MCTransitions

Sunday, 19 February 2012 15:18

Act Now! New Proposed Regulations to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act

Dear Friends:

It has been over twenty years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but we all know that there is still much work to be done to improve the employment picture for people with disabilities. Over the next week, you have an opportunity to take action towards making that difference. The Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has proposed new regulations strengthening Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal contractors to engage in affirmative action to hire people with disabilities. The proposed regulations would set a target utilization goal of people with disabilities working for the company which contractors would need to work towards meeting. The regulations also consider creating a more specific sub-goal, requiring contractors to focus affirmative action on those with the greatest history of exclusion from the workforce. Section 503 has been law for decades, but was never meaningfully enforced - but now the proposed regulation promises to change that, applying the same common sense rules of the road as already exist for affirmative action on the basis of race and gender. Unfortunately, many in the contractor community are writing in to oppose the regulations. We need you to speak up!

Here's what you can do:

1. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OFCCP_FRDOC_0001-0013. If for whatever reason that link doesn't work for you, go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for RIN 1250-AA02 to find the regulation.


2. Once you're at the regulation and have taken the time to review it if you are so inclined, click on the Submit a Comment button on the right side of the screen.


3. Fill out your contact information and provide your comments. We've prepared three major points we hope that you'll emphasize:
   • I support the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program's proposed regulation strengthening Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and adding a utilization goal to hold contractors accountable for hiring people with disabilities.
   
   
   • I urge OFCCP to move forward with their proposal, mentioned as under consideration in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, to establish a sub-goal for individuals with targeted disabilities with the greatest history of exclusion from the workforce. I urge OFCCP to implement such a sub-goal and to include the autism spectrum and other developmental disabilities as within the sub-goal's "targeted disability" category.
   
   
   • I urge OFCCP to clarify in the Final Rule that contractors should only be able to count individuals in integrated employment settings towards meeting their affirmative action obligations, not individuals employed through subcontracts to sheltered workshops.

Together, we can make a difference for the employment picture of people with disabilities. Remember, we have only until February 21st, 2012 to submit comments - just one more week! Make sure that our voices are heard.

Nothing About Us, Without Us!

Wednesday, 08 February 2012 15:10

ACTION ALERT! The Mental Health budget has again been cut.

February 7, 2012

The Mental Health budget has again been cut. Urge the Governor to reverse devastating cuts to mental health through the supplemental budget!

Although the Public Mental Health System (PMHS) is grossly underfunded already, the Governor and the Maryland General Assembly appear poised to cut even more. While there are many cuts proposed, of particular concern to families and the children's mental health community is a $3million cut in funding that had been allocated for services to divert children from inpatient and residential placement to serve them in their homes and communities instead.

Help us to protect services for children, adults and their families who are living with mental needs. We must speak with a strong and unified voice and demand full funding for the public mental health system.

The best avenue to restore these funds is the supplemental budget process.

Our message is simple - the public mental health system is at a breaking point and simply cannot take additional cuts without serious and dire consequences for our most vulnerable population of children and adults with mental health needs.

NEXT STEPS: FOCUS YOUR CALLS TO LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP!

Below you will find contact information for the Governor, the Senate President, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Please contact these elected officials and urge them to reverse cuts to mental health through the supplemental budget! Your message will be most effective if it is tailored by you and shares your personal feelings about the need and why this issue is important to you.

To view a sample letter, go to http://www.mhamd.org/publicpolicy/alerts.htm

Governor Martin O'Malley
State House
100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 974-3901

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
President of the Senate
H-107 State House
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3700

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Delegate Michael E. Busch
Speaker of the House
H-101 State House
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3800

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you send an email please be sure to include "Restore Cuts to Mental Health" in the subject line to ensure your message is appropriately counted.

Sunday, 04 December 2011 08:20

Sunday, 20 November 2011 14:33

SUPPORT the ABLE Act of 2011

Autism Speaks today joined with other disability organizations and congressional
leaders in supporting the introduction of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of
2011, which would
enable contributions to tax-free 529 savings accounts – similar to funds for
college savings -- for people with autism and other
disabilities.

The ABLE Act -- introduced today with bi-partisan
support in the House by Congressman Ander
Crenshaw (R-FL) and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers
(R-WA), and in the Senate by Senators Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA) and Richard Burr
(R-NC)-- would amend Section 529 of the Internal
Revenue Service Code to allow individuals with disabilities and their families
to deposit earnings to tax-exempt savings accounts. The funds could be used to pay for qualified expenses,
including education, housing and transportation, and would supplement, not
replace, benefits provided through private insurance, employment or public
programs.

This bill garnered over 200 supporters when
introduced in 2009. We need your help again to pass it this time so that
families can save for their children's future needs.

Sunday, 13 November 2011 14:47

Maryland disabilities agency leaves $38M unspent

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s beleaguered Developmental Disabilities Administration, with thousands on its waiting list for care, left $25 million in state funding unspent over the last two years, and wound up having to return the money to the state’s general fund, according to the agency’s executive director.

The agency also had a $12 million surplus in its federal Medicaid match, meaning there was a total $38 million left over.

The surpluses had apparently been going on for some time, leaving millions in the kitty that were supposed to be spent on people with some of the most severe physical and mental disabilities, many unable to care for themselves.

“It’s really unconscionable,” said Frank Kirkland, who took over as DDA’s executive director in August. He said that he and the top brass at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene were upset, and launched an investigation, which is continuing, about how the money went unspent, apparently accumulating over several years, and hidden from auditors.

See Complete Story @ http://thedailyrecord.com/2011/11/09/maryland-disabilities-agency-leaves-38m-unspent/

To contact your state representatives. Find them thru this link

http://mdelect.net/