Disability Thrive Initiative

For the past few years, Suzanne Hullinger, owner of the Side Street Café in Newbury Park, has been something of a scofflaw. And her customers have loved her for it. Beginning Thursday, Hullinger will become a fully law-abiding restaurateur.

Under a law signed this year by Gov. Jerry Brown that takes effect Thursday, dogs will be permitted to dine with their owners on outdoor patios at restaurants, provided certain conditions are met. It will make legal a practice the Side Street Café and several other restaurants in Ventura County — notably, the Lazy Dog restaurants in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard — have been following for some time.  Read more.

For first time in nation’s history, federal government recognizes added costs associated to living with a disability

(Washington, D.C. – Dec. 17, 2014) – Last night, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 by a vote of 76 to 16. First introduced in 2006, and subsequent sessions of Congress, the ABLE Act will allow people with disabilities (with an age of onset up to 26 years old) and their families the opportunity to create a tax-exempt savings account that can be used for maintaining health, independence and quality of life.  “Today marks a new day in our country’s understanding and support of people with disabilities and their families,” Michael Morris, National Disability Institute (NDI) Executive Director, said. “A major victory for the disability community, ABLE, for the very first time in our country’s policy on disability, recognizes that there are added costs to living with a disability.” He continued. Read more.

California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley announced on Friday (December 5) that the Brown Administration’s Developmental Services Task Force, created last July to take steps toward strengthening services and supports in the community for hundreds of thousands of children and adults with developmental disabilities, will focus initially on two major issues – provider rates and rate restructure, and regional center caseloads and operations – in smaller workgroups, composed of task force members, in meetings scheduled for December 16th , and in January, with follow-up meetings in February and March. The task force, headed by Secretary Dooley, is composed of advocates, providers, regional centers, family members and people who receive services.

Two other issues identified by the Developmental Services Task Force during the July and October meetings of critical importance to people with developmental disabilities – Medical and Mental Health Services and Supports, and the issue of Housing and Employment, will be the subject of workgroup meetings of the task force later next year as work progresses on the issues of rates/rates restructuring, and regional center caseload ratios and operations. Read more.

U.S. House members voted overwhelmingly to pass the ABLE Act on Wednesday. The legislation, which would allow people with disabilities to save money without jeopardizing eligibility for government benefits, now heads to the Senate. (Thinkstock)
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to approve a bill that would establish a new way for people with disabilities to save money without risking their government benefits.
The Achieving a Better Life Experience, or ABLE, Act passed by a vote of 404 to 17 on Wednesday. The measure will now move to the Senate. Read more.

Send your letters of support to Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein.

The Lanterman Coalition, consisting of the 19 statewide organizations of the California Developmental Services system, is urging the Brown administration to stop the collapse of our system. While state agencies’ budgets are typically adjusted for cost of living, wage, health and benefits increases, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) system has been seriously hindered without these budget adjustments. As a result, the sustainability of the state’s system to meet the Lanterman promise to people with developmental disabilities is threatened by insufficient funding. Read the letter to Governor Brown here, and see how you can support the Lanterman Coalition.

Contact your local government offices and be heard.

The Federal Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act requiring health plans to provide mental health benefits on par with medical benefits has been in place since 2008.
Final regulations go into effect this January, explicitly stating that health plans must pay for individuals with mental health conditions to receive medically necessary residential treatment as well as other forms of intermediate care, such intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization, in parity with other medical conditions
This is a game changer. Now, families who have a loved one with a serious mental health condition may consider intensive treatment and insurance will have to cover it. Read more.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation by Senator Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, on Thursday to increase job opportunities for Californians with developmental disabilities.
Senate Bill 577 will create a pilot program offering community based vocational development services such as internships and volunteer opportunities, job exploration, targeted employer outreach, resume development, interviewing skill development, assistance in overcoming social barriers to employment and support for post-secondary education, including vocational education. Read more.