promotes Disability Integration Act Initiative, a Bill that Requires Providers to Deliver All Support Services (Including Employment Services) in the Community
April 29, 2016 | story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA). Senator Charles Schumer announced his ...
Congress Considering Bills that Would Expand the Amount Working People with Disabilities Can Save in ABLE Accounts
April 29, 2016 | story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). The bills are the ABLE To Work Act ...
Kansas State Officials “Sending Mixed Messages” on Disability-Related Medicaid Waiver Integration
April 29, 2016 | story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur. The planned waiver ...
Maine Department of Health nd Human Services (DHHS) Proposes Changes to Reimbursement for Mental Health Providers
April 29, 2016 | story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The study was part of a compromise budget bill ...
CMS Approves Tennessee’s HCBS Transition Plan, Including Supported Employment Provisions
April 29, 2016 | story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS has ...
In The Know: The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
April 04, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
DOL National Convening Supports Workforce Leadership in Implementing WIOA
March 31, 2016 | story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approaches to ...
LEAD Releases New Toolkit to Promote Collaboration between Centers for Independent Living and American Job Centers
March 31, 2016 | story
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Release Fourth Employment First Technical Brief
March 31, 2016 | story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts. The brief provides state governments and external ...
LEAD PEOPLE Bob Williams, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA). ...
LEAD PARTNERS Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). AoD works to increase the independence, productivity and community integration of individuals ...
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Releases Its Recommendations for Improving Financing for Long-Term Services and Supports, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report, Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of ...
National Quality Forum Hosts Second In-Person Meeting on Measuring Quality in Home and Community-Based Services, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C. The project was designed to measure performance gaps in HCBS to inform the future ...
EEOC Requests Public Comment on Its New Affirmative Action Employment Regulations
March 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “Affirmative Action for People with Disabilities in the Federal Government,” which would codify all existing federal disability-related ...
Wisconsin: Update on Wisconsin’s Overhaul of Its Medicaid Program, IRIS, and Supported Employment Program
March 30, 2016 | story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier coverage on Wisconsin), Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has decided to replace its eight regional ...
Iowa’s Medicaid Program Moves to Managed Care for Its Services
March 30, 2016 | story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016. The new ...
Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs
March 22, 2016 | resource
This toolkit is dedicated to our friends and colleagues, Speed Davis and Jamie Kendall. Their work to promote independent living, disability rights and full inclusion is the noble legacy they leave behind and from which future generations will long ...
President Obama’s 2017 Budget: Impact on Employment and Health Care for People with Disabilities
February 29, 2016 | story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of people with disabilities in the competitive workforce and funding increases for ...
Disability Advocates Create Comprehensive Toolkit Calling for Strong Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule
February 29, 2016 | story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to promote the full integration of people with ...
EconSys and ODEP Release State Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates and Employment First Brief on Federal Resources
February 29, 2016 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc. (EconSys) have jointly released a 50-state review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for supported employment and ...
StatsRRTC Releases Its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and 2015 Annual Report
February 29, 2016 | story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and the 2015 ...
NPR Explores Disparities in Workers’ Compensation Options
February 29, 2016 | story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Due to state employer opt out provisions in workers’ compensation laws, 1.5 million workers in Texas and Oklahoma lack ...
Update on HCBS Transition Plans: Washington State
February 29, 2016 | story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community. It proposes a four-year plan to transition the state away from the use of sheltered ...
Minnesota Waiting List for Services Ends for Many
February 29, 2016 | story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employment. A ...
In The Know: I'm In To Hire
February 19, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
EconSys and ODEP Release Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates for Supported Employment and Integrated Day Services across All 50 States
January 29, 2016 | story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc. and jointly released a review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers for supported ...
NASUAD Publishes Tip Sheets for Increasing MIPPA Outreach
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and ...
EEOC Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Title II of GINA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance document ...
EEOC Issues Guidance about HIV-Positive Employees’ Human and Health-Related Rights Under ADA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive. The first publication, Living with HIV Infection: Your ...
ANCOR and Disability Advocates Call for CMS to Consider Supported Employment and HCBS Services in Its Managed Care Network Adequacy Rulemaking
January 29, 2016 | story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) ...
Oregon Court Approves Settlement in Lane v. Brown
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon. The Final Settlement Agreement requires a ...
Connecticut: Waiting List for Services Never Ends for Individuals with I/DD and Their Families
January 29, 2016 | story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services. The State Department of Developmental Disability Services spends nearly 25 ...
Open Enrollment For The Affordable Care Act Began November 1st
December 31, 2015 | story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016. Consumers must sign up by December 15th if they wish to begin January 2016 with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The ...
Capitol Hill Budget Deal Avoids Premium Hikes and Budget Cuts in Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance
December 31, 2015 | story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Specifically, the deal will stave off a 52 percent premium increase ...
CMS Issues Guidance on Non-Residential Settings for Home and Community-Based Services
December 22, 2015 | story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings. The new rule, which took effect in March 2014, prohibits states from ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Additional Updates And Concerns
December 15, 2015 | story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner. Some of these interpretations classify a certain type of setting as meeting ...
ODEP Partners with LEAD Center and Social Dynamics to Launch Employment First Website
December 15, 2015 | story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for Employment First information. This ...
Not-to-Be-Missed New Resources on Implementing Employment First
December 15, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that are “must-reads” for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
December 15, 2015 | story
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) is a national technical assistance and dissemination center jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation ...
Employment First Technical Briefs
December 14, 2015 | resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released four Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: ...
Kansas: Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Returns $15 Million to Federal Government
December 02, 2015 | story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services ...
The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
November 03, 2015 | resource
Reducing health care spending is a national priority. As of 2013, health care spending represented over 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a disproportionate amount of that spending going towards adults with disabilities. In fact, on a per-capita ...
ACL No Wrong Door System Grants Helps Streamline Access to Services and Supports
October 29, 2015 | story
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ODEP and Administration for Community Living Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memorandum of ...
CMS Responds to Statewide HCBS Transition Plans
October 29, 2015 | story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan. These plans describe a ...
Minnesota: New Olmstead Plan Addresses Barriers to Living in the Community Faced by People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., ...
Wisconsin: Changes to Family Care and IRIS Programs
October 29, 2015 | story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s budget, passed in July, which would require the state to contract with insurance companies to administer long-term services and supports, including ...
Kansas: State Delays Changes to Medicare/Medicaid System Until January 2017
October 29, 2015 | story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, ...
CMS’ New HCBS Regulations Opens the Door to Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
October 09, 2015 | blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful and ...
Launch of the National Employment First Website
October 08, 2015 | news
Today, we are proud to announce the official launch of the national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, ...
Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 01, 2015 | news
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment issues and ...
Office of Disability Employment Policy and National LEAD Center to Launch Employment First Web Platform
September 30, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1. This platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policy-makers, researchers, and ...
LEAD Center Addresses Employers in St. Louis, MO about Hiring People with Disabilities
September 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) in recognition of the 25th ...
LEAD PEOPLE Tami Hoar, Montana Independent Living Project, Program Director
September 30, 2015 | story
Tami Hoar has a background of working with people with disabilities in a variety of venues. She is currently the Montana Independent Living Project’s (MILP) Program Director, responsible for monitoring and reporting for all grants and program ...
LEAD PARTNERS Montana Independent Living Project
September 30, 2015 | story
Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services that promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. MILP supports the development and expansion of community-based services that ...
CMS Announces Performance-Based Payment Options for Employment Services
September 25, 2015 | story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based options for ...
National Employment First Online Policy and Data Platform Launch
September 25, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and activities ...
Department of Health and Human Services Proposes Revisions to the Non-Discrimination Policy of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
September 25, 2015 | story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination by health programs based on race, color, national origin, ...
Minnesota: Plaintiffs in Minnesota Lawsuit Claim Department of Human Services Underspent $1 Billion in Medicaid Disability Waiver Funds
September 25, 2015 | story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for waivers ...
Utah: The Need for Healthcare Reform
September 25, 2015 | story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July. The expansion, authorized under the Affordable Care Act, would have provided Medicaid coverage to all adults earning less ...
Career Pathways Initiatives
September 16, 2015 | resource
As students plan and prepare for and transition to college and careers, career pathways programs help students to gain workforce experience and skills and consider the connection between their career interests and educational plans. This brief describes major ...
CMS Responds to State Transition Plans
August 26, 2015 | story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing all services ...
State Medicaid Integration Tracker Update Published for July
August 26, 2015 | story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. NASUAD’s State Medicaid Integration Tracker is a monthly report summarizing changes in each state on ...
National Quality Forum Publishes Interim Report on HCBS, Convenes Stakeholder Committee on Quality Measurement
August 26, 2015 | story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS). NQF recently released its interim report ...
Massachusetts: University Of Massachusetts Medical School Partners with State to Increase Employment of People With Disabilities
August 26, 2015 | story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment. In July, the UMass Medical School announced a new partnership ...
New Jersey: Governor’s Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Costs to New Jersey Taxpayers and Health Care Providers
August 26, 2015 | story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years. The proposal would be the largest Medicaid funding reduction in New ...
Alaska: Governor Announces Alaska to Become the 30th State to Expand Medicaid
August 26, 2015 | story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provide health ...
New Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Changes and Updated State Plan Amendments in Washington State, Tennessee And Indiana
July 31, 2015 | story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings. Washington State has submitted transition plans for ...
Comment Period Ends for EECO’s Proposed ADA Wellness Plan Rule
July 31, 2015 | story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans. The EEOC earlier concluded that medical exams and ...
Massachusetts Home Health Workers Win Wage Hike to $15 Per Hour
July 31, 2015 | story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-paid ...
KANCARE Not Working for People with Disabilities, Advocates Say
July 31, 2015 | story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of KanCare, the ...
Transition Quickguide: Take Charge of Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
July 26, 2015 | resource
Because the ability to manage one’s health and wellness is critical to going to school, learning, and transitioning into employment, planning your health and career goals goes hand in hand. The first step to making your career dream a reality is taking care ...
Letter to Governors on Employment First
July 23, 2015 | news
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their committment to advancing the Employment First ...
In the Know: HCBS Advocacy
July 02, 2015 | blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. Unfortunately, even more than a year later, some people are still ...
LEAD Center Presentation on Knowledge Translation
June 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware. ...
LEAD PEOPLE Marie Parker, Program Manager for TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms. Parker, a Subject Matter Expert working with LEAD Center through TransCen, Inc., is the Program Manager and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project (MCPIP), in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
TransCen, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1986, that develops creative and innovative projects for school to work transition, education systems change and employment for people with disabilities. TransCen is dedicated to improving ...
Changes Recommended for Medicaid Managed Care
June 30, 2015 | story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care. The network adequacy guidance include quality ratings, profit guidelines, and safeguards to protect members with ...
Kaiser Releases New Analysis Detailing Potential Impact of King V. Burwell
June 30, 2015 | story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging whether low- and moderate-income ...
Connecticut: Budget Would Cut Health, Social Services, But Less Than Original Plan
June 30, 2015 | story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts originally ...
Ohio: Developmental Disabilities Service Delivery System Changing
June 30, 2015 | story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run institutions. ...
EEOC Proposes Rule Allowing Financial Incentives for Wellness Programs
May 29, 2015 | story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace wellness ...
Special Commission Finds Medicaid Expansion Would Benefit New Hampshire’s Economy
May 29, 2015 | story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 . New Hampshire’s Department of ...
University of Massachusetts Studying Patterns of Health Care Use Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
May 29, 2015 | story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual disabilities. ...
Supporting Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Their Communities
May 01, 2015 | resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
Emerging Practices in the High Performing States Transition Model
May 01, 2015 | resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. ...
New Proposed Rule on Mental Health Parity in Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans. The rule would eliminate hard limits on coverage (such as caps on the number of ...
Mathematica Releases Annual Report on Money Follows the Person Program
April 30, 2015 | story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report examined the experiences of 19,877 MFP participants in 30 states. The ...
Minnesota Must Submit Statewide Olmstead Plan Following 2011 Settlement
April 30, 2015 | story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan for ...
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Ending Medicaid Expansion
April 30, 2015 | story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year. NHHPP ...
New York Bill Proposes Expansion of Home Health Workforce
April 30, 2015 | story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications. The proposal creates a new designation of ...
Montana Republican Unveils New Bill to Expand Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It will also require enrollees to pay monthly premiums and ...
LEAD Center Hosts Webinar on CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and Its Implications for Employment
March 31, 2015 | story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National LEAD Center, hosted a webinar entitled, “Redefining Home ...
New Study on Employer Compliance with Mental Health Parity Laws
March 30, 2015 | story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based on surveys of human resources and disability professionals of diverse employers from across the nation. Of the 314 employers who responded ...
State Transition Plan Highlight: New Jersey Transition Plan Would Improve Day, Employment and Housing Services
March 30, 2015 | story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), includes major changes to day, employment and housing services. Each state ...
Pending Florida Legislation On Disability And Workplace Participation
March 30, 2015 | story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities. Legislative proposals include measures allowing people with disabilities to keep health insurance while working, encouraging state agencies ...
Texas Republicans Champion Higher Wages for Home Care Workers
March 30, 2015 | story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average. More than 150,000 Texas residents rely on the ...
Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to the Governor and Kansas Legislature
March 01, 2015 | resource
Kansas has been a trailblazer in supporting competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities. As the first state in the nation to pass an Employment First Initiative Act, Kansas is poised to dramatically improve its outcomes regarding ...
Senate Panel Examines Effect of Employee Wellness Programs on Workers with Disabilities
February 27, 2015 | story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs. These programs, which are encouraged under the Affordable Care Act, allow companies to reward employees ...
GAO Calls For Greater Interagency Collaboration on Mental Health Services, Including Employment Programs
February 27, 2015 | story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness. The testimony, based on a report released in December 2014, reported that eight Federal ...
NCD Releases New Report on Social Security Disability
February 27, 2015 | story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) programs. The ...
North Carolina Services for People with Disabilities at Heart of Class-Action Settlement
February 27, 2015 | story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions) originally filed in 2011. The managed care organization had ...
Open Enrollment Ends February 15
January 30, 2015 | story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace must be ...
Judge Strikes Down New Overtime Rules for Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has recently issued two decisions striking down aspects of a Department of Labor regulation governing overtime pay for home care workers for people with disabilities. The regulation made most home care workers for people ...
Proposed Virginia Medicaid Budget Caps Hours of Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one family as well as capping overtime hours for workers paid under certain waivers.7 The proposed changes may limit workers ...
In the Know - The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
January 16, 2015 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center Welcomes New KT Consortium Members
December 21, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium. The KT Consortium is the first-of-its-kind partnership, which brings together virtually federally-funded ...
The Art of the Possible: Aiming High in Employment First - Federal Policy Changes and Opportunities
December 03, 2014 | resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. As part of a pre-conference program to promote Employment First, this presentation reviewed the exciting recent Federal initiatives that ...
In the Know: I'm In To Hire
November 25, 2014 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
Reflections on Roosevelt
October 31, 2014 | blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its ...
I'm In To Hire
October 17, 2014 | resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Buddies' I’m In To Hire offers numerous resources, ...
In the Know: A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
October 09, 2014 | blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this week's "In the Know" ...
CIL-AJC Community of Practice Continues to Build Momentum
September 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance. The CIL-AJC CoP meets monthly to improve ...
Part Three: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 11, 2014 | blog
Part Three of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris June 22, 2014 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, which required states to eliminate the ...
LEAD Center Travels to Baltimore for Reinventing Quality 2014
August 06, 2014 | news
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference. The event provided disability service organizations and providers the opportunity to network, discuss new ideas and learn about innovative models of support that ...
Part Two: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 04, 2014 | blog
Part Two of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris As we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary this year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, the LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael ...
LEAD Presents at 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 31, 2014 | news
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Morris led a panel discussion on best practices that have been field tested ...
Part One: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
July 28, 2014 | blog
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to ...
Policy Roundtable Update: LEAD Center Presents to Federal Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor
June 30, 2014 | story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), convened a Policy Roundtable to focus on the challenges and opportunities of leveraging resources across public ...
Employment, Health Care and Disability Monthly Policy Updates Examine Issues, Connections, Progress and Impact
June 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy. Launched in November 2013, and created in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
June 30, 2014 | story
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national partner of the LEAD Center. NCIL is the oldest national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands ...
LEAD Center Establishes Community of Practice with NCIL to Promote Employment and Economic Advancement
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Centers for ...
LEAD Center Releases Policy Roundtable Report
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. LEAD Center policy roundtables work to bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency ...
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Release New Regulations on Home and Community-Based Settings
March 30, 2014 | story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs. The regulations clarify that, in order to receive federal HCBS funding for ...
LEAD PARTNERS Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
March 30, 2014 | story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN is a national partner of the LEAD Center and ASAN President and Co-Founder Ari Ne’eman serves as co-lead with National Disability ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Next Disability Community Call February 26th
February 21, 2014 | news
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST. The call will provide participants with information about various ...
LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report Available
February 05, 2014 | news
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. The policy roundtables bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers, ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Disability Community Call on Thursday, Jan. 30
January 29, 2014 | news
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official. The call will keep listeners informed about various ...
2013 LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report – Making Collaboration Real
January 28, 2014 | resource
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state ...
In the Know: The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
January 28, 2014 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
New CMS Rule On Home and Community-Based Services Gives States Greater Flexibility to Serve the Disability Community
January 17, 2014 | news
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs. The new rule requires states seeking federal HCBS funding to provide services ...
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
December 31, 2013 | resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for people with ...
In the Know: Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
December 12, 2013 | blog
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
In the Know: Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
September 19, 2013 | blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The programs were administered by nine federal agencies and ...
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
September 01, 2013 | resource
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center and CILs Showcase Workforce Pilot at NCIL Conference
August 15, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C. Karen ...
LEAD Center Hosts First Annual Policy Roundtable on Blending and Braiding Resources
July 19, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18. More than 40 leaders with and without ...
White House to Hold Conference Calls on Affordable Care Act Implementation in 8 States
July 10, 2013 | news
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states. The briefings will feature Administration officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ...
Working for Adults: State Policies and Community College Practices to Better Serve Adult Learners at Community Colleges During the Great Recession and Beyond
June 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D. and Maria Heidkamp June 2013 Community colleges, with their open access and focus on workforce preparation, are often highlighted as well suited to provide the education and training needed by adult ...
Community College Practices that Serve Older Dislocated Workers
April 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D., Maria Heidkamp and Emily Manz April 2013 This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of ...
CIL Pilot Sites Selected
March 26, 2013 | news
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD Center. The ...
Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
March 18, 2013 | resource
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
June 01, 2012 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office June 2012 This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The ...
Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities
March 01, 2012 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Richard W. Johnson March 2012 This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties. The report explores the key provisions and work ...
Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Urgent Local Workforce Needs
February 01, 2012 | resource
Government Accountability Office February 2012 Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations. Almost all of the collaborations grew out of efforts to address ...
Fiscal Austerity and the Transition to 21st Century Employment Disability Policy: A Road Map
November 01, 2011 | resource
Mathematica Policy Research - Center for Studying Disability Policy David R. Mann and David C. Stapleton November 2011 Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations ...
Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that Include People with Disabilities
September 01, 2011 | resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The report examines the use of braiding resources, which for the purposes ...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA): What Are the Implications for the Employment of People with Disabilities?
July 01, 2011 | resource
This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities: employment disincentives/dependence initiatives, life events that lead to coverage gaps, and limitations of ...
Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies
June 01, 2011 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center April Kaplan and Nanette Relave June 2011 This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment. The brief examines the ...
Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers for People with Disabilities Through Collaborative Approaches
April 01, 2011 | resource
NTAR Leadership Center Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011 Research shows that people with disabilities can work and want to work, and workers with disabilities meet or exceed the job performance of ...
Actions That Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities
July 01, 2010 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office July 2010 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for the full participation of individuals with disabilities in society, including the workforce. This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years ...
Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential ...
Promoting Leadership: Effective Strategies for Integrating Employment Outcomes and Services into Managed Care Models
December 31, 1969 | webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities. We will discuss a variety of strategies for embedding integrated ...
Using Medicaid Buy-In to Support Employment and Economic Advancement
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), also known as Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities, breaks down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. It allows workers with disabilities access to Medicaid-funded services not available through other insurers. Most ...
Innovative Strategies for Using Medicaid State Plan and Waiver Options to Promote Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
Implications of HCBS Final Rule on Non-Residential Settings – The Impact of New HCBS Guidance on Employment & Day Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
New CMS Regulation on HCBS Settings: Implications for Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the new CMS ...
Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead and State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring ...
Redefining Home & Community Based Services: CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and its Implications for Employment
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar is presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the LEAD Center. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...
National Employment First Website Launch
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information? Do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related ...
WIOA Implementation Partnerships: The Important Role of Centers for Independent Living
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. To support these ...
Competitive Integrated Employment as a Civil Right for People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) is making progress in improving state infrastructures that prioritize competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities over segregated sheltered work or non-work activities. These ...
Cooperation and Collaboration: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Securing Competitive Integrated Employment for Transition
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization. Ideally, Transition is a highly cooperative and collaborative ...
Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving aspects of ...
Most Integrated Employment Settings: Tools to Advance System Outcomes in Your State
December 31, 1969 | webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems. This user-friendly tool will help states pinpoint where they may need to focus more ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar will explore strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. For example, how can you promote collaboration among workforce development professionals, school and ...
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California
~Providing competitive, integrated employment, career counseling and information and referral (CC&IR) services to all individuals with a significant disability and employed at subminimum wage and known to the California Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR) is reaffirmed in a recently...
~~“The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), California Department of Education (CDE), and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have entered into a new agreement consistent with the State’s “Employment First” policy and other laws to make employment in an integrated...
~~• “The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today awarded $2 million in Disability Employment Accelerator grants to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities. The EDD awarded the funding to six workforce development organizations that serve...
“(1) Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
This bill would require...
“This bill would require the retention of placement on the waiting list for, or the reenrollment in, specified HCBS waiver programs for an individual who is a dependent child or spouse of an active duty military service member and who transfers out of state with the military service member on...
Vermont
~~“In 2018, Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) applied for and received new funding for a national apprenticeship expansion grant. The grant led to the creation of a State Apprenticeship Team that is charged with:
•Gaining expertise in federal Registered Apprenticeship program requirements...
~~“Stakeholder Alignment, Coordination, and Engagement Process; Vision; Goals–Implementation Update
The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) approved the plan for implementing Act 189 1(a) on December 6, 2018. The plan describes activities related to Regional and State Work force...
~~“No Wrong Door is an effort to streamline access to services and support options with the goal of reducing the need for individuals to contact multiple agencies to get the assistance they need, when they need it. This includes making assistive technology available to all populations,...
~~“The State Rehabilitation Council partners with VocRehab Vermont to find ways to improve and expand services to Vermonters with disabilities. The Council is made up of representatives from the business sector, people with disabilities, advocates, the Vermont Client Assistance Program (CAP) and...
Related LEAD Center Results
Currently displaying 249 records.
Being Part of the Solution: Building on the Promise of the ADA
July 21, 2020 | blog
Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush declared these motivating words as he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, which provided the path to civil rights protections for people with disabilities in employment, public ...
On the Horizon
April 01, 2020 | story
Webinar: Financial Strategies for Workers with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Webinar: How WIOA Can Support Workers Facing Economic Challenges – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Webinar: Equal Opportunity Webinar I ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
April 01, 2020 | story
The March 10th webinar, Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways, explores strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include how collaboration can be ...
Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities
July 23, 2019 | resource
This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document. ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | resource
Employment is central to all of our lives. A good job contributes to our self-worth, offers membership in a community, provides benefits like health insurance, and is critical to financial stability and independence. The same is true for people with ...
LEAD Center Brief on Ways to Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | story
LEAD Center released the brief, Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community, authored by Alison Barkoff from the Center for Public Representation. This brief can be shared with others who are interested ...
LEAD People – The SETA Team
September 26, 2018 | story
Michelle O’Camb serves as a Workforce Development Manager for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), alongside colleague Jennifer Fischer, Workforce Development Analyst Supervisor. Together, O’Camb and Fischer oversee a number of programs ...
Give Us Your Feedback!
September 26, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you fill out a very brief feedback form, which should only take five (5) minutes or less to complete. Also, if you ...
LEAD Partner: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)
September 26, 2018 | story
What is SETA? The Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA), an agency that works in the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. From its inception, SETA has been an effective force in connecting people to jobs, business owners to ...
LEAD Resources
September 26, 2018 | story
1. Complying with Section 511: Approaches that Promote Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults http://leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/complying-section-511-approaches-promote-competitive-integrated-employment-youth-and-adults 2. ...
Employment First Community of Practice: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
September 17, 2018 | resource
In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) core states, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created an Employment First Community of Practice. ...
LEAD Center Website Survey
September 06, 2018 | news
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you take a very brief survey, which should only take 5 minutes or less to complete. Also, if you would be willing ...
Louisville’s Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), Emerges as Leader in Advancing Financial Empowerment and Economic Advancement for People with Disabilities
June 28, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center has supported the expanding work of LADDER (Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity Empowerment and Resources) since its inception in 2014. LADDER, a collaborative of community-based organizations, workforce services, ...
My Dream Job: On the Importance of Networking
March 29, 2018 | blog
Hello, I’m Alec Frazier. I’m autistic and have been a self-advocate and an advocate since I can remember, although definitely professionally since I gave my first speech in third grade in 1994. I am currently the Director of Autistic Reality, my own ...
Important New Resources
March 28, 2018 | story
Customized Employment: Stories and Lessons from the Field http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/customized-employment-stories-and-lessons-field Disability Benefits Counseling Services: Free Resources for Social Security Administration Disability ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Promote Knowledge Translation
December 19, 2017 | story
On November 29th, the LEAD Center and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a discussion with LEAD Center’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium. Featured speakers in this virtual meeting included leadership from ...
Important New Resources
December 19, 2017 | story
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/business-30-second-training-series-and-resource-guide Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Disabled ...
TASH 2017 Conference
December 19, 2017 | story
In December, the LEAD Center participated in the national TASH Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The LEAD Center added to this diverse community of stakeholders by providing five presentations on strategies to improve the employment and economic advancement of ...
LEAD Center Blog Round-up
December 19, 2017 | story
During October and November, the LEAD Center's guest bloggers offered valuable information about employment for job seekers with disabilities, job coaches, community organizations, and hiring managers. All the posts highlighted how disability employment ...
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
December 13, 2017 | resource
The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in ...
Double Duty: Hire a Veteran with a Disability
November 09, 2017 | blog
As an employer, do you want to easily find valuable and talented employees to fill your job openings AND incentivize your workplace diversity? If inclusion and diversity is important to you and your workplace culture, look no further and hire a veteran with a ...
Your First Job Should Not Be Your Last
October 12, 2017 | blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean: a. Capacities based on tipping b. Capacities based on structural ...
Important Additional Resources
September 27, 2017 | story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017 The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application
LEAD Center’s Top 10 Accomplishments in Year 5
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities. Read on to ...
Updates from the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER)
September 27, 2017 | story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), led by Louisville Metro Government's Office of Resilience and Community Services. LADDER is a ...
LEAD Center Knowledge Translation Activities
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities. This included the national Association of People ...
LEAD PARTNER: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
September 27, 2017 | story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state. Oregon VR is participating with every Local Workforce ...
LEAD PEOPLE: Nancy Boutot
September 27, 2017 | story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting. Her work focuses on promoting employment and ...
A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Releases National Autism Indicators Report for 2017
August 31, 2017 | story
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute recently released its National Autism Indicators Report for 2017, “Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.” The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has released these reports since 2015, as part of its Life ...
Senate Finance Committee Announces Bipartisan Hearings on Health Care in September
August 31, 2017 | story
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) has announced that it will hold bipartisan hearings on how to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market during the first week of September. According to Senator Lamar ...
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2017 and Gains Made by People with Disabilities in Employment and Community Integration
August 31, 2017 | story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities. Since the passage of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made great strides in ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
August 31, 2017 | story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan On June 13, 2017, Kentucky received final approval for its home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plan from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Final approval was ...
Kentucky Submits Amendment to add a Work Requirement to its Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver
August 31, 2017 | story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal, Kentucky HEALTH, which would make changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion. The proposal with its amendment would require all adults covered by the Medicaid expansion, as ...
Mathematica Policy Research Releases Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program Annual Report for 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration program. The MFP demonstration program is a grant offered by CMS that provides support to ...
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Truyven Health Analytics Release Report on Medicaid-Funded Long-term Services and Supports Expenditures for FY 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time. Truyven recently released its latest report, “Medicaid Expenditures ...
The Transformative Power of Work and Inclusion: Reflections on the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 26, 2017 | blog
One of the benefits of being in the disability field for such a long time is the perspective that it brings. I started in the field before the implementation of most of the public laws, legislation and legal actions that ensure the rights of children and ...
Important New Resources
June 29, 2017 | story
The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities Employment, Health Care and Disability ...
Virginia’s Accessibility and One-Stop Taskforce Models Cross Agency Collaboration to Address Equal Opportunity and Access for People with Disabilities
June 29, 2017 | story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system. LEAD Center staff presented on WIOA from a Disability Perspective: Implementing Section ...
LEAD Center Hosts National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways
December 21, 2016 | story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collaboration with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment ...
Assisting Providers and State Systems in Implementing Employment First Practices
December 21, 2016 | story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for All Job Seekers with Disabilities, a product of the Office of Disability Employment ...
CMS RFI Seeks Information on How to Accelerate Access to Home and Community-Based Services
November 29, 2016 | story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality ...
United States Department of Justice Releases Statement on Application of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead to State Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
November 29, 2016 | story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. apply to state and local governments’ ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
CMS Releases National Data Report for 2012 on Demographics of Beneficiaries Receiving Medicaid-Funded Long-Term Services and Support
November 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,” which describes the 2012 population who were receiving Medicaid-funded Long-Term Services and Supports ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
Nation Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
November 29, 2016 | story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go. This ...
Provider Transformation Issue Brief: Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for all Job Seekers with Disabilities
November 07, 2016 | resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider ...
Practical Steps to Change Social and Human Service Delivery
November 02, 2016 | resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif. The session, Practical Steps to Change Social and ...
Model Cooperative Agreements Between VR Agency and Medicaid, Mental Health, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies
October 25, 2016 | resource
Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal ...
High Expectations
October 17, 2016 | blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me. When I was a kid, my school district strongly suggested that, because I was legally blind, I ride a “short bus” that would pick me up and drop me off at my house ...
From Screen to Society: How Television Increases Disability Inclusion
October 11, 2016 | blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view. Gail Williamson a well-known talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin and Associates heads their Diversity Department working specifically with diverse talent with ...
September HCBS Transition Plan Update
October 03, 2016 | story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state of Florida released a revised version of its HCBS Transition Plan and posted it ...
U.S. Department of Justice Issues New Regulations Clarifying What Is Considered a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
September 30, 2016 | story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title II and Title III regulations in order to fully implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The regulation restores the original, ...
Research on Disability Releases Monthly nTIDE Report and Webinar which Shows Rising Disability Employment
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report and “Lunch and ...
Texas Health and Human Services System to Transform Its Service Offerings
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will have its ...
Illinois Passes New Employee Sick Leave Act Allowing Employees to Take Leave to Support Family Members’ Health Needs
September 30, 2016 | story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick Leave Act would allow employees to use paid sick leave benefits provided by the employer to care for any spouse, child, or other family ...
Brooklyn Law School Files Federal Complaint Challenging Private Health Insurance Company
September 30, 2016 | story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth. The complaint alleges that GHI and EmblemHealth together violated a contract ...
October Marked Opening of ACA Exchanges
August 30, 2016 | story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013. These exchanges, established pursuant to the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provide individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance the opportunity to ...
New Hampshire Self-Advocates and Long-Term Support Agencies Sue to Prevent Managed Care of Medicaid-Funded Supports
August 30, 2016 | story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-funded LTSS ...
ABLE Act Gains Traction in the States
August 30, 2016 | story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures. The ABLE Act, which was signed by President Obama last year, allows states to authorize special ...
CMS Releases Report on Medicaid LTSS Expenditures
August 30, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “Improving the Balance: The Evolution of Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), FY ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Update on Select Plans
August 30, 2016 | story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment. The state of Delaware was granted ...
EEOC Releases New FAQS for Employers on How to Create Notices That Comply with Its Final Regulations on Employee Wellness Programs
August 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016. The final regulations ...
Harvard School of Public Health Study Finds Lack of Workplace Accommodations and Supports May Lead to Poorer Health Outcomes for Workers with Disabilities
August 30, 2016 | story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to report ...
HCBS Advocacy
August 07, 2016 | resource
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on ...
Two Exciting Grant Opportunities to Promote Employment for Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Partnerships and Collaborations
June 30, 2016 | story
Disability Employment Initiative The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of grant funds for its seventh round of funding for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program. DEI is a joint program of ...
Federal Partnership Supports Career Pathways
June 30, 2016 | story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment. On April 28, 2016, 13 Federal agency leaders issued a ...
CMS Grants Initial Approval to HCBS Transition Plans for Kentucky and Ohio
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio. Kentucky and Ohio are now the second and third states to receive initial ...
Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Release Memo Detailing Major Changes to Authorization of Facility-Based Day Services Under Its Section 1915(c) Intellectual Disability Waivers
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employment ...
Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Regulations Implementing the Nondiscrimination Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Including Impact on Employee Health Benefit Programs
June 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Section 1557 provides that no individual shall be discriminated ...
Study by Dartmouth Health Researchers Finds That People with Mental Illness Who Receive Supported Employment Services Have Improved Quality of Life
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the form of ...
OPM Proposes Regulations to Implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, Giving Disabled Veterans Who Are Federal Employees Access to New Type of Leave for Medical Appointments
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 gives 104 ...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Wellness Programs, Clarifying How the Programs Can Remain in Compliance with the ADA
June 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The final rule sets ...
EEOC Issues New Resource Related to Getting Employees Crucial Disability-Related Employment Leave, Including Medical Leave
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act ...
National Core Indicators Reports (NCI) Released for 2014-15, with Statistical Indicators Connecting Health Care and Employment to the Well-Being of Consumers with I/DD, in Addition to NCI’s Data Briefs and Webinars
May 31, 2016 | story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental disability ...
CMS Releases Its Final Rule Addressing Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS), including Employment LTSS, Under Managed Care Plans
May 31, 2016 | story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs. The rule is the first major overhaul of the managed care rules in ...
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces Publication of Final Rule on Overtime in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under FLSA, employers are required to pay most employees overtime ...
CMS Releases Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements in HCBS Settings Requirements Compliance Toolkit
May 31, 2016 | story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people have had, ...
Unclear Language in Iowa’s Health Care Budget Bill Prevents $750,000 from Being Spent on Supported Employment
May 31, 2016 | story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been spent. The ...
CMS & ACL Partner with Tennessee To Host Webinar for Advocates and External Stakeholders on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan
May 31, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the Statewide ...
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work
May 01, 2016 | resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topics useful to ...
CMS Finalizes Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Rules, Providing Access to Behavioral Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services
April 29, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Children’s ...
Department of Health and Human Services Releases Report on the Benefits of Expanding Medicaid to Cover More Behavioral Health Programs, Including Its Impact on Employee Productiveness
April 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance and behavioral health services. According to DHHS, people who need behavioral health services make ...
Senator Schumer Promotes Disability Integration Act Initiative, a Bill that Requires Providers to Deliver All Support Services (Including Employment Services) in the Community
April 29, 2016 | story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA). Senator Charles Schumer announced his ...
Congress Considering Bills that Would Expand the Amount Working People with Disabilities Can Save in ABLE Accounts
April 29, 2016 | story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). The bills are the ABLE To Work Act ...
Kansas State Officials “Sending Mixed Messages” on Disability-Related Medicaid Waiver Integration
April 29, 2016 | story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur. The planned waiver ...
Maine Department of Health nd Human Services (DHHS) Proposes Changes to Reimbursement for Mental Health Providers
April 29, 2016 | story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The study was part of a compromise budget bill ...
CMS Approves Tennessee’s HCBS Transition Plan, Including Supported Employment Provisions
April 29, 2016 | story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS has ...
In The Know: The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
April 04, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
DOL National Convening Supports Workforce Leadership in Implementing WIOA
March 31, 2016 | story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approaches to ...
LEAD Releases New Toolkit to Promote Collaboration between Centers for Independent Living and American Job Centers
March 31, 2016 | story
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Release Fourth Employment First Technical Brief
March 31, 2016 | story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts. The brief provides state governments and external ...
LEAD PEOPLE Bob Williams, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA). ...
LEAD PARTNERS Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). AoD works to increase the independence, productivity and community integration of individuals ...
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Releases Its Recommendations for Improving Financing for Long-Term Services and Supports, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report, Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of ...
National Quality Forum Hosts Second In-Person Meeting on Measuring Quality in Home and Community-Based Services, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C. The project was designed to measure performance gaps in HCBS to inform the future ...
EEOC Requests Public Comment on Its New Affirmative Action Employment Regulations
March 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “Affirmative Action for People with Disabilities in the Federal Government,” which would codify all existing federal disability-related ...
Wisconsin: Update on Wisconsin’s Overhaul of Its Medicaid Program, IRIS, and Supported Employment Program
March 30, 2016 | story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier coverage on Wisconsin), Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has decided to replace its eight regional ...
Iowa’s Medicaid Program Moves to Managed Care for Its Services
March 30, 2016 | story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016. The new ...
Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs
March 22, 2016 | resource
This toolkit is dedicated to our friends and colleagues, Speed Davis and Jamie Kendall. Their work to promote independent living, disability rights and full inclusion is the noble legacy they leave behind and from which future generations will long ...
President Obama’s 2017 Budget: Impact on Employment and Health Care for People with Disabilities
February 29, 2016 | story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of people with disabilities in the competitive workforce and funding increases for ...
Disability Advocates Create Comprehensive Toolkit Calling for Strong Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule
February 29, 2016 | story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to promote the full integration of people with ...
EconSys and ODEP Release State Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates and Employment First Brief on Federal Resources
February 29, 2016 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc. (EconSys) have jointly released a 50-state review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for supported employment and ...
StatsRRTC Releases Its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and 2015 Annual Report
February 29, 2016 | story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and the 2015 ...
NPR Explores Disparities in Workers’ Compensation Options
February 29, 2016 | story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Due to state employer opt out provisions in workers’ compensation laws, 1.5 million workers in Texas and Oklahoma lack ...
Update on HCBS Transition Plans: Washington State
February 29, 2016 | story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community. It proposes a four-year plan to transition the state away from the use of sheltered ...
Minnesota Waiting List for Services Ends for Many
February 29, 2016 | story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employment. A ...
In The Know: I'm In To Hire
February 19, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
EconSys and ODEP Release Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates for Supported Employment and Integrated Day Services across All 50 States
January 29, 2016 | story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc. and jointly released a review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers for supported ...
NASUAD Publishes Tip Sheets for Increasing MIPPA Outreach
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and ...
EEOC Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Title II of GINA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance document ...
EEOC Issues Guidance about HIV-Positive Employees’ Human and Health-Related Rights Under ADA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive. The first publication, Living with HIV Infection: Your ...
ANCOR and Disability Advocates Call for CMS to Consider Supported Employment and HCBS Services in Its Managed Care Network Adequacy Rulemaking
January 29, 2016 | story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) ...
Oregon Court Approves Settlement in Lane v. Brown
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon. The Final Settlement Agreement requires a ...
Connecticut: Waiting List for Services Never Ends for Individuals with I/DD and Their Families
January 29, 2016 | story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services. The State Department of Developmental Disability Services spends nearly 25 ...
Open Enrollment For The Affordable Care Act Began November 1st
December 31, 2015 | story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016. Consumers must sign up by December 15th if they wish to begin January 2016 with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The ...
Capitol Hill Budget Deal Avoids Premium Hikes and Budget Cuts in Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance
December 31, 2015 | story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Specifically, the deal will stave off a 52 percent premium increase ...
CMS Issues Guidance on Non-Residential Settings for Home and Community-Based Services
December 22, 2015 | story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings. The new rule, which took effect in March 2014, prohibits states from ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Additional Updates And Concerns
December 15, 2015 | story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner. Some of these interpretations classify a certain type of setting as meeting ...
ODEP Partners with LEAD Center and Social Dynamics to Launch Employment First Website
December 15, 2015 | story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for Employment First information. This ...
Not-to-Be-Missed New Resources on Implementing Employment First
December 15, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that are “must-reads” for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
December 15, 2015 | story
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) is a national technical assistance and dissemination center jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation ...
Employment First Technical Briefs
December 14, 2015 | resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released four Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: ...
Kansas: Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Returns $15 Million to Federal Government
December 02, 2015 | story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services ...
The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
November 03, 2015 | resource
Reducing health care spending is a national priority. As of 2013, health care spending represented over 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a disproportionate amount of that spending going towards adults with disabilities. In fact, on a per-capita ...
ACL No Wrong Door System Grants Helps Streamline Access to Services and Supports
October 29, 2015 | story
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ODEP and Administration for Community Living Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memorandum of ...
CMS Responds to Statewide HCBS Transition Plans
October 29, 2015 | story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan. These plans describe a ...
Minnesota: New Olmstead Plan Addresses Barriers to Living in the Community Faced by People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., ...
Wisconsin: Changes to Family Care and IRIS Programs
October 29, 2015 | story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s budget, passed in July, which would require the state to contract with insurance companies to administer long-term services and supports, including ...
Kansas: State Delays Changes to Medicare/Medicaid System Until January 2017
October 29, 2015 | story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, ...
CMS’ New HCBS Regulations Opens the Door to Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
October 09, 2015 | blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful and ...
Launch of the National Employment First Website
October 08, 2015 | news
Today, we are proud to announce the official launch of the national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, ...
Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 01, 2015 | news
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment issues and ...
Office of Disability Employment Policy and National LEAD Center to Launch Employment First Web Platform
September 30, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1. This platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policy-makers, researchers, and ...
LEAD Center Addresses Employers in St. Louis, MO about Hiring People with Disabilities
September 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) in recognition of the 25th ...
LEAD PEOPLE Tami Hoar, Montana Independent Living Project, Program Director
September 30, 2015 | story
Tami Hoar has a background of working with people with disabilities in a variety of venues. She is currently the Montana Independent Living Project’s (MILP) Program Director, responsible for monitoring and reporting for all grants and program ...
LEAD PARTNERS Montana Independent Living Project
September 30, 2015 | story
Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services that promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. MILP supports the development and expansion of community-based services that ...
CMS Announces Performance-Based Payment Options for Employment Services
September 25, 2015 | story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based options for ...
National Employment First Online Policy and Data Platform Launch
September 25, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and activities ...
Department of Health and Human Services Proposes Revisions to the Non-Discrimination Policy of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
September 25, 2015 | story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination by health programs based on race, color, national origin, ...
Minnesota: Plaintiffs in Minnesota Lawsuit Claim Department of Human Services Underspent $1 Billion in Medicaid Disability Waiver Funds
September 25, 2015 | story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for waivers ...
Utah: The Need for Healthcare Reform
September 25, 2015 | story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July. The expansion, authorized under the Affordable Care Act, would have provided Medicaid coverage to all adults earning less ...
Career Pathways Initiatives
September 16, 2015 | resource
As students plan and prepare for and transition to college and careers, career pathways programs help students to gain workforce experience and skills and consider the connection between their career interests and educational plans. This brief describes major ...
CMS Responds to State Transition Plans
August 26, 2015 | story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing all services ...
State Medicaid Integration Tracker Update Published for July
August 26, 2015 | story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. NASUAD’s State Medicaid Integration Tracker is a monthly report summarizing changes in each state on ...
National Quality Forum Publishes Interim Report on HCBS, Convenes Stakeholder Committee on Quality Measurement
August 26, 2015 | story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS). NQF recently released its interim report ...
Massachusetts: University Of Massachusetts Medical School Partners with State to Increase Employment of People With Disabilities
August 26, 2015 | story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment. In July, the UMass Medical School announced a new partnership ...
New Jersey: Governor’s Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Costs to New Jersey Taxpayers and Health Care Providers
August 26, 2015 | story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years. The proposal would be the largest Medicaid funding reduction in New ...
Alaska: Governor Announces Alaska to Become the 30th State to Expand Medicaid
August 26, 2015 | story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provide health ...
New Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Changes and Updated State Plan Amendments in Washington State, Tennessee And Indiana
July 31, 2015 | story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings. Washington State has submitted transition plans for ...
Comment Period Ends for EECO’s Proposed ADA Wellness Plan Rule
July 31, 2015 | story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans. The EEOC earlier concluded that medical exams and ...
Massachusetts Home Health Workers Win Wage Hike to $15 Per Hour
July 31, 2015 | story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-paid ...
KANCARE Not Working for People with Disabilities, Advocates Say
July 31, 2015 | story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of KanCare, the ...
Transition Quickguide: Take Charge of Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
July 26, 2015 | resource
Because the ability to manage one’s health and wellness is critical to going to school, learning, and transitioning into employment, planning your health and career goals goes hand in hand. The first step to making your career dream a reality is taking care ...
Letter to Governors on Employment First
July 23, 2015 | news
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their committment to advancing the Employment First ...
In the Know: HCBS Advocacy
July 02, 2015 | blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. Unfortunately, even more than a year later, some people are still ...
LEAD Center Presentation on Knowledge Translation
June 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware. ...
LEAD PEOPLE Marie Parker, Program Manager for TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms. Parker, a Subject Matter Expert working with LEAD Center through TransCen, Inc., is the Program Manager and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project (MCPIP), in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
TransCen, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1986, that develops creative and innovative projects for school to work transition, education systems change and employment for people with disabilities. TransCen is dedicated to improving ...
Changes Recommended for Medicaid Managed Care
June 30, 2015 | story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care. The network adequacy guidance include quality ratings, profit guidelines, and safeguards to protect members with ...
Kaiser Releases New Analysis Detailing Potential Impact of King V. Burwell
June 30, 2015 | story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging whether low- and moderate-income ...
Connecticut: Budget Would Cut Health, Social Services, But Less Than Original Plan
June 30, 2015 | story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts originally ...
Ohio: Developmental Disabilities Service Delivery System Changing
June 30, 2015 | story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run institutions. ...
EEOC Proposes Rule Allowing Financial Incentives for Wellness Programs
May 29, 2015 | story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace wellness ...
Special Commission Finds Medicaid Expansion Would Benefit New Hampshire’s Economy
May 29, 2015 | story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 . New Hampshire’s Department of ...
University of Massachusetts Studying Patterns of Health Care Use Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
May 29, 2015 | story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual disabilities. ...
Supporting Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Their Communities
May 01, 2015 | resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
Emerging Practices in the High Performing States Transition Model
May 01, 2015 | resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. ...
New Proposed Rule on Mental Health Parity in Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans. The rule would eliminate hard limits on coverage (such as caps on the number of ...
Mathematica Releases Annual Report on Money Follows the Person Program
April 30, 2015 | story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report examined the experiences of 19,877 MFP participants in 30 states. The ...
Minnesota Must Submit Statewide Olmstead Plan Following 2011 Settlement
April 30, 2015 | story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan for ...
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Ending Medicaid Expansion
April 30, 2015 | story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year. NHHPP ...
New York Bill Proposes Expansion of Home Health Workforce
April 30, 2015 | story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications. The proposal creates a new designation of ...
Montana Republican Unveils New Bill to Expand Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It will also require enrollees to pay monthly premiums and ...
LEAD Center Hosts Webinar on CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and Its Implications for Employment
March 31, 2015 | story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National LEAD Center, hosted a webinar entitled, “Redefining Home ...
New Study on Employer Compliance with Mental Health Parity Laws
March 30, 2015 | story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based on surveys of human resources and disability professionals of diverse employers from across the nation. Of the 314 employers who responded ...
State Transition Plan Highlight: New Jersey Transition Plan Would Improve Day, Employment and Housing Services
March 30, 2015 | story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), includes major changes to day, employment and housing services. Each state ...
Pending Florida Legislation On Disability And Workplace Participation
March 30, 2015 | story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities. Legislative proposals include measures allowing people with disabilities to keep health insurance while working, encouraging state agencies ...
Texas Republicans Champion Higher Wages for Home Care Workers
March 30, 2015 | story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average. More than 150,000 Texas residents rely on the ...
Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to the Governor and Kansas Legislature
March 01, 2015 | resource
Kansas has been a trailblazer in supporting competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities. As the first state in the nation to pass an Employment First Initiative Act, Kansas is poised to dramatically improve its outcomes regarding ...
Senate Panel Examines Effect of Employee Wellness Programs on Workers with Disabilities
February 27, 2015 | story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs. These programs, which are encouraged under the Affordable Care Act, allow companies to reward employees ...
GAO Calls For Greater Interagency Collaboration on Mental Health Services, Including Employment Programs
February 27, 2015 | story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness. The testimony, based on a report released in December 2014, reported that eight Federal ...
NCD Releases New Report on Social Security Disability
February 27, 2015 | story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) programs. The ...
North Carolina Services for People with Disabilities at Heart of Class-Action Settlement
February 27, 2015 | story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions) originally filed in 2011. The managed care organization had ...
Open Enrollment Ends February 15
January 30, 2015 | story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace must be ...
Judge Strikes Down New Overtime Rules for Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has recently issued two decisions striking down aspects of a Department of Labor regulation governing overtime pay for home care workers for people with disabilities. The regulation made most home care workers for people ...
Proposed Virginia Medicaid Budget Caps Hours of Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one family as well as capping overtime hours for workers paid under certain waivers.7 The proposed changes may limit workers ...
In the Know - The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
January 16, 2015 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center Welcomes New KT Consortium Members
December 21, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium. The KT Consortium is the first-of-its-kind partnership, which brings together virtually federally-funded ...
The Art of the Possible: Aiming High in Employment First - Federal Policy Changes and Opportunities
December 03, 2014 | resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. As part of a pre-conference program to promote Employment First, this presentation reviewed the exciting recent Federal initiatives that ...
In the Know: I'm In To Hire
November 25, 2014 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
Reflections on Roosevelt
October 31, 2014 | blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its ...
I'm In To Hire
October 17, 2014 | resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Buddies' I’m In To Hire offers numerous resources, ...
In the Know: A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
October 09, 2014 | blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this week's "In the Know" ...
CIL-AJC Community of Practice Continues to Build Momentum
September 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance. The CIL-AJC CoP meets monthly to improve ...
Part Three: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 11, 2014 | blog
Part Three of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris June 22, 2014 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, which required states to eliminate the ...
LEAD Center Travels to Baltimore for Reinventing Quality 2014
August 06, 2014 | news
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference. The event provided disability service organizations and providers the opportunity to network, discuss new ideas and learn about innovative models of support that ...
Part Two: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 04, 2014 | blog
Part Two of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris As we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary this year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, the LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael ...
LEAD Presents at 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 31, 2014 | news
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Morris led a panel discussion on best practices that have been field tested ...
Part One: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
July 28, 2014 | blog
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to ...
Policy Roundtable Update: LEAD Center Presents to Federal Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor
June 30, 2014 | story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), convened a Policy Roundtable to focus on the challenges and opportunities of leveraging resources across public ...
Employment, Health Care and Disability Monthly Policy Updates Examine Issues, Connections, Progress and Impact
June 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy. Launched in November 2013, and created in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
June 30, 2014 | story
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national partner of the LEAD Center. NCIL is the oldest national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands ...
LEAD Center Establishes Community of Practice with NCIL to Promote Employment and Economic Advancement
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Centers for ...
LEAD Center Releases Policy Roundtable Report
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. LEAD Center policy roundtables work to bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency ...
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Release New Regulations on Home and Community-Based Settings
March 30, 2014 | story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs. The regulations clarify that, in order to receive federal HCBS funding for ...
LEAD PARTNERS Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
March 30, 2014 | story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN is a national partner of the LEAD Center and ASAN President and Co-Founder Ari Ne’eman serves as co-lead with National Disability ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Next Disability Community Call February 26th
February 21, 2014 | news
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST. The call will provide participants with information about various ...
LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report Available
February 05, 2014 | news
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. The policy roundtables bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers, ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Disability Community Call on Thursday, Jan. 30
January 29, 2014 | news
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official. The call will keep listeners informed about various ...
2013 LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report – Making Collaboration Real
January 28, 2014 | resource
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state ...
In the Know: The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
January 28, 2014 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
New CMS Rule On Home and Community-Based Services Gives States Greater Flexibility to Serve the Disability Community
January 17, 2014 | news
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs. The new rule requires states seeking federal HCBS funding to provide services ...
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
December 31, 2013 | resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for people with ...
In the Know: Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
December 12, 2013 | blog
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
In the Know: Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
September 19, 2013 | blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The programs were administered by nine federal agencies and ...
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
September 01, 2013 | resource
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center and CILs Showcase Workforce Pilot at NCIL Conference
August 15, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C. Karen ...
LEAD Center Hosts First Annual Policy Roundtable on Blending and Braiding Resources
July 19, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18. More than 40 leaders with and without ...
White House to Hold Conference Calls on Affordable Care Act Implementation in 8 States
July 10, 2013 | news
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states. The briefings will feature Administration officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ...
Working for Adults: State Policies and Community College Practices to Better Serve Adult Learners at Community Colleges During the Great Recession and Beyond
June 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D. and Maria Heidkamp June 2013 Community colleges, with their open access and focus on workforce preparation, are often highlighted as well suited to provide the education and training needed by adult ...
Community College Practices that Serve Older Dislocated Workers
April 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D., Maria Heidkamp and Emily Manz April 2013 This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of ...
CIL Pilot Sites Selected
March 26, 2013 | news
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD Center. The ...
Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
March 18, 2013 | resource
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
June 01, 2012 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office June 2012 This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The ...
Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities
March 01, 2012 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Richard W. Johnson March 2012 This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties. The report explores the key provisions and work ...
Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Urgent Local Workforce Needs
February 01, 2012 | resource
Government Accountability Office February 2012 Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations. Almost all of the collaborations grew out of efforts to address ...
Fiscal Austerity and the Transition to 21st Century Employment Disability Policy: A Road Map
November 01, 2011 | resource
Mathematica Policy Research - Center for Studying Disability Policy David R. Mann and David C. Stapleton November 2011 Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations ...
Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that Include People with Disabilities
September 01, 2011 | resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The report examines the use of braiding resources, which for the purposes ...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA): What Are the Implications for the Employment of People with Disabilities?
July 01, 2011 | resource
This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities: employment disincentives/dependence initiatives, life events that lead to coverage gaps, and limitations of ...
Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies
June 01, 2011 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center April Kaplan and Nanette Relave June 2011 This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment. The brief examines the ...
Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers for People with Disabilities Through Collaborative Approaches
April 01, 2011 | resource
NTAR Leadership Center Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011 Research shows that people with disabilities can work and want to work, and workers with disabilities meet or exceed the job performance of ...
Actions That Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities
July 01, 2010 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office July 2010 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for the full participation of individuals with disabilities in society, including the workforce. This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years ...
Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential ...
Promoting Leadership: Effective Strategies for Integrating Employment Outcomes and Services into Managed Care Models
December 31, 1969 | webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities. We will discuss a variety of strategies for embedding integrated ...
Using Medicaid Buy-In to Support Employment and Economic Advancement
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), also known as Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities, breaks down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. It allows workers with disabilities access to Medicaid-funded services not available through other insurers. Most ...
Innovative Strategies for Using Medicaid State Plan and Waiver Options to Promote Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
Implications of HCBS Final Rule on Non-Residential Settings – The Impact of New HCBS Guidance on Employment & Day Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
New CMS Regulation on HCBS Settings: Implications for Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the new CMS ...
Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead and State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring ...
Redefining Home & Community Based Services: CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and its Implications for Employment
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar is presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the LEAD Center. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...
National Employment First Website Launch
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information? Do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related ...
WIOA Implementation Partnerships: The Important Role of Centers for Independent Living
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. To support these ...
Competitive Integrated Employment as a Civil Right for People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) is making progress in improving state infrastructures that prioritize competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities over segregated sheltered work or non-work activities. These ...
Cooperation and Collaboration: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Securing Competitive Integrated Employment for Transition
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization. Ideally, Transition is a highly cooperative and collaborative ...
Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving aspects of ...
Most Integrated Employment Settings: Tools to Advance System Outcomes in Your State
December 31, 1969 | webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems. This user-friendly tool will help states pinpoint where they may need to focus more ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar will explore strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. For example, how can you promote collaboration among workforce development professionals, school and ...
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California
~Providing competitive, integrated employment, career counseling and information and referral (CC&IR) services to all individuals with a significant disability and employed at subminimum wage and known to the California Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR) is reaffirmed in a recently...
~~“The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), California Department of Education (CDE), and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have entered into a new agreement consistent with the State’s “Employment First” policy and other laws to make employment in an integrated...
~~• “The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today awarded $2 million in Disability Employment Accelerator grants to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities. The EDD awarded the funding to six workforce development organizations that serve...
“(1) Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
This bill would require...
“This bill would require the retention of placement on the waiting list for, or the reenrollment in, specified HCBS waiver programs for an individual who is a dependent child or spouse of an active duty military service member and who transfers out of state with the military service member on...
Vermont
~~“In 2018, Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) applied for and received new funding for a national apprenticeship expansion grant. The grant led to the creation of a State Apprenticeship Team that is charged with:
•Gaining expertise in federal Registered Apprenticeship program requirements...
~~“Stakeholder Alignment, Coordination, and Engagement Process; Vision; Goals–Implementation Update
The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) approved the plan for implementing Act 189 1(a) on December 6, 2018. The plan describes activities related to Regional and State Work force...
~~“No Wrong Door is an effort to streamline access to services and support options with the goal of reducing the need for individuals to contact multiple agencies to get the assistance they need, when they need it. This includes making assistive technology available to all populations,...
~~“The State Rehabilitation Council partners with VocRehab Vermont to find ways to improve and expand services to Vermonters with disabilities. The Council is made up of representatives from the business sector, people with disabilities, advocates, the Vermont Client Assistance Program (CAP) and...
Related LEAD Center Results
Currently displaying 249 records.
Being Part of the Solution: Building on the Promise of the ADA
July 21, 2020 | blog
Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush declared these motivating words as he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, which provided the path to civil rights protections for people with disabilities in employment, public ...
On the Horizon
April 01, 2020 | story
Webinar: Financial Strategies for Workers with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Webinar: How WIOA Can Support Workers Facing Economic Challenges – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Webinar: Equal Opportunity Webinar I ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
April 01, 2020 | story
The March 10th webinar, Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways, explores strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include how collaboration can be ...
Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities
July 23, 2019 | resource
This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document. ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | resource
Employment is central to all of our lives. A good job contributes to our self-worth, offers membership in a community, provides benefits like health insurance, and is critical to financial stability and independence. The same is true for people with ...
LEAD Center Brief on Ways to Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | story
LEAD Center released the brief, Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community, authored by Alison Barkoff from the Center for Public Representation. This brief can be shared with others who are interested ...
LEAD People – The SETA Team
September 26, 2018 | story
Michelle O’Camb serves as a Workforce Development Manager for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), alongside colleague Jennifer Fischer, Workforce Development Analyst Supervisor. Together, O’Camb and Fischer oversee a number of programs ...
Give Us Your Feedback!
September 26, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you fill out a very brief feedback form, which should only take five (5) minutes or less to complete. Also, if you ...
LEAD Partner: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)
September 26, 2018 | story
What is SETA? The Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA), an agency that works in the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. From its inception, SETA has been an effective force in connecting people to jobs, business owners to ...
LEAD Resources
September 26, 2018 | story
1. Complying with Section 511: Approaches that Promote Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults http://leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/complying-section-511-approaches-promote-competitive-integrated-employment-youth-and-adults 2. ...
Employment First Community of Practice: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
September 17, 2018 | resource
In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) core states, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created an Employment First Community of Practice. ...
LEAD Center Website Survey
September 06, 2018 | news
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you take a very brief survey, which should only take 5 minutes or less to complete. Also, if you would be willing ...
Louisville’s Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), Emerges as Leader in Advancing Financial Empowerment and Economic Advancement for People with Disabilities
June 28, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center has supported the expanding work of LADDER (Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity Empowerment and Resources) since its inception in 2014. LADDER, a collaborative of community-based organizations, workforce services, ...
My Dream Job: On the Importance of Networking
March 29, 2018 | blog
Hello, I’m Alec Frazier. I’m autistic and have been a self-advocate and an advocate since I can remember, although definitely professionally since I gave my first speech in third grade in 1994. I am currently the Director of Autistic Reality, my own ...
Important New Resources
March 28, 2018 | story
Customized Employment: Stories and Lessons from the Field http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/customized-employment-stories-and-lessons-field Disability Benefits Counseling Services: Free Resources for Social Security Administration Disability ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Promote Knowledge Translation
December 19, 2017 | story
On November 29th, the LEAD Center and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a discussion with LEAD Center’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium. Featured speakers in this virtual meeting included leadership from ...
Important New Resources
December 19, 2017 | story
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/business-30-second-training-series-and-resource-guide Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Disabled ...
TASH 2017 Conference
December 19, 2017 | story
In December, the LEAD Center participated in the national TASH Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The LEAD Center added to this diverse community of stakeholders by providing five presentations on strategies to improve the employment and economic advancement of ...
LEAD Center Blog Round-up
December 19, 2017 | story
During October and November, the LEAD Center's guest bloggers offered valuable information about employment for job seekers with disabilities, job coaches, community organizations, and hiring managers. All the posts highlighted how disability employment ...
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
December 13, 2017 | resource
The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in ...
Double Duty: Hire a Veteran with a Disability
November 09, 2017 | blog
As an employer, do you want to easily find valuable and talented employees to fill your job openings AND incentivize your workplace diversity? If inclusion and diversity is important to you and your workplace culture, look no further and hire a veteran with a ...
Your First Job Should Not Be Your Last
October 12, 2017 | blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean: a. Capacities based on tipping b. Capacities based on structural ...
Important Additional Resources
September 27, 2017 | story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017 The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application
LEAD Center’s Top 10 Accomplishments in Year 5
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities. Read on to ...
Updates from the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER)
September 27, 2017 | story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), led by Louisville Metro Government's Office of Resilience and Community Services. LADDER is a ...
LEAD Center Knowledge Translation Activities
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities. This included the national Association of People ...
LEAD PARTNER: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
September 27, 2017 | story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state. Oregon VR is participating with every Local Workforce ...
LEAD PEOPLE: Nancy Boutot
September 27, 2017 | story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting. Her work focuses on promoting employment and ...
A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Releases National Autism Indicators Report for 2017
August 31, 2017 | story
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute recently released its National Autism Indicators Report for 2017, “Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.” The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has released these reports since 2015, as part of its Life ...
Senate Finance Committee Announces Bipartisan Hearings on Health Care in September
August 31, 2017 | story
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) has announced that it will hold bipartisan hearings on how to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market during the first week of September. According to Senator Lamar ...
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2017 and Gains Made by People with Disabilities in Employment and Community Integration
August 31, 2017 | story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities. Since the passage of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made great strides in ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
August 31, 2017 | story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan On June 13, 2017, Kentucky received final approval for its home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plan from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Final approval was ...
Kentucky Submits Amendment to add a Work Requirement to its Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver
August 31, 2017 | story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal, Kentucky HEALTH, which would make changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion. The proposal with its amendment would require all adults covered by the Medicaid expansion, as ...
Mathematica Policy Research Releases Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program Annual Report for 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration program. The MFP demonstration program is a grant offered by CMS that provides support to ...
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Truyven Health Analytics Release Report on Medicaid-Funded Long-term Services and Supports Expenditures for FY 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time. Truyven recently released its latest report, “Medicaid Expenditures ...
The Transformative Power of Work and Inclusion: Reflections on the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 26, 2017 | blog
One of the benefits of being in the disability field for such a long time is the perspective that it brings. I started in the field before the implementation of most of the public laws, legislation and legal actions that ensure the rights of children and ...
Important New Resources
June 29, 2017 | story
The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities Employment, Health Care and Disability ...
Virginia’s Accessibility and One-Stop Taskforce Models Cross Agency Collaboration to Address Equal Opportunity and Access for People with Disabilities
June 29, 2017 | story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system. LEAD Center staff presented on WIOA from a Disability Perspective: Implementing Section ...
LEAD Center Hosts National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways
December 21, 2016 | story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collaboration with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment ...
Assisting Providers and State Systems in Implementing Employment First Practices
December 21, 2016 | story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for All Job Seekers with Disabilities, a product of the Office of Disability Employment ...
CMS RFI Seeks Information on How to Accelerate Access to Home and Community-Based Services
November 29, 2016 | story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality ...
United States Department of Justice Releases Statement on Application of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead to State Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
November 29, 2016 | story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. apply to state and local governments’ ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
CMS Releases National Data Report for 2012 on Demographics of Beneficiaries Receiving Medicaid-Funded Long-Term Services and Support
November 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,” which describes the 2012 population who were receiving Medicaid-funded Long-Term Services and Supports ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
Nation Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
November 29, 2016 | story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go. This ...
Provider Transformation Issue Brief: Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for all Job Seekers with Disabilities
November 07, 2016 | resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider ...
Practical Steps to Change Social and Human Service Delivery
November 02, 2016 | resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif. The session, Practical Steps to Change Social and ...
Model Cooperative Agreements Between VR Agency and Medicaid, Mental Health, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies
October 25, 2016 | resource
Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal ...
High Expectations
October 17, 2016 | blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me. When I was a kid, my school district strongly suggested that, because I was legally blind, I ride a “short bus” that would pick me up and drop me off at my house ...
From Screen to Society: How Television Increases Disability Inclusion
October 11, 2016 | blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view. Gail Williamson a well-known talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin and Associates heads their Diversity Department working specifically with diverse talent with ...
September HCBS Transition Plan Update
October 03, 2016 | story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state of Florida released a revised version of its HCBS Transition Plan and posted it ...
U.S. Department of Justice Issues New Regulations Clarifying What Is Considered a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
September 30, 2016 | story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title II and Title III regulations in order to fully implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The regulation restores the original, ...
Research on Disability Releases Monthly nTIDE Report and Webinar which Shows Rising Disability Employment
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report and “Lunch and ...
Texas Health and Human Services System to Transform Its Service Offerings
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will have its ...
Illinois Passes New Employee Sick Leave Act Allowing Employees to Take Leave to Support Family Members’ Health Needs
September 30, 2016 | story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick Leave Act would allow employees to use paid sick leave benefits provided by the employer to care for any spouse, child, or other family ...
Brooklyn Law School Files Federal Complaint Challenging Private Health Insurance Company
September 30, 2016 | story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth. The complaint alleges that GHI and EmblemHealth together violated a contract ...
October Marked Opening of ACA Exchanges
August 30, 2016 | story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013. These exchanges, established pursuant to the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provide individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance the opportunity to ...
New Hampshire Self-Advocates and Long-Term Support Agencies Sue to Prevent Managed Care of Medicaid-Funded Supports
August 30, 2016 | story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-funded LTSS ...
ABLE Act Gains Traction in the States
August 30, 2016 | story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures. The ABLE Act, which was signed by President Obama last year, allows states to authorize special ...
CMS Releases Report on Medicaid LTSS Expenditures
August 30, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “Improving the Balance: The Evolution of Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), FY ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Update on Select Plans
August 30, 2016 | story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment. The state of Delaware was granted ...
EEOC Releases New FAQS for Employers on How to Create Notices That Comply with Its Final Regulations on Employee Wellness Programs
August 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016. The final regulations ...
Harvard School of Public Health Study Finds Lack of Workplace Accommodations and Supports May Lead to Poorer Health Outcomes for Workers with Disabilities
August 30, 2016 | story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to report ...
HCBS Advocacy
August 07, 2016 | resource
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on ...
Two Exciting Grant Opportunities to Promote Employment for Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Partnerships and Collaborations
June 30, 2016 | story
Disability Employment Initiative The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of grant funds for its seventh round of funding for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program. DEI is a joint program of ...
Federal Partnership Supports Career Pathways
June 30, 2016 | story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment. On April 28, 2016, 13 Federal agency leaders issued a ...
CMS Grants Initial Approval to HCBS Transition Plans for Kentucky and Ohio
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio. Kentucky and Ohio are now the second and third states to receive initial ...
Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Release Memo Detailing Major Changes to Authorization of Facility-Based Day Services Under Its Section 1915(c) Intellectual Disability Waivers
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employment ...
Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Regulations Implementing the Nondiscrimination Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Including Impact on Employee Health Benefit Programs
June 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Section 1557 provides that no individual shall be discriminated ...
Study by Dartmouth Health Researchers Finds That People with Mental Illness Who Receive Supported Employment Services Have Improved Quality of Life
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the form of ...
OPM Proposes Regulations to Implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, Giving Disabled Veterans Who Are Federal Employees Access to New Type of Leave for Medical Appointments
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 gives 104 ...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Wellness Programs, Clarifying How the Programs Can Remain in Compliance with the ADA
June 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The final rule sets ...
EEOC Issues New Resource Related to Getting Employees Crucial Disability-Related Employment Leave, Including Medical Leave
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act ...
National Core Indicators Reports (NCI) Released for 2014-15, with Statistical Indicators Connecting Health Care and Employment to the Well-Being of Consumers with I/DD, in Addition to NCI’s Data Briefs and Webinars
May 31, 2016 | story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental disability ...
CMS Releases Its Final Rule Addressing Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS), including Employment LTSS, Under Managed Care Plans
May 31, 2016 | story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs. The rule is the first major overhaul of the managed care rules in ...
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces Publication of Final Rule on Overtime in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under FLSA, employers are required to pay most employees overtime ...
CMS Releases Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements in HCBS Settings Requirements Compliance Toolkit
May 31, 2016 | story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people have had, ...
Unclear Language in Iowa’s Health Care Budget Bill Prevents $750,000 from Being Spent on Supported Employment
May 31, 2016 | story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been spent. The ...
CMS & ACL Partner with Tennessee To Host Webinar for Advocates and External Stakeholders on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan
May 31, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the Statewide ...
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work
May 01, 2016 | resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topics useful to ...
CMS Finalizes Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Rules, Providing Access to Behavioral Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services
April 29, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Children’s ...
Department of Health and Human Services Releases Report on the Benefits of Expanding Medicaid to Cover More Behavioral Health Programs, Including Its Impact on Employee Productiveness
April 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance and behavioral health services. According to DHHS, people who need behavioral health services make ...
Senator Schumer Promotes Disability Integration Act Initiative, a Bill that Requires Providers to Deliver All Support Services (Including Employment Services) in the Community
April 29, 2016 | story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA). Senator Charles Schumer announced his ...
Congress Considering Bills that Would Expand the Amount Working People with Disabilities Can Save in ABLE Accounts
April 29, 2016 | story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). The bills are the ABLE To Work Act ...
Kansas State Officials “Sending Mixed Messages” on Disability-Related Medicaid Waiver Integration
April 29, 2016 | story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur. The planned waiver ...
Maine Department of Health nd Human Services (DHHS) Proposes Changes to Reimbursement for Mental Health Providers
April 29, 2016 | story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The study was part of a compromise budget bill ...
CMS Approves Tennessee’s HCBS Transition Plan, Including Supported Employment Provisions
April 29, 2016 | story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS has ...
In The Know: The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
April 04, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
DOL National Convening Supports Workforce Leadership in Implementing WIOA
March 31, 2016 | story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approaches to ...
LEAD Releases New Toolkit to Promote Collaboration between Centers for Independent Living and American Job Centers
March 31, 2016 | story
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Release Fourth Employment First Technical Brief
March 31, 2016 | story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts. The brief provides state governments and external ...
LEAD PEOPLE Bob Williams, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA). ...
LEAD PARTNERS Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). AoD works to increase the independence, productivity and community integration of individuals ...
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Releases Its Recommendations for Improving Financing for Long-Term Services and Supports, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report, Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of ...
National Quality Forum Hosts Second In-Person Meeting on Measuring Quality in Home and Community-Based Services, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C. The project was designed to measure performance gaps in HCBS to inform the future ...
EEOC Requests Public Comment on Its New Affirmative Action Employment Regulations
March 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “Affirmative Action for People with Disabilities in the Federal Government,” which would codify all existing federal disability-related ...
Wisconsin: Update on Wisconsin’s Overhaul of Its Medicaid Program, IRIS, and Supported Employment Program
March 30, 2016 | story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier coverage on Wisconsin), Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has decided to replace its eight regional ...
Iowa’s Medicaid Program Moves to Managed Care for Its Services
March 30, 2016 | story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016. The new ...
Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs
March 22, 2016 | resource
This toolkit is dedicated to our friends and colleagues, Speed Davis and Jamie Kendall. Their work to promote independent living, disability rights and full inclusion is the noble legacy they leave behind and from which future generations will long ...
President Obama’s 2017 Budget: Impact on Employment and Health Care for People with Disabilities
February 29, 2016 | story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of people with disabilities in the competitive workforce and funding increases for ...
Disability Advocates Create Comprehensive Toolkit Calling for Strong Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule
February 29, 2016 | story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to promote the full integration of people with ...
EconSys and ODEP Release State Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates and Employment First Brief on Federal Resources
February 29, 2016 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc. (EconSys) have jointly released a 50-state review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for supported employment and ...
StatsRRTC Releases Its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and 2015 Annual Report
February 29, 2016 | story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and the 2015 ...
NPR Explores Disparities in Workers’ Compensation Options
February 29, 2016 | story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Due to state employer opt out provisions in workers’ compensation laws, 1.5 million workers in Texas and Oklahoma lack ...
Update on HCBS Transition Plans: Washington State
February 29, 2016 | story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community. It proposes a four-year plan to transition the state away from the use of sheltered ...
Minnesota Waiting List for Services Ends for Many
February 29, 2016 | story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employment. A ...
In The Know: I'm In To Hire
February 19, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
EconSys and ODEP Release Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates for Supported Employment and Integrated Day Services across All 50 States
January 29, 2016 | story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc. and jointly released a review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers for supported ...
NASUAD Publishes Tip Sheets for Increasing MIPPA Outreach
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and ...
EEOC Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Title II of GINA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance document ...
EEOC Issues Guidance about HIV-Positive Employees’ Human and Health-Related Rights Under ADA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive. The first publication, Living with HIV Infection: Your ...
ANCOR and Disability Advocates Call for CMS to Consider Supported Employment and HCBS Services in Its Managed Care Network Adequacy Rulemaking
January 29, 2016 | story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) ...
Oregon Court Approves Settlement in Lane v. Brown
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon. The Final Settlement Agreement requires a ...
Connecticut: Waiting List for Services Never Ends for Individuals with I/DD and Their Families
January 29, 2016 | story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services. The State Department of Developmental Disability Services spends nearly 25 ...
Open Enrollment For The Affordable Care Act Began November 1st
December 31, 2015 | story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016. Consumers must sign up by December 15th if they wish to begin January 2016 with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The ...
Capitol Hill Budget Deal Avoids Premium Hikes and Budget Cuts in Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance
December 31, 2015 | story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Specifically, the deal will stave off a 52 percent premium increase ...
CMS Issues Guidance on Non-Residential Settings for Home and Community-Based Services
December 22, 2015 | story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings. The new rule, which took effect in March 2014, prohibits states from ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Additional Updates And Concerns
December 15, 2015 | story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner. Some of these interpretations classify a certain type of setting as meeting ...
ODEP Partners with LEAD Center and Social Dynamics to Launch Employment First Website
December 15, 2015 | story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for Employment First information. This ...
Not-to-Be-Missed New Resources on Implementing Employment First
December 15, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that are “must-reads” for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
December 15, 2015 | story
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) is a national technical assistance and dissemination center jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation ...
Employment First Technical Briefs
December 14, 2015 | resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released four Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: ...
Kansas: Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Returns $15 Million to Federal Government
December 02, 2015 | story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services ...
The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
November 03, 2015 | resource
Reducing health care spending is a national priority. As of 2013, health care spending represented over 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a disproportionate amount of that spending going towards adults with disabilities. In fact, on a per-capita ...
ACL No Wrong Door System Grants Helps Streamline Access to Services and Supports
October 29, 2015 | story
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ODEP and Administration for Community Living Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memorandum of ...
CMS Responds to Statewide HCBS Transition Plans
October 29, 2015 | story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan. These plans describe a ...
Minnesota: New Olmstead Plan Addresses Barriers to Living in the Community Faced by People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., ...
Wisconsin: Changes to Family Care and IRIS Programs
October 29, 2015 | story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s budget, passed in July, which would require the state to contract with insurance companies to administer long-term services and supports, including ...
Kansas: State Delays Changes to Medicare/Medicaid System Until January 2017
October 29, 2015 | story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, ...
CMS’ New HCBS Regulations Opens the Door to Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
October 09, 2015 | blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful and ...
Launch of the National Employment First Website
October 08, 2015 | news
Today, we are proud to announce the official launch of the national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, ...
Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 01, 2015 | news
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment issues and ...
Office of Disability Employment Policy and National LEAD Center to Launch Employment First Web Platform
September 30, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1. This platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policy-makers, researchers, and ...
LEAD Center Addresses Employers in St. Louis, MO about Hiring People with Disabilities
September 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) in recognition of the 25th ...
LEAD PEOPLE Tami Hoar, Montana Independent Living Project, Program Director
September 30, 2015 | story
Tami Hoar has a background of working with people with disabilities in a variety of venues. She is currently the Montana Independent Living Project’s (MILP) Program Director, responsible for monitoring and reporting for all grants and program ...
LEAD PARTNERS Montana Independent Living Project
September 30, 2015 | story
Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services that promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. MILP supports the development and expansion of community-based services that ...
CMS Announces Performance-Based Payment Options for Employment Services
September 25, 2015 | story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based options for ...
National Employment First Online Policy and Data Platform Launch
September 25, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and activities ...
Department of Health and Human Services Proposes Revisions to the Non-Discrimination Policy of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
September 25, 2015 | story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination by health programs based on race, color, national origin, ...
Minnesota: Plaintiffs in Minnesota Lawsuit Claim Department of Human Services Underspent $1 Billion in Medicaid Disability Waiver Funds
September 25, 2015 | story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for waivers ...
Utah: The Need for Healthcare Reform
September 25, 2015 | story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July. The expansion, authorized under the Affordable Care Act, would have provided Medicaid coverage to all adults earning less ...
Career Pathways Initiatives
September 16, 2015 | resource
As students plan and prepare for and transition to college and careers, career pathways programs help students to gain workforce experience and skills and consider the connection between their career interests and educational plans. This brief describes major ...
CMS Responds to State Transition Plans
August 26, 2015 | story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing all services ...
State Medicaid Integration Tracker Update Published for July
August 26, 2015 | story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. NASUAD’s State Medicaid Integration Tracker is a monthly report summarizing changes in each state on ...
National Quality Forum Publishes Interim Report on HCBS, Convenes Stakeholder Committee on Quality Measurement
August 26, 2015 | story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS). NQF recently released its interim report ...
Massachusetts: University Of Massachusetts Medical School Partners with State to Increase Employment of People With Disabilities
August 26, 2015 | story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment. In July, the UMass Medical School announced a new partnership ...
New Jersey: Governor’s Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Costs to New Jersey Taxpayers and Health Care Providers
August 26, 2015 | story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years. The proposal would be the largest Medicaid funding reduction in New ...
Alaska: Governor Announces Alaska to Become the 30th State to Expand Medicaid
August 26, 2015 | story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provide health ...
New Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Changes and Updated State Plan Amendments in Washington State, Tennessee And Indiana
July 31, 2015 | story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings. Washington State has submitted transition plans for ...
Comment Period Ends for EECO’s Proposed ADA Wellness Plan Rule
July 31, 2015 | story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans. The EEOC earlier concluded that medical exams and ...
Massachusetts Home Health Workers Win Wage Hike to $15 Per Hour
July 31, 2015 | story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-paid ...
KANCARE Not Working for People with Disabilities, Advocates Say
July 31, 2015 | story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of KanCare, the ...
Transition Quickguide: Take Charge of Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
July 26, 2015 | resource
Because the ability to manage one’s health and wellness is critical to going to school, learning, and transitioning into employment, planning your health and career goals goes hand in hand. The first step to making your career dream a reality is taking care ...
Letter to Governors on Employment First
July 23, 2015 | news
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their committment to advancing the Employment First ...
In the Know: HCBS Advocacy
July 02, 2015 | blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. Unfortunately, even more than a year later, some people are still ...
LEAD Center Presentation on Knowledge Translation
June 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware. ...
LEAD PEOPLE Marie Parker, Program Manager for TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms. Parker, a Subject Matter Expert working with LEAD Center through TransCen, Inc., is the Program Manager and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project (MCPIP), in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
TransCen, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1986, that develops creative and innovative projects for school to work transition, education systems change and employment for people with disabilities. TransCen is dedicated to improving ...
Changes Recommended for Medicaid Managed Care
June 30, 2015 | story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care. The network adequacy guidance include quality ratings, profit guidelines, and safeguards to protect members with ...
Kaiser Releases New Analysis Detailing Potential Impact of King V. Burwell
June 30, 2015 | story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging whether low- and moderate-income ...
Connecticut: Budget Would Cut Health, Social Services, But Less Than Original Plan
June 30, 2015 | story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts originally ...
Ohio: Developmental Disabilities Service Delivery System Changing
June 30, 2015 | story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run institutions. ...
EEOC Proposes Rule Allowing Financial Incentives for Wellness Programs
May 29, 2015 | story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace wellness ...
Special Commission Finds Medicaid Expansion Would Benefit New Hampshire’s Economy
May 29, 2015 | story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 . New Hampshire’s Department of ...
University of Massachusetts Studying Patterns of Health Care Use Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
May 29, 2015 | story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual disabilities. ...
Supporting Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Their Communities
May 01, 2015 | resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
Emerging Practices in the High Performing States Transition Model
May 01, 2015 | resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. ...
New Proposed Rule on Mental Health Parity in Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans. The rule would eliminate hard limits on coverage (such as caps on the number of ...
Mathematica Releases Annual Report on Money Follows the Person Program
April 30, 2015 | story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report examined the experiences of 19,877 MFP participants in 30 states. The ...
Minnesota Must Submit Statewide Olmstead Plan Following 2011 Settlement
April 30, 2015 | story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan for ...
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Ending Medicaid Expansion
April 30, 2015 | story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year. NHHPP ...
New York Bill Proposes Expansion of Home Health Workforce
April 30, 2015 | story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications. The proposal creates a new designation of ...
Montana Republican Unveils New Bill to Expand Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It will also require enrollees to pay monthly premiums and ...
LEAD Center Hosts Webinar on CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and Its Implications for Employment
March 31, 2015 | story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National LEAD Center, hosted a webinar entitled, “Redefining Home ...
New Study on Employer Compliance with Mental Health Parity Laws
March 30, 2015 | story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based on surveys of human resources and disability professionals of diverse employers from across the nation. Of the 314 employers who responded ...
State Transition Plan Highlight: New Jersey Transition Plan Would Improve Day, Employment and Housing Services
March 30, 2015 | story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), includes major changes to day, employment and housing services. Each state ...
Pending Florida Legislation On Disability And Workplace Participation
March 30, 2015 | story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities. Legislative proposals include measures allowing people with disabilities to keep health insurance while working, encouraging state agencies ...
Texas Republicans Champion Higher Wages for Home Care Workers
March 30, 2015 | story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average. More than 150,000 Texas residents rely on the ...
Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to the Governor and Kansas Legislature
March 01, 2015 | resource
Kansas has been a trailblazer in supporting competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities. As the first state in the nation to pass an Employment First Initiative Act, Kansas is poised to dramatically improve its outcomes regarding ...
Senate Panel Examines Effect of Employee Wellness Programs on Workers with Disabilities
February 27, 2015 | story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs. These programs, which are encouraged under the Affordable Care Act, allow companies to reward employees ...
GAO Calls For Greater Interagency Collaboration on Mental Health Services, Including Employment Programs
February 27, 2015 | story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness. The testimony, based on a report released in December 2014, reported that eight Federal ...
NCD Releases New Report on Social Security Disability
February 27, 2015 | story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) programs. The ...
North Carolina Services for People with Disabilities at Heart of Class-Action Settlement
February 27, 2015 | story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions) originally filed in 2011. The managed care organization had ...
Open Enrollment Ends February 15
January 30, 2015 | story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace must be ...
Judge Strikes Down New Overtime Rules for Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has recently issued two decisions striking down aspects of a Department of Labor regulation governing overtime pay for home care workers for people with disabilities. The regulation made most home care workers for people ...
Proposed Virginia Medicaid Budget Caps Hours of Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one family as well as capping overtime hours for workers paid under certain waivers.7 The proposed changes may limit workers ...
In the Know - The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
January 16, 2015 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center Welcomes New KT Consortium Members
December 21, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium. The KT Consortium is the first-of-its-kind partnership, which brings together virtually federally-funded ...
The Art of the Possible: Aiming High in Employment First - Federal Policy Changes and Opportunities
December 03, 2014 | resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. As part of a pre-conference program to promote Employment First, this presentation reviewed the exciting recent Federal initiatives that ...
In the Know: I'm In To Hire
November 25, 2014 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
Reflections on Roosevelt
October 31, 2014 | blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its ...
I'm In To Hire
October 17, 2014 | resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Buddies' I’m In To Hire offers numerous resources, ...
In the Know: A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
October 09, 2014 | blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this week's "In the Know" ...
CIL-AJC Community of Practice Continues to Build Momentum
September 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance. The CIL-AJC CoP meets monthly to improve ...
Part Three: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 11, 2014 | blog
Part Three of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris June 22, 2014 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, which required states to eliminate the ...
LEAD Center Travels to Baltimore for Reinventing Quality 2014
August 06, 2014 | news
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference. The event provided disability service organizations and providers the opportunity to network, discuss new ideas and learn about innovative models of support that ...
Part Two: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 04, 2014 | blog
Part Two of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris As we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary this year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, the LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael ...
LEAD Presents at 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 31, 2014 | news
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Morris led a panel discussion on best practices that have been field tested ...
Part One: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
July 28, 2014 | blog
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to ...
Policy Roundtable Update: LEAD Center Presents to Federal Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor
June 30, 2014 | story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), convened a Policy Roundtable to focus on the challenges and opportunities of leveraging resources across public ...
Employment, Health Care and Disability Monthly Policy Updates Examine Issues, Connections, Progress and Impact
June 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy. Launched in November 2013, and created in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
June 30, 2014 | story
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national partner of the LEAD Center. NCIL is the oldest national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands ...
LEAD Center Establishes Community of Practice with NCIL to Promote Employment and Economic Advancement
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Centers for ...
LEAD Center Releases Policy Roundtable Report
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. LEAD Center policy roundtables work to bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency ...
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Release New Regulations on Home and Community-Based Settings
March 30, 2014 | story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs. The regulations clarify that, in order to receive federal HCBS funding for ...
LEAD PARTNERS Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
March 30, 2014 | story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN is a national partner of the LEAD Center and ASAN President and Co-Founder Ari Ne’eman serves as co-lead with National Disability ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Next Disability Community Call February 26th
February 21, 2014 | news
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST. The call will provide participants with information about various ...
LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report Available
February 05, 2014 | news
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. The policy roundtables bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers, ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Disability Community Call on Thursday, Jan. 30
January 29, 2014 | news
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official. The call will keep listeners informed about various ...
2013 LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report – Making Collaboration Real
January 28, 2014 | resource
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state ...
In the Know: The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
January 28, 2014 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
New CMS Rule On Home and Community-Based Services Gives States Greater Flexibility to Serve the Disability Community
January 17, 2014 | news
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs. The new rule requires states seeking federal HCBS funding to provide services ...
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
December 31, 2013 | resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for people with ...
In the Know: Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
December 12, 2013 | blog
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
In the Know: Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
September 19, 2013 | blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The programs were administered by nine federal agencies and ...
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
September 01, 2013 | resource
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center and CILs Showcase Workforce Pilot at NCIL Conference
August 15, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C. Karen ...
LEAD Center Hosts First Annual Policy Roundtable on Blending and Braiding Resources
July 19, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18. More than 40 leaders with and without ...
White House to Hold Conference Calls on Affordable Care Act Implementation in 8 States
July 10, 2013 | news
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states. The briefings will feature Administration officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ...
Working for Adults: State Policies and Community College Practices to Better Serve Adult Learners at Community Colleges During the Great Recession and Beyond
June 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D. and Maria Heidkamp June 2013 Community colleges, with their open access and focus on workforce preparation, are often highlighted as well suited to provide the education and training needed by adult ...
Community College Practices that Serve Older Dislocated Workers
April 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D., Maria Heidkamp and Emily Manz April 2013 This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of ...
CIL Pilot Sites Selected
March 26, 2013 | news
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD Center. The ...
Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
March 18, 2013 | resource
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
June 01, 2012 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office June 2012 This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The ...
Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities
March 01, 2012 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Richard W. Johnson March 2012 This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties. The report explores the key provisions and work ...
Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Urgent Local Workforce Needs
February 01, 2012 | resource
Government Accountability Office February 2012 Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations. Almost all of the collaborations grew out of efforts to address ...
Fiscal Austerity and the Transition to 21st Century Employment Disability Policy: A Road Map
November 01, 2011 | resource
Mathematica Policy Research - Center for Studying Disability Policy David R. Mann and David C. Stapleton November 2011 Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations ...
Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that Include People with Disabilities
September 01, 2011 | resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The report examines the use of braiding resources, which for the purposes ...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA): What Are the Implications for the Employment of People with Disabilities?
July 01, 2011 | resource
This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities: employment disincentives/dependence initiatives, life events that lead to coverage gaps, and limitations of ...
Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies
June 01, 2011 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center April Kaplan and Nanette Relave June 2011 This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment. The brief examines the ...
Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers for People with Disabilities Through Collaborative Approaches
April 01, 2011 | resource
NTAR Leadership Center Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011 Research shows that people with disabilities can work and want to work, and workers with disabilities meet or exceed the job performance of ...
Actions That Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities
July 01, 2010 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office July 2010 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for the full participation of individuals with disabilities in society, including the workforce. This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years ...
Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential ...
Promoting Leadership: Effective Strategies for Integrating Employment Outcomes and Services into Managed Care Models
December 31, 1969 | webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities. We will discuss a variety of strategies for embedding integrated ...
Using Medicaid Buy-In to Support Employment and Economic Advancement
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), also known as Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities, breaks down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. It allows workers with disabilities access to Medicaid-funded services not available through other insurers. Most ...
Innovative Strategies for Using Medicaid State Plan and Waiver Options to Promote Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
Implications of HCBS Final Rule on Non-Residential Settings – The Impact of New HCBS Guidance on Employment & Day Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
New CMS Regulation on HCBS Settings: Implications for Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the new CMS ...
Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead and State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring ...
Redefining Home & Community Based Services: CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and its Implications for Employment
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar is presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the LEAD Center. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...
National Employment First Website Launch
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information? Do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related ...
WIOA Implementation Partnerships: The Important Role of Centers for Independent Living
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. To support these ...
Competitive Integrated Employment as a Civil Right for People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) is making progress in improving state infrastructures that prioritize competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities over segregated sheltered work or non-work activities. These ...
Cooperation and Collaboration: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Securing Competitive Integrated Employment for Transition
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization. Ideally, Transition is a highly cooperative and collaborative ...
Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving aspects of ...
Most Integrated Employment Settings: Tools to Advance System Outcomes in Your State
December 31, 1969 | webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems. This user-friendly tool will help states pinpoint where they may need to focus more ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar will explore strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. For example, how can you promote collaboration among workforce development professionals, school and ...
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California
~Providing competitive, integrated employment, career counseling and information and referral (CC&IR) services to all individuals with a significant disability and employed at subminimum wage and known to the California Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR) is reaffirmed in a recently...
~~“The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), California Department of Education (CDE), and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have entered into a new agreement consistent with the State’s “Employment First” policy and other laws to make employment in an integrated...
~~• “The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today awarded $2 million in Disability Employment Accelerator grants to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities. The EDD awarded the funding to six workforce development organizations that serve...
“(1) Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
This bill would require...
“This bill would require the retention of placement on the waiting list for, or the reenrollment in, specified HCBS waiver programs for an individual who is a dependent child or spouse of an active duty military service member and who transfers out of state with the military service member on...
Vermont
~~“In 2018, Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) applied for and received new funding for a national apprenticeship expansion grant. The grant led to the creation of a State Apprenticeship Team that is charged with:
•Gaining expertise in federal Registered Apprenticeship program requirements...
~~“Stakeholder Alignment, Coordination, and Engagement Process; Vision; Goals–Implementation Update
The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) approved the plan for implementing Act 189 1(a) on December 6, 2018. The plan describes activities related to Regional and State Work force...
~~“No Wrong Door is an effort to streamline access to services and support options with the goal of reducing the need for individuals to contact multiple agencies to get the assistance they need, when they need it. This includes making assistive technology available to all populations,...
~~“The State Rehabilitation Council partners with VocRehab Vermont to find ways to improve and expand services to Vermonters with disabilities. The Council is made up of representatives from the business sector, people with disabilities, advocates, the Vermont Client Assistance Program (CAP) and...
Related LEAD Center Results
Currently displaying 249 records.
Being Part of the Solution: Building on the Promise of the ADA
July 21, 2020 | blog
Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush declared these motivating words as he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, which provided the path to civil rights protections for people with disabilities in employment, public ...
On the Horizon
April 01, 2020 | story
Webinar: Financial Strategies for Workers with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Webinar: How WIOA Can Support Workers Facing Economic Challenges – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Webinar: Equal Opportunity Webinar I ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
April 01, 2020 | story
The March 10th webinar, Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways, explores strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include how collaboration can be ...
Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities
July 23, 2019 | resource
This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document. ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | resource
Employment is central to all of our lives. A good job contributes to our self-worth, offers membership in a community, provides benefits like health insurance, and is critical to financial stability and independence. The same is true for people with ...
LEAD Center Brief on Ways to Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community
September 26, 2018 | story
LEAD Center released the brief, Five Ways You Can Help Expand Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment in Your Community, authored by Alison Barkoff from the Center for Public Representation. This brief can be shared with others who are interested ...
LEAD People – The SETA Team
September 26, 2018 | story
Michelle O’Camb serves as a Workforce Development Manager for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), alongside colleague Jennifer Fischer, Workforce Development Analyst Supervisor. Together, O’Camb and Fischer oversee a number of programs ...
Give Us Your Feedback!
September 26, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you fill out a very brief feedback form, which should only take five (5) minutes or less to complete. Also, if you ...
LEAD Partner: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)
September 26, 2018 | story
What is SETA? The Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA), an agency that works in the City and County of Sacramento, was formed in 1978. From its inception, SETA has been an effective force in connecting people to jobs, business owners to ...
LEAD Resources
September 26, 2018 | story
1. Complying with Section 511: Approaches that Promote Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults http://leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/complying-section-511-approaches-promote-competitive-integrated-employment-youth-and-adults 2. ...
Employment First Community of Practice: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
September 17, 2018 | resource
In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) core states, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created an Employment First Community of Practice. ...
LEAD Center Website Survey
September 06, 2018 | news
The LEAD Center wants to learn more about how you use the resources on our website so that we can continue to improve what we offer. We ask that you take a very brief survey, which should only take 5 minutes or less to complete. Also, if you would be willing ...
Louisville’s Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), Emerges as Leader in Advancing Financial Empowerment and Economic Advancement for People with Disabilities
June 28, 2018 | story
The LEAD Center has supported the expanding work of LADDER (Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity Empowerment and Resources) since its inception in 2014. LADDER, a collaborative of community-based organizations, workforce services, ...
My Dream Job: On the Importance of Networking
March 29, 2018 | blog
Hello, I’m Alec Frazier. I’m autistic and have been a self-advocate and an advocate since I can remember, although definitely professionally since I gave my first speech in third grade in 1994. I am currently the Director of Autistic Reality, my own ...
Important New Resources
March 28, 2018 | story
Customized Employment: Stories and Lessons from the Field http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/customized-employment-stories-and-lessons-field Disability Benefits Counseling Services: Free Resources for Social Security Administration Disability ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Promote Knowledge Translation
December 19, 2017 | story
On November 29th, the LEAD Center and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a discussion with LEAD Center’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium. Featured speakers in this virtual meeting included leadership from ...
Important New Resources
December 19, 2017 | story
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide http://leadcenter.org/resources/tool-manual/business-30-second-training-series-and-resource-guide Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Disabled ...
TASH 2017 Conference
December 19, 2017 | story
In December, the LEAD Center participated in the national TASH Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The LEAD Center added to this diverse community of stakeholders by providing five presentations on strategies to improve the employment and economic advancement of ...
LEAD Center Blog Round-up
December 19, 2017 | story
During October and November, the LEAD Center's guest bloggers offered valuable information about employment for job seekers with disabilities, job coaches, community organizations, and hiring managers. All the posts highlighted how disability employment ...
Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
December 13, 2017 | resource
The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in ...
Double Duty: Hire a Veteran with a Disability
November 09, 2017 | blog
As an employer, do you want to easily find valuable and talented employees to fill your job openings AND incentivize your workplace diversity? If inclusion and diversity is important to you and your workplace culture, look no further and hire a veteran with a ...
Your First Job Should Not Be Your Last
October 12, 2017 | blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean: a. Capacities based on tipping b. Capacities based on structural ...
Important Additional Resources
September 27, 2017 | story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017 The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application
LEAD Center’s Top 10 Accomplishments in Year 5
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities. Read on to ...
Updates from the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER)
September 27, 2017 | story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER), led by Louisville Metro Government's Office of Resilience and Community Services. LADDER is a ...
LEAD Center Knowledge Translation Activities
September 27, 2017 | story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities. This included the national Association of People ...
LEAD PARTNER: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
September 27, 2017 | story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state. Oregon VR is participating with every Local Workforce ...
LEAD PEOPLE: Nancy Boutot
September 27, 2017 | story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting. Her work focuses on promoting employment and ...
A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Releases National Autism Indicators Report for 2017
August 31, 2017 | story
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute recently released its National Autism Indicators Report for 2017, “Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.” The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has released these reports since 2015, as part of its Life ...
Senate Finance Committee Announces Bipartisan Hearings on Health Care in September
August 31, 2017 | story
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) has announced that it will hold bipartisan hearings on how to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market during the first week of September. According to Senator Lamar ...
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2017 and Gains Made by People with Disabilities in Employment and Community Integration
August 31, 2017 | story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities. Since the passage of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made great strides in ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
August 31, 2017 | story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan On June 13, 2017, Kentucky received final approval for its home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plan from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Final approval was ...
Kentucky Submits Amendment to add a Work Requirement to its Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver
August 31, 2017 | story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal, Kentucky HEALTH, which would make changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion. The proposal with its amendment would require all adults covered by the Medicaid expansion, as ...
Mathematica Policy Research Releases Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program Annual Report for 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration program. The MFP demonstration program is a grant offered by CMS that provides support to ...
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Truyven Health Analytics Release Report on Medicaid-Funded Long-term Services and Supports Expenditures for FY 2015
August 31, 2017 | story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time. Truyven recently released its latest report, “Medicaid Expenditures ...
The Transformative Power of Work and Inclusion: Reflections on the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 26, 2017 | blog
One of the benefits of being in the disability field for such a long time is the perspective that it brings. I started in the field before the implementation of most of the public laws, legislation and legal actions that ensure the rights of children and ...
Important New Resources
June 29, 2017 | story
The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities Employment, Health Care and Disability ...
Virginia’s Accessibility and One-Stop Taskforce Models Cross Agency Collaboration to Address Equal Opportunity and Access for People with Disabilities
June 29, 2017 | story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system. LEAD Center staff presented on WIOA from a Disability Perspective: Implementing Section ...
LEAD Center Hosts National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways
December 21, 2016 | story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collaboration with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment ...
Assisting Providers and State Systems in Implementing Employment First Practices
December 21, 2016 | story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for All Job Seekers with Disabilities, a product of the Office of Disability Employment ...
CMS RFI Seeks Information on How to Accelerate Access to Home and Community-Based Services
November 29, 2016 | story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality ...
United States Department of Justice Releases Statement on Application of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead to State Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
November 29, 2016 | story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. apply to state and local governments’ ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
CMS Releases National Data Report for 2012 on Demographics of Beneficiaries Receiving Medicaid-Funded Long-Term Services and Support
November 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,” which describes the 2012 population who were receiving Medicaid-funded Long-Term Services and Supports ...
HCBS Transition Plans Update
November 29, 2016 | story
Arkansas On November 7, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval for the Arkansas HCBS Transition Plan. CMS stated that they granted initial approval because the state completed its systemic assessment and clearly ...
Nation Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
November 29, 2016 | story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go. This ...
Provider Transformation Issue Brief: Transforming Employment Services from Sheltered Work to Competitive, Integrated Employment for all Job Seekers with Disabilities
November 07, 2016 | resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider ...
Practical Steps to Change Social and Human Service Delivery
November 02, 2016 | resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif. The session, Practical Steps to Change Social and ...
Model Cooperative Agreements Between VR Agency and Medicaid, Mental Health, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies
October 25, 2016 | resource
Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal ...
High Expectations
October 17, 2016 | blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me. When I was a kid, my school district strongly suggested that, because I was legally blind, I ride a “short bus” that would pick me up and drop me off at my house ...
From Screen to Society: How Television Increases Disability Inclusion
October 11, 2016 | blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view. Gail Williamson a well-known talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin and Associates heads their Diversity Department working specifically with diverse talent with ...
September HCBS Transition Plan Update
October 03, 2016 | story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state of Florida released a revised version of its HCBS Transition Plan and posted it ...
U.S. Department of Justice Issues New Regulations Clarifying What Is Considered a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
September 30, 2016 | story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title II and Title III regulations in order to fully implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The regulation restores the original, ...
Research on Disability Releases Monthly nTIDE Report and Webinar which Shows Rising Disability Employment
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report and “Lunch and ...
Texas Health and Human Services System to Transform Its Service Offerings
September 30, 2016 | story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will have its ...
Illinois Passes New Employee Sick Leave Act Allowing Employees to Take Leave to Support Family Members’ Health Needs
September 30, 2016 | story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick Leave Act would allow employees to use paid sick leave benefits provided by the employer to care for any spouse, child, or other family ...
Brooklyn Law School Files Federal Complaint Challenging Private Health Insurance Company
September 30, 2016 | story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth. The complaint alleges that GHI and EmblemHealth together violated a contract ...
October Marked Opening of ACA Exchanges
August 30, 2016 | story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013. These exchanges, established pursuant to the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provide individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance the opportunity to ...
New Hampshire Self-Advocates and Long-Term Support Agencies Sue to Prevent Managed Care of Medicaid-Funded Supports
August 30, 2016 | story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-funded LTSS ...
ABLE Act Gains Traction in the States
August 30, 2016 | story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures. The ABLE Act, which was signed by President Obama last year, allows states to authorize special ...
CMS Releases Report on Medicaid LTSS Expenditures
August 30, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “Improving the Balance: The Evolution of Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), FY ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Update on Select Plans
August 30, 2016 | story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment. The state of Delaware was granted ...
EEOC Releases New FAQS for Employers on How to Create Notices That Comply with Its Final Regulations on Employee Wellness Programs
August 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016. The final regulations ...
Harvard School of Public Health Study Finds Lack of Workplace Accommodations and Supports May Lead to Poorer Health Outcomes for Workers with Disabilities
August 30, 2016 | story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to report ...
HCBS Advocacy
August 07, 2016 | resource
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on ...
Two Exciting Grant Opportunities to Promote Employment for Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Partnerships and Collaborations
June 30, 2016 | story
Disability Employment Initiative The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of grant funds for its seventh round of funding for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program. DEI is a joint program of ...
Federal Partnership Supports Career Pathways
June 30, 2016 | story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment. On April 28, 2016, 13 Federal agency leaders issued a ...
CMS Grants Initial Approval to HCBS Transition Plans for Kentucky and Ohio
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio. Kentucky and Ohio are now the second and third states to receive initial ...
Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Release Memo Detailing Major Changes to Authorization of Facility-Based Day Services Under Its Section 1915(c) Intellectual Disability Waivers
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employment ...
Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Regulations Implementing the Nondiscrimination Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Including Impact on Employee Health Benefit Programs
June 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Section 1557 provides that no individual shall be discriminated ...
Study by Dartmouth Health Researchers Finds That People with Mental Illness Who Receive Supported Employment Services Have Improved Quality of Life
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the form of ...
OPM Proposes Regulations to Implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, Giving Disabled Veterans Who Are Federal Employees Access to New Type of Leave for Medical Appointments
June 29, 2016 | story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 gives 104 ...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Wellness Programs, Clarifying How the Programs Can Remain in Compliance with the ADA
June 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The final rule sets ...
EEOC Issues New Resource Related to Getting Employees Crucial Disability-Related Employment Leave, Including Medical Leave
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act ...
National Core Indicators Reports (NCI) Released for 2014-15, with Statistical Indicators Connecting Health Care and Employment to the Well-Being of Consumers with I/DD, in Addition to NCI’s Data Briefs and Webinars
May 31, 2016 | story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental disability ...
CMS Releases Its Final Rule Addressing Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS), including Employment LTSS, Under Managed Care Plans
May 31, 2016 | story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs. The rule is the first major overhaul of the managed care rules in ...
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces Publication of Final Rule on Overtime in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
May 31, 2016 | story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under FLSA, employers are required to pay most employees overtime ...
CMS Releases Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements in HCBS Settings Requirements Compliance Toolkit
May 31, 2016 | story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people have had, ...
Unclear Language in Iowa’s Health Care Budget Bill Prevents $750,000 from Being Spent on Supported Employment
May 31, 2016 | story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been spent. The ...
CMS & ACL Partner with Tennessee To Host Webinar for Advocates and External Stakeholders on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan
May 31, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the Statewide ...
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work
May 01, 2016 | resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topics useful to ...
CMS Finalizes Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Rules, Providing Access to Behavioral Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services
April 29, 2016 | story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Children’s ...
Department of Health and Human Services Releases Report on the Benefits of Expanding Medicaid to Cover More Behavioral Health Programs, Including Its Impact on Employee Productiveness
April 29, 2016 | story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance and behavioral health services. According to DHHS, people who need behavioral health services make ...
Senator Schumer Promotes Disability Integration Act Initiative, a Bill that Requires Providers to Deliver All Support Services (Including Employment Services) in the Community
April 29, 2016 | story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA). Senator Charles Schumer announced his ...
Congress Considering Bills that Would Expand the Amount Working People with Disabilities Can Save in ABLE Accounts
April 29, 2016 | story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). The bills are the ABLE To Work Act ...
Kansas State Officials “Sending Mixed Messages” on Disability-Related Medicaid Waiver Integration
April 29, 2016 | story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur. The planned waiver ...
Maine Department of Health nd Human Services (DHHS) Proposes Changes to Reimbursement for Mental Health Providers
April 29, 2016 | story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The study was part of a compromise budget bill ...
CMS Approves Tennessee’s HCBS Transition Plan, Including Supported Employment Provisions
April 29, 2016 | story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS has ...
In The Know: The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
April 04, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
DOL National Convening Supports Workforce Leadership in Implementing WIOA
March 31, 2016 | story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approaches to ...
LEAD Releases New Toolkit to Promote Collaboration between Centers for Independent Living and American Job Centers
March 31, 2016 | story
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American ...
ODEP and LEAD Center Release Fourth Employment First Technical Brief
March 31, 2016 | story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts. The brief provides state governments and external ...
LEAD PEOPLE Bob Williams, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Director of the Independent Living Administration (ILA). ...
LEAD PARTNERS Independent Living Administration (ILA)
March 31, 2016 | story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). AoD works to increase the independence, productivity and community integration of individuals ...
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Releases Its Recommendations for Improving Financing for Long-Term Services and Supports, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report, Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of ...
National Quality Forum Hosts Second In-Person Meeting on Measuring Quality in Home and Community-Based Services, Including Supported Employment
March 30, 2016 | story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C. The project was designed to measure performance gaps in HCBS to inform the future ...
EEOC Requests Public Comment on Its New Affirmative Action Employment Regulations
March 30, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “Affirmative Action for People with Disabilities in the Federal Government,” which would codify all existing federal disability-related ...
Wisconsin: Update on Wisconsin’s Overhaul of Its Medicaid Program, IRIS, and Supported Employment Program
March 30, 2016 | story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier coverage on Wisconsin), Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has decided to replace its eight regional ...
Iowa’s Medicaid Program Moves to Managed Care for Its Services
March 30, 2016 | story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016. The new ...
Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs
March 22, 2016 | resource
This toolkit is dedicated to our friends and colleagues, Speed Davis and Jamie Kendall. Their work to promote independent living, disability rights and full inclusion is the noble legacy they leave behind and from which future generations will long ...
President Obama’s 2017 Budget: Impact on Employment and Health Care for People with Disabilities
February 29, 2016 | story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of people with disabilities in the competitive workforce and funding increases for ...
Disability Advocates Create Comprehensive Toolkit Calling for Strong Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule
February 29, 2016 | story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to promote the full integration of people with ...
EconSys and ODEP Release State Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates and Employment First Brief on Federal Resources
February 29, 2016 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc. (EconSys) have jointly released a 50-state review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for supported employment and ...
StatsRRTC Releases Its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and 2015 Annual Report
February 29, 2016 | story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and the 2015 ...
NPR Explores Disparities in Workers’ Compensation Options
February 29, 2016 | story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Due to state employer opt out provisions in workers’ compensation laws, 1.5 million workers in Texas and Oklahoma lack ...
Update on HCBS Transition Plans: Washington State
February 29, 2016 | story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community. It proposes a four-year plan to transition the state away from the use of sheltered ...
Minnesota Waiting List for Services Ends for Many
February 29, 2016 | story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employment. A ...
In The Know: I'm In To Hire
February 19, 2016 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
EconSys and ODEP Release Review of HCBS Reimbursement Rates for Supported Employment and Integrated Day Services across All 50 States
January 29, 2016 | story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc. and jointly released a review of the reimbursement rates and methodologies used in home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers for supported ...
NASUAD Publishes Tip Sheets for Increasing MIPPA Outreach
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and ...
EEOC Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Title II of GINA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance document ...
EEOC Issues Guidance about HIV-Positive Employees’ Human and Health-Related Rights Under ADA
January 29, 2016 | story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive. The first publication, Living with HIV Infection: Your ...
ANCOR and Disability Advocates Call for CMS to Consider Supported Employment and HCBS Services in Its Managed Care Network Adequacy Rulemaking
January 29, 2016 | story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) ...
Oregon Court Approves Settlement in Lane v. Brown
January 29, 2016 | story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon. The Final Settlement Agreement requires a ...
Connecticut: Waiting List for Services Never Ends for Individuals with I/DD and Their Families
January 29, 2016 | story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services. The State Department of Developmental Disability Services spends nearly 25 ...
Open Enrollment For The Affordable Care Act Began November 1st
December 31, 2015 | story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016. Consumers must sign up by December 15th if they wish to begin January 2016 with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The ...
Capitol Hill Budget Deal Avoids Premium Hikes and Budget Cuts in Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance
December 31, 2015 | story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Specifically, the deal will stave off a 52 percent premium increase ...
CMS Issues Guidance on Non-Residential Settings for Home and Community-Based Services
December 22, 2015 | story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings. The new rule, which took effect in March 2014, prohibits states from ...
HCBS Transition Plans: Additional Updates And Concerns
December 15, 2015 | story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner. Some of these interpretations classify a certain type of setting as meeting ...
ODEP Partners with LEAD Center and Social Dynamics to Launch Employment First Website
December 15, 2015 | story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for Employment First information. This ...
Not-to-Be-Missed New Resources on Implementing Employment First
December 15, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that are “must-reads” for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
December 15, 2015 | story
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) is a national technical assistance and dissemination center jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation ...
Employment First Technical Briefs
December 14, 2015 | resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released four Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: ...
Kansas: Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Returns $15 Million to Federal Government
December 02, 2015 | story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services ...
The Impact of Employment on the Health Status and Health Care Costs of Working-age People with Disabilities
November 03, 2015 | resource
Reducing health care spending is a national priority. As of 2013, health care spending represented over 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a disproportionate amount of that spending going towards adults with disabilities. In fact, on a per-capita ...
ACL No Wrong Door System Grants Helps Streamline Access to Services and Supports
October 29, 2015 | story
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ODEP and Administration for Community Living Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memorandum of ...
CMS Responds to Statewide HCBS Transition Plans
October 29, 2015 | story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan. These plans describe a ...
Minnesota: New Olmstead Plan Addresses Barriers to Living in the Community Faced by People with Disabilities
October 29, 2015 | story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., ...
Wisconsin: Changes to Family Care and IRIS Programs
October 29, 2015 | story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s budget, passed in July, which would require the state to contract with insurance companies to administer long-term services and supports, including ...
Kansas: State Delays Changes to Medicare/Medicaid System Until January 2017
October 29, 2015 | story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, ...
CMS’ New HCBS Regulations Opens the Door to Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
October 09, 2015 | blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful and ...
Launch of the National Employment First Website
October 08, 2015 | news
Today, we are proud to announce the official launch of the national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, ...
Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 01, 2015 | news
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment issues and ...
Office of Disability Employment Policy and National LEAD Center to Launch Employment First Web Platform
September 30, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1. This platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policy-makers, researchers, and ...
LEAD Center Addresses Employers in St. Louis, MO about Hiring People with Disabilities
September 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) in recognition of the 25th ...
LEAD PEOPLE Tami Hoar, Montana Independent Living Project, Program Director
September 30, 2015 | story
Tami Hoar has a background of working with people with disabilities in a variety of venues. She is currently the Montana Independent Living Project’s (MILP) Program Director, responsible for monitoring and reporting for all grants and program ...
LEAD PARTNERS Montana Independent Living Project
September 30, 2015 | story
Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a not-for-profit agency providing services that promote independence for people with disabilities living in southwestern Montana. MILP supports the development and expansion of community-based services that ...
CMS Announces Performance-Based Payment Options for Employment Services
September 25, 2015 | story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based options for ...
National Employment First Online Policy and Data Platform Launch
September 25, 2015 | story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and activities ...
Department of Health and Human Services Proposes Revisions to the Non-Discrimination Policy of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
September 25, 2015 | story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination by health programs based on race, color, national origin, ...
Minnesota: Plaintiffs in Minnesota Lawsuit Claim Department of Human Services Underspent $1 Billion in Medicaid Disability Waiver Funds
September 25, 2015 | story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for waivers ...
Utah: The Need for Healthcare Reform
September 25, 2015 | story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July. The expansion, authorized under the Affordable Care Act, would have provided Medicaid coverage to all adults earning less ...
Career Pathways Initiatives
September 16, 2015 | resource
As students plan and prepare for and transition to college and careers, career pathways programs help students to gain workforce experience and skills and consider the connection between their career interests and educational plans. This brief describes major ...
CMS Responds to State Transition Plans
August 26, 2015 | story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing all services ...
State Medicaid Integration Tracker Update Published for July
August 26, 2015 | story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. NASUAD’s State Medicaid Integration Tracker is a monthly report summarizing changes in each state on ...
National Quality Forum Publishes Interim Report on HCBS, Convenes Stakeholder Committee on Quality Measurement
August 26, 2015 | story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS). NQF recently released its interim report ...
Massachusetts: University Of Massachusetts Medical School Partners with State to Increase Employment of People With Disabilities
August 26, 2015 | story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment. In July, the UMass Medical School announced a new partnership ...
New Jersey: Governor’s Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Costs to New Jersey Taxpayers and Health Care Providers
August 26, 2015 | story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years. The proposal would be the largest Medicaid funding reduction in New ...
Alaska: Governor Announces Alaska to Become the 30th State to Expand Medicaid
August 26, 2015 | story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provide health ...
New Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Changes and Updated State Plan Amendments in Washington State, Tennessee And Indiana
July 31, 2015 | story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings. Washington State has submitted transition plans for ...
Comment Period Ends for EECO’s Proposed ADA Wellness Plan Rule
July 31, 2015 | story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans. The EEOC earlier concluded that medical exams and ...
Massachusetts Home Health Workers Win Wage Hike to $15 Per Hour
July 31, 2015 | story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-paid ...
KANCARE Not Working for People with Disabilities, Advocates Say
July 31, 2015 | story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of KanCare, the ...
Transition Quickguide: Take Charge of Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
July 26, 2015 | resource
Because the ability to manage one’s health and wellness is critical to going to school, learning, and transitioning into employment, planning your health and career goals goes hand in hand. The first step to making your career dream a reality is taking care ...
Letter to Governors on Employment First
July 23, 2015 | news
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their committment to advancing the Employment First ...
In the Know: HCBS Advocacy
July 02, 2015 | blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings. Unfortunately, even more than a year later, some people are still ...
LEAD Center Presentation on Knowledge Translation
June 30, 2015 | story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware. ...
LEAD PEOPLE Marie Parker, Program Manager for TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms. Parker, a Subject Matter Expert working with LEAD Center through TransCen, Inc., is the Program Manager and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project (MCPIP), in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS TransCen, Inc.
June 30, 2015 | story
TransCen, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1986, that develops creative and innovative projects for school to work transition, education systems change and employment for people with disabilities. TransCen is dedicated to improving ...
Changes Recommended for Medicaid Managed Care
June 30, 2015 | story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care. The network adequacy guidance include quality ratings, profit guidelines, and safeguards to protect members with ...
Kaiser Releases New Analysis Detailing Potential Impact of King V. Burwell
June 30, 2015 | story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging whether low- and moderate-income ...
Connecticut: Budget Would Cut Health, Social Services, But Less Than Original Plan
June 30, 2015 | story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts originally ...
Ohio: Developmental Disabilities Service Delivery System Changing
June 30, 2015 | story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run institutions. ...
EEOC Proposes Rule Allowing Financial Incentives for Wellness Programs
May 29, 2015 | story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace wellness ...
Special Commission Finds Medicaid Expansion Would Benefit New Hampshire’s Economy
May 29, 2015 | story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 . New Hampshire’s Department of ...
University of Massachusetts Studying Patterns of Health Care Use Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
May 29, 2015 | story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual disabilities. ...
Supporting Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Their Communities
May 01, 2015 | resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
Emerging Practices in the High Performing States Transition Model
May 01, 2015 | resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. ...
New Proposed Rule on Mental Health Parity in Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans. The rule would eliminate hard limits on coverage (such as caps on the number of ...
Mathematica Releases Annual Report on Money Follows the Person Program
April 30, 2015 | story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report examined the experiences of 19,877 MFP participants in 30 states. The ...
Minnesota Must Submit Statewide Olmstead Plan Following 2011 Settlement
April 30, 2015 | story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan for ...
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Ending Medicaid Expansion
April 30, 2015 | story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year. NHHPP ...
New York Bill Proposes Expansion of Home Health Workforce
April 30, 2015 | story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications. The proposal creates a new designation of ...
Montana Republican Unveils New Bill to Expand Medicaid
April 30, 2015 | story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It will also require enrollees to pay monthly premiums and ...
LEAD Center Hosts Webinar on CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and Its Implications for Employment
March 31, 2015 | story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National LEAD Center, hosted a webinar entitled, “Redefining Home ...
New Study on Employer Compliance with Mental Health Parity Laws
March 30, 2015 | story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based on surveys of human resources and disability professionals of diverse employers from across the nation. Of the 314 employers who responded ...
State Transition Plan Highlight: New Jersey Transition Plan Would Improve Day, Employment and Housing Services
March 30, 2015 | story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), includes major changes to day, employment and housing services. Each state ...
Pending Florida Legislation On Disability And Workplace Participation
March 30, 2015 | story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities. Legislative proposals include measures allowing people with disabilities to keep health insurance while working, encouraging state agencies ...
Texas Republicans Champion Higher Wages for Home Care Workers
March 30, 2015 | story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average. More than 150,000 Texas residents rely on the ...
Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to the Governor and Kansas Legislature
March 01, 2015 | resource
Kansas has been a trailblazer in supporting competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities. As the first state in the nation to pass an Employment First Initiative Act, Kansas is poised to dramatically improve its outcomes regarding ...
Senate Panel Examines Effect of Employee Wellness Programs on Workers with Disabilities
February 27, 2015 | story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs. These programs, which are encouraged under the Affordable Care Act, allow companies to reward employees ...
GAO Calls For Greater Interagency Collaboration on Mental Health Services, Including Employment Programs
February 27, 2015 | story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness. The testimony, based on a report released in December 2014, reported that eight Federal ...
NCD Releases New Report on Social Security Disability
February 27, 2015 | story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) programs. The ...
North Carolina Services for People with Disabilities at Heart of Class-Action Settlement
February 27, 2015 | story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions) originally filed in 2011. The managed care organization had ...
Open Enrollment Ends February 15
January 30, 2015 | story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace must be ...
Judge Strikes Down New Overtime Rules for Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has recently issued two decisions striking down aspects of a Department of Labor regulation governing overtime pay for home care workers for people with disabilities. The regulation made most home care workers for people ...
Proposed Virginia Medicaid Budget Caps Hours of Home Care Workers
January 30, 2015 | story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one family as well as capping overtime hours for workers paid under certain waivers.7 The proposed changes may limit workers ...
In the Know - The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
January 16, 2015 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center Welcomes New KT Consortium Members
December 21, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium. The KT Consortium is the first-of-its-kind partnership, which brings together virtually federally-funded ...
The Art of the Possible: Aiming High in Employment First - Federal Policy Changes and Opportunities
December 03, 2014 | resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. As part of a pre-conference program to promote Employment First, this presentation reviewed the exciting recent Federal initiatives that ...
In the Know: I'm In To Hire
November 25, 2014 | blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD ...
Reflections on Roosevelt
October 31, 2014 | blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its ...
I'm In To Hire
October 17, 2014 | resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Buddies' I’m In To Hire offers numerous resources, ...
In the Know: A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
October 09, 2014 | blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this week's "In the Know" ...
CIL-AJC Community of Practice Continues to Build Momentum
September 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance. The CIL-AJC CoP meets monthly to improve ...
Part Three: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 11, 2014 | blog
Part Three of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris June 22, 2014 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, which required states to eliminate the ...
LEAD Center Travels to Baltimore for Reinventing Quality 2014
August 06, 2014 | news
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference. The event provided disability service organizations and providers the opportunity to network, discuss new ideas and learn about innovative models of support that ...
Part Two: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
August 04, 2014 | blog
Part Two of a Three-Part Series by Jonathan Zimring & Michael Morris As we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary this year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, the LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael ...
LEAD Presents at 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 31, 2014 | news
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Morris led a panel discussion on best practices that have been field tested ...
Part One: Olmstead 15 Years Later: A Behind-the-Scenes Account from Olmstead Pioneer Jonathan Zimring
July 28, 2014 | blog
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to ...
Policy Roundtable Update: LEAD Center Presents to Federal Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor
June 30, 2014 | story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), convened a Policy Roundtable to focus on the challenges and opportunities of leveraging resources across public ...
Employment, Health Care and Disability Monthly Policy Updates Examine Issues, Connections, Progress and Impact
June 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy. Launched in November 2013, and created in partnership with the ...
LEAD PARTNERS National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
June 30, 2014 | story
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national partner of the LEAD Center. NCIL is the oldest national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands ...
LEAD Center Establishes Community of Practice with NCIL to Promote Employment and Economic Advancement
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Centers for ...
LEAD Center Releases Policy Roundtable Report
March 30, 2014 | story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. LEAD Center policy roundtables work to bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency ...
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Release New Regulations on Home and Community-Based Settings
March 30, 2014 | story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs. The regulations clarify that, in order to receive federal HCBS funding for ...
LEAD PARTNERS Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
March 30, 2014 | story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN is a national partner of the LEAD Center and ASAN President and Co-Founder Ari Ne’eman serves as co-lead with National Disability ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Next Disability Community Call February 26th
February 21, 2014 | news
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST. The call will provide participants with information about various ...
LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report Available
February 05, 2014 | news
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC. The policy roundtables bring together stakeholders – including federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers, ...
White House Office of Public Engagement to Hold Disability Community Call on Thursday, Jan. 30
January 29, 2014 | news
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official. The call will keep listeners informed about various ...
2013 LEAD Center Policy Roundtable Report – Making Collaboration Real
January 28, 2014 | resource
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state ...
In the Know: The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
January 28, 2014 | blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
New CMS Rule On Home and Community-Based Services Gives States Greater Flexibility to Serve the Disability Community
January 17, 2014 | news
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs. The new rule requires states seeking federal HCBS funding to provide services ...
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
December 31, 2013 | resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for people with ...
In the Know: Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
December 12, 2013 | blog
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
In the Know: Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
September 19, 2013 | blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The programs were administered by nine federal agencies and ...
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community: An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
September 01, 2013 | resource
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge. While passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) certainly is beneficial for people with ...
LEAD Center and CILs Showcase Workforce Pilot at NCIL Conference
August 15, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C. Karen ...
LEAD Center Hosts First Annual Policy Roundtable on Blending and Braiding Resources
July 19, 2013 | news
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18. More than 40 leaders with and without ...
White House to Hold Conference Calls on Affordable Care Act Implementation in 8 States
July 10, 2013 | news
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states. The briefings will feature Administration officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ...
Working for Adults: State Policies and Community College Practices to Better Serve Adult Learners at Community Colleges During the Great Recession and Beyond
June 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D. and Maria Heidkamp June 2013 Community colleges, with their open access and focus on workforce preparation, are often highlighted as well suited to provide the education and training needed by adult ...
Community College Practices that Serve Older Dislocated Workers
April 01, 2013 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Michelle Van Noy, Ph.D., Maria Heidkamp and Emily Manz April 2013 This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of ...
CIL Pilot Sites Selected
March 26, 2013 | news
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD Center. The ...
Medicaid Managed Care for People with Disabilities
March 18, 2013 | resource
According to a recent state-by-state survey, more than half of U.S. states are planning to increase the number of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans in an attempt to slow the growth rate of federal-state spending and improve the quality and ...
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs
June 01, 2012 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office June 2012 This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services. The ...
Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities
March 01, 2012 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center Richard W. Johnson March 2012 This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties. The report explores the key provisions and work ...
Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Urgent Local Workforce Needs
February 01, 2012 | resource
Government Accountability Office February 2012 Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations. Almost all of the collaborations grew out of efforts to address ...
Fiscal Austerity and the Transition to 21st Century Employment Disability Policy: A Road Map
November 01, 2011 | resource
Mathematica Policy Research - Center for Studying Disability Policy David R. Mann and David C. Stapleton November 2011 Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations ...
Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that Include People with Disabilities
September 01, 2011 | resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The report examines the use of braiding resources, which for the purposes ...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA): What Are the Implications for the Employment of People with Disabilities?
July 01, 2011 | resource
This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities: employment disincentives/dependence initiatives, life events that lead to coverage gaps, and limitations of ...
Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies
June 01, 2011 | resource
The NTAR Leadership Center April Kaplan and Nanette Relave June 2011 This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment. The brief examines the ...
Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers for People with Disabilities Through Collaborative Approaches
April 01, 2011 | resource
NTAR Leadership Center Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011 Research shows that people with disabilities can work and want to work, and workers with disabilities meet or exceed the job performance of ...
Actions That Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities
July 01, 2010 | resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office July 2010 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for the full participation of individuals with disabilities in society, including the workforce. This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years ...
Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential ...
Promoting Leadership: Effective Strategies for Integrating Employment Outcomes and Services into Managed Care Models
December 31, 1969 | webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities. We will discuss a variety of strategies for embedding integrated ...
Using Medicaid Buy-In to Support Employment and Economic Advancement
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), also known as Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities, breaks down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. It allows workers with disabilities access to Medicaid-funded services not available through other insurers. Most ...
Innovative Strategies for Using Medicaid State Plan and Waiver Options to Promote Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
Implications of HCBS Final Rule on Non-Residential Settings – The Impact of New HCBS Guidance on Employment & Day Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, in collaboration with the Disability & Elderly Public Health Group within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invite you to two upcoming educational webinars ...
New CMS Regulation on HCBS Settings: Implications for Employment Services
December 31, 1969 | webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the new CMS ...
Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead and State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the landmark decision in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring ...
Redefining Home & Community Based Services: CMS Guidance on Non-Residential Services and its Implications for Employment
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar is presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the LEAD Center. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...
National Employment First Website Launch
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information? Do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related ...
WIOA Implementation Partnerships: The Important Role of Centers for Independent Living
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. To support these ...
Competitive Integrated Employment as a Civil Right for People with Disabilities
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) is making progress in improving state infrastructures that prioritize competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities over segregated sheltered work or non-work activities. These ...
Cooperation and Collaboration: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Securing Competitive Integrated Employment for Transition
December 31, 1969 | webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization. Ideally, Transition is a highly cooperative and collaborative ...
Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity
December 31, 1969 | webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving aspects of ...
Most Integrated Employment Settings: Tools to Advance System Outcomes in Your State
December 31, 1969 | webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems. This user-friendly tool will help states pinpoint where they may need to focus more ...
Strategic Partnerships to Create Inclusive Career Pathways
December 31, 1969 | webinar
This webinar will explore strategic partnerships that can lead to improved employment and career outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities. For example, how can you promote collaboration among workforce development professionals, school and ...