Disability Thrive Initiative

CBS Sacramento

It’s been almost two years since a Davis group home was shut down by child welfare officials following several daily police calls for everything from runaways to two violent rapes. Read More.

Several new bills are making their way through the state assembly and senate, some with promise for individuals served by regional centers and their families. From qualified ABLE programs to the Building Homes and Job Act to developmental services and income tax credits, check out the list here: Bills 4.15 and contact your local legislator (Wolk, Levine, Frasier, Dodd, Wood, McGuire) to be heard.

Monday, April 13, 2015                                                                                         By Cindy Burton
Open Letter to Governor Jerry Brown:
It can take a tragedy to remind me of how truly vital our work is at PathPoint.
On April 7, a report was issued by the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, California, as a follow up to its 2012 exposé on uninvestigated/unpunished crimes against residents of California’s state hospitals for people with developmental disabilities. In its earlier report, the Center for Investigative Reporting’s data was based on family complaints and judicial records. Read More.

By Virgil Dickson | April 15, 2015
Skilled nursing facilities would get a 1.4% Medicare rate increase for fiscal 2016 under a proposed rule issued by the CMS Wednesday. That change would lead to $500 million in higher Medicare payments. Read more.

The State Director of Special Education’s office sent out notice last week reminding schools and communities about graduation ceremony participation rights:

“As graduation day approaches, we would like to remind you that California Education Code (EC) sections 56390–56392 allows students with disabilities to participate in graduation ceremonies and activities. They may participate whether or not they have completed all state and local graduation requirements for a diploma or certificate or document of educational achievement.”

Read more here: Participation in Graduation Ceremonies and Activities

Consisting of the 19 statewide organizations that make up the California Developmental Services system, the Lanterman Coalition continues to urge the Brown administration to fund the promise of the Lanterman Act. While cost of living, minimum wage increases, and health, transportation, and benefits costs are typically built into state agencies, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) system serving the needs of our state’s most vulnerable populations does not have these accepted adjustments. As a result, the system has been seriously hindered and has failed to meet the Lanterman promise.  Learn more about the Lanterman Coalition 10 Campaign here.

JEFF STONE, R-MURRIETA, REPRESENTS CALIFORNIA’S 28TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT.

March 27, 2015, 12:03AM

Recently, this newspaper came out and opposed legislation I’ve authored to help Californians who are challenged by developmental disabilities. I am authoring Senate Bills 638 and 639 that together restore California’s vision for empowering people with developmental disabilities to maximize their potential. SB 638 would provide needed money and launch reforms to help give disabled citizens community services that are high-quality, sustainable and transparent, and SB 639 would pay for those efforts by shutting down two expensive and outdated state-run institutions, known as developmental centers, in Orange and Sonoma counties.

Read more.