Indiana Family to Family

We have already sponsored several Indiana families with 6 months of FREE home internet service. We have a limited number of sponsorships still available, but they're going fast! Contact us today to learn more and find out if you're eligible. FVI Home Internet Outreach-2nd Outreach Flyer by Family Voices Indiana on Scribd

  From EFMP Winter 2021 Newsletter Take control of caregiver stress and don't let it impact your relationships with family and friends.  Our caregiver services can help lighten you load with support for non-medical counseling, peer support, financial counseling, health and wellness and more. Get Support

  From Justice in Aging Some people receiving the second round of stimulus payments have received those payments in the form of an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) prepaid card. Because this form of payment is new, we have received many questions about whether the cards are legitimate. The cards are legitimate and can be used without fees.   The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has created a helpful resource with descriptions and visual representations of the cards so consumers can confirm that the card they received is legitimate, as well as instructions for using the cards without fees and obtaining replacement cards.  Issue Brief Money Network EIP Cards by Family Voices Indiana on Scribd

From Sarah's State House Sound-Off HB 1261, Closed Captioning,   passed out of the Commerce, Small Business, and Economic Development committee this week. This bill will simply require public businesses to turn on the closed captioning on any tv's that are available for public viewing. This will not only help our friends who are deaf or hard of hearing, but can also help kids who are learning to read or people who are learning English!

From Family Voices Washington D.C. Update 2.2.2021 As explained in a   January 24, 2021, blog post  from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Norris Cochran recently sent a  letter to Governors  to assure states that the current declaration of a Public Health Emergency (PHE) “will likely remain in place for the entirety of 2021,” and that HHS will provide 60 days’ notice when it decides to terminate the PHE or let it expire. This is significant because the PHE declaration is the basis for the temporary increase the federal matching rates for Medicaid and CHIP; the continuous Medicaid coverage (maintenance-of-effort) requirements; and other  temporary authorities , including “Appendix K,” that give states flexibility in telehealth benefits and other Medicaid and Medicare services.

  From Sarah's State House Sound-Off Senate Bill 233, TANF Eligibility ,   passed 6-2 in the Senate Family and Children Services Committee on Monday.  Currently, the eligibility levels for TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, have not  increased since 1988. Because this level has not accounted for inflation over the past  three decades , a family would have to make almost  90 percent less  than current federal poverty guidelines to be eligible for the benefit. Even then, they’d receive just $288 in assistance each month. MCCOY supports S233 because if passed, it would adjust the eligibility requirements based on current cost of living adjustments and would increase certain payments through the program. Read more

Learn Innovative State- and County-Level Strategies for Improving Children’s Health, Development and Well-Being at a New Webinar From Manatt and the Center for the Study of Social Policy. Click  Here  to Register Free. The events of 2020 brought to center stage the importance of long-standing efforts by leading pediatric providers, child advocacy organizations, researchers and others to push for a more equitable and advanced child health system that offers family-based, whole-child care. Although widely known among researchers and experts, the COVID-19 pandemic and social reckoning with systemic racism intensified the reality that the health of children is affected by far more than their access to medical care. Children’s health is also driven by the social and emotional challenges they face, including the health and well-being of their parents and caregivers, the financial stability of their families, the safety of their environment, and the extent to which they face racism and discri

  Please join the National Association of Case Management for the February 10, 2021 Professional Development Webinar: Disability and Intersectionality All individuals are unique and complex. We all identify differently with vast experiences. Having any type of disability adds on another layer of identity complexity. Intersectionality theory is explored as part of peeling off layers of oppression that individuals with disabilities endure, especially in light supporting intimate relationships. Family members, educators, support staff, medical professionals, case managers and individuals themselves are often at a loss for supporting individuals with disabilities self-determination for pursuing and maintaining intimate relationships. This webinar, presented by Dr. Mary Rita Weller, Ph.D., LSW – Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, will provide case managers and other professionals, as well as family members tools and techniques to assist ind

The Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services’ mission is “To connect people with disabilities and their families to resources and supports to live their best life.” As part of our ongoing efforts to achieve this mission, BDDS is excited to announce the launch of the BDDS Gateway. The BDDS Gateway provides the opportunity for individuals and families to apply for BDDS services online. BDDS hopes that by offering this online option, our application process becomes more accessible to those who are interested in the supports available through BDDS. The BDDS Gateway is an additional avenue to apply for BDDS services. Paper applications will still be readily available by contacting your   local BDDS office   or may be printed online   by clicking here. The BDDS Gateway can be accessed at  BDDSgateway.fssa.in.gov.  Information and training materials, including a video tutorial, written instructions and Frequently Asked Questions are available on the  BDDS website . As the BDDS IT moderni

  Respite Night Flyer BEST by Family Voices Indiana on Scribd

  From SSA's Ticket to Work Have you heard this myth? "If my benefit payments stop because I started making money through work, and then I have to stop working because of my disability, I will have to reapply for benefits all over again." Social Security has special rules called Work Incentives, and today we'll explore one that helps bust this myth for people who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you receive SSDI, the  Trial Work Period  (TWP) is a Work Incentive that allows you to test your ability to work for at least 9 months while maintaining your benefits.  Learn more about updates in 2021 and check out the Trial Work Period  fact sheet  to get answers to questions like: What is a Trial Work Period? What happens when I complete my Trial Work Period? How can Ticket to Work help me reach my employment goals?