Archive for July 2014
Sheltered Workshop Eligibility May Soon Be Limited
Federal lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to require most students with disabilities to try competitive employment before they could be employed by sheltered workshops.
The U.S. Senate voted 95 to 3 on Wednesday to approve a sweeping jobs bill known as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Tucked within the measure are significant changes for students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood.
Chiefly, the bill would prohibit individuals with disabilities age 24 and younger from working in jobs paying less than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour unless they first try vocational rehabilitation services, among other requirements. There are exceptions, however, for those already working for what’s known as subminimum wage and in cases where individuals are deemed ineligible for vocational rehabilitation.
Since Olmstead
Fifteen years ago, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg announced the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Olmstead, it was immediately clear it would become the most important legal victory for people with disabilities in American history. Yet, little changed in the first years after the decision.
The Supreme Court required Georgia, and each of the other states, to provide people who were confined in institutions equivalent supports in the community. However, because of the complexity of this transformation, the Court said that states could create and carry out plans for transitioning from institutions to the community with reasonably-paced moving waiting lists.
This caveat resulted in a lot of planning and very little changing. Georgia formed commission after commission to study how the State would make changes to comply with Olmstead. But it took little action. Real change did not begin to occur until after a series of Atlanta newspaper articles brought attention to terrible incidents at Georgia’s state-run psychiatric hospitals. In their 2007 “Hidden Shame” series for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Allen Judd and Andy Miller wrote that 115 people died under suspicious circumstances in the state hospitals over a five-year period. The problems were linked to overcrowding and poor care. The series began with the story of Sarah Crider, who was a seventh grade girl who died from lethal constipation caused by her medications.
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The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities is the state’s leader in advancing public policy on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities.
Fifteen years ago, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg announced the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Olmstead, it was immediately clear it would become the most important legal victory for people with disabilities in American history. Yet, little changed in the first years after the decision.
The Supreme Court required Georgia, and each of the other states, to provide people who were confined in institutions equivalent supports in the community. However, because of the complexity of this transformation, the Court said that states could create and carry out plans for transitioning from institutions to the community with reasonably-paced moving waiting lists.
2014 GARC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The Griffin Area Resource Center, Inc. held its 59th annual membership meeting the end of May on the grounds of their campus. The celebration included dinner, recognition of volunteers and community organizations, approval of By-Law revisions, a new slate of GARC Board of Director’s and staff recognitions. Following dinner, Lisa Sassaman, Executive Director and Dr. Robert Hayden, GARC Board President recognized the Junior Guild of the Griffin-Spalding Historical Society. For over twenty five years the Junior Guild has faithfully provided their time, talent and energy to the people served through the GARC by putting together the best parties; usually with music, dancing, games and refreshments.
The Spalding Kiwanis Club was also recognized as an outstanding volunteer organization. Representing the club were Ivan Betts, Jim Goolsby, Ronnie Cox and Henry Moxley. The Spalding Kiwanis Club began volunteering with the GARC back in the earliest history of the organization, some 55 years ago. At that time the GARC was known as Play to Learn, located at St. George’s Episcopal Church. Each year the Spalding Kiwanis Club sponsors the best GARC Men’s Christmas party. The Christmas party always includes dinner, singing Christmas carols, and a special gift for each man.
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