FSSA Asks for Suggestions for the New Welfare System
The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) is requesting suggestions for the hybrid system being designed to deliver welfare services. FSSA encourages anyone who has worked with the old, caseworker system or the newer, modernized system to provide accounts of the experience and any recommendations that may have resulted. Suggestions may be sent via email:
hybridinput@fssa.in.gov; or by mail to: ATTN: Hybrid Input; Family and Social Services Administration; 402 W. Washington Street, MS 25; Indianapolis, IN 46204.
"Suggestions from advocates, caseworkers, and especially clients will be the key to developing a hybrid system that works,†said FSSA Secretary Anne Murphy. “While we have learned many lessons from the flawed concepts of the modernized system, input from Hoosiers who use the system will provide fundamental insight going forward.â€
On October 15, Governor Mitch Daniels announced the termination of the contract the State of Indiana held with IBM for the delivery of welfare services. In its place, FSSA will implement a hybrid system that will incorporate successful elements of the old welfare delivery system and what is known as the modernized system. The hybrid will include more face-to-face contact and more localized team-based case management.
Do You Need Help with Medicare Open Enrollment Choices?
SHIP is available to assist!
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a program of the Indiana Department of Insurance and funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. SHIP provides free impartial health insurance counseling to people with Medicare. We can help your clients determine the Medicare plans that best fit your health and/or prescription needs. Call 1-800-452-4800 for counseling assistance or visit
www.medicare.in.gov. We can also provide on-site presentations.
Input Sought - Priorities for Children's Special Health Care Services
Please help the Maternal and Child Health and Children's Special Health Care Services at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) determine what should be our highest priorities for the next several years by completing the new public input survey. It consists of a list of topics which you’ll divide into different groups based on the instructions Follow this link:
www.in.gov/isdh/19577.htm, then please take a moment to look at the Survey and the Survey Instructions. Save the Survey and Instructions to your computer, then follow the instructions to fill it out and e-mail it back to us. Thank you again for your help in this important effort!- Indiana Department of Health
Dec 15, Free ADA-Audio Conference: Social Networking and Access
Social networking sites, like MySpace and Facebook, have tremendous potential for employers to outreach to people with disabilities. Employers need to be concerned about the use of such technologies in their business practices. Staff from the Job Accommodation Network (specialists in developing work accommodations for people with disabilities) will discuss the critical issues and how they can be addressed by employers.
The free audio conference will be held from 2:00-3:30 pm, Eastern time, in thirteen Indiana locations, including Bloomington, Columbus, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Merrillville, Muncie, Richmond, Terre Haute, Vincennes, and West Lafayette.
For further details, contact Matt Norris 812-855-6508; email
adainfo@indiana.edu; or visit the ADA-Indiana website at
www.adaindiana.orgThe audio conference series is co-sponsored by ADA-Indiana, the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, and the Great Lakes ADA Center.
AAPD Summer Internships in D.C. for Students with Disabilities
The American Association of People with Disabilities wants currently enrolled college students with disabilities for its Washington, D.C. internship programs. There are two programs: The MEAF-AAPD Congressional Internship, working in Congressional offices, and the Microsoft-AAPD Information Technology (IT) Internship, working in the IT divisions of federal government agencies. If you are interested in legislation or laptops, this is a unique opportunity! To apply for either of the AAPD Summer Internship Programs, visit
http://www.aapd.com/AAPDInternship . If clicking the link does not work, copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar. Applications are due by January 8, 2010.
For more information, contact David Hale, Program Manager. Phone: 202-521-4305. Email:
dhale@aapd.com.
Council E-News is designed to provide resources and information about disability issues that will educate and empower advocates to form their own views on issues and advocate according to their personal needs and those of their communities.
If you have comments or information to submit, contact Christine Dahlberg at
cdahlberg@gpcpd.org.