Table of Contents
Welcome to the latest edition of TCDD Extra, a newsletter published every two months with a selection of recent disability news, resources, training, advocacy opportunities, and more. This newsletter may include TCDD-led initiatives as well as information from other organizations.
In this edition:
- taking stock of disability policy from the legislative session;
- recovery resources for people affected by recent floods;
- information on school vouchers for students with disabilities;
- the Americans with Disabilities Act’s 35th anniversary;
- and more.
How Did Lawmakers Address Disability Issues?
Since the regular session of the 89th Texas Legislature ended on June 2, TCDD has been reviewing and sharing disability policy outcomes that could impact people with developmental disabilities (DD). Last month, self-advocates and policy experts from TCDD and other organizations led a webinar that covered bills that passed, bills that failed, and important issues that still need attention. You can find a recording of the webinar on the TCDD YouTube channel.
At the Capitol, Texas lawmakers returned on July 21 to begin a special legislative session. The House and Senate have 30 days to consider an agenda set by Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor’s agenda includes items to address emergency preparedness, flood warning systems, property tax cuts, Congressional redistricting, and more.
Resources for People Impacted by Recent Floods
The Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) has shared resources to support people with disabilities impacted by the storms and flooding that happened in Kerr County and other areas of Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. The resources include information on how to replace lost or damaged durable medical equipment and assistive technology. GCPD also has information on seeking FEMA assistance and other disaster recovery resources. For more details, visit the GCPD website.
School Vouchers and Students with Disabilities
Senate Bill 2 , passed during the recent legislative session, established an Education Savings Account program that allows eligible Texan families to use state funding for private school tuition and other educational expenses. To help you understand the options and impact of the new program, TCDD and The Arc of Texas collaborated to create a one-pager, titled Vouchers and Students with Disabilities (PDF). The one-pager includes information on how much funding a family can receive; how families can use funding; differences between public schools and private schools; and more.
Direct Care Careers Promotional Toolkit
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has released a Direct Care Careers (DCC) promotional toolkit that shares information about the DCC program and resources for personal care attendants. The DCC program connects people looking for work as personal care attendants with employers offering home and community-based services. The new toolkit offers information about the personal care attendant role, details about the DCC’s free online platform, and materials to promote the program in local communities. You can download the toolkit in English and Spanish:
- Texas DCC Toolkit (PDF, 17 pages, 3.4 MB)
- Carreras de atención directa en Texas (PDF, 19 pages, 3.4 MB)
Integrating Family Caregivers as Care Team Partners
The National Caregiver Support Collaborative (NCSC) will host a webinar from 1-2 p.m. Central time on Aug. 6 to share information on integrating family caregivers as essential partners in care teams. NCSC, a program of the U.S. Administration for Community Living, offers resources and assistance to aging-care organizations and caregiver support networks. The free webinar will cover strategies to create partnerships with health care providers to address critical gaps in caregiver support. Register online to attend.
Americans with Disabilities Act Marks 35 Years
Disability advocates across the nation celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26. For more than three decades, the ADA has protected people with disabilities from discrimination in many areas of life. The landmark civil rights law includes provisions for employment, accessibility, service animals, parking, mobility devices, and more.
Whether you’re an ADA expert or just starting to learn about the law, the 35th anniversary is a perfect time to expand your knowledge of disability rights. Visit ada.gov to find more information, and test your knowledge with this 10-question ADA quiz.
Quotable
“We need to get America for all. ... It can be done if we create a culture that empowers every person on a custom basis to govern the self and to govern all, and to create the good life for self and all.”
— Justin Dart Jr., in a 1999 interview on the ADA with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights and the Administration for Community Living. Dart played a major role in advocating for Congress to pass the ADA and was an iconic figure in the disability rights movement up until his death in 2002.
Project Spotlight: Building Knowledge of Disability Issues
Metrocare Services in Dallas coordinated a TCDD-funded project to develop training materials for elected leaders and legislative staff to deepen their understanding of people with disabilities and increase their engagement with the disability community. The project developed tools to help elected officials and policymakers have meaningful conversations with people with disabilities, ask important questions respectfully, and view policy issues with the disability community in mind. As part of the project, Metrocare Services created a series of short videos highlighting major disability issues and important things to know about Texans with disabilities. Learn more on the Metrocare Services website.
