Being Black delayed my son’s autism diagnosis Children with autism display a variety of behaviors in ways that can often reaffirm biases that exist with Black children — boys in particular. (Detroit Free Press)
The Path Forward: Remembering Willowbrook will be screened at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan at 6 p.m. on October 12, 2023.
The screening of the film is hosted by ReelAbilities, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities, and will include a panel discussion by those who lived the Willowbrook experience.
Panelists include Bernard Carabello, former Willowbrook resident and founder of the Self-Advocate Association of NYS, Dr. Michael Wilkins, former Willowbrook physician and whistle-blower, and Vicky Hiffa, DDPC Executive Director.
RELATED NEWS: All About ReelAbilities Stream, a Just-Launched Streamer Focused on Disability
The Path Forward: Remembering Willowbrook was produced by the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council in partnership with the New York State Digital and Media Services Center. It has been selected to screen at six NY film festivals so far and has been awarded two “best” and two finalist distinctions. It was selected recently as Best Short Documentary at the Sugar Loaf Film Festival in Chester, N.Y.
The documentary has been translated into Standard and Traditional Chinese, Spanish and Audio Description. Find these and the fully-captioned English version on the NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council YouTube Channel.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S.’s first major federal disability rights law, the Rehabilitation Act, passed on Sept. 26, 1973. The law, which set the stage for the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act works together with the ADA — which prohibits, among other things, employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector — and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to protect children and adults with disabilities from exclusion, and unequal treatment in schools, jobs and the community.
“None of these achievements would have happened without the relentless advocacy of disabled people,” Xavier Becerra, secretary of Health and Human Services, said in a statement celebrating the anniversary. “Led by people like the late Judy Heumann, whose tenacity and total commitment to the rights of people with disabilities led her to become known as ‘the mother’ of the disability rights movement people with disabilities, their families, and other advocates came together and changed our country in a fundamental way. ”
The U.S. Dept. of Labor has put out this handy video to help you learn more about the act’s impact then and now:
And in celebration of the act, The ARC has posted these helpful articles:
Photo: Mikhail Nilov via pexels.com
A look at the flawed special ed complaint process, a theater company’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ features 50 disabled adults, an autistic man gets Maryland to change its driver’s test, and more news for the week ending Sept. 30, 2023.
Disability groups win fight to be included in health equity research The designation of disabled people as a ‘health disparity population’ allows for more funding and research into the health equity barriers disabled people face. (Washington Post)
Significant flaws found in special ed written state complaint process The report’s findings include which states had the most and least favorable outcomes for parents and advocates who filed complaints. (k12dive.com)
GED test center for people with disabilities opens in NYC It’s equipped with both general and specific assistive technology. (NYN Media)
In Long Island, FedEx Partnership Opens Door for Employment for People With I/DD A YAI- FedEx partnership will bring some neurodiversity to the company’s Garden City workforce. (YAI.org)
Photos from Schenectady’s Walk for Autism — Cosplay and Character Edition The event on Sept. 23rd had some A+ costumes. (Times Union)
Former New Rochelle police officer charged with stealing funds from autism charity A 25-year veteran of the New Rochelle Police Department who retired in August 2021, was charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree. (westchester.news12.com)
A NYC student’s yearslong struggle to get proper instruction for dyslexia Experts estimate that 5% to 20% of students may have some degree of the language-based learning disability. (Gothamist)
MTA puts limits on ‘life-changing’ taxi service for disabled riders The $16 million the MTA spent each year for the on-demand program was a drop in the bucket compared to the agency’s overall paratransit budget. (Gothamist)
Chicago Public Schools’ vocational training program for students with disabilities could expand (Chalkbeat)
Louisiana Dept. of Education failed to investigate 40% of disability complaints (Louisiana Illuminator)
In Massachusetts, abuse and neglect in some residential schools for children with severe autism (Boston Globe)
Nashville theater company puts on ‘Beauty and the Beast’ featuring 50 disabled adults Go behind the scenes! (Wbur.org)
A company’s special ed teacher training courses didn’t meet Virginia standards The state Board of Education unfortunately approved the new partnership with the below-par company. (richmond.com)
An autistic man kept failing Maryland’s driver’s test. Officials changed it. The overhaul comes as part of an MVA effort to make its testing more inclusive. (Washington Post)
Boston College professor creates program to help Black teens with Autism improve mental health Still in its testing phase, the virtual program is a way to role-play. (CBS News)
Student on autism spectrum thriving in marching band “It’s so incredibly touching to see him out on the field overcoming so many social, spatial and linguistic challenges.” (starbeacon.com)
End of pandemic-era payments to family caregivers could complicate workforce shortages (McKnights Senior Living)
What it takes to get a disorder recognized How a nonprofit was created to build a community for children with Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NYNMedia)
Brazil: Disability Plan Should End Warehousing Thousands of people with disabilities live in institutions or inclusive residences under prison-like conditions. (Human Rights Watch)
‘Ask, Don’t Assume’ launched to challenge perceptions around disability The ad campaign from M&C Saatch, which can be seen on the streets of London, is powered by the lived experiences of disabled people. (Creativebrief.com)
The Rise of Autistic Ultrarunners A fascinating, first-person essay from autistic ultrarunner Ishmael Burdeau. (Irunfar.com)
Stephen King’s ‘Holly’ is admirably nuanced about autism The King, this time, seems to get it right. (Washington Post)
My teenage son has autism. Here’s what I wish his teachers and therapists understood. “Although we, parents, aren’t necessarily authorities in the fields of education or therapeutic interventions, we are experts in our children.” (Chalkbeat)
The project, introduced in 2019 and paused during COVID, is possible due to school buses now being required to have the automated vehicle location equipment (AVL) that makes tracking possible.
Over time, updates to the app will provide families with notifications on the expected arrival time of the bus, information about the time and location at which their child is getting on and off the school bus, and notifications about delays.
Learn more on the NYC Public Schools website.
New money to help students with disabilities transition into adulthood, autism family drama premieres starring Robert De Niro, physicians are needed to treat people with I/DD, and more news for the week ending Sept. 23, 2023.
NJ: Thousands of NJ families frustrated by long wait for disability services A look at the physical, emotional and financial toll it takes to be in limbo. (njspotlightnews.org)
NJ: Nonprofit partners with Montclair Public Library for autism job training (roi-nj.com)
NC: Mother says discriminatory discipline stands in way of daughter’s education The state suspends and expels students with disabilities more than any other state in the country, per capita. Most of those kids are Black.
Pa: Pittsburgh school districts sue over new ‘age-out’ rule for students with disabilities That was fast. The changes, announced in August, raise the state’s age-out from 21 to 22. (Post Gazette)
Biden Admin. Spends Big Bucks to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Nearly $199 million will fund model projects in 20 states designed to help young people transition into adulthood. (Disability Scoop)
Demand for direct care workers expected to outpace availability: report The far-ranging report projects that this workforce will see the largest growth of any job sector in the country. (wcnc.com)
Autism Family Drama Premieres at Toronto Film Festival Ezra, directed by Tony Goldwyn, stars Bobby Cannavale and Robert De Niro. (Los Angeles Times)
Oregon Mountain Bike Trails Adapted for Accessibility 100 miles of Bend, Ore.’s mountain bike trails to be assessed for adaptive users in May. (Governing.com)
‘There’s no one way to be autistic’ In this beautiful animation, British author Sara Gibbs shares how being diagnosed as autistic as an adult changed her relationship with herself. (BBC.com)
2 Massachusetts moms made adaptive clothing for kids with disabilities BeFree’s lightweight activewear was inspired by a very active middle-schooler with a disability. (cbsnews.com)
A Colorado dad opened a trade school for young adults with autism. Amazing, and, I’ll note this again: Nearly 99% of working-age autistic adults who potentially need employment services actually receive them. (Colorado Sun)
When Family Members Downplay a Child’s Potential Disability Some parents doubt their own observations of their child’s behavior, in part because some family members tell them to “let it go.” (Psychology Today)
Being Black delayed my son’s autism diagnosis Children with autism display a variety of behaviors in ways that can often reaffirm biases that exist with Black children — boys in particular. (Detroit Free Press)
People with Down syndrome deserve access to Alzheimer’s treatment Clinical trials for new drugs failed to include the population that made progress on Alzheimer’s treatments possible. (Boston Globe)
HHS Invests in Training New Physicians to Care for People with I/DD A 2022 survey of physicians showed only 57% would welcome people with disabilities into their practices. (HHS.gov)
Global report highlights neglected health needs of children with developmental disabilities (World Health Organization)
Passenger Demands ‘Lazy Child’ Give Up Disabled Seat The berated teen finally had to lift her trousers to show her prosthetic leg. Let’s be nicer to each other.
Haiti gangs take aim at disabled children: ‘Put those kids out of their misery or we will’ (Miami Herald)
This Rapping Preacher Is Selling Bleach to Parents Trying to ‘Treat’ Autism in Kids (Vice)
The bipartisan Savings Penalty Elimination Act, originally introduced in both chambers of Congress in the 2021-22 session, is back.
The bill, which gives the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program a critical update, was reintroduced in the Senate on Sept. 12 by Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). The measure is expected to be sponsored in the House again as well.
People who get SSI cannot have more than $2,000 in financial resources and married couples only $3,000, punishing people for saving for emergencies and their futures. The bill would raise those caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward.
In related news: SS and SSI monthly benefits are likely to grow by 3.2% in 2024, reports Disability Scoop.
On Sept. 12, Emily Demko from Athens County, Ohio, was invited to D.C. to speak on the importance of the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act. The Arc has a wonderful video from the event, below.
Image: Rawpixel via Freepik
The world’s biggest retailer sued for disability discrimination, New York Fashion Week has an adaptive clothing runway, electric shock therapy not going away and more news for the week ending Sept. 16, 2023.
Suit: Walmart unlawfully terminates employees with disabilities nationwide The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges the giant retailer with firing employees who perform satisfactorily but fail a seemingly unnecessary computer-based test.
Hochul Signs Bill Outlawing Use of ‘Mentally Retarded’ Language in State Laws Yes, it took this long to get the offensive term changed to “developmental disabilities.”
Runway of Dreams Returns to New York Fashion Week with Clothes for People with Disabilities: Take that, Michael Kors.
Massachusetts’ top court allows electric shock therapy for disabled patients FYI, a bill prohibiting New York from sending children to the institution that uses the highly controversial method, the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center, languished in the 2023 legislative session.
Social Security Overpays Billions to People, Many on Disability, then Demands Money Back SS overpayments are hurting the most vulnerable, especially those who receive SSI.
The missing billion: Lack of disability data impedes healthcare equity Important research from the McKinsey Health Institute has just been published.
How to teach kids to befriend a child with a disability You may not agree with all of the suggestions here, but who couldn’t use some good ideas?
Each year, beginning on the Sunday after Labor Day, we honor Direct Support Professional Recognition Week. This year it falls on Sept. 10 – 16.
It should always be the time to recognize our DSPs. This critical, caring and committed workforce needs all of our support. Underpaid and often undervalued (especially by the government agencies that fund them), they desperately need a living wage and decent hours.
Related news: SUNY Chancellor King Announces Registration is Open for Direct Support Microcredentials
This past New York State Legislative Session saw an important bill go nowhere. The Direct Support Wage Enhancement bill would raise wages an extra $4,000 per year in income for Direct Support Professionals. It was proposed on the heels of the legislature landing on a mere 4% cost of living increase.
Let’s get these workers the money they deserve.
Homesteads for Hope in upstate New York, has an excellent two-part podcast on the DSP crisis. They speak directly to people who specifically have worked in group homes, and their stories are eye-opening, appalling, and need to be heard.
The teacher shortage, especially in special education, is at crisis levels. This week, Maine was in the news with new initiatives from the University of Southern Maine (USM) that hope to help alleviate a problem so bad that a call to arms (headline: If you ever thought about teaching, Maine needs you. Now.), was just published in the Bangor Daily News.
The multi-layered program features a new bachelor of science special education degree (the school hasn’t had one for some 30 years) — a 39-credit major leading to certification to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities — and a new apprenticeship program.
“We’ve got to do something about the shortage,” Rachel Brown-Chidsey, associate professor of Special Education at USM, tells The Boost. “Right now it’s all about increasing capacity to provide special education services. We’re really being very aggressive in trying to address the teacher shortages.”
The bachelor’s degree is geared toward those already working in schools, especially people working as special ed education technicians (or “ed tech” ), better known as “paraprofessionals” in much of the rest of the country. School districts, that want to encourage people already interested in teaching, are giving their ed techs “release time” from their jobs to do their student teaching requirements.
To make the degree as accessible as possible, classes are being taught online, and students can do their student-teaching internship while working in their current ed tech jobs.
“We need to be innovative and things like online instruction mean people don’t have to drive an hour to get to campus,” says Brown-Chidsey.
USM, in collaboration with Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), also offers an apprenticeship program, which Brown-Chidsey says “is the thing that’s most new about our program. It takes the idea of apprenticeship, which has been around for years, and brings it into education.”
How it works is SMCC students will work as apprentices in public schools, earning half of their credits in the classroom. Those credits will automatically enroll them, upon graduation, into the SMU bachelor’s degree in special ed.
The apprenticeship program is part of a recently announced initiative co-sponsored by the U.S. Education and Labor departments, and the Maine Education and Labor departments.
Because community college tuition currently is free in Maine, these students “are saving money while working towards their bachelor’s degree,” explains Brown-Chidsey.
“Teacher education in Maine has followed one specific model for a long time,” she adds, “and part of all this is rethinking the components and making them more accessible so people don’t have to quit their day job to go to school to be a teacher.”
Photo: Adam Winger via Unsplash
As the debate over cameras in classrooms (and group homes) rages on, the Frederick County, Maryland, school board this week shot down a proposal — after three years of debate — to put cameras in some special ed classrooms.
The proposal came from parents upset about alleged physical abuse in a class for children with severe communication challenges. But the board reportedly was swayed by a survey taken by special ed teachers that showed staunch opposition to the cameras. Reasons included fears of teachers being spied on, the video being used for performance evaluations, and the anxiety-provoking implication that they aren’t to be trusted.
A small percentage, however, did feel it would help keep staff safer, not just students.
RELATED NEWS: Videotaped Abuse in Long Island Group Home Raises Question of Need for Cameras
In Maryland, state legislation requiring cameras in some special ed classrooms was introduced multiple times but never passed.
In New York, a bill introduced in the 2019-2020 legislative session requiring video camera recording in special ed classrooms where pupils are unable to communicate effectively pretty much just sat in committee. (The legislators who sponsored it are no longer in office).
In June, Gov. Hochul approved $13M for school tech and security upgrades. It includes video systems but it’s unclear if it could go to cameras in classrooms.
Bringing Legislation on cameras in classrooms into focus, a white paper from several Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) members, has a lot of good information.
Photo: Wirestock on Freepik