Image Above: Finger Lakes Independence Center--FLIC--Logo: The letters: F-L-I-C and the letter I looks like an open door. Finger Lakes Independence Center Opening Doors to Independence

Image above: Picture of a pride rally with individuals in the front of the picture holding flags. Two people are facing the camera. One is a woman, smiling, who is a wheelchair user. The other is a man, standing.

"LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be disabled than non-LGBTQ+ people. The duality of their identities as LGBTQ+ and disabled increases the amount of discrimination and bias they face in their daily lives, at school, at the doctors, or at work. The barriers disabled LGBTQ+ people face start early in life. Disabled LGBTQ+ youth are bullied in school at elevated rates, which can lead to adverse outcomes such as dropping out of school. In healthcare settings, disabled LGBTQ+ people face higher risk of discrimination than both their cisgender and heterosexual peers with disabilities, and their LGBTQ+ peers without disabilities, which can cause them to avoid care and lead to unmet health needs and greater health risks. Disabled LGBTQ+ people are also more likely to face adverse economic outcomes, such as poverty, due to earning less for equal work, facing higher unemployment or lacking access to inclusive workplace benefits. Taken together, these troubling trends serve as a call to action for educators, service providers, healthcare professionals and employers to create more inclusive environments for disabled LGBTQ+ people throughout life and all spaces of daily living."



Read the full article by clicking the button below.

Poster Above: Photograph of a wheelchair sitting next to a lake and dock with kayakers paddling away as background. Over background it reads: Learn to Kayak, Adaptive kayaking with Paddle-N-Mre and Adaptive Expeditions! Saturday, June 17, 9am to 4 pm. All paddling equipment and lunch is provided? Contact jennifer@paddlenmore.com for more details.

Image Above: Enlargement of the Covid virus superimposed on the American Flag. In white letters at the bottom of the image, it reads, "End of Federal COVID Emergency."

On May 11, 2023, the federal public health emergency due to the COVID-19 virus, was offically ended. According to the NYS Department of Health and Human Services, since the peak of the Omicron surge at teh end of January of 2022:

• Daily COVID-19 reported cases are down 92%,
• COVID-19 deaths have declined by over 80%, and
• New COVID0-19 hospitalizations are down nearly 80%.

Though many places have dropped a mask requirement, it is important to note that many people are still at risk of infection and that individual businesses, offices and agencies may still require masks.

According to an article on the NYS Department of Health and Human Services website, here are a list of what will and will not be affected by the end of the public health emergency (PHE).

What Will NOT be Affected:

• Access to COVID-19 vaccinations and certain treatments, such as Paxlovid and Lagevrio (generally not affected).
• Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 products (including tests, vaccines and treatments).
• Major Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
• Medicaid telehealth flexibilties.
• The process for states to begin eligibility redetermination for Medicaid.
• Access to buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment in Opioid Treatment Program.
• Access to expanded methadone take-home doses for opioid use disorder treatment.

What WILL be Affected:

• Certain Medicare and Medicaid waivers and broad flexibilities for health care providers will end.
• Coverage for COVID-19 testing will change.
• Reporting of COVID-19 laboratory results and immunization datat to Center for Disease Control (CDC) will change.
• Certain FDA COVID-19 related guidance documents for industry that affect clinical practice and supply chains will end or be temporarily extended.
• FDA's ability to detect early shortages of critical devices related to COVID-19 will be more limited.
• Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act liability protections may be impacted.
• The ability of health care providers to safely dispense controlled substances via telemedicine without an in-person interaction is affected.

To read about these in more detail, click the button below.

Image above: photo taken outdoors of used, disposable hospital blue facemask laying on the ground by a metal fences with dead leaves around it.

This article was featured on the Administration for Community LIving website:

Many of the pandemic-era policies that benefited people with disabilities are set to expire and the implications could be significant, advocates say, touching everything from health care to home and community-based services.

After more than three years, the Biden administration let the public health emergency spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic end this week (May 11th). The change in status will alter the availability of testing, vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus. It will also impact disability services in ways that have little to do with COVID-19 itself.

Under the emergency status, states received extra federal funding for Medicaid if they agreed not to drop most beneficiaries. Now, however, with that ending, states are in the midst of a massive effort to re-evaluate everyone on Medicaid to determine if they remain eligible and some states are starting to terminate people from the program this month.

Continue reading the article by clicking the button below.

Image Above: Sun and water Caribbean seal surround by words in semi-circle: Caribbean American Heritage Month. This is center in image in a yellow square. Surrounding the square with a blue to pink gradiant background are 15 flags for 15 Caribbean nations.

The National Caribbean American Heritage Month team are so happy to unveil the official list of Caribbean reads for the 18th Annual National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM). Honor Caribbean American Heritage by reading a book from the list while enjoying the summer weather. There are many activities planned for June 2023. Find out more and celebrate National Caribbean American Heritage Month!

Image Above: Yellow background. Hand raised making fist in black on righthand side. Words in Juneteenth colors of red, black and red read June-Teenth.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

On Juneteenth 2022, Southside Community Center in Ithaca had a great celebration. Visit their website as Juneteenth 2023 approaches to see what they have planned for this year: https://sspride.org/juneteenth.

Image Above: White Background. Word in Yellow reads 'Be Aware.' Below, words in black read 'Be Prepared.' Yellow and black stripped line separates two statements.

Every household is different. Is there an infant or young child in your home? Does someone in your family have a medical condition that requires medication? Do you have a pet? Before disaster strikes, talk to your family about your household’s unique needs. Make a list of special items you may need in a disaster.

Task One: Talk with family members to identify your household’s unique needs.

Every household is different. Is there an infant or young child in your home? Does someone in your family have a medical condition that requires medication? Do you have a pet? Before disaster strikes, talk to your family about your household’s unique needs. Make a list of special items you may need in a disaster Make sure they know where the emergency supplies are kept, how (and when) to call 9-1-1, and who to call if they can’t reach you in an emergency.



Task Two: Make a plan to make sure pets are taken care of in a disaster.

A disaster may happen while you are away from home. Your neighborhood may be evacuated, or you could be trapped somewhere else and unable to get home. Consider asking a trusted neighbor to check on your pets if you can’t get home because of a disaster or emergency. You may also ask them to take your pets with them if an evacuation is ordered while you are not home. Make sure they are comfortable with your pet, and that they know where to find leashes and other supplies.

Task Three: If you or someone in your household has a disability, create an evacuation plan that works for them.

People with disabilities are more affected by disaster than others in the community. Accessible services might not be available. Hazards like wildfire, floods, and hurricanes can lead to evacuations. If you have a disability and you live in an area where these things can happen, make sure you have an evacuation plan:

• Make sure you are signed up for any emergency notification systems your community offers. Some notification systems will only call landline phones. If you use a cell phone, you may have to sign up separately.
• Paratransit services may not be available once a disaster happens. Talk to your paratransit provider now to find out what services they can provide when evacuation is ordered.
• If paratransit services aren’t available, arrange for someone else to pick you up if an evacuation is ordered. Make sure they will come for you UNLESS you tell them not to. That way there won’t be any confusion when the time comes. If you can’t evacuate, call 911 to let them know your location.
• Talk to your local Red Cross chapter or other organizations who provide emergency sheltering in your community. Make sure that your needs can be met in an emergency shelter. Think about accessible entrances and bathrooms. What methods of communicating with shelter staff, medical services or assistive devices will you need? If you have a service animal, talk to them about what they can provide for the animal. Find out what you need to bring with you. Make sure you have batteries or a charger for any assistive devices in your emergency kit.

https://www.do1thing.com/individuals/unique-family-needs/

Image above: white background, letters in red at top of image read Celebrate. Learn. Share. Below, in center of image, words in red with numbers in blue read ADA 33, followed by a circle of red stars with dates in the center, 1990-2023. Bottom of image, words in blue read Americans with Disabilities Act.

The 33rd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is coming up in on July 26^th.. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

FLIC is still planning our celebration for rthe 33rd anniversary of this landmark legislation on Tuesday, July 25th! So watch for a notice about our celebration in the newsletter, on our website and on our Facebook Page.



Learn more about the ADA:

• What is the ADA?
• ADA Fact Sheets from the ADA National Network
• Glossary of ADA Terms
• ADA Acronyms & Abbreviations

The Finger Lakes Independence Center administers the Registry Referral Program. This is a free referral service linking individuals seeking independent employment to people who need care in their home. Opportunities include: elder companion, housekeeper, run errands, cook, personal care aide, home care aide, LPN, RN. People looking for help can call and receive names of people willing to provide those services. If you either need assistance or if you would be interested in listing your name as a caregiver, pease call FLIC at 272-2433 or email: info@fliconline.org. If you have experience caring for a friend or loved one, please consider sharing your compassion with others. This program is made possible through funding from the Tompkins County Office for the Aging.