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Status of Federal Funding for CHIP and Implications for States and Families

The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released a fact sheet that provides an overview of the current status of federal funding for CHIP, a program that offers health coverage for uninsured children of working families. In Iowa, CHIP is offered through a program known as hawk-i .

Join the #IamMedicaidIowa Campaign to Raise Awareness about Medicaid Issues During 2018 Legislative Session

Many lawmakers and citizens see dollar signs rather than faces when considering Medicaid Managed Care issues in Iowa. Help Disability Rights Iowa show lawmakers that Iowans in the Medicaid Managed Care system are just like them. They want to live in their homes in their communities rather than going to an institution. However, they are unable to do so without the state sufficiently funding their services.   Join the #IamMedicaidIowa movement and share your story by going to http://disabilityrightsiowa.org/special-announcemen .

The Sexual Assault Epidemic No One Talks About At a moment of reckoning in the U.S. about sexual harassment and sexual assault, a yearlong NPR investigation finds that there is little recognition of a group of Americans that is one of the most at risk: people with intellectual disabilities. Read more www.npr.org

Recent Updates to the Iowa Department of Transportation ADA Transition Plan

The Iowa DOT recently updated their transition plan for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for accessibility within their facilities. The ADA law requires that certain public entities have an ADA Transition Plan that outlines how those entities will address absent or deficient accessibility accommodations.   The public can submit comments and questions related to the transition plan via email to DOT.ADATransitionPlan@iowadot.us ; comments are accepted year round. The Iowa DOT will have a multi-disciplinary, agency-wide committee that will use the comments to improve the transition plan, and provide communication on the review and progression of the plan.

2nd Annual Deaf Cultural Celebration With Special Guest Nyle DiMarco

The Iowa School for the Deaf is excited to host their second annual Deaf Cultural Celebration , “Signing with the Stars,” on March 23-25 in Council Bluffs. The weekend-long event features special guest and keynote Nyle DiMarco, model, actor, and deaf activist.   Priority registration is now open for families of deaf and hard of hearing children ages 0-21; general registration opens February 5.

2018 Iowa Community of Practice Webinars

The Iowa Community of Practice webinars launched last week and the complete schedule is available at www.ivrs.iowa.gov/2018IowaCommunityofPractice.pdf. The webinars are held the second Tuesday of the month, from 1:00-2:00 pm CST. Each webinar is archived and available online at no cost. All previous webinars dating back to 2014 are available on the IVRS website and are great for training and resource. Click the following link and select "IA Community of Practice Webinar Recordings":  www.ivrs. iowa .gov/cesframeset.html . Webinars can also be found on  the Iowa Coalition for Integration & Employment's YouTube channel.

Mark your calendar for the 2018 Together We Can Conference! Featuring keynote speakers: David Harrell & Rylin Rodgers Saturday, May 5, 2018 | Iowa State Fairgrounds | Free for families Information will soon be available at www.askresource.org/togetherwecan .

Social Security Administration Seeks Input on Improving Adult Economic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities Receiving SSI

The Social Security Administration (SSA) released a Request for Information to elicit ideas, strategies, and best practices related to improving adult economic outcomes for youth aged 14 to 25 with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Comments are due by February 2 . The input SSA receives will inform its deliberations about potential policy changes and the design of future demonstration projects for transition-age SSI recipients.

Trump Administration Says States May Impose Work Requirements for Medicaid

The Trump administration initiated a pivotal change in the Medicaid program, announcing that for the first time the federal government will allow states to test work requirements as a condition for coverage. The announcement came in a 10-page memo with detailed directions about how states can reshape the federal-state health program for low-income people. The document details who should be excluded from the new work requirements — including children and people being treated for opioid abuse — and offers suggestions as to what counts as “work.” Continue reading.

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Support Iowa families

The contents of this listserv email were partially funded by grants from the US Dept of Education, #H328M140017 and the US Dept of Health & Human Services, #H84MC24065, and a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. These contents do not necessarily represent the policy of those entities, nor should one assume endorsement by them. ASK Resource Center serves as a Family Voices State Affiliate Organization, and is a member of the Parent to Parent USA Alliance.