A Personal Comment on PCPID Meeting, May 1, 2023
VOR's Dawn Kovacovich shared her thoughts on the May 1, 2023 Meeting of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
Response to Senate Committee on Aging "Celebrating Olmstead" Panel
By Carole Sherman
On June 20, 2023, the Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) convened a panel to "Celebrate Olmstead". The panel clearly misrepresented the Olmstead Decision, and joyfully celebrated their own re-interpretation of the decision.
In response, long-time member of VOR and Arkansas advocate Carole Sherman sent a letter reprimanding the Senate Special Committee for putting on such a presentation that disregards the needs of so many people they are responsible for protecting.
VOR's 2023 Annual Meeting - Celebrating 40 Years
Our Annual Meeting will be held on June 11, 2023 (On Zoom)Videos from the 2023 Conference are avaialable on our YouTube page
Joint Commission Recommends Redesignating Ohio's Protection and Advocacy Agency
On April 11, 2023, Ohio's Joint Commission to Examine the State Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program recommended to the Governor that the state "redesignate" its P&A, having found Disability Rights Ohio for "intentionally not protecting and advocating for all individfuals with disabilities."
The report came in response to hearings on Nov. 1 and Nov. 15, 2023 in which families testified about their dissatifaction with the DRO's actions and biases against people in ICFs and sheltered workshops.
VOR Comments to Senate HELP Committee on Workforce Crisis
On February 16, 2023, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee held its first hearing on the health care workforce crisis. The meeting focused on the shortage of doctors and nurses, especially the imprnding retirement of most of the nursing force in the years ahead and the current/recent lack of enrollees in nursing schools. Only one brief mention was made of the crisis in the workforce of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that has been shutting down care services systems for people with I/DD and autism.
On March 20, 2023, VOR submitted comments to the Senate HELP Committee, asking them to expand the scope of their investigations to include this essential workforce and take action to this critical shortage of caregivers.
Please download (and share) VOR's comments here
HCBS Settings Rule - Full Implementation by March 17, 2023
New requirements in the Home and Community Based Services Settings Rule are sceduled to be fully implemented by March 17, 2023. For more information on the regulatory changes and the rights of HCBS Waiver participants and their families, please download the CMS HCBS Settings Rule document from CMS here.
