[Image: Gingerbread cookies with red Christmas balls hanging over blue background and decorated with berries. Top view, copy space. The month, December is red bold text has been added].

In this edition: #TheDisabledBlackMagellan blog by D’Arcee Neal, Beyond Just "Doing Our Job", Why We Work For You and more!

Nuestro boletín de noticias está disponible en Español.

[Image: Consumer from Alexandria City receiving the Food Assistance card and walker].

We are fortunate, at ECNV, to be able to work with a team of dedicated advocates who every day, demonstrate their heartfelt commitment to help people with disabilities live the lives they choose. Knowing that we can make a difference, spurs us on to do even more. The testimony below is an example of why we think it is important to be here for everyone with disabilities.

Making the effort to reach folks from marginalized communities whose identities intersect with disabilities makes ECNV and the disability communities stronger. It is a reciprocal relationship. While we are helping Ursula find meaningful work, she is generously sharing with us a trove of resources she has meticulously gathered in her quest for services and support that will help her and her family survive and thrive. In turn, we have more information and resources to help individuals and families who rely on us for help.

“I have the opportunity to say a few words to you, Miss Fajardo. That day you answered my phone call, I was hopelessly walking with my physical pain and my heart was very heavy because I couldn't find an answer to my questions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for answering my call and making an appointment with me. Thank you for letting me know more about the ECNV program that you are a part of, I knew that there are professional people, leaders who work with heart who guide visitors to have confidence and hope with professionalism. Miss Fajardo, I sincerely appreciate the way you are guiding me and the time you took to make sure I feel comfortable and being bilingual gave me more comfort to express myself. I will continue advancing in my vocational rehabilitation by putting your advice into practice. Thank you for accepting to be my coach, it is a great impact on my life. I will remember your words when we said goodbye, 'Úrsula never turn off the light of your heart. Have faith we will work together to keep it lit and move forward!' Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023, to you Miss Fajardo and the ECNV Staff.” - Úrsula

Your support of ECNV provides people of all ages an opportunity to live independently. If you haven’t made a year-end gift to ECNV, thank you for considering a donation.

[Image: ECNV 40 Forward logo].

[Image: RAMP Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program logo].

The General Assembly starts January 11th and it is time to advocate for a strong agenda that seeks to transform Virginia's System into a more effective and efficient system by building provider capacity and workforce, funding more waivers, and building long-term sustainability into our system. You can prepare to advocate using the 2023 Advocacy Toolkit.

[Image: General Assembly chamber].

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a $58 million behavioral health redesign plan, “Right Help, Right Now.” The three-year plan aimed at closing treatment gaps to address the insufficient crisis care in the state as well as mental health workforce shortages.

The plan called for fully funding more than 30 new mobile crisis teams and providing better pay for workers while increasing the mental health workforce. It also develops community-based services and targeted substance abuse disorder and overdose prevention. The funding is aimed to relieve law enforcement’s load addressing people in crisis and reducing the criminalization of mental health. Youngkin also said he wanted to expand school-based treatment as concerns for youth mental health grows.

The proposal includes:

• Transfer $85K from DBHDS to DMAS for DD Waiver administration
• $58,345,204 (including five positions) for comprehensive crisis services system
• $20,000,000 for alternatives to hospital beds in psychiatric emergencies
• $20,000,000 one time for mobile crisis units to be established in underserved areas
• $88,810,453 to increase rates for personal care, respite, and companion services by 5%
• $31,000,000 for 500 additional DD Waiver slots (total for the biennium of 930 Family Individual Support and 170 Community Living)
• Telehealth service delivery options for people with DD Waivers

[Image: Right Help, Right Now, Transforming Behavioral Health Care for Virginians red, white and blue banner].

Late last month, disability activist Hale Zukas passed away from heart failure. Zukas traveled through life in a motorized wheelchair. He used a pointer attached to his helmet to operate his wheelchair and to spell words on a word/letter board. He frequently addressed government officials and other groups with a co-worker or personal assistant who translated his speech and supplemented it with reading from his letter/word board.”

In 2017, a documentary film about his life, aptly titled Hale premiered. The film’s creator, Brad Bailey made the documentary as his thesis project at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. He was recognized with a Student Academy Award for the project, joining some big names like Spike Lee and Robert Zemeckis.

His Berkeleyside Obituary adds: “An engineer at heart, Zukas designed the first curb cuts in Berkeley and convinced the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to become fully accessible. He co-founded the BART’s accessibility advisory group in 1975 and even designed the buttons for inside BART elevators so that they could easily be reached by wheelchair users.”

[Image: Hale Zukas wearing a red sweater]. 

Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is accepting applications to join the 2023-2024 class of Partners in Policymaking (PIP). They are looking for talented, motivated, and dedicated advocates who want to have an impact in their communities. This PIP class will consist of seven two-day sessions beginning September of 2023 and lasting through April of 2024.

Eligible participants are people with developmental disabilities and/or parents of young children with developmental disabilities. Individuals participating in the program will attend advocacy training and skill-building workshops designed to hone them into effective and passionate advocates. Completion of this application and selection for the PIP program requires substantial commitment of time, motivation, and energy - it is not for the faint of heart!  

The application deadline is March 17, 2023. You can learn more on the Partners in Policymaking website.

[Image: A mixed group of persons with disabilities, and non-disabled around a table, gathering socially].

The White House has announced a new limited round of free at-home COVID-19 tests for the winter. Households can now order either standard at-home tests or tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Shipping is free.

Older adults and people with disabilities who need support ordering the free at-home tests can contact the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116) or the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL, 888-677-1199). Staff are available to assist you from 8 AM to 9 PM ET Monday through Friday. They can help you learn more about testing options, including by connecting you to accessible instructions and helping with test administration.

[Image: An unidentified male using an At-Home COVID test kit].

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is seeking individual and family input and participation in determining actions that can be taken to improve the DD system of supports and services in Virginia. They are asking individuals and families to answer the questions in the survey link below. If interested in being on a workgroup, they should complete question 10 in the survey.

DBHDS will select 50 participants 10 from each of the 5 DBHDS regions who represent the lifespan to assist with this effort. Additional options to observe and comment will be provided to those not selected and to the public at large.

DBHDS will use information gathered from this survey as well as the information gathered through the surveys completed through the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to present at the first meeting issues identified by individuals and families that need to be addressed through the Division of Developmental Services. DBHDS will use this workgroup in partnership with the Provider Issues Resolution Workgroup to ensure they have a comprehensive understanding and the potential impacts of any recommendations and solutions.

This meeting will occur quarterly starting in January with subgroups meeting in between the quarterly meetings to resolve the issues identified.

Survey Link for Individuals and Families: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2VCLQV7

Recently Archived:

• December 2022 FFFP Social Security in Depth, Recording of information parents of people with Developmental Disabilities related to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) from the Arc of Northern Virginia First Fridays Futures Planning 
• Black Disability Politics, The Ford Foundation. Dr. Sami Schalk, an associate professor in the Department of Gender & Women's Studies at UW-Madison and other guests discuss the need to prioritize an understanding of disability within the context of white supremacy, to demonstrate that the work of Black disability politics not only exists but is essential to the future of Black liberation movements.
• Addressing Inequity: A Year of Investing in Disability Rights, The Ford Foundation commemorated one year since the start of our U.S. Disability Rights grantmaking, our grantees, stakeholders, and changemakers to discuss what's been learned, where are the challenges, and where we go from here to achieve the goals of field building, economic justice, narrative change, and driving philanthropy. ECNV’s Executive Director, Dominique Dunford Lack shares her perspectives looking back on the first year of funding.

January Events:

• Dis-Queer: A Disability LGBTQIA+ Support Group by accessABILITY (virtual) 1/3/23, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm EST.  This event is free.
• IRS Information Session for Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), (virtual) 1/4/23, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Sexual Health and Wellness: Safe and Health Boundaries, (virtual) 1/5/23, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Supported Decision-Making Series: What is Supported Decision-Making and What Kind of Support Do I Want?, (virtual) 1/10/23, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm EST.   This event is free.
• IEP University, (virtual) 1/9/23 to 1/29/23.   This event is free. Registration ends 1/7/2023.
• Systems Change fosters enhanced ADA compliance, (virtual) 1/10/23, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST.  This event is free. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Steven Gordon prior to the presentation at steve.gordon@usdoj.gov.
• IDEA to ADA: The Difference Between High School and College Accommodations, (virtual) 1/10/23, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Sexual Health and Wellness: Pregnancy & Human Reproduction, (virtual) 1/12/23, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Using the IEP as a Launch Pad, (virtual) 1/15/23, 11:00 am EST.  This event is free.
• Supported Decision-Making Series: When Do I Want Support Discovery Tool, (virtual) 1/17/23, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm EST.   This event is free.
• Parenting Disabilities, (virtual) 1/18/23, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm EST. This event is free.
• Sexual Health and Wellness: Birth Control & STIs, (virtual) 1/19/23, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Scheduling Services for Students with Disabilities, (virtual) 1/24/23, 2:00 pm EST.  This event is free.
• Self-Advocacy Listening Sessions, (virtual) 1/25/23, 2:00 pm EST.  This event is free. Come and hear the impact of racial inequity on disability advocacy.
• Supported Decision-Making Series: Relationship Map Tool and Selecting Your Supporters, (virtual) 1/24/23, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm EST.   This event is free.
• DD Advocacy Day in Richmond, 1/26/2023, from 7:00 am to 3:00pm. This event is free.
• Resource Fair at Loudoun County Public Schools' 5th Annual Mental Health & Wellness Conference at Lightridge High School, 1/28/2023, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. ECNV staff will be there! 

ENCV was active around town promoting our programs and vaccination popups for people with disabilities.

Pansy Walker, Expansion and Outreach Senior and Maya Flores, ECNV volunteer hosted a table at the Arlington Transition Fair on December 10, 2022. The ECNV table was festively decorated and full of ECNV offerings. They were tag-teamed by Cherie Takemoto, ECNV Director of Disability Justice and her son, Pete Scampavia, Arlington Public Schools graduate who hosted a table inviting Arlingtonians to join the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee and learn more about services for adults with developmental disabilities in Arlington County. Cherie was recently appointed chair of the Developmental Disabilities Committee and is busy expanding the voices of multiply marginalized citizens.

[Image: Mother and son find out more about the ECNV I Am Self Advocacy program from volunteer, Maya Flores and Pansy Walker].

On December 14, 2022, DARS invited ECNV to Community Academy to exchange resource information and learn more about the intersectionality of poverty and disability. Service providers and programs who serve participants with a wide array of resource needs exchanged information about their programs and resources available to residents of the City of Alexandria.

[Image: Rosalia Fajardo and Cherie Takemoto joined DARS and a dozen other human services agencies in the Community Academy].

On December 17, 2022 Rosalia Fajardo Multicultural Families Director distributed COVID home tests and information about ECNV and disability. The holiday celebration and resource fair was hosted by Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services at the Hybla Valley Community Center and organized by Fairfax County Health Department, Inova, Anthem Health Plus, Neighborhood Clinic, United Community and Fairfax County Police Department. It had a great turnout for residents from the Alexandria, Richmond HWY corridor. 239 households and 596 children received food, toys, COVID vaccinations from the Fairfax County Health Department. 

[Image: Families in line to collect toys and food].

[Image: An African American family receiving COVID tests kits from ENCV with Rosalia Fajardo].

[Image: (left to right) A Latina woman with a Latino adolescent in a wheelchair, and Rosalia Fajardo].

[Image: A Native indigenous family from Guatemala receiving COVID tests].

[Image: (left to right) A Latina woman wearing an Inova sweater, Rosalia Fajardo, an African American man wearing Inova sweater].

[Image: (left to right) A Latina woman wearing a Christmas sweater, Rosalia Fajardo, and Eduardo Mantilla, Director of Programs at Neighborhood Clinic].

On December 18, 2022, ENCV hosted a vaccination clinic at the Durga Temple, that serves the Hindu population in the Northern Virginia area with more than 20 people getting the flu and COVID vaccine.

[Image: (from Left to Right) ENCV staff, Andrew Shaw, Ruchika Lalwani, a Hindu female Durga temple host, Rosalia Fajardo and a female Director of Himalayan Free Clinic and a female the Giant Nurse].

[Image: ECNV staff, Ruchika Lalwani, helping a Hindu male wearing traditional clothes].

The social groups are run by ECNV Staff. These fun gatherings are a great time for connecting, sharing and often take place over a good meal. Perhaps you'll make a new friend, and with lots of pandemic mandates being lifted, it's a perfect time to come back out. For more information, contact Ruchika Lalwani.

January 6 – TGIF at Silver Diner at 4400 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22203 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm

January 18 – ECNV Board meeting from 5:00 – 6:30pm

January 20 – The ENDependents Social Group (virtual) from 4:00 – 6:00 pm

[Image: TGIF Social Group gathering at Silver Diner].

Don't forget to support ECNV by shopping at AmazonSmile!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to ECNV.