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FYI Newsletter August 20, 2007
Quick Scan:
- Health and Safety Issues in Child Care Workshop
- Assistive Technology Conference 07
- Choice of Doctors, Coverage for Specialists Top Health Care Issues for People with Disabilities
- New Book is First Comprehensive Guide to Improving Quality of Life for Adults with Disabilities
- Library Corner
Health and Safety Issues in Child Care Workshop
The Institute's Indiana Child Care Health Consultant Program will offer a two-day workshop, September 13 and 14, 2007 at the Indiana Institute, focusing on common health and safety issues in child care.
Topics will include, but are not limited to:
· Environmental toxins: lead, mercury, mold, pesticides, etc.;
· Cleaning and sanitation to prevent and reduce illness;
· Planning for emergencies;
· Chronic health conditions of children; and
· Exclusion of ill children.
Training and tools for assessing child care environments, practices, and policies will also be provided. Registration fee is $50.00 per person and is limited to 25 attendees. For more information or to register, contact Jackie Dutkowski at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail dutkowsk@indiana.edu. Registration closes August 31, 2007. For additional information on the Indiana Child Care Health Consultant Program, visit http://www.iu.edu/~cchealth/.
Assistive Technology Conference 07
Attain, along with thexIndiana xFamily and Social Services Administration (FSSA), willxhost the Indiana Assistive Technology Conference 2007 on September 18, in Indianapolis. The conference will focus on all aspects of assistive technology for people with disabilities.
Attendees can choose sessions from six available tracks. They include Transition, Funding, Rural Services, Assistive Technology Modifications, and Augmentative Communication. The featured Keynote speaker will be Logan Olson. Olson fell into a coma after suffering a heart attack at age 16. When she awoke, she was unable to hold her head up, talk, or swallow and had to re-learn the most basic of skills. Olson has launched a fashion magazine for young woman with disabilities and will share her story of transitions and success through the use of assistive technology.
Early bird registrants can save $30.00 off the $85.00 fee by registering on or before August 31. For more information or to register, call 1-800-528-8246 or visit http:// www.attaininc.org.
Choice of Doctors, Coverage for Specialists Tops Health Care Issues for People with Disabilities
A recent Indiana survey identified top health care problems and needs for people with disabilities. Respondents said choice of health care providers was the most important feature to include in health care reform legislation, followed by coverage for specialists, low co-pays, dental coverage and preventive care. Coverage of prescription drugs and mental health services were also top issues for people with disabilities.
"The respondents spoke out loud and clear that the current healthcare system is broken, not unlike how the general populations feels," said Vicki Pappas, Director of the Center for Planning and Policy Studies at Indiana University's Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. "People with disabilities hope to have their voices heard and want to help shape the coming debates about how to reform healthcare."
The project, "2007 Indiana Disability Poll," was a joint effort in collaboration with the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities and Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services. A total of 651 surveys were completed either by people with disabilities or their families and advocates. Results were released late last month.
"Choice of doctor is a top issue for a number of reasons, including accessible offices and equipment, physician's knowledge of specific disabilities and how they affect medical needs, and having to start over every time with a new office in educating the staff about accommodations," Pappas said. "With dental care, generally it is not covered by health insurance, and it is often difficult to find a dentist who accepts Medicaid or Medicare. Another thing that is problematic in the current system, is a lack of coverage for durable equipment like wheel chairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses and walkers. Many adults with disabilities have a low income, and find it difficult to purchase these items with their own funds given their other needs," she said. The survey did reveal some good news, Pappas said. "I was pleasantly surprised to see that people are getting regular check-ups. Seven out of 10 respondents said they had an annual exam within the last year."
Among the survey's findings:
More Coverage, Less Red Tape. The top three desired improvements to the current system were increasing coverage (such as for medical equipment and devices, mental health services, vision and dental treatment, and prescription drugs), streamlining administration and paperwork, and decreasing costs for co-pays and insurance premiums.
Income Disparities. In households of incomes greater than $50,000, 75 percent of respondents rated the quality of their healthcare as good, very good or excellent. In households of incomes lower than $25,000, that number dropped to 50 percent. Lower-income respondents were also more likely to use emergency rooms for care. Although 57 percent of respondents with household incomes greater than $50,000 report receiving all the health care they need, only 38 percent of respondents in households with incomes less than $25,000 report receiving sufficient health care. "What is postponed is dental work, filling prescriptions and getting needed care and tests," Pappas said. "Families also report postponing needed therapies for their children."
Specialist and Mental Health Services Hard to Access. More than half (51 percent) of all respondents report having difficulty receiving mental health services and specialist care.
Autism a Common Stumbling Block. Although the survey did not ask specifically about autism, many respondents wrote in open response sections about their difficulties accessing care for the treatment of autism.
The three Indiana Disability Poll partners, members of the Indiana Developmental Disability Network, plan to follow up the survey by developing educational materials and hosting public forums for people with disabilities and their families and advocates over the coming year. The partners will conduct a second annual poll next year, focusing on voting and participation in the electoral process.
For more information, contact Vicki Pappas at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail cpps@indiana.edu. Visit http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cpps/ for more information on the Indiana Institute's Center for Planning and Policy Studies. Special thanks to Indiana University's Office of Media Relations for their efforts in the preparation of this article.
New Book is First Comprehensive Guide to Improving Quality of Life for Adults with Disabilities
A new book by Indiana University Education Professor Patricia Rogan and Pamela Walker of Syracuse University offers an in-depth guide to promoting active, rewarding and meaningful lifestyles for adults with disabilities. Tackling such issues as employment, transition from school to adult life, postsecondary education and social relationships, Make the Day Matter!: Promoting Typical Lifestyles for Adults with Significant Disabilities (Brookes, 2007) compiles the most current best practices into a guidebook for supporting fulfilling lives for all adults.
The book is intended as a resource for service providers working with adults with significant disabilities. Rogan, professor and chair of secondary education and area coordinator of special education at Indiana University's School of Education in Indianapolis, said there is a wide gap between what researchers know about supporting adults with disabilities and what is actually being implemented.
"Unfortunately, many adults with disabilities in our society have been denied typical lifestyles due to segregation, negative attitudes toward them, and lack of access to community opportunities," she said. "For example, adults with disabilities are largely unemployed, enroll in postsecondary education at a rate of approximately 40 percent below that of the general population, and often report being lonely and disconnected. It is our hope that this book will offer practical guidelines and examples for promoting quality lifestyles for our fellow citizens with disabilities."
The book begins with a historical background on approaches to disability in the U.S., explaining the different movements and laws that have shaped the present status of adults with disabilities. It then looks at the most current research to identify what works in creating opportunities for full citizenship and community participation.
A number of researchers from Indiana University's Indiana Institute on Disability and Community in Bloomington contributed their expertise in different areas:
Transitioning to Adulthood. Teresa Grossi, Director of the Center on Community Living and Careers, discusses ways to best utilize formal education as a means of preparing for adulthood in "Preparing for Meaningful Adult Lives Through School and Transition Experiences."
Old Age and Retirement. Jennie Todd, Research Associate at the Center on Aging and Community, writes about transitioning into older adulthood in "Promoting a Good Old Age: Strategies for Identifying Interests and Developing Community Connections."
A Brighter Future. David Mank, Director of the Institute, helps to create a vision of the future in the concluding section entitled "Toward Meaningful Lives: A Convergence of Events, Problems, and Possibilities."
For more information, contact Pat Rogan at (317) 274-6806 or e-mail progan@iupui.edu. Special thanks to Indiana University's Office of Media Relations for their efforts in the preparation of this article.
Library Corner
New Items: The following new materials may be borrowed by Indiana residents from the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR) at the Institute. To check out materials, contact the library at 1-800-437-7924, send e-mail to cedir@indiana.edu, or visit us at 2853 East Tenth Street in Bloomington.
Jackins, B. (2006). Legal planning for special needs in Massachusetts: Family guide to SSI, guardianship, and estate planning. Brookline, MA: DisABILITIESBOOKS.
Moon, M., Hernandez, G., & Neubert, D. (2003). Getting around: Teaching community mobility skills to adolescents and adults with disabilities. St. Augustine, FL: Training Resource Network.
Poindexter, A. (2005). A practical guide for assessing medical issues associated with behavioral/psychiatric problems in persons with intellectual disability. Kingston, NY: NADD Press.
Synatschk, K. (2007). Employment and career planning. Austin, TX: PRO-Ed.