February 2021 Newsletter

Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition

Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities

Results from the employer campaign

The first-ever Hoosier Disability Employment Awareness Month Campaign reached an amazing number of people with our message EVERYONE WINS WHEN EVERYONE’S IN. Here is a listing of all the activities that were undertaken in Fort Wayne, Clarksville, Bloomington, Indianapolis, Gary, and Terre Haute. The campaign was led by people with disabilities with over 65 participating in some way. They were able to distribute materials to 230 businesses. We reached Hoosiers across the state with an amazing 9,600,000 impressions through press releases, billboards, radio and TV ads, and webinars. We are excited to be planning already for October 2021! All materials will be available online so any community can conduct a campaign. The more the merrier and even more impact!!

INAPSE Policy Agenda 2021

Indiana Chapter of the Association for People Supporting Employment First (IN-APSE) is the Indiana state charter of the international organization. APSE is the only membership association with a sole focus on integrated employment for people with disabilities. Indiana APSE has just released its policy agenda for the 2021 General Assembly. Bullet points for the agenda include:

Policy Agenda Bullet Points

• Removal of employment barriers for Medicaid and Waiver programs to allow for greater earnings and asset (equity) building for Hoosiers.

• Remove limits on earned income for MedWorks the Indiana Medicaid buy-in program and raise asset/resource limits including workers with disabilities age 65 and older.

• Increase resources for Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) to address the fiscal deficit, increase the reimbursement rates and allow expansion and innovation of services.

• Allow Medicaid to make an independent medical determination of disability for those individuals who are not currently on Social Security.

• Phase-out sub-minimum wage certificates over time, accompanied by comprehensive systems change based on Employment First principles.

• Develop and promote public and private sector partnerships that support youth with disabilities to acquire work experiences, skills, and access to resources.

• Increase funding to support increases for direct support professional and personal care attendant wages.

• Encourage legislation that creates an economy and workforce where people with disabilities have opportunities to work alongside other Hoosiers, and earn competitive wages.

• Support the efforts of the Indiana Rehabilitation Commission to implement the Employment First plan and encourage efforts to establish Indiana as a model employer.

Please visit inapse.org to learn more about the organization and the resources they bring to our Employment First efforts. Contact Susan Rinne, srinne60@gmail.com, if you would like the legislative agenda handout that has more details to share with your legislator.

#INCLUSIONWORKS

Bi-Partisan Policy Center recommendations for
Medicaid Buy in 2021

The following is from a report from BPC that is making recommendations to increase participation in and improve Medicaid Buy-In programs across the country. Nationally, 46 states have MBI for working individuals with disabilities—allowing more than 400,000 individuals to work and retain Medicaid coverage over the last decade. MBI states have allowed individuals with disabilities to live and work independently in their communities, resulting in increased earnings, savings, and career opportunities. The positive results of MBI for workers with disabilities include increased enrollee income; increased number of hours worked; and a greater opportunity to accrue savings for home purchases, retirement, and other needs. The following recommended changes will enable more to realize these gains.

1. Issue an Executive Order that clarifies the current Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities.
   States need guidance identifying the full range of authority available to design, improve, and expand MBI programs for workers with disabilities. A name change from “Medicaid Buy-in” to “Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities” would address confusion with other programs.

2. Issue Regulations on Medicaid Buy-in Programs.
   There are currently no promulgated regulations for MBI. Currently, it relies on guidance memos that have not been updated for 20 years.

3. Develop and Pass Legislation.
   Congress should enact legislation to update, consolidate, and streamline existing authorities into a single state option. Additionally, it should reauthorize and appropriate funding to assist states and draw from others to convey best practices in MBI.

The availability of MBI is critical to support people with disabilities going to work. Indiana implemented one of the first programs in the country. This bi-partisan effort could support changes in our state and others.

The Biden Plan for Full Participation and Equality for People with Disabilities

Readers are encouraged to go to: https://joebiden.com/disabilities/ to view President Biden’s plan for working with the disability community. According to the plan, Biden will prioritize enacting and implementing policies that break down the barriers to access for people with disabilities living and succeeding in their chosen communities, which means good jobs in competitive, integrated employment; affordable, accessible, and integrated housing; accessible and affordable transportation; inclusive voting processes; and any needed long-term services and supports.

1. Safeguard workers with disabilities’ rights to workplace accommodations and equal employment opportunity. 

2. Phase-out the subminimum wage based on disability and work with Congress to ensure that there is funding for impacted employees with disabilities to receive support in competitive and integrated work settings. 

3. Provide technical assistance and funding for jobs that allow people with disabilities to put their skills, talents, and abilities to work with reasonable accommodations in settings that include workers who do not have disabilities. 

4. Restore the Department of Justice’s guidance on the application of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision to state and local employment services, which the Trump Administration revoked. 

5. Direct the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration to enforce the integrated employment provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

6. Increase the tax credits to employers, including small businesses, by passing the Disability Employment Incentive Act. 

7. Increase funding for state vocational rehabilitation agencies. 

8. Provide small business resources for people with disabilities. 

9. Ensure those working in the federal government or for government contractors reflect the diversity of our country, including people with disabilities.

The Biden plan also includes the intent to protect and strengthen the economic security for people with disabilities by:

• Increasing the benefit level for people receiving SSI

• Eliminating the 5-month waiting period for SSDI and the 2-year waiting period for Medicare.

• Eliminating the “benefits cliff” for SSDI.

• Reforming the SSI program so that it does not limit beneficiaries’ freedom to marry, save, or live where they choose.

• Expanding access to tax-advantaged savings accounts (ABLE accounts).

• Reversing the damage done to Social Security rules by the Trump administration.

Read Joe Biden’s plan to support people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic by clicking the button below.

#INCLUSIONWORKS

Biden Plan Would End
Sub-minimum Wage

In his first major undertaking, President Joe Biden wants to do away with a decades-old option to pay workers with disabilities less than minimum wage while giving stimulus payments to more people in this population. Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion proposal to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout from it. The so-called American Rescue Plan includes $1,400 in direct payments to many Americans as well as funding to support vaccine distribution, reopen schools and support state and local governments while also extending unemployment benefits and expanding paid leave. Notably, the plan would provide stimulus payments for adults with disabilities who are considered dependents for tax purposes. These individuals have been disqualified from the previous rounds of direct payments issued by the federal government since the start of the pandemic.

Disability Scoop Article by Michelle Diament, January 19, 2021, https://www.disabilityscoop.com/

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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