skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

DD Awareness: Ensuring Nebraskans' Voices are Valued and Heard

play audio
Play

Tuesday, March 14, 2017   

LINCOLN, Neb. – During Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March, Nebraskans impacted by a developmental disability are encouraged to speak up about the challenges they face. Developmental disabilities can restrict ability to function typically in day-to-day life activities, and at least 8,000 Nebraskans qualify for assistance services in the state.

Lori Harder, deputy director for community-based services with the Nebraska Division of Developmental Disabilities says these individuals have the same hopes and dreams as people without a disability, but still need the support of the community.

"Offering to help others when asked and being aware of what's happening around you and how people are being treated and being supported in an encouraging way is really crucial to making sure that folks feel valued and understood and heard," she explained.

This year's theme is "Side by Side," and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities is raising awareness by having folks with and without disabilities share their experiences learning, working and living side by side.

Harder says much progress has been made over the past several decades to help individuals with developmental disabilities control their own path and live independently. And she notes the division has submitted a waiver to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand the array of services offered.

"It increases the number of services that are available to an individual that can be self-directed," she said. "We have lifted a regulation that allows family members to be able to provide services as long as they are not the legal representative for the individual."

Harder says the division's goal is to increase inclusion and help individuals with developmental disablities find the independence to achieve their employment, financial and social goals. Stories can be submitted at nacdd.org or posted on social media with the hashtag: #DDawareness17.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021