The White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force is seeking public comments for an upcoming meeting, date TBD. The Task Force is tasked with developing a set of recommendations to the President for mitigating the health inequities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future. The Task Force is accepting public comments on the health inequities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response, the factors that contributed to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, and recommended actions to combat such disparities in future pandemic responses. Comments are due via email Thursday, April 1st.
Plain language:
The White House has a team of people working to make sure no one is left out of the government's COVID-19 response, including people with disabilities.
What it means to you:
They want to hear from you about how the government can do better in the future to make sure everyone is included going forward.
AUCD, in collaboration with ASTHO and NACCHO, is hosting a series of 4 free webinars on ‘COVID-19 Vaccination and Reaching People with Disabilities'. Learn more about the events and register now on the AUCD website.
The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on ‘Lessons Learned: Charting the Path to Educational Equity Post-COVID-19.' The hearing included testimony on the needs of students with disabilities going forward.
Plain language:
The House Education and Labor Committee is learning more about how to help all students get a good education, including students with disabilities.
Members of Congress are currently seeking your input on Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 priorities. Now is the time for network directors, faculty, partners, trainees, families and allies to educate their members of Congress about why investments in programs that support people with disabilities are important.
AUCD's FY 22 Budget Request by Program:
Program
FY 20 Enacted
FY 21 Enacted
FY 22 AUCD's Request
FY 22 President's Budget Proposal
Autism and other DD
LENDs
$52.344 million
$35.245 million
$53.844 million
$36.245 million
$56.5 million
$38 million
To be announced
UCEDDs
$41.619 million
$42.119 million
$45 million
To be announced
NCBDDD (within CDC)
$160 million
$167 million
$180 million
To be announced
TPSIDs
$11.8 million
$13.8 million
$14 million
To be announced
PNS
$12.25 million
$12.25 million
$14 million
To be announced
NICHD (includes IDDRCs)
$1.59 billion
$1.59 billion
$1.708 billion
To be announced
Plain language:
AUCD is starting the process of asking for its yearly money from the federal government.
What it means to you:
Many AUCD programs get their funding from the federal appropriations process.
Appropriations is the act of setting aside money for a specific program from the federal budget.
Action steps:
Email your Congressional delegation sharing AUCD's language and ask:
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has issued a request for stakeholder comments on workforce innovation to address lost jobs in the COVID-19 pandemic. Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) are asking for the following information in pursuit of bipartisan solutions:
how to enhance or improve workforce training in direct relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery, including ways to address workforce needs of the health care and public health sectors;
reforms to programs authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act;
ways to develop, modernize, and diversify the national apprenticeship system, including innovative approaches such as youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship; and
strategies to encourage innovation to address worker and industry needs.
This is an excellent opportunity for members of the disability community to advocate for the inclusion of employees with disabilities in national economic recovery efforts. All comments must be submitted to [email protected] by April 9, 2021.
Plain language:
Lawmakers want to hear new ideas on how to help more people return to work after COVID-19.
What this means to you:
People with disabilities are an important part of the country's workforce. We need to make sure they are included in economic recovery efforts.
Learn more about disability employment issues on the AUCD website.
Healthcare.gov
This week, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that the special enrollment period that began on February 15 for HealthCare.gov will continue through August 15, 2021. This three-month extension allows people to enroll in or switch health plans with the credits that were included in the American Rescue Plan (ARP). People who received unemployment for at least one week this year are eligible for $0 premium plans and the highest level of cost-sharing reductions.
Plain language:
People who need health insurance can now sign up on Heatlhcare.gov.
Action steps:
If you need health insurance, go to Healthcare.gov before August 15th. If you already have coverage, help your family and friends sign-up and enroll.
Disability Policy Seminar
The Disability Policy Seminar and the pre-DPS events for the AUCD network will be entirely virtual this year.
The next AUCD event will be virtual on April 16. You may register for that free event now.
Disability Policy Seminar will be April 19, 2021 to April 22, 2021. The cost to students and self-advocates is $135, and $225 for all others. Registration is now open!
The Disability Policy Seminar offers the opportunity for passionate advocates, self-advocates, experts, and professionals in the field to come together and learn about key federal issues that affect them most. After a wide range of sessions offering training and learning, participants will learn how best to engage with their Members of Congress and be given opportunities to do so. You are welcome to register for both the AUCD events and the Disability Policy Seminar or for either.
Plain language:
The Disability Policy Seminar will be a virtual event from April 19, 2021 - April 22, 2021. You can register now!
The next AUCD pre-DPS events will be virtual on April 16. You may register for that free event now.
In preparation for your virtual Hill visits, AUCD has created 'Disability Policy Seminar 2021: AUCD Hill Visits Toolkit’, which includes all of the information and links to resources you'll need to have a successful virtual Hill visit.
"Moving forward, we need a strong commitment to transitioning people from institutional settings to their home and communities with an emphasis on empowering people with disabilities."
This week on AUCD Policy Talk, Dr. Amy Houtrow, a professor at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, builds upon her Senate testimony in support of improving Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services through the HCBS Access Act.
Learn more about the input being requested with this memo.
The offices ask that any feedback be provided, in writing, by Monday, April 26, by sending your comments to [email protected].
Have a personal or professional connection to disability policy? Write for AUCD Policy Talk! Check out the submission guidelines.
Tuesdays with Liz
We are excited to announce that Tuesdays with Liz is back on a new Youtube channel! In this new episode, Liz talks about why you should get the COVID-19 vaccine and shares her own experience getting the vaccine. Subscribe to Tuesdays with Liz today!
A network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.
House Education and Labor Committee
Appropriations
Healthcare.gov
Disability Policy Seminar
AUCD Policy Talk
