Community Choice Coalition Events and Updates

This is an announcement of events and updates from Desiree Kameka from Madison House Autism Foundation, Rockville, MD, and the Coalition for Community Choice:

Greetings Coalition for Community Choice,



I hope the summer is treating you well. Below, are a few important dates to be aware of in the upcoming weeks:

1) Many states have already gone through a round of public comments on their state transition plan [to comply with CMS rules on Home and Community Based Service settings]; keep checking the HCBS Advocacy website to be informed of your state deadlines and information. Thirteen states are expected to submit their waiver applications by September 2014. Transition plan deadlines in FL, NY, GA, and ND are coming up this month. Please feel free to contact me for assistance in preparing public comments.

2) The 2014 National HCBS Conference is scheduled for this September 15 -18, 2014 in Arlington, VA. I am attending and would like to connect with any CCC members who will also be there so we can strategically make contacts and garner as much information as possible. Email me if you are attending. You can view last year’s plenaries and materials on their website.

3) The Brookwood Community Networking Days Conference is coming up August 20-22. Check out this video of Michelle, a Brookwood citizen, describing why we need more Brookwoods in the world.
 
Thank you to Homes for Life, Safe Haven Farms, Casa de Amma, and Down Home Ranch for your recent contributions to the work of CCC. For those who missed it, here is a letter from Jerry Horton of Down Home Ranch offering an opportunity to support our collective mission of choice.

Cheers,


Desiree Kameka
National Coordinator, Community Choice Coalition
Madison House Autism Foundation

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The Coalition for Community Choice (CCC) is a national grassroots collaboration of persons with disabilities, their families and friends, disability rights advocates, professionals, educators, and housing and services providers to advance the principle that community can be experienced in all residential settings. CCC was created to 1) promote and defend the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and autism to choose their residential settings from the broadest range of options; 2) educate federal and state governments on innovative Olmstead-compliant housing alternatives to “one-size fits all” approaches; and 3) preserve access to essential, publicly-funded services and supports in these settings.

Michigan's transition plan for HCBS settings is not due until March 2015. Check here for updates and more information.