FYI...

-----Original Message----- From: US Dept of HHS: Press Releases, Other Info [mailto:HHSPRESS@LIST.NIH.GOV]On Behalf Of MARTHA HENNEGHAN Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 12:34 PM To: HHSPRESS@LIST.NIH.GOV Subject: HHS PRESS RELEASE--NEW GRANTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Date: January 10, 2001 FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY Contact: HCFA Press Office, (202) 690-6145

Headline: HHS ANNOUNCES NEW GRANTS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today announced the release of nearly $70 million in grants to states to increase services and supports to persons with disabilities of all ages.

The grants are designed to assist states in enabling people with disabilities to reside in their own homes and participate in normal community life. This work is vital to implementing the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the preferences of most children and adults to live in their own home in the community.

Secretary Shalala also announced the fifth of a series of guidance letters to state Medicaid directors, in which the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) outlined a number of tools available to improve state health and long term service systems to better serve the needs of those with disabilities.

The grants announced today include $50 million in "Real Choice Systems Change Grants" that are designed to help states improve their health and long term service delivery systems. The funds will enable states to work with their disability and aging communities to expand the supports and opportunities people with disabilities of all ages have to live in their own homes and communities. Grant funding may be directed towards improvements in quality assurance mechanisms, long term service system reform and demonstration projects.

Up to $15 million in grants and Section 8 housing vouchers are also being made available to states to assist in the transition of people with disabilities of all ages from institutional to community-integrated living. In partnership with HHS, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made 400 Section 8 housing vouchers available as part of this initiative, known as Access Housing.

Finally, grants up to $8 million will be made available to support state efforts to improve community-based personal assistance services that are designed to ensure maximum control on the part of people with disabilities of all ages. States will be able to use the grants in the development and implementation of the infrastructure necessary to support an effective system of long term services that offers maximum consumer control. Examples include providing education and training to persons with disabilities in managing workers, assisting persons with disabilities in hiring workers, and assisting persons with disabilities in establishing their own businesses.

The grant awards will be made to states by the end of September 2001. More information on the grants can be found on the HCFA Web site at http://www.hcfa.gov.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Answers

Brenda; Thanks for the HHS information. Although I didn't support the ADA legislation when it was orignally proposed eight years ago [economic costs were very high, too many "eligible" categories], I do recognize the fact that all Americans should have a basic and fundamental right to access irrespective of physical circumstance. In fact, after enduring for many years with colleagues who display accute cerebral deficit syndrome [i.e. borderline morons] I'm willing to expand ADA eligibility to include them as well :-) QED

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001