[Fwd: The Arc Capitol Insider - August 30, 1999]

The Arc of Virginia wrote:
>
> ----DisAbility Advocacy for the Commonwealth of Virginia----
>
> The Arc Governmental Affairs - http://TheArc.org/ga/Governmental_Affairs.html
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> CAPITOL INSIDER
> Weekly News and Information from our Nation's Capital
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> August 30, 1999, Volume 4, Issue 34
>
> MAJOR EVENTS LAST WEEK
>
> * The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Education Task Force
> delivered its Principles for the Reauthorization of the Elementary and
> Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to Congress on Aug. 26. The document asks
> Congress, among other things, to do no harm to students with disabilities
> by attaching harmful amendments to IDEA; to establish research-based,
> effective programs that prevent school violence; to continue educational
> services for students expended or expelled; and to avoid penalizing
> students with disabilities regarding social promotion policies. To read
> all of the principles in full, visit the CCD Education Task Force web site
> at http://www.c-c-d.org/tf-education.htm or contact Kim in the GA Office
> for a copy.
>
> UPCOMING MAJOR EVENTS
>
> * Conferees will be working to resolve differences between the House and
> Senate juvenile justice legislation as soon as they return from summer
> recess in early Sept. The CCD Education Task Force sent a letter to all
> conferees last week regarding the damaging amendments to IDEA within both
> bills. The letter encourages Congress to adopt public policy that allows
> all students who are suspended or expelled to have access to immediate and
> appropriate services, including educational and mental health services
> necessary to prevent the behavior from reoccurring. To read the letter
> in full, visit the task force web site at
> http://www.c-c-d.org/tf-education.htm. For background information and a
> list of conferees, refer to the Aug. 12 recess action alert.
>
> ANNOUNCEMENTS
>
> * NCD has changed its eligibility requirements for its first annual
> fellowship program to make it easier for people with mental retardation to
> apply. Originally, applicants had to be college graduates to be considered
> for the fellowship (see Aug. 16 CI). Staff of The Arc and the President's
> Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR) pointed out that the college degree
> requirement would exclude many self-advocates with mental retardation.
> NCD agreed and modified its eligibility requirements! To be eligible,
> individuals must simply identify as having a disability. NCD also
> extended the deadline for applications to Sept. 15. The focus of the
> fellowship program is to provide experience, training and contacts to
> qualified individuals with disabilities. The new application form and more
> details about the program can be obtained on NCD's Web site
> (http://www.ncd.gov) or by contacting Stacey Brown at NCD at 202-272-2004
> (voice); 202-272-2074 (TTY); 202-272-2022 (fax).
>
> * The Dept. of Justice has prepared an ADA Information Services fact
> sheet. The fact sheet contains telephone numbers and internet addresses of
> federal agencies and other organizations that provide information about
> the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and informal guidance in
> understanding and complying with different provisions of the law. To
> order the fact sheet, call 800/514-0301 or point your web browser to
> http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/agency.htm. The DOJ ADA web site also
> contains a status report for enforcing the ADA and other ADA-related
> information.
>
> * The Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report, SSI Children:
> Multiple Factors Affect Families' Costs for Disability Related Services
> (GAO/HEHS-99, June 28). The report shows that SSI cash benefits are used
> for more than disability-related costs, as permitted by law, and that SSI
> eligibility does not "entitle" the child to services through programs
> other than Medicaid. To order, call GAO at 202/512-7000 or access it
> online at http://www.gao.gov/monthly.list/june99/jun9919.htm
>
> --
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