Indiana Family to Family

The Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services is pleased to share an update on the 1915(b)(4) selecting contracting waiver. As a reminder, all current case management providers, along with other interested parties, were invited in July 2021 to submit a proposal through the state’s contract process for their plan for quality case management service delivery.  Through this project, BDDS seeks to create a pathway to: improve the skills and knowledge of case managers; build greater consistency with this service across the state; ensure all individuals continue to receive quality case management services as part of their serving persons on the Family Supports Waiver and Community Integration and Habilitation waiver.    BDDS is excited to announce the case management companies who were selected through this process.  The case management companies selected to continue to provide waiver case management services are as follows in no particular order:   Indiana Professional Management Group

 

  Family YES! is a unique and free opportunity for family-serving professionals and policy makers to hear directly from families and youth about their experiences with state programs and services and reflect on ways to put families' experiences at the center. Day 2 is an opportunity for families to build advocacy skills. Read the  event summary , check out the  agenda , and  register here .

 

  SAVE THE DATE: AN IN*SOURCE WEBINAR Tips for Improving Case Conferences-Parent and School Recommendations and Resources TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2021 11:30 AM-1:00 PM EDT/10:30 AM-12:00 PM CDT PRESENTER Dr. Angela McKinney Indiana IEP Resource Center HOSTED Cathy Boswell and Jill Summerlot IN*SOURCE Program Specialists REGISTER NOW This webinar will provide tips and strategies for improving case conferences for students with disabilities. Specific strategies will be shared that parents and school staff can use to increase transparency and promote a collaborative spirit among team members. Additional resources will be shared for handling challenging or complicated meetings. Please register  by 4:00 pm EDT on Monday, October 4. This webinar is free and open to the public. Certificates of attendance are available for attendees.  Professional Growth Plan points subject to approval from each attendee's organization .  To serve you more efficiently, we require advance registration. Each per

  Upcoming changes to SNAP for October Dear Stakeholders, We wanted to pass along some important information about two upcoming changes the U.S. Food and Nutrition Services Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Together these changes may impact the benefits received by Hoosier SNAP participants. On Sept. 30, 2021, the 15% increase in SNAP benefits provided as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021  will end. Starting in October 2021, benefits will  increase  due to the recent re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan. The result of these two updates occurring at the same time is that in October  most SNAP participants will see a slight increase  to their monthly benefit. SNAP households may have heard that because of the updated Thrifty Food Plan their benefits are increasing. However, they may not understand that this increase is to the pre-pandemic benefit amounts—before the 15% increase. As a result, some participants may be expecting their benefits to increase substantially

  October 13, 2021 Offered twice at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm INvestABLE Indiana offers a way for qualified individuals with disabilities to save money and not risk losing vital public benefits, such as SSI or Medicaid. These tax-advantaged savings accounts allow for individuals with disabilities to save money and pay for expenses that improve one’s health, independence or quality of life. Contributions can be made by anyone, including the account owner, friends or family-allowing for more people to play a part in creating a better quality of life. In this webinar you will learn ABLE basics, including who is eligible, how to enroll and how ABLE savings can be used. INvestABLE account owners are using their accounts to plan for a variety of expenses. One account owner has used his ABLE account to buy an accessible vehicle. He explains, “I receive waiver services and that has required some caps in what I can save. Without ABLE I would not be able to save for the long-term and purchase my va

Beginning this year, consumers will have an extra 30 days to review and choose health plans through Open Enrollment, which will run from November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022, on HealthCare.gov. CMS is also expanding services provided by Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Navigators—experts who help consumers, especially those in underserved communities, understand their benefits and rights, review options, and enroll in Marketplace coverage. In addition to extending the Open Enrollment Period and supporting the work of Navigators, CMS established a new monthly special enrollment period targeting certain low-income individuals in Marketplaces through HealthCare.gov. This opportunity provides the vast majority of eligible consumers with one or more options to enroll in free or very low-cost plans thanks to provisions in the American Rescue Plan. The provisions CMS announced also include important flexibilities for state partners. For example, state Marketplaces with their own e

Research and news about COVID-19 variants, booster shots, school safety, and vaccine hesitancy continue to evolve. Changing conditions and conflicting information can make it difficult for people with disabilities and their families to understand how to remain safe during this pandemic.   The Center for Health Equity is hosting a webinar that will feature Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver and members of the disability community to discuss these topics. Dr. Weaver will provide up-to-date information about current safety guidelines and vaccine recommendations. Disability community panel will share their stories about overcoming vaccine hesitancy and caring for school-aged children who cannot yet be vaccinated. Ask your questions about vaccines, variants, and booster shots before or during the webinar.   The free webinar will be on October 4, from 2 to 3 pm EDT. Live captioning and sign language interpreting will be provided. To register for the webinar

  Bt 202184 by Family Voices Indiana

  October 5, 2021, 10:00-11:00 am The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee based on various characteristics, including disability. Most employers find the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and reasonable accommodation issues complex and somewhat overwhelming. This webinar, which is designed for employers, job seekers with disabilities, service providers, and other interested stakeholders, will provide a basic compliance overview of the ADA with a focus on reasonable accommodations and tips and best practices for reasonable accommodations at every stage of the employment process. Featured Presenter:   Brien Shoemaker, Outreach & Education Coordinator, US EEOC Register in advance for this meeting: Zoom Registration

Indiana’s Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program   (LIHWAP) is a new program that provides funds to assist with your water and wastewater bills. LIHWAP is a   temporary   emergency program that will help low-income households and families afford water and wastewater services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is designed to help low-income households and does not require proof of COVID-19 hardship to apply. This funding is available to be used through September 2023 and the program will be finished when the funds are exhausted.   Applications will be accepted beginning October 1, 2021 and will be available in conjunction with IHCDA’s  LIHEAP  (EAP) program application. Details regarding the program and application forms will be available after October 1 st .