January 6th, 2021

In case you missed it the first time - House Impeachment Managers' Video Compilation of January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol

 

Michigan vaccination priorities include people with IDD living with their families or in their own homes

Michigan has expanded eligibility for vaccination to all people over 65 years old, as it continues to vaccinate people in the highest risk categories. This includes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living at home with their families or in their own homes, as well as residents of long-term care facilities and their caregivers.

My two sons live in a licensed group home that is a long-term care facility under the vaccination guidelines. All six residents of the group home received their second shots more than a week ago. None have experienced significant side effects. They are all fine.

When people with IDD live at home with their families or in their own home, they usually receive services through the Community Mental Health (CMH) system, funded through Medicaid waivers. Medicaid waivers allow CMH to provide for their care at home as an alternative to an institutional setting such as an Intermediate Care Facility for people with IDD or a skilled nursing facility. People with IDD, regardless of where they live, are more vulnerable than the general population to bad outcomes from the virus and are among those given priority for vaccination by the state and county health departments.

In Washtenaw County, many families were notified to sign up for vaccinations for their disabled family members, unpaid family caregivers, and paid CMH caregivers. They were asked to complete a survey for the county department of health and then to wait for more information about when and where to be vaccinated. Rather than being given the option of in-home vaccination, some were informed of large vaccination centers, where they would have to bring their family member, increasing the risk of exposure to the virus and having to deal with problems such as their family member being unable to wear a mask or to comply with social distancing rules. Part of the problem was that the survey did not ask for or take into account the special accommodations needed by people with IDD in setting up vaccinations.

Just Us Club, an activity program for adults with IDD in Ann Arbor that my sons attended in non-COVID days, maintains contact with families and sent out emails to help them overcome delays and barriers to vaccination.

I suggested that families use “magic words” when contacting the county health department to help them flag their request involving people already prioritized for receiving the vaccines:

“It sounds like Just Us Club families are having difficulty getting the county to respond and schedule a time to give vaccinations. I looked at the survey and, as usual, it is mostly about organizations and healthcare without any special consideration of the minority population of people with DD. They may just be overwhelmed, but it might be useful for people to use 'magic words' where they can fit them into an answer on the survey or in correspondence with the county. Among those magic words are 'Developmental Disabilities' or 'intellectual and developmental disabilities' or better yet, 'severe Developmental Disabilities' or 'severe IDD', 'Medicaid funded Home and Community Based Services', 'Home healthcare for a person with DD', 'Caregiver of person with severe DD, '…and related severe medical conditions'…anything to get their attention that we are talking about severe disabilities with related medical fragility and health conditions putting even younger people with DD at increased risk from COVID.”

Another parent suggested, “… I'll add to it that if your loved one has any physical ailments that might put them at greater risk (asthma, COPD, diabetes, etc.), it might help to spell it out in the email. If you include your phone number in your email, you may get a call from the County nurse to ask additional questions and potentially schedule your home visit. They really are swamped and using the 'magic words' can help get your loved one appropriately prioritized.”

Another parent came up with a sample email to send:

Hello,
My adult child, ______, receives Medicaid funded Home and Community Based Services through Community Mental Health. He /she has significant developmental disabilities and other underlying medical issues. He/she cannot tolerate wearing a mask for any length of time. I/we provide full time care for _______ in our home. My child has been sheltering at home all these months because he/she is medically fragile and thus more vulnerable to the Covid 19 virus. I am wondering what the procedure would be to schedule vaccination for my child in the home or at a drive through location, rather than at a large vaccination site.
Thanks so much,_______________

Another parent added that her son’s lack of expressed language and his seizure disorder qualified him as high risk and that because he couldn’t effectively communicate how he was feeling or whether he was feeling pain, was also helpful in identifying him as high risk.

JUC heard back from a number of families who were delighted to have a visiting nurse scheduled to come to their home to administer the vaccines, once their need for special accommodations was heard. 

I hope this helps with the frustrations of trying to get vaccinations for people with complex disabilities and needs.

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Information from the AARP on "The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Michigan" by Catherine Maddux , February 03, 2021

 

Proposals to raise the minimum wage for all workers may leave some workers with disabilities struggling with unintended consequences

The federal Raise the Wage Act was introduced in the last Congress in an effort to eventually raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour for all workers, including those with even the most severe disabilities. This has apparently been reintroduced as H.R. 603 and S. 53 and included in The American Rescue Plan. Besides raising the minimum wage for all workers, It would eliminate special wage certificates for people with severe disabilities. These 14(c) special wage certificates are authorized by the Fair Labor Standards Act and allow work centers (formerly called “sheltered workshops”) to pay workers less than minimum wage when their level of productivity prevents them from being competitive in the general workforce. These specialized work centers provide opportunities and special accommodations for people who would otherwise be unable to compete for jobs.

Elimination of the 14(c) wage certificates would ultimately lead to the closure of work centers that thousands of workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families rely on for meaningful employment and other benefits of a specialized work environment that accommodates the needs of people with the most severe disabilities. Although this has often been framed as a civil rights issue, no one is compelled to accept employment at a work center and the law provides protections for workers and requirements for employees designed to prevent exploitation. [See Fact Sheet on The Employment of Workers with Disabilities at Subminimum Wages]

In a recent news update, ACCSES, an organization representing providers of disability services, provides details of the Raise the Wage Act  and follows these with comments on the parts of the legislation affecting workers with disabilities:

“Before moving on to other news, we want to pause for a moment and talk about 14(c). At ACCSES, we see 14(c) as part of a continuum of paid work opportunities that increase options for people with the most significant disabilities. Neither this bill, nor others introduced in the past, will lead directly to more employment for individuals working under a certificate. It is not a binary choice. Rather, for many, it will eliminate an option that is highly valued and regularly coupled with other services, including competitive employment, which often provides for only a few hours of work per week.

“A great deal of energy is devoted to trying to eliminate 14(c). Imagine if all of that collective attention were repurposed to reducing the need for 14(c) by focusing instead on closing the vast competitive employment gap for individuals with disabilities, expanding options, educating commercial and nonprofit employers generally of the tremendous workforce available to them, finding legislative solutions that encourage more employers to hire people with the most significant disabilities, increasing funding for supported employment and customized employment, increasing funding for social enterprise models and apprenticeship programs, recognizing disability service providers as the foundation of the disability service system (including employment) rather than trying to exclude them or dismiss their incredible depth of knowledge and experience, and most importantly, honoring the legitimate choice of individuals to have the job they want. This could lead to more positive results than simply eliminating 14(c) and forcing people into unpaid work, day support programs (which is a perfectly fine choice for individuals and already available as an option) or leaving individuals with few options at all other than being at home. This pandemic has shown many of us how difficult it is to be isolated at home away from our communities for long periods of time. Moreover, it has underscored the trauma of job loss, which should not be overlooked.

“At no time has the federal government conducted an actual study as to what has happened to individuals in states where 14(c) has been eliminated as a work payment choice. A true, unbiased study should be undertaken as a first step before any movement to eliminate 14(c) or limit its use, as it will highlight where attention for positive change should be focused. There are numerous ancillary concerns that must be taken into consideration – social security asset limits, transportation, the unemployment rate generally as well as specifically in the most rural parts of our country, the movement toward robotic solutions for businesses, jobs leaving the U.S., and the economic impact on families of eliminating an option that is providing a source of consistency and community, etc. Taking a paid work opportunity from people who take pride in their work will not by itself lead to more paid employment options or opportunities. This is a complex issue, and it will take getting everyone around the table to sit down with open minds to come up with good ideas to increase opportunities, not to just take away an option. A solution that will deny some individuals the dignity of work or that denigrates their jobs is the ultimate demoralizer. This is what keeps us up at night."

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More on specialized work centers, sub minimum wages, and supported employment from The DD News Blog.

Beyond free speech: Anti-vaccine protesters temporarily shut down vaccine site in Los Angeles

From The Washington Post, “Anti-vaccine protesters temporarily shut down major coronavirus vaccine site at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles” by Meryl Kornfield, 1/30/21:

“One of the largest vaccination sites in the country briefly shut down Saturday afternoon because maskless, anti-vaccine protesters blocked the entrance, officials said.

“For nearly an hour, thousands of motorists in line to get a coronavirus vaccine shot at Dodger Stadium were stalled as about 50 people demonstrating against immunization efforts caused officials to temporarily close the site’s gates, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz told The Washington Post. The protest had no impact on the number of shots given Saturday at the site, which can vaccinate 8,000 people a day, Ortiz said.”

The temporary shutdown complicated the already stressful process of getting vaccinated with vaccines in limited supply and in high demand.

According to The L.A. Times, “Confirmed coronavirus cases in California have surpassed 3.2 million. More than 40,000 people — one in every 1,000 Californians — have died from complications of COVID-19. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s official death toll stands at 16,647 after 316 fatalities were confirmed Saturday [emphasis added], along with more than 6,900 new cases.” Variants of the coronavirus that make the virus more transmissible continue to spread in L.A. County.

The protests were organized on social media and "...advised participants to 'please refrain from wearing Trump/MAGA attire as we want our statement to resonate with the sheeple. No flags but informational signs only.'"  The protest, however, was not only about the COVID vaccine, but had the purposeful effect of spreading disinformation about a wide-range of conspiracies - “This is a sharing information protest and march against everything COVID, Vaccine, PCR Tests, Lockdowns, Masks, Fauci, Gates, Newsom, China, digital tracking, etc.”

Meanwhile, “Following demonstrations by anti-mask groups at shopping malls, grocery stores and homeless encampments, the Los Angeles City Council earlier this month bolstered restrictions and subjected some violators to financial penalties.”

I trust the will of the "sheeple", more than I trust the politically motivated exploitation of people with unfounded fear and disinformation.

If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear one, but then don’t go into places such as private businesses that require masks to protect their customers and employees. If you don’t want a vaccine, don’t get one, but don’t get in the way of people who want to get vaccinated to prevent themselves from getting sick or worse from COVID and to prevent the spread of the virus that has caused the worst pandemic in 100 years.  

The Barker boys, Danny and Ian, live in a group home with four other severely and profoundly disabled residents, all of whom are medically vulnerable to the worst effects of this virus. They all received their second Pfizer vaccine last week without adverse side effects. It is troubling, however, that many of the staff chose not to get vaccinated because of fears that it might hurt them in some way more than the virus. The demand for vaccines is generally high and eventually I expect that many of the staff will change their minds.

A new CDC study estimates the prevalence of Intellectual Disability (ID) among children

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) provides an estimate of the prevalence of Intellectual Disability (ID) in a new study involving 215,000 8-year-old children in nine states.

According to an article in Disability Scoop, “CDC Study Pinpoints Prevalence Of Intellectual Disability” by Michelle Diament, January 21, 2021, the prevalence of intellectual disability among children is consistent with past estimates, but prior studies lacked details on subpopulations.

The study looked at children’s records and identified them as intellectually disabled if they had “an IQ score of 70 or less or if there was a written statement from a qualified professional indicating that the child’s intellectual functioning fell within that range.” 

There are legitimate criticisms of using IQ scores as an indicator of intellectual disability (also called cognitive disability or, formerly, mental retardation), but combined with a consideration of the actual functioning abilities of the child, the label of ID can be useful in confirming eligibility for services and other supports for both the child and the family. When IQ scores are used to disqualify children from the supports or programs they need or to discriminate against them in other ways, then they lose their usefulness and validity. This kind of information, however, is especially useful for state and local agencies responsible for providing educational, vocational, and long term care services for now and in the future.

The study found that 1.2% of the total number of children had IQ scores of 70 or below qualifying them for an intellectual disability diagnosis. The vast majority of children identified — 78% — had mild intellectual disability while 12% were classified in the moderate category and 1% were considered severe or profound. 

My two sons have profound ID and function in the 0-12 month range in abilities. IQ tests for them are profoundly useless. If you want to know what makes them tick and what to do to provide them with meaningful activities and a good quality of life, you have to ask the people who know them well and have worked with them. 

If you assume the figures here apply roughly to the adult population, it is worthwhile noting that people with severe to profound ID represent only 1% of the 1.2% of the general population of people with ID. That is a small minority of a minority. It should not be surprising that they are not easily compared to people with disabilities with far higher functioning abilities and that their needs will be met in far different ways. 

Other findings of the study:

• “Intellectual disability was about twice as likely in boys compared to girls and in Black children compared to white kids. Prevalence also varied dramatically by location with Arkansas at the high end seeing double the cases of Minnesota and Tennessee, which reported the lowest rates. 
• “Of the children with intellectual disability, the study found that 39% also had autism. 
• “Even though most cases of intellectual disability can be reliably diagnosed before age 5, the researchers noted that almost a quarter of the children studied did not undergo an IQ test until after age 6.”
  

Furthermore, “The study authors indicated that given the ‘substantial disparities’ seen across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, the ‘results could be used to help inform strategies to enhance early access to intervention services to improve quality of life for children with ID.’”

The findings from the study were published in the Disability and Health Journal, available online 15 November 2020, as "Prevalence of intellectual disability among eight-year-old children from selected communities in the United States, 2014".

U.S. Representative from Grand Rapids, Michigan, speaks out on the attack on the U.S. Capitol

Statement from Republican U.S. Representative Peter Meijer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, on the attack on the US Capitol, 1/6/2021.

League of Women Voters statement on the Electoral College vote certification

1/4/2021

WASHINGTON – Today the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) CEO Virginia Kase issued the following statement ahead of this week’s joint session of Congress to count and certify the Electoral College votes:

“This week, Congress will count the Electoral College votes as required by the Constitution and affirm Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Any objection to this process is simply political theater which directly mocks and defies our Constitution. Still, these actions will not change the legally proven result of the 2020 election.

“In November, the American people turned out in record numbers to elect the next president of the United States, and the Electoral College confirmed the people's will last month. The electors from each state have certified their results, and the role of Congress this week is to confirm that the votes sent are the ones the electors certified. Congress has no legal ability to change those results. 

“While the League believes the Electoral College should be abolished, it is our current system for electing the next president. All elected officials must respect our democracy, accept the outcome of the election, and affirm the will of the people.”

Amen