Disabilities / Public News Service

Rachel Winn, right, says her new van should be handicap accessible for her son by November. (Rural Dynamics)

Monday, September 20, 2021

Program Helps Montanans with Disabilities Afford Assistive Tech

HELENA, Mont. - It can be hard for people with disabilities to afford the assistive technology they need to perform daily activities. A program in …

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation report found many people enrolled in Medicare go without dental care. (Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Back Expanding Medicare to 'Treat the Whole Person'

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa, has introduced legislation to expand Medicare coverage to include dental, hearing and vision care…

Preparing for a doctor's visit is an important part of ensuring children feel comfortable there when they arrive. (Jaren Wicklund/Adobe Stock)

Guide Helps Kids of All Abilities Make Choices in Doctor's Office

MISSOULA, Mont. -- A doctor's office can be an intimidating place for children. A new guide from Montana can help kids of any ability advocate for …

Less than 15% of Michigan students had been tested for a sexually transmitted infection other than HIV in the last year, according to CDC surveys. (Adobe Stock)

MI Youth Groups Urge Inclusive Sex-Ed Curricula

LANSING, Mich. - Youth advocates for comprehensive sexual education are urging school districts to adopt curricula that use inclusive and …

More than 50% of Missouri residents have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. (Atlas/Adobe Stock)

Vaccine Lottery Winnings Can Be Put Toward MO ABLE Accounts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missourians who have received COVID-19 vaccinations can enter to win the Missouri Vaccine Incentive Program Lottery - 900 …

Access-A-Ride returned to scheduling shared rides on July 6, with a mask requirement per governor's order, but no vaccine mandate for passengers or drivers. (Flickr/Chris Sampson)<br /> — Access-A-Ride returned to scheduling shared rides on July 6, with a mask requirement per governor's order, but no vaccine mandate for passengers or drivers. (Flickr/Chris Sampson)

Disability Advocates Call on MTA to Resume Solo ‘Access-A-Ride’ Trips

NEW YORK - Tomorrow, advocates for New Yorkers with disabilities will ask the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to stop the shared-ride model for …

Around 57% of adults in Ohio are fully vaccinated. (Adobe Stock)

OH Vaccination Program Reaching Homebound Residents

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's homebound residents interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine have a new option, which can come right to their door…

Turnover for direct-care professional positions, many of which pay minimum wage with no benefits, has been as high as 60%. (Adobe Stock)

Disabled Community Urges Congress to Boost Home-Care Infrastructure

DENVER -- As infrastructure legislation makes its way through Congress, advocates for people with disabilities are urging lawmakers to boost …

In the United States, home-care workers, mostly women and people of color, earn on average only $12 an hour. (Adobe Stock)

NY Disability Rights Advocates Seek Federal Dollars for Home Care

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Advocates for people with disabilities in New York are pushing for the federal budget resolution to include $400 billion in Medicaid …

Across the United States, 46 states have laws allowing for harsher punishment for crimes based on bias. (Ludk/Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah Could Improve Its Hate-Crime Laws

SALT LAKE CITY - With rising numbers of people targeted in hate crimes and related violence, a new report analyzes the hate-crime laws in each state…

According to AARP Connecticut, 47% of family caregivers have had at least one financial setback, such as having less money for retirement or savings, or cutting back on their own healthcare spending. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Aid Could Offset Costs for CT Family Caregivers

HARTFORD, Conn. - In Connecticut, more than 460,000 people care for close friends or family members who can't manage on their own - and their …

Founded just before the pandemic, the USA Wheelchair Football League is the first football league of its kind, for adults living with disabilities. (Move United)

Beyond Olympics, USA Wheelchair Football Inspires Adaptive Athletes

TAMPA, Fla. -- Move United's USA Wheelchair Football League is expanding from four cities to nine, including Tampa, to give athletes with …

More than 350,000 Iowans live with a disability. Their advocates are working with state government to help more people in this group gain appointments to government boards and commissions. (Adobe Stock)

Push for More People with Disabilities on IA Boards, Commissions

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa's government has 180 boards and commissions, with many consisting of appointed members, but advocates fear most don't …

Around 72% of older Mainers live in communities without access to fixed- or flex-route public transportation services. (Satjawat/Adobe Stock)

Program to Give Rides for Non-Medical Errands to Eligible Seniors

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Legislature has passed a bill to launch a pilot program to give eligible older residents and people with disabilities …

People with disabilities in Colorado currently have a vaccination rate of nearly 55%, compared with 30% for the non-disabled population. (Pixabay)

Colorado’s Homebound Population Receiving COVID Vaccines

DENVER - State health agencies are continuing to help people with disabilities who are physically unable to leave their homes to get COVID-19 vaccines…

For Iowa's IAble account holders, the earnings on their savings are federally tax-deferred and tax-free, if used for qualified disability expenses. (Adobe Stock)

IA Strengthens Financial Tool for People with Disabilities

MASON CITY, Iowa - Iowa has updated a law that backers say gives more financial flexibility to people living with disabilities. The changes center …

More than half of renters with extremely low income in Idaho are older or have a disability. (Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock)

Housing Crisis Hits Idahoans on Fixed Income Harder

BOISE, Idaho -- The shortage of affordable housing in Idaho is hitting people on fixed incomes especially hard. The state is short more than 22,000 …

Wheelchair-accessible vehicles often are prohibitively expensive for the people who need them. (Harvey Keim)

Loan Program Helps Montanans with Disabilities Afford Assistive Tech

HELENA, Mont. - People with disabilities face a number of barriers to getting the equipment they need in daily life. A program in Montana is helping …

Political campaigns often fail to make their events and literature accessible to all people with disabilities. (Reneshia/Adobe Stock)

People with Disabilities to Candidates: Make Your Campaigns Accessible

NEW YORK - Political campaigns must provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. That's the message to candidates for elected …

Texas ranks as the fifth-highest state for senior food insecurity, according to Feeding Texas. (texasimpact.org)

TX Lawmakers Urged to Remove Barriers for Vulnerable SNAP Recipients

AUSTIN, Texas -- Hunger relief organizations say the pandemic combined with February's unexpected winter storm in Texas has highlighted the state's …

Elizabeth Cummings shared her experiences with her son, who has autism and a genetic disorder, through Montana Voices Amplified. (Wisam Raheem/Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities)

MT Organization Amplifies Voices of Disability Communities

HELENA, Mont. -- A project in Montana is raising up the experiences of people with disabilities and their families. Montana Voices Amplified …

Health experts say to avoid hearing loss, wear protective equipment such as earplugs or enclosed headphones that cancel noise whenever exposed to loud sounds. (Eric Driggers/Flickr)

Hearing Checkups Down During COVID

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Medical hearing and inner-ear experts are encouraging Nebraskans to make an appointment if they are having difficulty hearing or are …

The Long-Term Care Trust Act has a lifetime cap on benefits of $36,500. (verbaska/Adobe Stock)

WA Caregivers Lend Support to Long-Term Care Trust Act

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state caregivers are boosting a bill that closes some loopholes in the Long-Term Care Trust Act as it nears the …

More than a quarter of Montana adults have at least one disability. (rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

MT Voting-Access Bills Create Barriers for People with Disabilities

HELENA, Mont. -- Advocates said some bills in Montana will make it harder for people with disabilities to vote. Election integrity and security have …

At over 93,000 cases, Florida accounts for the highest number of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. among people with disabilities living in congregate settings, according to the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. (Adobe Stock)

From Vaccines to Healthcare, COVID Amplifies Inequities for Autistic Community

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- April is World Autism Acceptance Month, and groups that advocate for people on the autism spectrum said they want more than …

According to the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, over 1.1 million COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been detected among people with disabilities living in congregate settings. Connecticut accounts for about 0.02% of that number. (Adobe Stock)

On World Autism Acceptance Day, Advocates Seek More Than Awareness

HARTFORD, Conn. - Today is World Autism Acceptance Day, and this year, advocates for people with developmental disabilities are raising awareness …

Even before COVID-19 health measures, 60% of people with disabilities reported experiencing mental-health challenges, largely due to social isolation. (Pixabay)

Groups Work to Get Vaccines to Colorado’s Disabled, Homeless

DENVER -- Colorado's disability community and supporters are applauding Gov. Jared Polis' move to prioritize COVID-19 vaccines for people with Down …

Cuts to Medicaid in New York have targeted services that allow people with disabilities to remain in their homes. (karelnoppe/Adobe Stock)

Advocates for People with Disabilities Urge Repeal of Medicaid Cap

NEW YORK - Advocates for people with disabilities say the cap New York put on Medicaid spending in 2011 doesn't keep pace with growing health-care nee…

In March, people who live with disabilities hope to highlight how they've managed to live and work throughout the pandemic crisis. (IDDC)

One Year Later, Advocates for Iowans with Disabilities Reflect on COVID

MASON CITY, Iowa -- The pandemic has dramatically altered the lives of many people, including those living with disabilities, but Iowa advocates say …

President Joe Biden's COVID relief package includes $160 billion to fund speedier vaccine distribution. (CBS4)

Colorado Children's Groups Urge U.S. Senate to Pass COVID Relief

DENVER -- Colorado advocates for children, low-income workers and other vulnerable populations are urging Congress to pass President Joe Biden's …

Almost 2 million Arizonans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but advocates for people with disabilities say they have, so far, been left out of the program. (weya/Adobe Stock)<br /><br /> — Almost 2 million Arizonans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but advocates for people with disabilities say they have, so far, been left out of the program. (weya/Adobe Stock)

Groups Seek COVID Vaccine Priority for Arizonans with Disabilities

PHOENIX, Ariz. - A coalition is calling on Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona's Department of Health Services to prioritize access to the COVID-19 vaccine …

Medical aid-in-dying is currently available to more than one in five Americans. It is authorized in nine states, including Colorado, and the District of Columbia. (Pixabay)

Report: Medical Aid-in-Dying Law Works as Intended for Terminally Ill Coloradans

DENVER -- A new report suggests Colorado's medical aid-in-dying law, passed in 2016, is working as intended, by helping qualified terminally ill …

Transferring a nursing-home resident to a new facility could lead to loss of contact with family and friends. (Bonsales/Adobe Stock)

"COVID-Only" Nursing Homes Raise Concerns for NY Residents’ Rights

NEW YORK - Are some nursing-home residents being moved without notice to create "COVID-only" facilities? That's one of several concerns being raised b…

Caregivers are concerned cuts could affect them as Washington state deals with its budget shortfall from COVID-19. (Rolando Avila/SEIU 775)

Facing Cutbacks, Washingtonians Want 'Upside Down' Tax System Changed

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- With Washington state facing a big budget shortfall because of COVID-19, many are calling for the state to fix its tax code…

Maryland lawmakers are considering a measure to provide changing rooms in state buildings to help people with developmental disabilities. (Adobe stock)

MD Advocates Push for Bills to Support Folks with Disabilities

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council will launch what it calls "DD Day" tomorrow, to promote a slew of bills introduced …

Jen Banna has five children, including one daughter with a neurodevelopmental disability. (Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities)

Families of People with Disabilities Get Support in MT

HELENA, Mont. -- Families with people who have disabilities can sometimes feel isolated because of their experiences. Siblings of people with …

Ohioans living in Appalachia report poorer health outcomes than those in other regions of the state. (Dan Keck/Flickr)

Online Storybook Highlights Medicaid in Appalachia

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Some rural Ohioans are part of a multistate project sharing how the Medicaid program has changed their lives. Appalachians for …

Advocates say people with disabilities should be prioritized for vaccinations to prevent further damage due to increased isolation. (Pixabay)

Isolation During Pandemic Takes Mental-Health Toll on People with Disabilities

DENVER - People with disabilities in Colorado are among those at greatest risk of suffering from depression or other mental-health conditions during t…

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost five times as often as do adults without disabilities. (Adobe Stock)

IA Disability Advocates Push for Mental-Health, Community-Care Funding

DES MOINES, Iowa - Advocates for Iowans with disabilities want state lawmakers to dedicate more funding in two key areas: mental-health treatment and …

Some blind voters weren't able to vote in Indiana this year because they couldn't get an appointment with the traveling board of election officials due to the pandemic. (Dodgerton Skillhause/Morguefile)

Blind Voters Sue State of Indiana to Improve Voting Access

INDIANAPOLIS -- A group of blind voters is suing to force the state of Indiana to make absentee balloting more accessible. Blind voters now have …

A las personas en mayor riesgo de contagio por el coronavirus se les est� dando prioridad para recibir las vacunas COVID-19. (Dmytro S/Adobe Stock)

Vaccine Priorities, Precautions for People with Disabilities

NEW YORK -- With coronavirus vaccines now being distributed, advocates for people living with disabilities are stressing the importance of knowing if …

A survey from the National Disability Institute showed more than half of respondents worried about social isolation and access to community support during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

For Iowans with Disabilities, Virtual Counseling a Big Help During Crisis

DES MOINES, Iowa -- People with disabilities have made strides to become self-advocates, but the pandemic has hindered their routine connections with …

Fifty-four million Americans are projected to lack reliable access to nutritious food because of economic fallout from COVID-19 by year's end. (Pixabay)

CO Food Pantries Must Apply for Special Grants by Sunday

DENVER -- The Colorado Legislature has allocated an additional $5 million to help address an unprecedented rise in hunger across the state as part of …

Supportive decision-making is seen as a less restrictive approach to helping people with disabilities and older people manage their lives. (M.Dorr & M.Frommherz/Adobe Stock)

MT Forges Path for Less Restrictive Guardianship Options

HELENA, Mont. -- While traditional guardianship for an individual can be necessary, it also can restrict the choices they make in their lives…

Thousands of Arizona renters could face eviction in January when both the federal eviction moratorium and CARES Act housing assistance are scheduled to end. (nito/Adobe Stock)

Many AZ Renters Face Eviction as Moratorium, Financial Aid Ends

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Many Arizonans have used legal and financial assistance programs to keep a roof over their heads during the pandemic. However…

From 2009 to 2019 the state share of spending for special education fell from 32 to 22 percent. (pabrady63/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA “Shortchanges” Students with Disabilities

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A new report shows state spending on special education has remained almost unchanged for a decade, leaving school districts to …

Nineteen advocacy groups filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court urging the Affordable Care Act be upheld, arguing it "uniquely and extensively benefits people with disabilities." (Mark Thomas/Pixabay)

Disability Groups Watch SCOTUS Case Challenging Affordable Care Act

DENVER -- Advocates for people with disabilities are keeping a close eye on the U.S. Supreme Court as it considers a case calling for the elimination …

Advance directives can save families from having to agonize over end-of-life decisions when a patient can't speak for him or herself. (Click/Morguefile)

Advocates Praise Blumenthal's New End-of-Life Care Bill

HARTFORD, Conn. -- In the face of a staggering death toll from COVID-19, and the prospect that many more will succumb, the U.S. Senate is considering …

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Disabilities