January 2020 Newsletter
Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition
Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education and Co-Director, Work to Include Initiative
Susan Rinne, MPA and Co-Director, Work to Include Initiative
Welcome Work to Include Coalition members.
We hope to provide this information to you monthly to keep you up to date on what local planning teams are doing and to let you know about additional resources and ways you can provide your voice in policymaking activities in Indiana.
Inclusion Works!
My friend Adam Hines started his employment journey in April 2005 doing landscaping at a local memorial garden. He got hired for about five months, then was laid off. His favorite activity there was using the tractor and watering the graves. In October of 2005, he applied and was hired at Walmart, where he still works. He has held several positions there, starting out as a cart pusher for five months. After that, he worked in produce for 11 years. He enjoyed inspecting bananas, making salads, and cleaning up. He also had things he disliked, such as coring pineapples, cleaning out the sinks, and culling.
Due to a policy change, Adam had to take on more responsibility and now works in the bakery and deli as a floater. As a floater, he goes between both departments during his shift. Some of the tasks that he likes are making pizzas and mashed potatoes. There are also a few dislikes such as inspecting potato salad and being in the freezer for long periods of time.
His manager was quoted as saying “be your own worst critic.” When asked what this meant to him Adam stated “to make bad things good, and good things great.” I also asked Adam how he has grown as a person during his employment at Walmart, and he said “I talk to people more and have become more responsible.” In October, Adam will be celebrating fifteen years at Walmart.
Submitted by Jeffrey Scherer,
Fort Wayne Work to Include Team Leader
Employment First Planning Update
Thanks to all who provided comment to the state on the Employment First Plan. We understand they received hundreds of responses and are in the process of reviewing the comments. We should have a final plan in the coming weeks. We will keep you posted!
#INCLUSIONWORKS
USDOL awards Indiana VOICE Technical Assistance Grant
Indiana applied for and received a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) entitled, Visionary Opportunities to Increase Competitive Employment (VOICE). ODEP will work with a minimum of ten (10) states to provide intensive policy consulting, technical support and ongoing mentoring to increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with mental health disabilities through provider transformation, capacity building or policy development in their state. This was something you all advocated for and we are pleased the state pursued this great opportunity. We hope that Work to Include Coalition members can participate in some way and will let you know what we hear as the project gets kick-started.
Medicaid Waiver Redesign
The Division on Disability and Rehabilitative Services has made available the concept paper on the Medicaid Waiver Redesign. The paper can be found HERE. The Division engaged consultants to help envision a new system. They stated, “This waiver redesign effort is a product of a broader transformational change that has been underway at the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) for some time. DDRS’ newly adopted vision and mission statements, listed on the right, help to exemplify the change that is underway. The purpose and focus of the work being done is broader than the paid services and supports being offered. The aim is to build a support services structure that is a launchpad to a full life as each individual defines it.” Kylee Hope, Director of DDRS, has stressed that this is just the beginning of the process. Work to Include Coalition members should work to provide feedback and advocate that the focus of the new Waiver, in whatever shape, is Employment First.
Legislative Advocacy
STATE WATCH
The Indiana General Assembly is in session January to March this year. In a short session, there is rarely any budget consideration. It looks like this year will be no different.
FEDERAL WATCH
The following bills are in either the House, Senate or both right now. You can track the progress easily HERE. You can search by name or bill number. It’s a great way to keep tabs on other legislation too.
HR 555 and S 117 - Disability Integration Act of 2019
Status: In Committee. This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. STATUS: No movement.
HR 873 and S 260 - Transformation to Competitive Employment Act:
A bill to help people with disabilities get real jobs for fair pay has been introduced in Congress. This essential bill phases out the discriminatory practice of paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. It also provides funding to support industries that move toward a business model that encourages competitive employment for people with disabilities. STATUS: One new co-sponsor in the House; no movement in the Senate.
S255 Disability Employment Incentive Act.
This bill expands tax credits and deductions that are available for employers who hire and retain employees with disabilities. The bill expands the work opportunity tax credit to include the hiring of employees who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. For employers who hire vocational rehabilitation referrals, Supplemental Security Income recipients, or SSDI recipients, the bill also (1) increases the number of wages that may be taken into account for the credit, and (2) allows an additional credit for second-year wages. Status: referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
Others to watch:
Raise the Wage Act (HR 582 / S 150) • CAPABILITY Act (HR-3070) • ABLE Age Adjustment Act (HR 1814 / S 651) • Direct CARE Opportunity Act (HR 4397) • SSI Restoration Act (HR4280 / S 2753).
IMPORTANT Update: Social Security
Trump administration proposes Social Security rule changes that could cut off thousands of disabled recipients (Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/12/19). The rule would add “Medical Improvement Likely” as 4th category for medical review. It would create 2.6 million additional reviews over first 10 years. It will be costly to implement according to many and result in people’s eligibility being put in jeopardy. It is unclear that it will save any money (The Mighty, 12/30/19)
PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Disability Rights Finally Got Airtime.
Disability advocates praised the December’s Democratic presidential debate for including a prominent question about how candidates planned to address the needs of Americans with disabilities should they win the White House in 2020. Adults with disabilities are a key voting bloc that often goes unmentioned during presidential campaigns. Ari Neeman, a self-advocate previously with ASAN, tweeted, “FINALLY, Warren brings actual policy commitments to the table on disability policy, referencing IDEA Full Funding, housing accessibility and using the federal contracting system to incentivize integrated employment.” Other candidates have also put out plans for disability policy. Check them out! Huffington Post, 12/20/19.
CHECK US OUT…
Please help get the word out! Go to our Facebook and LinkedIN pages and share them widely. We hope you enjoy the access to employment-related content and are sure others will, too. Thanks!
HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS STORY YOU ARE WANTING TO SHARE?EMAIL SRINNE60@GMAIL.COM. SHORT, SWEET AND A PICTURE WOULD BE WONDERFUL!
Thank you!
For more information please contact our Co-Directors,
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education at progan@iupui.edu
or
Susan Rinne, MPA at srinne60@gmail.com
