Hello everyone, CDRC hopes everyone is having a nice summer. In this newsletter we will be updating you on Money Follows the Person, the ADA Celebration among other updates.

 

 Money Follows the Person

 

Here’s an update as of August 8th on the Money Follows the Person Grant.  One person moved using State Plan only services. (no waiver)  There have been 9 individuals who have move out of Nursing Facilities on the Older Adults Waiver, (OAW) 20 individuals have moved out of Nursing Facilities on the Living at Home Waiver, (LAHW)  20 individuals have move out of an institutional setting on the Community Pathways Waiver, (CPW) 19 from Rosewood and 1 individual from a Nursing Facility.

Also, the other BIG news is that the transition Center Request For Proposal has been posted by the Department.

   

Legislation for 2009

 Delegate Sophocieus who represents district 32 in Anne Arundel County is planning to submit legislation during the 2009 Legislative Session that would remove references to “mentally retarded” from code and replace it with “intellectual disability”   

 

ADA Celebration

 Governor Martin O'Malley joined hundreds of people celebrating the 18th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26th.  Governor O'Malley delivered the keynote address at the celebration. 
The Americans with Disabilities Act, which was passed in 1990, was landmark legislation to protect the civil rights of those with disabilities.  In Maryland , approximately 850,000 individuals or 18 percent of the total population are classified as disabled, according to the 2000 census. 

 

SunShine Folk

 The Sun Shine Folk (SSF), lead by Floyd Hartley, organized a "Community Integration celebration" event for the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act for July 26th at Fort McHenry Harborside picnic area. The SSF focused on inviting people who had been freed with their efforts or who were about to be returning to the community. The combination cook-out and potluck drew a wonderful turnout, old friends who SSF had helped to leave the same facility reunited and planned to stay in touch, new friends and recruits for SSF were empowered, and professionals who came with their “clients” were overwhelmed with the 50-60 people who came to celebrate freedom from facilities and the “most integrated setting” words from the ADA. Making Choices for Independent Living-MCIL- co-sponsored this empowering event and shared the cooking with Floyd’s brother.

 A service coordinator, Bill, said, "Kindness, self-confidence, and sense-of-purpose were evident amid the energy of the Sun Shine Folk!" The long term care ombudsman/advocate, Laura, said, "The Sun Shine Folk are the most impressive group of advocates I have ever known. Being a part of this gives me hope to keep going." DD provider support workers said, “This is amazing! [the person I support] is so happy to be here on this fine day with so many people who are facility ‘escapees!’”

 Here are two stories that we heard that day.

 Ms. "Bea" is 84 years young and went home to her son's home in early June 2008 after two years in a nursing facility. Ms. Bea fell and broke her hip two years ago and it healed but she thought she had to stay in a nursing home because all the people she knew who were her age were in one. One day Linda, a nursing facility survivor and member of the SSF from the beginning, met Ms. Bea and once they started talking, Linda helped her apply for the older adult waiver, get a new Social Security card, because the facility had lost hers, and helped her get a birth certificate. Linda called Ms. Bea's son to tell him about the program and what the housing options were. Ms. Bea's son jumped at the chance to have his mother come to live with him and his wife. The OAW is able to pay the daughter-in-law for some of the hours she works to care for Ms. Bea. "Being outside in the community is so good. I needed the nursing home at first, back then, but I'm never going back there! I am so thankful the sunshine folks found me," according to Ms. Bea.

 The second story is about "J." He had been in a nursing facility for several years and had applied to the Living at Home waiver program but faced two barriers, he was going to "age-out" of the 18-59 age limit for enrollment before he could convince his guardian, his brother, to let him try life in his own place. His brother refused to grant permission for J to apply or to enroll and leave the facility.

 The SSF met him and discussed his options and how to contact lawyers. With counsel, J was able to ask the court to end the guardianship and after careful review, the judge decided J could be his own decision maker. J then applied to the LAH waiver, which would accept his application now because of the age increase to age 65 that resulted from SSF & CDRC systems advocacy, and he will move to his own home in July.

 J said, "It was a hard and long fight. I gave up. I would not have had the courage to keep fighting again if it had not been for the sun shine folk's encouragement. Freedom is so sweet. I can't wait to be able to vote this year too!" (People with guardians are not allowed to vote in Maryland , yet.)

 Yes, the sun does shine brighter at home!  because the sun shines brighter at home”

 

 Rosewood Closure Party

 CDRC, People On the Go, and Maryland Disability Law Center are hosting a “CLOSE ROSEWOOD PARTY”.  We are CELEBRATING the closure of Rosewood.  Mingle with former residents, advocates, and legislators while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and listening to great music.

When:  September 13, 2008.

Where: The Arc of Baltimore Employment Center

Time:    4:00 – 6:00   

 

CDRC Meeting

 CDRC will be combining its monthly membership meeting with a training on waivers.  We will have 2 guest speakers talking about waivers.

August 24, 2008

1:00: - 4:00

320 York Road Towson ,  Md. 21204