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Feb '00

Ahead of the Times
Volume 20, Number 5
February, 2000

LAWRENCE SIDEWALK PROGRAM
City of Lawrence ADA Coordinator Tammy Bannister has announced that the city is starting a program to repair deteriorated areas of sidewalk and fill gaps between existing sidewalks. Funding for this five-year program has been allocated by the City Commission.
This is a great opportunity for us to help the city create more accessible and usable sidewalks for people with disabilities and the entire community. The Independence, Inc. Access Task Force (ATF) will be submitting an application to propose one or more sidewalk projects.
If you would like to contribute your ideas and suggestions to the sidewalk proposal, come to our next ATF meeting 4 p.m., Friday, February 4, at Independence, Inc. Your input is valued and welcomed. You may also contribute to the ATF sidewalk proposal by communicating your suggestions to: Bob Mikesic, Advocacy/ADA Coordinator; Independence, Inc.; 2001 Haskell Ave.; Lawrence, KS 66046; 841-0333; or by e-mail at indyadv@sunflower.com Please submit comments by March 1.

ON-SCREEN MAGNIFIER AT CENTER
The Assistive Technology Access site at Independence, Inc. now has a ClearView, on-screen magnifier available for trial use. The ClearView enlarges text, letting a person with low vision easily read all types of printed material such as mail, books, prescription bottles, etc. Thanks to Eyes For You, a vendor of the ClearView machine, for choosing us to house this device. To make an appointment to visit the Center to try out the ClearView, contact Access Site staff at 841-0333 or outside Lawrence 1-800-526-3648.

TRANSITION COUNCIL OFFERS SERIES ON SERVICES FOR ADULTS 
The Transition Council of Douglas and Jefferson Counties will be hosting a series of "Brown Bag" lunch meetings to assist families in becoming familiar with agencies and services for adults with disabilities. This semester's sessions will focus on getting to know providers of service coordination (targeted case management). This service may be available for students who have mental retardation or developmental disabilities. Service coordinators/case managers assist individuals and their families in identifying needs and accessing services. Many families have found this to be a valuable service as their sons and daughters prepare to move from school to adult life.
The Brown Bag Lunches will be held 12 - 1 p.m. at the United Way Human Resource Center, 2518 Ridge Court with presentations beginning at 12:15 p.m. Please feel free to bring your lunch. Drinks will be provided. The first session has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 9 and will feature The Arc of Douglas County Service Coordination with Calli Sanders and Barb Bishop.
Other sessions are being planned for March 8, April 12, and May 10. Information will be distributed through special education teachers once the presenters have been confirmed.
If you are interested in these sessions but are not able to attend the noon meeting time, contact Linda Wildgen at Lawrence High School, 832-5050, ext. 221. The council may try to schedule some evening sessions or you can get information to contact the agency/provider directly.

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The Peer Support Group and the Music Appreciation Group (MAGNET) will celebrate Black History Month with two exciting field trips.
Join us for a tour of the Chokwe Tribe African Art Exhibit at the Spencer Museum of Art. We will meet at the Museum, 1301 Mississippi, Friday, February 18, 2 - 4 p.m. The exhibit is free-of-charge.
Then, on Saturday, February 26, 1:30 - 4 p.m., join us at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts, for the JazzTrain Film Festival, featuring two musical films, "Great Day in Harlem" and "The Benny Goodman Story." A free-of-charge voucher is required for admission, available at Independence, Inc. or through the Lied Center box office at 864-2787. 
Call Susan or Ranita at 841-0333 for more information about these events or to sign up to attend. Please arrange transportation by calling 843-5576. When arranging transportation it is best to call a week in advance. 

SOUP'S ON!
The Independence, Inc. Cooking Club will meet Monday, February 21, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Center. We will use all those odds and ends from the cooking club cabinet to make a low budget yet warm and delicious meal. Space is limited so R.S.V.P. to Ranita or Angie at 841-0333. Please remember that you will need to arrange your own transportation.

HOUSING NEWS
The next Home Of Your Own (HOYO) First Time Homebuyer's Meeting will be on Wednesday, February 9, 3:30 p.m. at Independence, Inc. Call 841-0333 for more information.
The HOYO Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday, February 15, 1:30 p.m. at Independence, Inc.
Tenants to Homeowners will have its First Time Homebuyer's workshop on Saturday, February 12, 9:45 a.m. at the United Way Building, 2518 Ridge Court. Call 842-5494 for more information.

FREE MEDICAL SUPPLIES
The Assistive Technology program at Independence, Inc. has a variety of usable medical supplies that are available "as is" to anyone who needs them. If you need any of the following items contact John Rasmussen or Jennifer Schwartz, at 1-800-526-3648 (if you are calling from outside Lawrence) or 785/841-0333.

Plastic tubing for adult nasal cannula
Lancets for use with blood glucose monitors
Silicone catheters Depends guards for men
60 cc syringes with catheter tip Blood glucose test kit
Transparent long-term dressing Hypodermic needles 
Yankam suction tube Blood glucose test strip
Sodium chloride inhilation solution Iodine swab sticks 
Pro peptine drink mix for children Ensure for adults
White TED hose Gauze wrap
Tracheostomy cleaning trays 3 cc syringes
Hospital gowns Arm sling
Ulcer care dressing Alcohol swabs 
Hospital bed (manual)

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities has announced the availability of three scholarship opportunities for people with disabilities:
The ELA Foundations scholarship (one or two for $2,000) is for women with disabilities enrolled in a graduate program in an accredited college or university. No specific course of study is required. Deadline is May 25.
The Nike Scholarship (one for $2,500) is available for a student with a disability enrolled in an undergraduate degree program that focuses on sports or recreation management, marketing, medicine or retailing sports or recreation equipment at a four year accredited college or university in the U.S. Deadline is May 11.
The Nordstrom Scholarship (five scholarships at $2,000 each) is available for students with disabilities enrolled in a business degree undergraduate program at a four-year accredited college or university in the U.S. Deadline is May 11.
Application forms are available by contacting Martha Gabehart at the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns; 1430 S.W. Topeka Boulevard, Topeka, KS 66612-1877. Phone: 1-800-295-5232 (voice); 1-877-340-5874 (TDD); 785-296-0466 (fax). E-mail: mkgabeha@hr.state. ks.us 

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE PERSON NEEDED FOR ACCESS SITE
The Northeast Assistive Technology site at Independence, Inc. is in need of a person who can volunteer 8 - 12 hours a week to assist with cleaning, cataloging, reshelving and repairing of durable medical equipment (walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, toilet risers, hospital beds, etc.) The position requires someone who is well organized, mechanically minded, able to make phone contacts to suppliers to order parts, and who can coordinate major repairs of equipment. Training and tools are provided.
This volunteer opportunity will allow Independence, Inc. to keep equipment clean, well organized, and in good working condition to provide quality loan equipment to the people of our community. If you are interested in enhancing your knowledge of repairing and maintaining equipment, and would like to help provide quality equipment to people who might not otherwise have access to it, contact John Rasmussen at 841-0333 or 1-800-526-3648. 

MANAGED CARE WEBCASTS
Special webcasts on managed health care will be broadcast on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. Sessions are:

Jan. 26 The Basics of Managed Care 
Feb. 23 How to Select a Health Plan for Your Family and Child with Special Healthcare Needs
March 22 Understanding, Accessing & Appealing Your Healthcare Benefits
April 26 Health Care and the Law

Register for the webcasts and download session materials by accessing the website http://www. uic.edu/sph/cade/qcmc2 or by calling 312/996/1362.

DRIVER NEEDED: I will be interviewing for different teaching positions across the state of Kansas beginning in February and possibly continuing into the summer. I can reimburse you at $0.19/mile. Call Johnna Godinez at 843-6356 and leave a message.

WANTED: Dolls and stuffed animals of all sizes. Also full skeins of yarn to create outfits for them. The finished toys will be given to families who can't afford to buy them for their children. I love to crochet and make others happy, but cannot afford the materials. Contact Nola at 842-6854 after noon.

EXCELLENCE IN ACCESS AWARDS
Nominations are still being accepted for Excellence in Access Awards to recognize businesses, organizations and facilities that exemplify the equal opportunity and inclusion provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mail, call-in or e-mail your nominations for the Awards to any of the sponsoring organizations listed below. In the nomination, list the name of the business, organization, or facility you are nominating; the reason(s) they deserve an award; and your name and phone number.

KLWN / KLZR; c/o Andy Stahmer; 3125 W. 6th St.; Lawrence, KS 66049; 843-1320; award@lazer.com

Cottonwood, Inc.; c/o Keisha Larson; 2801 W. 31 St.;
Lawrence, KS 66047; 842-0550; cwood11@ inc.org

Independence, Inc.; c/o Bob Mikesic; 2001 Haskell; Lawrence, KS 66046; 841-0333 (V/TDD)
indyadv@sunflower.com 

CONFERENCE FOR AMERICAN INDIAN WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
"Stepping Stones to Increase Employment of American Indian Women with Disabilities" will be held February 29 - March 4 in Laughlin, Nevada. For information contact Kathy Martinez, Director, International Division, Word Institute on Disability, 510 16th Street, Oakland CA 94612; 510/251-4326 (voice); 510/763-4109 (fax); kathy@wid.org (e-mail).

WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT: Questions and Answers
On December 17, 1999, President Clinton signed the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. This law includes several important new opportunities for people who receive Social Security disability benefits who want to go to work.

I. The Ticket to Work Program

What is the Ticket to Work Program?
The Ticket Program is something new in the Social Security Administration (SSA). The program will offer SSA disability beneficiaries greater choice in obtaining the services they need to help them go to work.

When will the Ticket Program begin?
Before it officially begins, SSA will take one year to make sure that it will operate as well as possible. Some beneficiaries will begin to receive Tickets early in 2001. 

Will the Ticket Program start everywhere at the same time?
No. During the first year of operation, which will begin January 2001, the program will be available only in certain states. In the next couple of years, it will expand to other parts of the country. The program will be operating in the entire country by January 1, 2004. So, people will receive their Tickets at different times.

How will I know where the Ticket Program is available?
It will be announced in many different places where people who receive Social Security disability benefits get information about SSA, including Social Security's Internet web site www.ssa.gov

What will a Ticket look like?
The Ticket will be a paper document that will have some personal information and some general information about the Ticket Program

How will I get my Ticket?
When the program begins in January 2001, SSA will work with an organization the law calls a Program Manager who has not yet been selected. The Program Manager will help SSA to manage the Ticket program and will help send the Ticket in the mail with a letter explaining the program.

Where would I take my Ticket to get services?
You will take your Ticket to what the law calls an Employment Network. The Employment Networks will be private organizations or public agencies that have agreed to work with Social Security to provide services under this program.

How will I find out about the Employment Networks?
The Program Manager will send you a list of the approved Employment Networks in your area along with your Ticket. Also, some Employment Networks may contact you to offer their services. This information also will be available on the SSA web site and in other places.

How will I choose an Employment Network?
You can contact any Employment Network in your area to see if it is the right one for you. Both you and the Employment Network have to agree to work together.

Can I change Employment Networks?
Yes. You can stop working with one Employment Network and begin working with another one. Before you make this decision, however, you should make sure you fully understand how the Employment Network plans to help you to work. 

How can I get more information about the Ticket program now?
Before the program begins in January 2001, you can contact Social Security at their toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. Pamphlets and other written material are available at local Social Security offices. Information about the Ticket program also will be available from many other private and government organizations that help people with disabilities. 
If you have access to the Internet, you can get information from a special Social Security web site: www.ssa.gov/work 
Beginning in January 2001, you will be able to contact the Program Manager. SSA will announce their toll-free telephone number, and the date they are available to answer questions.

If I get a Ticket, do I have to use it?
No. The Ticket Program is voluntary. 

II. Expanded Availability of Health Care Services

Does the new law include changes in health care coverage?
Yes. Starting October 1, 2000, the law extends Medicare Part A (Hospital) premium-free coverage for four and one-half years beyond the current limit for disability beneficiaries who work. 

What about Medicaid?
The law includes several important changes to Medicaid. For example, it gives states the option of providing Medicaid coverage to more people ages 16-64 with disabilities who work. 

III. Removal of Work Disincentives

If I go back to work, will I automatically lose my disability benefits?
No, the new law has not changed SSA work incentives rules. 

For more information about Social Security's work incentives you should: 
Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, contact your local Social Security office, or visit their special web site at www.ssa.gov/work 

If my disability benefits stop because I go back to work, will I have to file a new application if I can't work anymore?
Starting January 1, 2001, if your benefits have ended because of work, you can request that SSA start your benefits again without having to file a new application. There are some important conditions: 
You have to be unable to work because of your medical condition. 
The medical condition must be the same as, or related to, the condition you had when you received disability benefits. 
You have to file your request to start your benefits again within 60 months of the date you were last entitled to benefits. 

Will I have to wait for you to make a new medical decision before I can receive benefits?
No. SSA will make a new medical decision, but while they are making the decision, you can receive up to six months of temporary benefits.

If you decide that you are unable to start my benefits again, will I have to pay back the temporary benefits?
No.

Will you still review my medical condition?
Starting January 1, 2001, SSA will not review the medical condition of a person receiving disability benefits if that person is using a Ticket. 
Starting January 1, 2002, under certain conditions, SSA will not review the medical condition of beneficiaries who have received Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for at least 24 months. More information about medical reviews will be available in the future.

Information provided by Social Security Administration, January, 2000