MS Council on Developmental Disabilities Request for Proposals (RFP)

Increasing Competitive Employment Outcomes and/or Transition Services for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental /Intellectual Disabilities (DD/ID) Agencies/Organizations Encouraged to Apply: • School districts • Non-profit community agencies currently assisting youth/young adults with DD/ID • Other public and private non-profit agencies and organizations with experience in community employment for individuals with disabilities Projects Needed: Through funding by the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded to the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, the need for at least two demonstration model programs currently exists. The goal is to design and provide innovative strategies to increase competitive employment outcomes for youth and young adults with DD/ID ages 16-30 via employment and/or transition programs geared to their needs. These projects must result in an increase the numbers of youth with DD/ID in integrated, community-based employment, working at least part-time and receiving at least minimum wage. The purpose of the projects is to develop strategies for improving employment opportunities for youth and young adults with DD/ID as they move from education or pre-vocational services to employment. Projects must be replicable and must include plans for sustainability through systems change. The total funding amount available is $96,000. This will fund a minimum of two (2) projects (Average award: approximately $48,000). These projects may be available up to four (4) years based on project performance and if federal funding is continued. Examples of projects include: • Provide training and technical assistance needed to restructure an established sheltered work environment or work center and move employees with DD/ID into competitive community employment. • Enhance or develop transition services at a school or district to include students with DD/ID in community work experiences with sufficient supports needed, which results in competitive employment of such students. • Develop a mentoring program at businesses to connect young adults without disabilities working in the community with young adults with disabilities for shared work experiences and increases in employment for those with disabilities. • Provide information and training to students with disabilities, parents, family members, and caregivers about expectations and career options, benefits, support from schools and other federal/state agencies, which results in employment for the students. • Promote the following types of work experience and paid employment as defined below – Volunteering, Job Shadowing, Service Learning/Internships, General Work Experience, Matched Work Experience and Customized Work Experience – for youth and young adults with DD/ID, with the result that more of them obtain paid employment. Definitions: - Volunteering involves encouraging and supporting students to participate in existing school and community services that offer support to others in the community. - Job Shadowing involves short term observations of various types of job tasks and employment settings in the community. - Service Learning/Internships involves assisting students with disabilities to participate in the array of contributive activities that are typical for students who seek to purposefully build a resume for access to secondary education. - General Work Experiences involve having students perform specific job duties in school and in workplaces the community without pay. - Matched Work Experiences refer to unpaid work experiences in community workplaces that are matched to the student’s interests regarding employment. - Customized Work Experiences refer to unpaid work experiences in community workplaces that are matched in terms of the student’s interests and for which either the conditions for success or the tasks offered to the employer are negotiated. These can be local or regional projects, but must show innovative ideas that may be implemented statewide. The eventual purpose is to learn how these initiatives can be used to affect systems change that will improve outcomes for youth and young adults with DD/ID to be employed in competitive, integrated, inclusive settings. Youth and young adults with DD/ID seek to maximize personal and economic independence as they transition from education (secondary or postsecondary) or pre-vocational services to employment. Project Period: August 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013 Note: Funding for the first year’s cycle is for 14 months. Future grants if available, will follow the regular fiscal year. Continuations for additional years are dependent upon funding availability and successful completion of proposed activities, performance measures, and required reporting. Eligibility: Applications will be accepted from public and private non-profit agencies and organizations operating within the State of Mississippi. Applicants must be registered as a non-profit entity as evident by possession of a charter from the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State. Proof of eligibility is required. Selection: Projects are selected through a review and approval process by the membership of the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and the MSPE managing partners. Monitoring: Grantees must adhere to CDD policies regarding funds used and reported. Each grant will be monitored through reports submitted and on-site visits to ensure approved plans are fully implemented. Required Format: Applications not following the required format will not be considered for funding. A. Applications must be typed using 12 pt. font (Arial or Times New Roman preferred), double-spaced on 8 ½ inch by 11 inch paper with a 1-inch margin in accordance with the format in the attached instructions. B. Applications must not exceed 25 pages. See instructions for pages to be counted. C. E-mail a Statement of Intent (optional) to christy.ashley@dmh.state.ms.us in the Council office to apply for these funds no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 25, 2012. D. Grant Submissions should be e-mailed to christy.ashley@dmh.state.ms.us by 5:00 p.m. on July 6, 2012. Late submissions will not be accepted. E. An e-mail verifying grant submission received will be sent to each applicant. F. Matching ratios are 75-25 for all projects except those operating in poverty areas. In these areas the matching ratio is 90-10. A geographic location within Mississippi being justified as a poverty area is the responsibility of the grant applicant. G. There is an 8% cap on Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs. H. Applications not funded will not be returned. I. For questions or to request alternate formats of this RFP, send via e-mail to christy.ashley@dmh.state.ms.us. Proposal Timeline Release of Request for Proposals Friday, May 25, 2012 Statement of Interest (Optional) Monday, June 25, 2012 Proposals due to CDD (E-Mail) Friday, July 6, 2012 by 5:00 p.m. Internal Review of Proposals July 9, 2012 – July 12, 2012 Award Notification Friday, July 13, 2012 Finalize Agreements with Awarded Projects July 16, 2012 – July 31, 2012 Project Start Date Wednesday, August 1, 2012 For more information, contact Christy Ashley at christy.ashley@dmh.state.ms.us.

Arizona again earns No. 1 ranking for services for developmentally disabled . . . Mississippi is #51!!!

WASHINGTON – Arizona was ranked No. 1 in the nation for its delivery of Medicaid services to developmentally disabled residents, the fourth time in six years the state has come out on top, according to a new report. “Individuals who need services in Arizona are receiving them,” said Tarren Bragdon, author of the United Cerebral Palsy report. “There are very few people on the waiting lists and individuals are getting services just in time.” The report goes up to 2010, the most recent year for which numbers are available. Subsequent budget cuts could affect the state’s standing in future reports. But the report, released Wednesday, is still good news for Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, given recent state struggles to balance the budget without sacrificing disability programs. “UCP has found that Arizona provides top-of-the-line services when it comes to promoting their (disabled individuals) independence and their safety in terms of keeping families together and helping individuals in need,” said Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson. “That is great in terms of quality of life.” Bill Parker, director of operations at Chandler-Gilbert Arc, agrees that Arizona excels in creating “home-like” living situations for the developmentally disabled, but said there is always room for improvement. “Arizona has a strong lean towards families and retaining families,” said Parker. “You and I get to choose where we want to live. People with disabilities get to choose among a group of options, but it’s not purely their choice.” Arizona continues to operate one hospital where it houses developmentally disabled residents, but the state is “making progress by moving people from state institutions into the community,” Bragdon said. The closing of such state hospitals was a major factor in ranking state Medicaid programs, said Bragdon. On other criteria, Arizona had one of the lowest waiting lists for Medicaid services, despite a steadily rising number of families in need since 2006. Financial assistance to those approximately 21,000 families also rose steadily from 2006 to 2010. Benson said the UCP report is valuable because it measures more than just dollars and cents. “A lot of reports focus purely on spending,” said Benson. “This report is … actually looking at the outcomes that Arizona provides.” Despite the state’s first-place ranking, all states need to focus on areas they can improve, Bragdon said. Arizona was 47th in the nation for productivity, meaning that only 6 percent of developmentally disabled residents in the state were competitively employed in 2010. Bragdon attributed that, in part, to the increase in the number of people requesting services in the state. “Because there’s such a dramatic increase in total people being served, the number of people being served is growing faster than the number involved in competitive employment,” Bragdon said. “We want to see states protect the bright spots, but we want to see policy makers and government administrations work on areas that need improvement,” he said. For more information, visit Rankings.

A FORCE OF NATURE 2012 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK, PLEDGE TO PREPARE

Jackson, MS - History teaches that hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads that can reduce the impact of hurricane and other natural disasters. Families, individuals, and businesses who know their vulnerability and what actions to take can reduce the effects of a weather emergency by taking action to prepare. In support of this call to prepare, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have partnered again to promote 2012 National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 27-June 2, and are calling upon Americans in areas of the country vulnerable to hurricanes and severe weather to be A Force of Nature. The MS Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities(MSCCD) is proud to join and promote the 2012 National Hurricane Preparedness Week and to be A Force of Nature to help spread the word and make its employees and members of the community better prepared. The MSCCD is partnering with the MS State Department of Health to provide Emergency Preparedness and Recovery for At-Risk Populations in the Department's 9 Health Center Districts during June and July. Contact Judy Sikes, MSCCD ADA Coordinator for places and times of free trainings near you. (Judy@msccd.org or 601-969-0601)

Statement from Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the passing of Katie Beckett

May 20, 2012 Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 Katie Beckett was a quiet hero and an inadvertent pioneer in the civil rights movement for people with disabilities. When she was only three years old, her family and her doctors wanted her to live at home despite her extraordinary medical support needs. At that time, Medicaid would not cover the cost of her medical services in the community -- only in the hospital. Thanks to her mother Julie's tireless advocacy, in 1982 Medicaid policy fundamentally shifted to allow people with significant healthcare needs and disabilities to receive care at home. Over the past thirty years, the "Katie Beckett Waiver," a Medicaid program, has provided over a half million children with disabilities the chance to live at home with their families and participate in their communities instead of living in hospitals and institutions. As a result of this change, Katie was able to grow up as a typical young woman living with a disability -- going to college, working as a writer and public speaker, and living an independent life -- and in the course of her journey, Katie inspired a whole generation of young people with disabilities and their families. Katie will be missed by many across the country, but her determined advocacy, and that of her family, has changed countless lives for the better. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her parents, Julie and Mark, and all in the disability community who mourn her passing. A tribute to Katie aired on National Public Radio last week and is available at Katie Beckett Tribute.

U.S. Dept of Education Releases Restraint and Seclusion Resource

The U.S. Department of Education has announced the release of a 40 page resource document on seclusion and restraints. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy Kareem Dale, and U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, & Policy Development Carmel Martin discussed the importance of this resource and corresponding principles. The publication outlines principles for educators, parents and other stakeholders to consider when developing or refining policies and procedures to support positive behavioral interventions and avoid the use of restraint and seclusion. The resource is applicable to all students, not just those with disabilities. Please refer to the following links for more information: Press Release and Restraint and Seclusion Resource Document.

UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation Grants for Needs Families

The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is seeking grant applications from families in need of financial assistance to help pay for their child’s health care treatments, services or equipment not covered, or not fully covered, by their commercial health insurance plan. Qualifying families can receive up to $5,000 to help pay for medical services and equipment such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs, orthotics, eyeglasses and hearing aids. To be eligible for a grant, children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the United States and have a commercial health insurance plan. Grants are available for medical expenses families have incurred 60 days prior to the date of application as well as for ongoing and future medical needs. Parents or legal guardians may apply for grants at www.uhccf.org, and there is no application deadline. Organizations or private donors can make tax-deductible donations to the foundation at this website. “The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is dedicated to improving a child’s health and quality of life by making it easier to access needed medical-related services. The grants enable families to focus on their children’s care instead of worrying about how they’ll pay their medical bills,” said Matt Peterson, president, UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation. “Eligible families in need are encouraged to apply online for a medical grant today and take advantage of this valuable resource.” In 2011, UHCCF awarded more t han 1,200 grants to families across the United States for treatments associated with medical conditions such as cancer, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, hearing loss, autism, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, ADHD and cerebral palsy. As successful fund-raising efforts continue to grow, UHCCF is hoping to help more children and families in 2012. For more information, visit the Website at Applications.

Call for Comments . . . Proposed Draft Revisions to DSM Disorders and Criteria

Comment Deadline: June 15, 2012 The comment period has opened for the proposed changes to the diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association. These revisions include the often-discussed revisions to criteria for diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders, among other things. Comments related to specific diagnoses or non-diagnostic specific issues may be made via the link above. The work group members will review all feedback and make decisions about further revisions based in part on the comments provided as well as on results from field trial testing, which is currently underway To make comments, visit DSM Comments.