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Catching Up with Connor Facebook Live Series!
The Arc of New Jersey Health Care Advocacy program has a new Facebook Live series, hosted by the program’s director, Connor Griffin. “Catching Up with Connor,” is a regular biweekly series that is live at 2:30pm EST on Thursday afternoons. The series features brief, 10-15 minute educational presentations on specific health care issues, news, and other related topics for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
If you cannot make a session, please be reassured that all presentations are recorded and posted, along with the slides, on our website. Click here to see past recordings and slides. Please join us biweekly on Thursday afternoons for these live sessions, available on the The Family Institute Facebook page.
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The Gary Rubin Independence and Advocacy Fund
The New Jersey American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NJAAIDD) dedicates this emergency fund to Gary Rubin, former NJCDD council and NJAAIDD board member, and a nationally recognized and respected advocate. Gary dedicated his life and energy to promoting the independence of people with disabilities, closing institutions, and expanding community supports.
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can apply for this grant up to $5,000 to meet emergency needs such as medical care, utility bills, housing needs, scholarships, and other major emergencies.
Contact Walter Kalman at wkalman@njaaidd.org for more information.
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2024 Health Care Advocacy Webinar Series:
"Back to Basics" - Health Care 101 for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities"
This webinar series provides an overview of healthcare for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), with topics that include accessing preventive care, treatment options, visiting providers, oral health and dental care, dual diagnosis co-occurring mental health problems in individuals with IDD, and care for aging individuals.
Please join us on May 28th and June 25th from 12:00pm - 1:30pm for the final two installments in this exciting series.
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Webinar #3
Dual Diagnosis: Co-Occurring IDD and Mental Health Issues
For individuals who face mental health and/or behavioral challenges, this presentation will include diagnosis and treatment, best practices for positive intervention and behavior change, and a discussion of mental health in relation to physical, emotional, and behavioral health
Presenter:
Lucille Esralew, PhD, NADD-CC
Senior Psychologist Supervisor and Clinical Lead
California Department of Developmental Services
Co-Chair, NTG Advisory Body, Applied Research and Clinical Health (ARCH)
When:
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
12:00pm - 1:30pm
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Upcoming Webinar from the Bergen County CAPE Center:
Mental Health & The Young Person with I/DD
Mental health – we all have it! However adults with I/DD are 6 times more likely than their peers to develop a mental illness. This webinar will look at the importance of an accurate diagnosis, look at trauma risks, and seeking appropriate care and treatment. Protective and preventative strategies for developing mental wellness will be discussed, such as stress reduction, making and maintaining healthy relationships, promoting a sense of purpose, and the importance of parent self-care.
Presenter:
Deirdre O'Reilly, LCSW
Vice President of The Arc of Bergen & Passaic
When:
Thursday, May 30, 2024
6:00pm
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NJ FamilyCare WorkAbility Phase 2 Changes
NJ FamilyCare has released new updates regarding the NJ WorkAbility program, which provides full Medicaid coverage to individuals with disabilities who are working and earning income that would otherwise make them ineligible.
Effective February 1, 2024, Phase 2 removed limits based on income. Thus, the program now:
- Is open to individuals age 16 and over with a disability determination
- Does not count spousal income when determining eligibility or premiums
- Does not limit eligibility based on assets
- Does not limit eligibility based on income.
But, people with countable income over 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, must agree to pay a monthly premium. For example, if an individual has no unearned income, may earn up to $76,332/year (2024) without paying a premium. For individuals who have unearned income, such as alimony, Social Security benefits, investments, unemployment, or worker's compensation, the maximum earned income threshold to determine a premium payment will vary.
The full premium chart and further information are available on the Division of Disability Services (DDS) WorkAbility page, please click here.
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A Specialized Dental Provider for Individuals with IDD! |  | |
Their team is dedicated to providing comprehensive oral health care for people with physical, intellectual, psychological or developmental disabilities. Their special care dentists have over 80 years of combined dental experience and specialized training. Every staff member understands that individuals with special needs often have unique concerns. Together they strive to provide a place of comfort and an elevated treatment experience for every patient.
Special Smiles typically provides special needs patients with comprehensive oral health care under general anesthesia in one annual visit. This includes all appropriate procedures, from exams and preventive care to eliminating oral pathology.
The Special Smiles outpatient dental facility is located in the Commonwealth Campus building at 2301 E. Allegheny Avenue in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. All treatment occurs at this facility. Pre-treatment consultations for Pennsylvania residents also take place at this facility.
Pre-treatment consultations for New Jersey residents take place at 805 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002.
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Social Security Administration Announces New Final Rule to Reduce Overpayment Burden
SSA announced a significant reduction in the automatic overpayment recovery burden, from 100% to 10% (or $10, whichever is greater). When a person has been overpaid, the law requires SSA to reclaim those funds, often creating significant financial hardship for an individual and their family.
As of March 25, 2024, the default overpayment withholding rate will now be 10% (or $10, whichever is greater) of a person's total monthly Social Security benefit to recover an overpayment, rather than 100%. There may be exceptions, such as overpayments which resulted from fraud.
There will be a short transition period where people may experience the older policy. If you experience the 100% withholding rate, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to lower your rate.
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Rowan-Virtua RISN Center Using NJ Human Services Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant to Improve Healthcare for Women with Developmental Disabilities
The Rowan-Virtua Regional Integrated Special Needs (RISN) Center, South Jersey's first primary care practice committed to serving individuals with complex special needs, has launched an effort to improve sexual and reproductive healthcare for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Funded partly through an Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) grant from the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Disability Services, the initiative aims to elevate the standard of care and eliminate healthcare disparities by reducing the stigma associated with sexuality education, de-escalating patient fears, addressing potential histories of sexual trauma, and empowering patients to participate in their own healthcare decisions.
Read the full press release, here.
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