[WADNet Post] Apr 9: DAWN Alerts

  • From: WADNet Post Editor <wadneteditor@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: wadnetpost@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:27:10 -0500

DAWN ALERTS
--  Alert: Direct Support Worker Bill in Congress
--  Alert: Health Care Reform Panels
--  Alert: Governor's Budget Proposal
--  Alert: Budget Information
--  Mar 20-Apr 12: Joint Finance Committee Budget Hearings Locations
--  Apr 11: 1st Self-Directed Services Info Meeting
==================================================
Alert: Direct Support Worker Bill in Congress
On March 1, 2007 H.R. 1279 was introduced in the US House. This bill was introduced to address the plight of direct support workers in order to assist people with disabilities, who rely on their support. The bill will provide states with the increased Medical Assistance funds to give private direct support workers more appropriate compensation.
A national advocacy campaign has been developed by the Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, ANCOR, and Lutheran Services in America to enact this bill for people with disabilities nationwide. 

Take Action!
As of March 27, 2007 no Representative from Wisconsin was a co-sponsor on this bill. You can learn more about this bill and send an email to your representative to ask for their support by going to this web site: <http://capwiz.com/thearc/issues/alert/?alertid=9525536> 

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
Alert: Health Care Reform Panels
The Institute for One Wisconsin is organizing health care reform panels around the state. These panels will include representatives of the major health care reform plans. They will discuss each of their plans and answer questions from the audience. To read a list of dates and places of the panels, go to the DAWN web site at: <http://wcdd.org/whoweare/2007_events/Health%20Care%20Reform%20Panels.pdf>.
Health care reform is a major topic in the legislature this session. There seems to be consensus that reform is needed. Read more about health care issues on the DAWN web site at: <http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/07issues/health_carenew.cfm>. The major health care reform plans are listed in the Background Information section of that page.
For more information about these panels please contact Kristin Settle at the Institute for One Wisconsin at (414) 481-4323 or on the Internet www.onewisconsinnow.org. 

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
Alert: Governor's Budget Proposal
Gov. Jim Doyle delivered his 2007-2009 budget address to the legislature on Tuesday, January 13, 2007. His proposal included many items to aid families and children. Disability advocates are still looking at the details of the budget. The following is a brief list of some of the items that we know are included: 

- Increases special education funding by $54 million;
- Increases funding for the SAGE program to keep class sizes small;
- Increases funding for the school breakfast program;
- Expands 4-year-old kindergarten;
- Increases funding for transportation assistance to rural schools;
- Provides Medicaid coverage to youth aging out of foster care;
- Exempts the caretaker of a new born infant from W-2 work requirements during the first six months; - Provides funding and exempts a mother with an at-risk-pregnancy from W-2 work requirements during the last trimester; - Increases funding for child care under W-2 and establishes a 5-star rating system of day cares to better assess care quality; - Creates BadgerCare Plus to provide health insurance for virtually every child in the state; 
- Makes available $2 million to agencies that provide housing assistance;
- Captures more federal funds for DVR to ensure no waiting for services;
- Provides for an independent legal advocate for people enrolled in Family Care; 
- Creates a Dept. of Children and Family Services.
Disability advocates will continue to examine the budget and its affect on people with disabilities. As more information is obtained, DAWN will deliver it to you.
The budget proposal is available on the Internet at: http://www.doa.state.wi.us/debf/execbudget.asp 

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
Alert: Budget Information
Just in time for the budget hearings that start next week around the state are two documents. Both can be found on the DAWN web site under "State Budget" at: <http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/budget.cfm>. The budget bill is Senate Bill 40.
The first is a comprehensive issue summary by department of the items that are disability related. It can be found at: <http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/budget/07_09_budget_compare.cfm>.
The other document is the budget position paper of the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations. This paper emphasizes community as the place for people with disabilities to live. It targets six areas that the budget should address. It can be found at: <http://www.dawninfo.org/co/sc/2007/Budget_paper2007.pdf>.
Both of these documents provide excellent background material for comments that you might want to make to the Joint Finance Committee about the proposed budget. Comments can be made at one of the hearings or by contacting a member of the Committee. A list of the Committee members can be found at: <http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/jfc_members.cfm>. 

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
Mar 20-Apr 12: Joint Finance Committee Budget Hearings Locations
Over two weeks ago the Joint Finance Committee announced the dates and cities for their hearings on the state budget. At that time they did not announce the locations for the hearings. The following is a complete list of the dates and locations for the hearings.
* Tuesday, March 20, 2007 from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm at the UW-Milwaukee Student Union,Wisconsin Room, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee.
* Wednesday, March 21, 2007 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station Public Events Facility, N695 Hopkins Rd., Arlington.
* Tuesday, March 27, 2007 from Noon to 5:00 pm at the Chippewa Falls County Courthouse, Assembly Room, 711 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls.
* Wednesday, April 4, 2007 from Noon to 5:00 pm at the Prairie du Chien High School Auditorium, 800 E. Crawford St., Prairie du Chien.
* Wednesday, April 11, 2007 from Noon to 5:00 pm at the Nicolet College Learning Resource Center Theatre, 5634 College Dr., Rhinelander.
* Thursday, April 12, 2007 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the National Railroad Museum Lenfestey Center, 2285 South Broadway, Green Bay.
These hearings offer you the opportunity to express your opinion about the proposed budget. If you attend a hearing, you do not have to speak. You can submit a prepared written statement or fill out an attendance card with your comments. You can also send comments to the Chairpersons of the Committee. For a complete list of the Committee members go to the DAWN web site at: http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/jfc_members.cfm
Disability advocates are finishing up their analysis of the budget for disability related items. That information should be available within a week and will be posted to the DAWN budget web site at: http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/budget.cfm 

To find out who your legislators are go to: http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
Apr 11: 1st Self-Directed Services Info Meeting

Alert: SDS Informational Meetings
Coming soon to a neighborhood near you are Self-Directed Services (SDS) informational meetings!
Family Care is expanding throughout Wisconsin. Self-Directed Services or SDS is an exciting part of Family Care. In SDS, people have control of their lives and choose their own services. The Self-Determination Wisconsin project is presenting a series of informational meetings about SDS. The meetings are for people who get long term care services, their families, service providers, advocates, and others who want to learn more about SDS.
The first session will be in Kenosha on Wednesday, April 11, 2007. Most will happen in May. To see a complete schedule of the meetings, learn more about them, and to obtain a registration form, go to: http://www.wcdd.org/whoweare/2007_events/sds.cfm
The Self-Determination Wisconsin project is part of the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities' current five-year State Plan. To read more about this part of the plan go to: http://www.wcdd.org/07stateplan/self_determination.cfm 

   (Contributed by: DAWN)

==================================================
==================================================

Leslie Riggs
WADNet Post Editor & Listserv Administrator
Wisconsin Association of the Deaf
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

TO SUBSCRIBE to the WADNet Post, please email to
wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the Subject field.

IF YOU ARE CHANGING EMAIL ADDRESSES, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE TWO STEPS:
1) UNSUBSCRIBE from the WADNet Post by sending an email from your OLD email address to wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. 
Then

2) SUBSCRIBE to the WADNet Post by sending an email from your NEW email address 
to wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the Subject field.

TO SUBMIT ARTICLES for WADNet Posts, send an email with the information to 
wadneteditor@xxxxxxxxxxx by 7pm CST Sunday night.  WADNet Posts generally go 
out on Monday and/or Tuesday evenings each week.  Special Postings will be made 
when there is an urgent need and on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact the 
WADNet Post Editor if you have any questions.
TO RECEIVE WADNET POST IN DIGEST MODE: To start receiving WADNet Posts in digest mode, simply send an email to wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "set digest" in the subject line. Leave the body of the email blank. You should get a confirmation saying "set digest" and "Flag successfully set". After that, you will start receiving WADNet Post in digest instead of separate emails for each post. 

TO STOP DIGEST AND GO BACK TO NORMAL EMAIL:
Send an email to wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unset digest" in the subject line.  Leave 
the body of the email blank.  You will get a confirmation showing "unset digest" and "Flag 
successfully set".  And you'll go back to receiving normal emails from WADNet Post.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the WADNet Post, send an email to
wadnetpost-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.

Please visit our website at http://www.wi-deaf.org for the latest information 
and events.  Also, please visit our website at http://www.wi-deaf.org if you 
wish to become a member of WAD.

====================================================

Other related posts:

  • » [WADNet Post] Apr 9: DAWN Alerts
  1. Home
  2. wadnetpost
  3. Archive
  4. 04-2007