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Ahead of the Times
Volume 21, Number 2
November, 2000

COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
by Rob Tabor
For this month's update we begin with the lead story that we've all been waiting for and which many of you may already be aware. On September 21 we received an e-mail from Karin Rexroad which states: "For your information, we just received a copy of the DC response in regard to the Lawrence Bus Company protest. DC affirmed the Regional Administrator's decision of July 24, 2000. Therefore, the City of Lawrence is able to proceed with our contract with MV Transportation." 
This indeed means that the operational planning for the system may now move forward including the possibility of leasing vehicles from El Dorado National Company on a short term basis until the new fleet is in place. Of course we will keep you up to date on that issue.
Other planning items currently under consideration by the Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) are a draft policy on whether to allow advertising on buses and what kinds of advertising to allow as a revenue source; route planning including where the buses should stop to allow transfers from downtown Lawrence; and the adoption of performance standards for the transit service. PTAC's discussion of a proposed advertising policy is expected to result in a recommendation to the city commission as to whether advertising should be allowed on the exteriors and interiors of buses and at bus shelters and waiting stations, what, if any, restrictions to place on the kinds of products or services that can be advertised, and whether to manage the logistics of advertising in-house or farm them out to an agency. Data from several out-of-state transit agencies with advertising programs indicate that 85% of revenues generated through advertising come from ads placed on the exteriors of buses. However city management is opposed to exterior advertising.
The next PTAC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 21, 11:30 a.m. at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth in the City Commission Chamber. As always, PTAC of each meeting for public comment on any issue relevant to the city transit system.
We now turn to Douglas County Area Transit (DCAT). At its September meeting, the board of Kaw Regional Transit (KRT) modified its policy on subscription rides. Here (by example) is how the modification works. If you called the central dispatch office to request a change in your pickup time or location or the drop-off time or location before the policy was changed your change request was generally accommodated as a subscription ride. However, due to the problems in scheduling and re-routing of vehicles caused by numerous change requests by subscription riders, any change request will now be treated as an ordinary ride request. In other words, your request will be accommodated if possible, but you may also be told that your ride cannot be accommodated. As for your subscription ridership status, it is still intact and will be good for your normally scheduled ride. If you have questions about how the new subscription ride policy applies to your circumstances you may direct them to Paul Weimer, Executive Director, Kaw Regional Transit, 766-1374.

The Center will be Closed November 10 
for Veteran's Day and November 23-24 for Thanksgiving
No Transportation Available

CLC MINI SURVEY
Several consumers have requested that Independence, Inc. consider extending or changing the hours that the Computer Learning Center Lab (CLC) is open, allowing either Saturday access or Tuesday or Thursday evenings in addition to the Wednesday evening hours it now keeps. The following is the current Lab schedule: 

Monday - closed to consumers
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday, 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

To get the information we need to consider all the issues involved, we need your help with a mini-survey. If you are interested in changing the hours of operation for the Lab, please call 785-841-0333, ask to speak to Bernard Droste and be ready to answer the following questions:

- What is your name?
- How often do you use the Lab?
- What hours are you requesting? 
- Would you like more evening hours? 
- Would you like Saturday hours?
- Why are you unable to use the Lab at the times it is currently open?
- If the Lab were to be open on Saturday, do you have your own transportation or access to public transportation?
- Any other comments?

We will be taking responses to the survey until 5 p.m. on November 29. Then we will tabulate the results and make a decision whether to have additional hours. Thanks to all who use the Lab and who respond to the survey.

MAGNET/DRUM CIRCLE
The members of the Music Appreciation Group (Not Especially Talented) will attend the Alvin Ailey American Dance performance at the Lied Center on Tuesday, November 14 at 8 p.m. No more tickets are available. The Beginners Drum Circle will not meet this month. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

HOYO NEWS
The First Time Homebuyer's Group will meet Wednesday, November 15, 3:30 p.m. at Independence, Inc. In September, the National Council for Independent Living put on a teleconference about homeownership for people with disabilities. We will review the information from that teleconference, so if you missed it but are interested in the information, come to the meeting. Call Kelly Nightengale at 841-0333 for more information.
Tenants to Homeowners, Inc. will have a first time homebuyers workshop on Saturday, November 11, 9:45 a.m. at 2518 Ridge Ct. (the United Way Building). This is a requirement for the Home Owners Out of Tenants loan (HOOT) for low income first time homebuyers. For more information call Alan Bowes at 842-5494.

SELF HELP FOR HARD OF HEARING 
The next meeting of SHHH will be Tuesday, November 28, 1 p.m. at Babcock Place, 1700 Mass. For more information call 832-1692.

COOKING CLUB/PEER SUPPORT GROUP
Cooking Club and the Peer Support Group will come together on Monday, November 20, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. for the annual "Fall Celebration" dinner at Independence, Inc. Group members will learn how to make from scratch: sweet potato pie, a fall pumpkin/squash soup, and cornbread made with sweet corn. Please feel free to bring any items that you would like to share. If you have any special dietary needs, or any questions, call Ranita or Angie at 841-0333. You are responsible for your own transportation.

PARENTING WITH A DISABILITY
A panel of parents with disabilities will discuss their personal experiences regarding raising children on Monday, November 6, 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Independence Inc. This discussion is part of the Independence, Inc. "Ability Awareness" series. For more information or to request an accommodation, contact Susan Mikesic or Ranita Wilks at 841-0333. 

STROKE THERAPY RESEARCH STUDY
Constraint-Induced (CI) Movement Therapy has been shown to be effective in rapidly improving arm function even long after stroke. Traditional CI-Therapy forces use of the stroke-affected arm through a series of exercises and tasks by temporarily restraining the arm not affected by stroke. A study at te University of Kansas is investigating the effectiveness of a modified, and less invasive, form of CI-Therapy to improve arm function. If you have experienced a stroke that has limited your use of one arm, are no longer receiving therapy to improve your use of this arm, and may be interested in participating in this study, contact Casey Hudson at 785/ 842-5390.


ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY NOTES AND NEWS
Are your loan bank items overdue? If you have items that have been checked out of the Independence, Inc. Assistive Technology loan library for more than 30 days and haven't contacted us for an extension, they're past due. We would like to give others the opportunity to use the equipment. If you need an item on a permanent basis, we can help you find funding to purchase your own.
Do you have any used but usable medical equipment that you don't need anymore? If you no longer have a need for your used items, we know who does. We always have room in our loan library for bath benches, commodes, wheelchairs, crutches, canes, scooters, computers, magnifiers, portable ramps, anti-gravity mobility devices, vehicle hand controls, and wheelchair tires. Please bring your donations by during our regular office hours and we will make sure that they are put to good use.
The assistive technology loan library has plenty of consumable supplies to give away on a first-come, first-served, as is basis. We have:

- Adult disposable diapers Oral swabs
- Rubber gloves Irrigation solution
- Prosthetic sheaths Irrigation trays with bulb
- Urinary leg bags Foam wheelchair pads
- Drainage bags Urostomy supplies 
- Perineal skin cleanser Skin prep pads
- Tape remover pads 
- Nebulizer hoses with mouthpiece
- Novartis Nutrition liquid feeding formula 

Call 1-800-526-3648 or 841-0333 if you have donations or questions.

PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR INTERNET USE RESEARCH
People who use wheelchairs are needed immediately for a research study at the University of Pittsburgh that will help researchers learn more about the factors that influence how consumers choose a new wheelchair. The study is called "Getting ready to choose your next wheelchair."

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:
- Are 18 years of age or older
- Use a wheelchair as your primary means of mobility at home and in the community.
- Have a non-progressive impairment.
- Have had your current wheelchair for at least 3 years or since January 1997.
- Have the ability to log onto the World Wide Web, use it often and have an Internet e-mail address.
- Are willing to allow verification of your wheelchair use.

Complete information about this study is available at http://128.147.90.184/wheelchair/

COME CHECK OUT TOASTMASTERS
Do you get strange visitations from those ornery butterflies when you think about a talk you've been asked to give in front of p-p-p-people? Well, you may never get those nasty butterflies to leave, but there is an excellent way to get them to fly in formation. Thanks to some great people from Lawrence Toastmasters Club #1614, a new Toastmasters Club meets right here at Independence, Inc. Toastmasters is a public speaking and leadership training program that systematically helps you develop all aspects of public presentation including good grammar, syntax and word usage, effective use of gestures and other nonverbal communication strategies, completion of presentations within time limits, and other important skill areas.
Toastmasters meets at noon on the first and third Friday of each month at Independence, Inc. You are welcome to bring your lunch but other refreshments are provided. There are no obligations, no pressure to join up. Just come and check out Toastmasters, and we think you'll learn some fun and surprising things! If you have any questions about Toastmasters, contact Susan Mikesic, Ranita Wilks, or Rob Tabor at 841-0333, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday or by e-mail:

Susan Mikesic..... susanm@independenceinc.org
Ranita Wilkes.....  ils@independenceinc.org
Rot Tabor..... robt@independenceinc.org

If you send your e-mail message to Ranita be sure to address her specifically in the body of the message since she shares her e-mail in-box with other ILS staff. Come check us out and see how we get our butterflies to fly in formation.

POWER SCOOTER SAFETY 
A growing number of people use scooters and power chairs. Unfortunately there is not always sufficient training for these new users. To help people learn to safely maneuver around their cities, a new booklet, "Safety Travel & Etiquette tips . . . for pedestrians on wheels" is now available. It is the result of the experiences of a full time scooter user and trainer with the Red Cross Scooter Safety Seminars. 
In the booklet there are 17 safety tips complete with photographs, a checklist of things to do before leaving home, along with two pages of safety and etiquette tips. It can be ordered from amazon.com or by e-mail at: changing@pacificcoast.net the cost is $5.80 including postage. An invoice will be sent with your order.

CIVIL RIGHTS VERSUS STATE'S RIGHTS
The heated debate in the Supreme Court on the scope of federal authority over the states reached a pivotal moment October 11. The justices heard arguments in an Alabama case that bears not only on the civil rights of Americans with disabilities but, more broadly, on Congress's power to enforce constitutional guarantees of equal protection.
At issues is whether Congress acted constitutionally when it made states liable for damages for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The act, intended to remedy and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities, was approved overwhelmingly by Congress and signed into law by President Bush.
Then-President Bush filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the two Alabama employees who initiated the case: nurse Patricia Garrett, who had breast cancer, and youth services worker Milton Ash, who has asthma. The employees' suits were dismissed in federal district court in Alabama in 1998, but right to sue was upheld by an Atlanta-based court of appeals last year.
A narrow but determined conservative court majority has been chipping away at federal power. These same justices will now have to decide whether they are prepared to undercut Congress's authority to protect the rights of vulnerable minorities. Recent court decisions have already expanded the immunity of states from the reach of federal law, narrowing Congress's ability to legislate national remedies to national problems, including civil rights. Last term the court struck down portions of one law barring age discrimination in employment and another allowing rape victims to sue their attackers.
But these decisions ought not to determine the outcome on the ADA. As is often the case, the key vote will be cast by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She has been part of the states' rights majority, but her opinion last year in the age discrimination case made a point of not ruling out "powerful remedies" by Congress in other cases. Much depends on her being convinced that the disabilities law represents a "congruent and proportional response" to the long and well-documented history of pervasive and unconstitutional discrimination against people with disabilities committed by the states. Her questioning during the argument took note of Congressional findings that states were major perpetrators of bias against people with disabilities. That was an encouraging sign. Justice O'Connor and her colleagues need to think about the harm they would bring to people with disabilities by holding states immune from liability under the act, and the more serious damage they would inflict on the nation's constitutional framework. Stay tuned as we see how things develop.

¨LE GUSTA APRENDER INGLES?
An English as a Second Language class will be held at Independence, Inc. every Thursday, October 5 - November 16, 9 - 11 a.m. in the large conference room. Join us and improve your communication skills.

ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
A new support group is forming for Adults with Learning Disabilities. If you have dyslexia, hyper-lexia, auditory processing deficit, expressive language disorder, or any other learning disability, you might benefit from this group. The purpose will be to provide a safe environment for sharing experiences and helpful coping strategies, as well as learning about self-advocacy and community resources. Our motto could be: Together we can learn as we grow to learn as we go. If you're interested, call Kent at 785/331-0097 or leave a message on the answering machine.

SEXUALITY AND DISABILITY 
A panel presentation and open discussion on Breaking Down the Barriers of Sexuality Among People with Disabilities will be held Thursday, November 16, 3-5 p.m. at Independence, Inc. If you have questions or would like more information call 749-5633.

HUMAN DIVERSITY PRESENTATION
The Human Diversity Task Force and the Speakers Bureau of Independence, Inc. invite you to attend an upcoming presentation on "Living With HIV" on Tuesday, December 5, 11 a.m. - noon in the large conference room at the Center. A volunteer from the Douglas County AIDS Project will speak about the real-life issues of a person living with HIV. The discussion will be very straightforward and honest. All attendees are encouraged to come to this event with an open mind. For more information contact Susan Mikesic or Ranita Wilks at 841-0333.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM
Planning is now underway for the first Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) to be held June 18 - 23, 2001 at the University of Kansas. YLF is an innovative, intensive four-day career leadership training program for high school juniors and seniors with disabilities. Approximately 35 delegates will be selected to gather for activities which cultivate leadership, citizenship, and social skills. They will also gain access to vital resources related to assistive technology, community support, and civil rights. Successful men and women with disabilities will serve as role models in helping delegates realize their ability, right, and obligation to pursue meaningful employment and contribute to society.
Organizers are actively seeking prospective volunteers for the forum to supervise delegates. Primary staff volunteers needed are Group Co-Counselors, Peer Counselors, Program Assistants, and Dorm Parents. There are a limited number of positions available and all require that you stay on site during the entire forum. Although the positions are voluntary, forum sponsors will cover meals, transportation, and lodging expenses. Application forms must be completed and returned by November 20. 
For more information contact Brenda Eddy, State Coordinator, Kansas Youth Leadership Forum at 785/862-2674 (V/TTY).

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
My goal when producing the newsletter each month is to have it edited, laid out, back from the printers, and in your mail box by the first day of the month. Since I periodically receive inquiries about submitting information for the newsletter and the calendar, I thought it time to explain how the process works. 
I begin working on each newsletter around the 15th day of the month for the following month's edition. I look at all of the information I have received, prioritize those items for timeliness and relevance, and then prioritize those into articles which may be of interest to the largest number of readers. If you have submitted information in the past that has not appeared, it may be that your item was "bumped" because of a lack of space, a lack of relevance to disability information or the independent living movement, or a concern about liability. When I edit submissions, it is for grammar, content, and a style that is consistent throughout the publication. 
There are a variety of ways you can submit information: hard copy (on paper), on computer disk (contact me for importable file types), telephone dictation (if it's short), or e-mail me. Sorry, because of postal regulations we are unable to accept any paid advertising or include any display advertising for events not directly associated to Independence, Inc. If you have questions, comments, ideas, or suggestions for the newsletter, contact: 

Tony Peterson
Independence, Inc.
2001 Haskell Ave.
Lawrence, KS 66046
785/841-0333
e-mail: tonyp@independenceinc.org 

HEALTH RESOURCES FOR UNINSURED
A presentation on Health Resources for the Uninsured will be held Thursday, November 9, 12 - 1:30 p.m. and 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont. The presentation, which was organized by Health Care Access, SRS, and the library, will cover resources for medical exams, prescription help, dental services, and more. 

ACCESSIBLE HOUSING PROGRAM
Is your apartment or home accessible? Are there ways to make your rooms easier to use? The Accessible Housing Program (AHP) at Independence, Inc. uses funds from a Lawrence Community Development Block Grant to provide people with disabilities improved access to their rented units. Some typical modifications are:

- Building ramps for the home or garage entrance.
- Widening doorways and installing a new door and trim to match other existing doors.
- Installing visual signals, flashing lights for the doorbell, smoke detector, and/or telephone.
- Installing short threshold ramps for raised thresholds at the front or back entrance.
- Installing grab bars in the bathroom
- Installing lever handles on doors or faucets.

To qualify, applicants must have mobility or sensory impairment, currently rent housing in Lawrence, and need accessibility modification. General maintenance, such as roof repair, is not covered by AHP. Applicants also must be within the low to moderate income levels established by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department. These levels are based on annual income and the number of persons living in a household. For an application and more information contact Bob Mikesic or Kelly Nightengale at Independence, Inc., 841-0333.

DISABILITY MEDIA DIRECTORY
More than 1,420 mass media resources that serve people with disabilities are contained in the 2000-2001 edition of America's Telability Media, the nation's first disability media directory, published by the National Telability Media Center in Columbia, MO. The 360-page book is based on an annual nationwide survey which collects data on the growth and development of telability media and offers the only national view of America's newest field of journalism.
Again, this year the directory will be available free of charge to anyone on the internet at www.freedomforum.org   Each directory entry contains a full description of the resource, along with complete contact information, including web sites and e-mail addresses. Included are more than 1,200 magazines, newspapers and newsletters; more than 95 broadcast producers; 22 newspaper columnists; nearly 80 dial-in newspapers for the blind; and 23 professional organizations.
America's Telability Media is also available in print or on disk in Word format. The price is $40 per copy. Send your check or money order to: Telability Media, P.O. Box 1488, Columbia, MO 65205-1488 or call 573/445-7657 for more information.

FOR SALE: 1996 Dodge Caravan with power assist on the passenger seat (Braun Co.) Two sliding doors, 7 passenger (back seats easily removed) 101,000 miles but carefully maintained, new front brakes, excellent condition. Would like to get $8,100. Call 785/887-6070.

FOR SALE: Shoprider electric scooter, like new, $1,500; Electric winch, mounts in back of van for transport of Shoprider, $400; Electric adjustable hospital bed, $500; Electric swivel/tilt passenger seat for Plymouth van, $900. Call 785/841-6233.

FOR SALE: Never used Ranger Mark V power wheelchair. $4,800 new, asking $2,850. Call Diane at 785/235-8551.

FOR SALE: Argo, Sarita Patient Lift, battery operated. Great condition, two years old, only used three months. Purchased new for $4,000. Asking $2,000. Contact Ruth at 785/838-3633.

WANTED: Electric box or oscillating fans that are broken or that you no longer want. Any brand and size accepted. If necessary, unwanted fans can be picked up. Contact Michael at 785/840-9861, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Saturday.

FOR HIRE: Experienced mature woman desires to assist you in your home with companion care, transportation to doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, additional errands, activities, meal preparation, light housework, no heavy lifting. Available 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Thursday. Call Judy at 785/749-0669 for more information and rates. 

WHAT'S NEW AT SOCIAL SECURITY:
Work Incentive Improvements Act
Rob Tabor

Social Security E-news has just announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on a set of newly proposed regulations which would implement the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) signed into law by President Clinton in 1999. The preamble to the NPRM states in part:
Unemployment rates are down ... job opportunities are up. And we're doing all we can to help people with disabilities. We want to offer greater incentives for our beneficiaries to return to work. To provide these important incentives for disability beneficiaries, we are proposing changes to several monetary guidelines. Comments are due by October 10. The e-mail link at this site lets you get back to us conveniently and quickly. Go ahead and review these proposed changes and let us know what you think.
http://www.ssa.gov/ada-sga.htm

Unfortunately we have not been able to review the NPRM in time for a detailed summary in this article, but I can mention a couple of areas of concern to the disabled, particularly the rehabilitation services community. Under TWWIIAA a Social Security Disability or SSI beneficiary will be able to take his/her "ticket" or voucher to any vocational rehabilitation agency or work training center anywhere in the United States. But the concern is over the formula that determines how much that agency or work training center will be reimbursed by Social Security for helping you become able to work. The re-imburseable amount is based on 40 percent of the average disability or SSI monthly payment amount for your state. That figure is multiplied by 60 months which is the maximum time a beneficiary can spend in work retraining. In some if not all cases the 40 percent reimbursement formula may not be sufficient to enable vocational training agencies to recover costs of rehabilitation, let alone realize a profit.
A second related concern is that the rehabilitation/work training agency is not paid until your earned income reaches the Substantial Work Activity (SGA) level. The primary non-blind SGA level for year 2000 is $700 per month. Without considering other work incentive features that seems both logical and appropriate. However, this will discourage those receiving Title II disability insurance benefits from utilizing other work incentive features which often allow such a person to work while some of his/her earnings are disregarded due to wage subsidies and special work conditions, impairment-related work expenses, Blind Work Expense, PASS plans, etc.

Funding for Assistive Technology
President Clinton has just announced the formation of a task force which is expected to revise existing rules and guidelines to liberalize Medicare and Medicaid coverage to help disabled beneficiaries in purchasing assistive technology devices. As part of his Digital Divide trip to Flint, Michigan, the President issued a memorandum to the United States Attorney General and Secretaries of Health & Human Services, Education, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. The memorandum directs these Federal officials to form an interagency task force that will examine ways that Medicare and Medicaid could cover assistive technologies. Many assistive technologies that have proven successful in enabling many disabled persons to live independently and even to return to the work force are not covered by either Medicare or Medicaid because of medical model-oriented policies established several years ago. Once such example is the Health Care Finance Administration's (HCFA) long established definition of "medical necessity." It is quite likely this definition will be reviewed as a part of the work of this new assistive technology funding initiative. In any event this new initiative is something worth following and we will do our best to keep Ahead of the Times readers updated as developments warrant. Such updates will include any opportunities which the task force may create for seeking public input.

New Regulations for Children's SSI
The newly revised regulations governing the implementation of the SSA Children's SSI program were recently published in the Federal Register and may also be found on line at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html  Please note that once your web browser software finds the web page you will need to follow the links to the Social Security Administration.
Other Changes to Watch For 
Other regulatory changes which Social Security is considering pertain to changes in the areas of adjustments in SGA and secondary SGA levels, trial work period, and the student earned income exclusion for SSI recipients.

SGA - As mentioned earlier, the SGA level for the year 2000 for non-blind workers is $700 per month. For blind workers the current SGA level is $1170 per month. These levels were adjusted in July 1, 1999. Under current SSA regulations SGA levels require a specific change in the regulations to be re-adjusted. However, SSA is currently considering a draft regulation that would index SGA levels to the Average Wage Index, an annual labor market wage statistic computed annually by the U.S. Department of Labor. This kind of SGA indexing means that SGA levels will automatically move up or down according to a key economic indicator.

Secondary SGA - For many years SSA regulations has provided for a secondary SGA level at $300 per month. This secondary SGA level was established out of recognition that some parts of the country, such as the Appalachian region, are in continuously depressed economies. Therefore, a person earning $300 a month in that part of the country might be earning $700 if he lived in Kansas. This seems to make logical sense except that the secondary SGA level penalizes disabled workers who have no desire to leave their home localities. Fortunately, SSA proposes abolishing the secondary SGA altogether.

Trial Work Period - If you are currently receiving Disability Insurance Benefits under Title II of the U.S. Social Security Act you are entitled to a trial work period of nine months. If you earn at least $200 in any given month and you have not previously used up your nine months of trial work period (TWP) you will have consumed one month of TWP during that month. The $200 earnings level is considered by SSA to be a sufficient level of "services" to constitute a month of trial work. There is no risk of losing disability benefits during those TWP months but your 36 month extended eligibility period begins the next month after you have used your TWP. The new rule proposed by SSA would, if adopted, raise the trial work period threshold earnings level to $530 per month. Like the proposed indexing of SGA levels, the TWP level would also be annually adjusted according to the national Average Wage Index.

Student Earned Income Exclusion - An SSI beneficiary who became disabled before age 22 and is in school is eligible for an earned income exemption feature known as the Student Earned Income Exclusion. Under SSA's existing laws and regulations the annual Student Earned Income exclusion amount is $1620, but no more than $400 of earned income may be excluded during any particular month. The proposed new regulation on Student Earned Income Exclusion would raise the monthly excludable income amount to $1290 and the annual amount would be raised to $5200 per year. The proposed new rule here also adjusts both the monthly and annual income exclusion amounts according to the Cost Of Living Index.

Again we stress that these changes in SGA level, trial word period, and Student Earned Income Exclusion are only proposed changes. The Independence, Inc. Advocacy department will monitor these developments and will keep Ahead of the Times readers up to date as developments warrant.