New Devices May Free Diabetics From Constant Monitoring

 

  By Justin Gillis

 

  When Casey Burkhalter, 12, was diagnosed with diabetes 2 1/2 years ago, her

parents started waking up repeatedly at night to test her blood sugar,

typical of the exhausting tasks many of the nation's 21 million diabetics go

through to extend their lives.

 

  To view the entire article, go to

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/22/AR2006042201354.html?referrer=emailarticle

 

First time people with disabilities became Instructors in EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Neil McDevitt, who is deaf, has been a volunteer firefighter in Montgomery Township, Pennsylvania since 2003. He is also the national coordinator of the Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network, the recipient of a $1.5 million grant from the the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to educate those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing how to respond in a crisis. Neil's experience as a firefighter has taught him several lessons, including "the importance of watching the horizon for what's coming next, looking at the overall picture in order to solve a problem, and most importantly, to know your limits while not being afraid to challenge those limits when necessary."

Carmel, California resident George Redmon has become the American Red Cross' first blind CPR instructor. According to Donna Duvin, the Executive Director of the Carmel Chapter of the Red Cross, "He's really blazing trails for a lot of people... He's basically said he can and will do anything and everything everyone else is able to do, and he's put himself out there to make it happen." Redmon teaches rescue breathing, chest compressions, the Heimlich maneuver and other skills to his CPR students, and relies on hearing and touch to ensure they are following the proper procedures.

 

Wheelchair Athlete Wins Right to Race Alongside Runners

According to an April 17 U.S. District Court ruling in Baltimore, Tatyana McFadden, a sophomore wheelchair athlete at Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, will be allowed to compete in a high school track meet against athletes who run on foot. McFadden is a top wheelchair racer, having won a silver medal in the 100-meter dash and a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed against the Howard County Board of Education by McFadden and her mother, Deborah.

 

Musicians with Disabilities Follow Their Dreams

For the past twenty years, the Long Island-based Coalition for Disabled Musicians has been making a difference in the lives of its member musicians and the people that they perform for. CDM members, who vary in their age and in their disabilities, have formed several bands that perform at receptions, cocktail parties and other events. CDM musicians also perform for community arts programs, local fairs, corporate parties and disability awareness programs in Long Island and other locations on the East Coast.

Medicaid Changes under the DRA

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun to release information about implementation of last year's budget bill, the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA).  As you recall, the DRA contains a number of state options for making changes to the Medicaid program.  Most of these options are designed to give states more flexibility to decrease benefits and to increase cost-sharing provisions.  Once a new law is passed, CMS releases guidance to states about how to implement the changes.  A few guidance documents have been released already.  There are a few documents I thought might be of interest to you.
 
Roadmap to Medicaid Reform:  This is a general statement about the DRA and what Secretary Leavitt sees as the vision for Medicaid.  It can be accessed at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/smdl/downloads/Rvacutecare.pdf
 
CMS State Medicaid Director Letter on Implementation of the New State Flexibility in Benefit Packages.  It can be accessed at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/smdl/downloads/SMD06008.pdf
 
Remember the new state flexibility in benefit packages is optional.  The state will have to choose to make this change.
 
Also, the one major mandatory change to the Medicaid program is the requirement that all Medicaid recipients, including current recipients, must verify they are U.S. citizens with some form of valid identification.  CMS has not yet released guidance on this provision, but I will pass it along when it comes out.

Another interesting article about individuals with disabilities:

The Voice of Authority (and Knee-Jerk Reactions)
Revolutionary Common Sense by Kathie Snow

All of us—individuals with disabilities, parents, educators, providers, and others—can and should be skeptical and question AUTHORITY. We can ask, “Who says? Where is it written? How do you know? What if...” and many other questions. We can slow down, give ourselves time to think, call on others who have real experience, keep an open mind, try new things, and rejuvenate our common sense.

We can continue to worship at the Altar of Authority, robotically respond with knee-jerk reactions, and obediently comply, or we can choose a different path. The precious lives of children and adults with disabilities hang in the balance.

©2006 Kathie Snow, http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/; used with permission.