| Our Mission |
To support County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in providing services and supports to people with developmental disabilities.
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| Our Address |
73 East Wilson Bridge Rd
Suite B1
Worthington, Ohio 43085
614-431-0616 |
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November 2011
Federal Deficit
A bipartisan congressional committee formed to forge a long-term plan to reduce the federal deficit has failed. The super committee’s collapse also is a powerful sign that the political turmoil that has paralyzed Congress for the past year shows no sign of abating in 2012. Instead, the country now faces the specter of $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts during the next decade. Steep cuts in federal spending could cost Ohio thousands of defense-related jobs, while also leading to reductions in federal research dollars for the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, among a wide array of facilities that receive federal dollars. The panel’s six Democrats and six Republicans (which included Ohio Senator Rob Portman) split over issues between the Administration and some members of Congress for two years. Specifically, Republicans rejected significant tax increases, and Democrats refuse to dramatically slow the growth of Social Security and Medicare. According to Portman, “We’re going to have to address issues in a way that’s going to cause discomfort on both sides of the aisle”. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the federal debt is $10.1 trillion. However, if Congress extends tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 set to expire at the end of 2012, the deficit could grow by an additional $7 trillion.
October 2011 Employment Statistics
The U.S. Department of Labor released the October 2011 disability employment statistics. Data illustrates the percentage of people with disabilities in the current labor force was 21.3 percent, whereas last year at this time, the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.4 percent. The report clearly shows that the disability workforce remains steady.
Final Standards to Measure Disability Status
Last week, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released final standards to more consistently measure race, ethnicity, sex, primary language, and disability status, thereby improving the ability to highlight disparities in health status and target interventions to reduce these disparities. According to HHS Secretary Sebelius, "Today, through these new standards, we are providing a new set of powerful tools to help us achieve our vision of a nation free of disparities in health and health care."
Affordable Care Act
A poll conducted by Gallup, who conducted a national survey, found that 47 percent of those polled are in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Forty-two percent of those polled want to keep the ACA in place. The survey illustrates how divided citizens across the nation are relative to healthcare. The fate of the ACA likely will rest with the U.S. Supreme Court. Oral argument will likely be scheduled for the end of March or beginning of April 2012. The Supreme Court has set aside five and a half hours for oral arguments on four different issues. Under this timeline, the Supreme Court’s final ruling will likely be handed down at the end of June 2012, just before the Supreme Court recesses for the summer.
Community Living Assistance Services & Supports
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee voted to repeal the CLASS Act along party lines. The approval of the bill by voice vote was the first successful legislative step toward repealing the program. The bill will now move to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee, but no date has been set for vote. The National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency that makes recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities, sent a letter to President Obama requesting that he oppose the repeal of CLASS Act if Congress indeed makes that recommendation. The National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Directors (NACBHDD) has also voiced oppositions to the repeal of the CLASS Act.
New York Approves Insurance Coverage for Children with Autism
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that mandates that health insurers provide coverage for children with autism in New York. The law will be implemented in about a year and as a result, insurance companies will cover the costs of screening, diagnosis, and treatment of children on the autism spectrum. A similar bill has recently been introduced in the Ohio House.
Parents with Special Needs Can Live Normal Lives
A recent article from the Washington Post discusses how a family with parents who both have mild disabilities raise their normal son. Both Ricardo and Donna Thornton are products of state institutions, where they met early on in life and fell in love. For years, the couple tried to get married, but since they were considered wards of the state, the marriage had to be approved by Washington DC’s Mental Health Commissioner. Both Ricardo and Donna hold regular jobs, and are able to get their son dressed and off to school. They do get some assistance with rent, and help from a biweekly stipend for necessities; their son attends a school that caters to families with special needs. But for the most part, the Thornton’s live a normal and happy life.
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