By The Numbers: NCCI Services October 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

The graphics below show data on services provided by the North Country Center for Independence between October 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019. You can click on each graphic to see a larger, easier to read version.

People Served

Disabilities of People Served

Services Provided

NYAIL Summary of NYS Budget Results

The following is a summary of the finished New York State Budget, from the New York Association on Independent Living ...

The budget was passed over the weekend. Now that it has passed, I want to share some updates this morning on our top priorities.

IL funding: The statewide network was allocated a $500,000 funding increase. Clearly this falls short of what we were seeking, but given the difficult budget year, it was an accomplishment to receive an increase at all. Further, now that we have strong support from both Education Chairs, we have momentum we can build on next year.

Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) program:

The final language broadens who can be a FI from the proposed language, which limited it to ILCs and FIs who were in operation prior to 2012. It does still include ILCs in the language though as entities who can be FIs. Contracting will be directly with the Department Of Health, as opposed to LDSS offices.

The bill did include some consumer protections, including creating a workgroup, to be formed by May 15th, to do the following:

- best practices for the provision of fiscal intermediary services;

- inform the criteria for the application to be a fiscal intermediary;

- identify whether services should differ for different groups of consumers;

- identify what criteria should be used in reporting; and

- develop transition plans for consumers who may need to transition to a different fiscal intermediary.

As for our primary concern, which was changing reimbursements to a per member per month (PMPM) model, the bill does not address this. Advocates were hoping it would be part of the workgroup’s charge, but it is not. There is apparently a plan to move forward with a PMPM model though, which the Executive already had the authority to implement without approval from the legislature. The plan is for rates to be banded, meaning there is a low rate for people who need 1-4 hours; a higher rate for consumers who need more hours; and a high rate for consumers who need more than 96 hours. We will be confirming those rates with legislative staff today and sharing this with the FIs in our network.

Housing:

Access To Home level funded at $1 million. The funding increase for this program was to come from the Mortgage Insurance Funding (MIF), which did not turn out to have adequate funding to support our increase. We will need to work harder on ensuring the Senate and Executive understand the necessity of providing funding for home modifications.

Office for the Advocate not included in final budget. Though we had strong support in the Senate, we understand there were concerns from the Assembly and Executive which we are working to find out more regarding.

We will send a more thorough update shortly.

===============

Here is an overview of how the rest of our priorities on our Budget DPA did in the final budget.

Health / Medicaid:

Spousal refusal protected! People who have a spouse or child who become sick or disabled and require Medicaid will not have to divorce or institutionalize their loved ones just so they can get the care they require!

Prescriber prevails protected! A doctor will be able to determine the best course of treatment for their patients, as opposed to the managed care organization.

Global cap extended.

The final budget did not include a community-based high needs rate cell or risk adjustment, as proposed by the Assembly and Senate.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program was included.

New York Connects received a $1M increase over two years.

Long Term Care Ombudsman Program level funded.

Elections:

Early voting funded! The budget includes $25M to cover the costs associated with implementing early voting. $14.7M will go toward purchasing software necessary software. This includes electronic poll books, as well as on-demand ballot printers and cybersecurity protections. An additional $10M will reimburse county Boards of Elections for costs associated with implementing early voting. Counties would not have the funds necessary  to implement early voting, so this is big.

Housing:

I already reported that a person’s lawful source of income is now a protected class in NYS Human Rights Law and Access To Home was level funded. As for our third housing priority, the Visitability Tax Credit was not included.

Employment:

Small Business Tax Credit not included.

Meghan Parker

Director of Advocacy

New York Association on Independent Living

155 Washington Ave, Suite 208

Albany, NY  12210

Phone: 518-465-4650

Fax: 518-465-4625

Email: mparker@ilny.org

Visit Our Website:  www.ilny.org

Like us on Facebook!

Important Notice About SNAP (Food Stamps)

SNAP (Food Stamps) recipients in New York will see an unexpected increased balance on January 20. Please note … this will be an advance payment of your usual February allocation, not an actual increase in benefits.

Early payment of February’s allocation is happening because of the partial federal government shutdown. SNAP program administrators have managed to secure February’s funding, but it must be distributed early. The important thing for SNAP recipients to remember is that this is not an increase. You are not getting more than you usually get. You are just being paid for February early.

That means that you will need to take extra care to budget your SNAP benefits carefully. Don’t spend it all now, or you won’t have enough left over in February. Your best response to the early payment should be to do nothing different. Only spend what you were normally planning on spending, in January first, then February.

The SNAP program, previously known as Food Stamps, helps 1 in 7 American families afford nutritious food. In New York State it’s 1 in 8 families. The program is especially vital to people with disabilities. in 2015, 1 in 4 SNAP recipients had some kind of disability. In New York, almost half of the families receiving SNAP include someone with a disability.

If you have any questions about this, call your office of Social Services, or NCCI at 518-563-9058.

By The Numbers: NCCI Services 2017 / 2018

The main goal of providing services at NCCI is to assist individuals with disabilities, and others dealing with disability issues. Each person we work with has an individual story, and each person who achieves or maintains their independence is a win, for them and for all of us.

Once in awhile though, it's useful to take a step back and look at what all of our services throughout the year look like. Exactly who are we serving? Which of our services are the most in demand? What kind of impact are we having in the North Country community?

The graphics below show data on services provided by the North Country Center for Independence between October 2017 and September 2018. You can click on each graphic to see a larger, easier to read version.

Have a look ...

And here is a closer look at two of NCCI's most important programs:

Voting Resources

Election Day for the 2018 Midterm Election is Tuesday, November 6. Here are some more voting resources for people with disabilities:

Voting Rights Subcommittee - National Council on Independent Living

Disability Issues Guide - American Association of People with Disabilities

Disability Issues Surveys, 2016 & 2018 - #CripTheVote

Voting Resources - Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Plain Language 2018 Voter Guide - Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Onlne Voter Registration - Vote.org

Find Your Polling Place - National Association of Secretaries of State

Polling Site Accessibility Checklist - U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

Find Out What Is On Your Ballot - Ballotready

Information On All Public Offices and Elections - Ballotpedia

Election Polling and Forecasts - FiveThirtyEight.com

You can always contact us here at NCCI at 518-563-9058, for assistance related to voting.

Social Security COLA Updates

Click here for a PDF document that lists the new Social Security Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2019. Here are just a couple of important numbers to notice for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. There will be a 2.8% increase in benefits this year. I will keep everyone up-to-date as soon as Medicare releases their numbers for 2019.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold:

Non–blind: 2018: $1,180/m 2019: $1,220/m … increase of $40.
Blind: 2018: $1,970/m 2019: $2,040/m … increase of $70.

Trial Work Period(TWP) threshold:

2018: $850/m 2019: $880/m

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Federal Payment Standard:

Individual 2018: $750/m 2019: $771/m … increase of $21.
Couple: 2018: $1,125/m 2019: $1,157/m … increase of $32.

SSI Resource Limits:

Individual: 2018: $2,000 2019: No change.
Couple: 2018: $3,000 2019: No change.

The linked document goes into more detail about retirement, tax rates and other federal benefits. If anyone has any questions please don't hesitate to ask. You can call me at 518-563-9058 Ext. 110, or send me an email at: norman@ncci-online.com.

Voting Q & A

How do I check my registration and register to vote? What is the deadline?

- Click here for a website where you can check your registration status, and register to vote online in New York State. You can also register at most government offices, and at most human services agencies, including here at the North Country Center for Independence. Call us at 518-563-9058 if you want to register and need assistance.

- The voter registration deadline in New York is Friday, October 12 for the 2018 Midterms on November 6. Click here to see the registration deadlines in all 50 states.

I don't drive or have a car. How am I supposed to get to the polls?

- The first step is to make sure you know exactly where your polling place is. Click here for a website where you can find out.

- Is it close enough to walk or wheel to? Could you afford to take a cab, just that once, to cast your vote? Call your county transportation department and ask if there is wheelchair-accessible transportation that can take you to and from the polls. You can also call your local Democratic or Republican Party, (whichever you prefer), and ask if they can help you get to the polls.

- If getting to the polls is going to be difficult in any way, it’s best to plan as far ahead as possible so you can make arrangements.

Why is polling place accessibility important? Can't disabled people just vote absentee?

- In NYS, most people with disabilities can get an absentee ballot if they want one. This allows you to cast your vote by mail. And absentee votes are just as valid and counted as votes cast at the polls. Click here for more information on voting by absentee ballot in New York State.

- However, many people prefer to go to their local polling place to vote, the way most voters do, and they have a right to do so. People with disabilities also have an equal right to an accessible polling place where they can independently and privately cast their ballot. All polling places in New York State should have a way for people with mobility, motor, visual, or hearing disabilities to cast their vote.

- If you choose to have someone help you with the voting process, you may. But you cannot be forced by someone else into having help to vote.

Aren't there certain kinds of disabilities that make it impossible or inappropriate to vote?

- In the United States, you don't have to demonstrate any particular level of knowledge or understanding to be eligible to vote. You just have to be a United States citizen and 18 years old or over. That applies to everyone, including people with all kinds of disabilities.

- NYS Law allows judges to rule a person with cognitive disabilities ineligible to vote when it is part of a legal guardianship. However, it is not an automatic part of every guardianship, it can be reversed and voting allowed if appealed, and in general, people have a right to register regardless of their disabilities unless specifically deemed ineligible by a judge.

- The vast majority of people with disabilities are as capable as anyone else of making their own voting decisions.

I don't know much about politics. Wouldn't it be kind of wrong for me to vote?

- One of the core principles of democracy is that you don't have to have a certain level of knowledge or intelligence to have a meaningful right to vote. If your vote isn't especially informed, and cast more on instinct, it is still valuable, and your insights are no better or worse than those of other voters.

- That said, if you feel like you would like to be more knowledgeable, you can change that. You can start by visiting websites about the 2018 Midterm Elections, and then visiting the websites of candidates who will be on your ballot.

Why is it important for people with disabilities to vote?

- People with disabilities are a potentially huge voting constituency. Almost 16 million people with disabilities voted in 2016. Recently, major elections have come down to thousands of votes. In local races, hundreds or even handfuls of votes can make the difference.

- In 2016, 68.3% of voting age people with disabilities were registered to vote, compared to 70.6% of non-disabled people, a 2.3% gap. 82% of registered disabled voters actually voted, compared with 88% of non-disabled registered voters, a 6% gap. (Source: Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse, Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2016 Elections).

- Just about all disability-related policy is affected by who is elected to Congress, state legislatures, counties, towns, and village offices … including the scope, quality, and funding of Medicaid and Medicare, Social Security, SNAP and housing assistance, home care, developmental disability services, independent living centers, and civil rights laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

- Who knows better how these and other disability programs should be designed and implemented. Very few lawmakers really know the disability experience. They rely on us not just for our votes, but for our everyday expertise on disability issues. We have the numbers and the knowledge to make a difference. But potential alone doesn’t do anything. First we have to follow through and vote.

The National Council on Independent Living has resources for voters with disabilities. Click here to visit their page.

You can also check an analysis of the races for Congress, every day from now until election day, at these FiveThirtyEight.com pages: Senate Forecast - House Forecast.

If you are looking for information on current disability issues, visit the following websites:

2018 NCIL Legislative & Advocacy Priorities Booklet

American Association of People with Disabilities / #RevUp Issues Guide
#CripTheVote Disability Issues Surveys (2016 & 2018)

National Disability Voter Registration Week

Do you have a disability? Does someone in your family of voting age have a disability? Are you registered to vote? Are they registered to vote?

The deadline to register in New York State for the November 6, 2018 Midterm Election is October 12, 2018.

For more information or to register, call the North Country Center for Independence at 518-563-9058.

Important things to know about voting and people with disabilities:

• People with any kind of disability can register to vote, as long as they are U.S. citizens of voting age, 18 or older. Cognitive or mental disabilities do not disqualify someone from voting, unless an individual been ruled legally ineligible. Election officials and poll workers alone cannot determine a disabled person’s eligibility to vote.

• Disabled adults who are under legal guardianship may or may not be eligible to vote, depending on the terms of their guardianship. If you are not sure, you should find out. Guardianship terms can be changed if necessary to specifically allow an otherwise eligible person with disabilities who is under guardianship to vote.

• Polling places should be physically accessible, and have voting mechanisms that are accessible to blind, visually impaired, and physically impaired people. Some disabled people may, if they choose, request a mail-in absentee ballot, but that does not lessen the obligation for polling sites to be accessible.

• If transportation is an issue, and you want to vote, it’s best to make arrangements well ahead of election day.

• You may be asked to provide identification at your polling site. A driver’s license, passport, or non-driver ID will suffice.

• If you have any difficulty voting, or anyone tries to prevent you from voting, call your Board of Elections: Clinton Co. 518-565-4740, Essex Co. 518-873-3474, Franklin Co. 518-481-1663.

Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse of Rutgers University have been studying voting participation among people with disabilities over the last few elections. Their most recent report, looking at 2016 voting, included some key findings:

About 16 million Americans with disabilities voted in 2016.

68.3% of voting age people with disabilities were registered to vote in 2016, compared to 70.6% of non-disabled people, a 2.3% registration gap. 82% of registered disabled voters actually voted, compared with 88% of non-disabled registered voters, a 6% gap in voting participation.

Kruse and Schur found that while voting by disabled people increased from 2008 to 2012, the voting rate for people with disabilities actually went down in 2016.

(Source: Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse, Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2016 Elections).

Employment

Job fairs happen periodically around the North Country every year. If you are at all interested in a job search, go to this one on May 21st, and keep an eye out for future job fairs in the area.

Questions to ask yourself if you have a disability and want to explore employment:

• Are you looking for full time, part time, temporary, seasonal, or continuous employment?

• Are you looking for indoor or outdoor work? Physical work or work that’s mainly about thinking, planning, and creating? Do you like simple routines, or do you prefer work with variety and the unexpected? Do you want to work with the public or behind the scenes? Do you want coworkers, or do you prefer working by yourself?

• Do you have a specific career in mind, or are you open to a variety of fields?

• How do you plan to talk about your disability? Will you keep it to yourself or inform your employers … and at what point? Will you need some accommodations on the job? Are you concerned about discrimination or being screened out because of your disability? Can you explain your disability simply, briefly, in a way that makes people more comfortable?

These are just a few questions to get you started, and give your job search some focus. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, reach out for some additional help with your job search and preparation:

OneWorkSource

A general regional resource for all job seekers.

New York State Adult Career & Continuing Education Services (ACCES-VR)

Provides help and, in some cases, funding assistance for job seekers with disabilities.

New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Provides employment services for people who are blind or visually impaired.

North Country Center for Independence

Peer support and information on employment, benefits management, workplace accommodations, and disability rights laws in the workplace.

By The Numbers: NCCI Services 2016 / 2017

The main goal of providing services at NCCI is to assist individuals with disabilities, and others dealing with disability issues. Each person we work with has an individual story, and each person who achieves or maintains their independence is a win, for them and for all of us.

Once in awhile though, it's useful to take a step back and look at what all of our services throughout the year look like. Exactly who are we serving? Which of our services are the most in demand? What kind of impact are we having in the North Country community?

Have a look ...

Note: These figures represent the number of people who received services at least once during the past full October-September year. Most of these people received services multiple times, though each is counted here only once.

Winter Paralympics

The 12th Winter Paralympic Games will take place in PeyongChang, South Korea, March 9-18, 2018. The games will start with Opening Ceremonies on Friday the 9th, and continue over the next 9 days. 550 disabled athletes from 49 countries will compete in six events:

Alpine skiing

Biathlon

Cross-country skiing

Ice sledge hockey

Snowboarding

Wheelchair curling

Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of competitive sports for people with disabilities. They run concurrently with both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games every four years, usually about two weeks after and at the same location and using the same facilities.

Similar to the Olympics themselves, the Paralympics are exciting, inspiring, informative ... and occasionally controversial. One of the aims of the Paralympics is to show the world what people with various disabilities can do in competitive athletics, with the right adaptations and determination. Each Paralympics fosters high hopes for further transforming attitudes towards people with disabilities in general throughout the world.

At the same time, while the disability community typically enjoys and celebrates the Paralympics as a showcase for disability sports and disabled athletes, there is an undercurrent of concern about exactly what messages about disability are received by the viewing public. Some are concerned that showcasing Paralympians as examples of disability achievement sends a distorted message, that disabled people can literally do anything if given the chance. While this is in a sense true, most disabled people have complex needs and face barriers in society that make simple independent living a genuine challenge.

Also, in recent years there has been some debate within disability sports about how disabled athletes are qualified and categorized based on their precise impairments. Some excellent athletes are always left out because of minute deviations in their actual disabilities, and efforts to match people evenly and fairly can be messy.

On the positive side, broadcasters have steadily increased the number of hours of Paralympic coverage in recent years. NBC will air over 250 hours of the 2018 Winter Paralympics, which is double the coverage of the last Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. And again, similar to all the Olympics themselves, the Paralympics tends to transcend it’s controversies, reservations, and social critiques ... no matter how valid ... as the sheer spectacle and fun takes over.

Here are some links to help you enjoy the 2018 Winter Paralympics:

PeyongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games - Official Website

2018 Winter Paralympics TV and live stream schedule - NBC

Winter Paralympics: Day-by-day guide to Pyeongchang Games - BBC

2018 Paralympics - Wikipedia

The Ultimate Guide To The Paralympic Games - Buzzfeed

Why do Americans ignore the Paralympics? - Boston Globe

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Work Incentives Workshop

Presenter: Norman L. Karp, Certified Benefits Specialist

When: Wednesday April 18th and 25th, 10:30am - 12 Noon.

Where:

North Country Center for Independence

80 Sharron Ave

Plattsburgh, NY 12901 

For more information or to register contact Norman Karp at: 

Phone: (518) 563-9058, ext. 110 or (518) 354-0198 

E-mail: norman@ncci-online.com

Seats are limited, so reserve your spot today!!!

Are you (or someone you know) receiving Social Security disability benefits and interested in exploring your work options?

Do you have questions about work like these ...

• Can I work and still keep my Social Security benefits? 

• Can I work and keep my healthcare benefits?

• Who can help me understand how working will affect my benefits? 

What are the advantages of you going back to work?

• More money! More money! More money!

• Becoming more self-sufficient

• Meeting new people

Social Security makes this possible with work incentives, such as:

• Impairment Related Work Expenses or Blind Work Expenses

• Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS Plan)

• Student Earned Income Exclusions

• Continued Medicaid Coverage (1619 B)

• Trial Work Period Months and Substantial Gainful Activity 

• Expedited Reinstatement

• Extended Period of Eligibility and Extended Medicare Coverage

So, if you or someone you know wants to work but isn’t sure how to get started, this Work Incentives Workshop is the place to be!!!

New Medicare Cards

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that they will begin mailing new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare in the near future.

Sample image of new Medicare cards

Instead of a Social Security Number, the new card will have a Medicare Number that’s unique to each person with Medicare. The new card will help protect identities and keep personal information more secure. Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same.

Medicare will automatically mail new cards at no cost to the address on file at Social Security. So if you are on Medicare, it’s important to make sure your address is up-to-date. An address can be updated easily by signing in to or creating a “my Social Security account”.

As beneficiaries begin to receive cards, keep in mind these 3 important tips:

1. Destroy your old Medicare card right away.

2. Use your new card. Doctors, other health care providers, and plans approved by Medicare know that Medicare is replacing the old cards. They are ready to accept your new card when you need care.

3. Beware of people contacting you about your new Medicare card and asking you for your Medicare Number, personal information, or to pay a fee for your new card. Treat your Medicare Number like you treat your Social Security or credit card numbers. Remember, Medicare will never contact you uninvited to ask for your personal information.

For more information on the new Medicare cards, click here to visit the Medicare website.

This notice comes to us from Virginia Commonwealth University’s National Training and Data Center, which coordinates information programs on disability-related benefits, including Social Security Work Incentives.

For more information on benefits applications, planning, and assistance, contact Norman Karp, Benefits Specialist at the North Country Center for Independence, 518-563-9058, Ext. 110, or send an email to norman@ncci-online.com

By The Numbers: Independent Living in New York State

The flyer below is from the New York Association on Independent Living … providing an overview of disability in New York State, and the work of Independent Living Centers throughout New York. Click each graphic to see a larger version ...

NCCI Social Media Review

​It has been almost a year since we started using social media more steadily to communicate with the North Country disability community, and with the broader network of disability rights organizations around the country. Now is probably a good time for an update on what we are doing and what you'll find in NCCI's social media. Click the links to check out these sites:

Website

A visit to NCCI's website is probably the simplest way to connect with our other social media networks. From here you can easily get to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts. The website itself also provides a good overview of NCCI's mission, services, staff, board of directors, and advocacy activities. There's also an online Calendar, and of course the NCCI Blog, which presents new information and action alerts at least once a week. Start here, and make the website a "Favorite" so it's easy to come back!

Facebook

We add new posts daily, usually two disability-related articles or NCCI news items, plus some selected shares from other related Facebook pages. Our content is curated for quality and focus over quantity. You may not enjoy or agree with every item posted, but you can trust that it has been selected with care, for specific reasons related to disability issues and NCCI’s mission.

Twitter
 

We "tweet" the same items we post on Facebook, and also retweet selected items from other Twitter users. As with Facebook, content is carefully selected, and free of unrelated junk. Twitter is an especially active place for disability conversations. There is a growing number of unique disability groups and discussions going on exclusively on Twitter. Most disability organizations and disability rights leaders and thinkers use Twitter every day to explore disability issues. Twitter is also widely used by elected officials, (with varying quality and effectiveness of course), and by journalists. This makes Twitter a powerful meeting place where disability movements and organizations can raise our issues to the attention of traditional media and politicians.

Instagram

There’s not much to look at yet, but we are making an effort to share more photos of NCCI activities. In the near future, we might also explore ways for the local disability community to share their own photos.

YouTube

We have an NCCI introductory video posted, and a playlist of disability-related videos from other sources. We’ll soon be posting more videos profiling NCCI staff and programs.

Visit Our Social Media Spaces!

As summer winds down and things are relatively quiet in terms of advocacy, this seems like a good time to remind everyone of the various ways you can connect with NCCI on the internet. Just click the links to visit, and be sure to "Like", "Follow," and "Share" these sites with other people who may be interested!

Website

All about NCCI's mission and philosophy, services, programs, advocacy, news, staff, and board. Also visit an online events calendar, links to NCCI's social media, and a regularly updated blog with editorials and action alerts.

Email Newsletter

Weekly information and updates on NCCI activities and disability issues, sent to a master list of email addresses. If you're not getting them already, click here to subscribe.

Facebook

Articles on disability issues and culture, shared daily, along with announcements of scheduled local events related to NCCI and disability matters.

Twitter

Short messages and links on disability issues and culture, shared daily. Follow us to get our tweets on your feed, and participate in disability conversations and scheduled chats.

Instagram

Photos and video of NCCI events and local disability-related activities. There are only a handful of photos up now, but expect more in the coming months.

YouTube

Original videos on NCCI, and shared videos from other sources on disability-related topics. We are working on some individual videos now that we hope to post soon.

GoFundMe

Online fundraising for specific NCCI projects benefitting people with disabilities in our area. Our current fundraiser is for the NCCI Homecoming Fund.