Emily H - Maryland



MINUTESThe regular meeting of the Maryland Commission on Disabilities and Joint Meeting with Alliance of Disability Commissions and Committees, which was duly called to order and held on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at Maryland Department of Transportation, 7201 Corporate Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Present were: Name Affiliation Terri Seitz Parrish Baltimore County Disability Commission (Member) William Frank Deputy Secretary, MDOD Emily Ferren Charles Co. Commission on Disabilities (Chair)Hal Franklin Baltimore County, Staff Karen Ann Lichtenstein Anne Arundel Co., Governor’s Commission Glynis Watford Dept. of Budget and Management Bob Sweeney Md. Commission on Disabilities Nancy Jenkins Anne Arundel Co. Carol A. Beatty Secretary, MDOD Seth Morgan Montgomery Co. Erica Lewis Staff/Howard Co. Deborah Nathanson MD Gov. Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (staff) Donne Settles-Allen MCOD/SEECBetsy Luecking Montgomery Co, Staff Mark Leeds DHMH/Maryland Commission Tony Lawson Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (Chair)Pat Sylvester MDODJose Sanchez Md. Commission on Disabilities Ben Dubin Baltimore County Disability Commission (Member)Janice Jackson Md. Commission on Disabilities Don Rowe Md. Commission on Disabilities Denise Schuffman Md. Commission on Disabilities Ryan Swanson Md. Commission on Disabilities By Teleconference: Laura Hatcher ParentRonza Othman National Federation of the BlindGinger Palmer Anne Arundel Commission Denise Thomas Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (staff)Kim Burton DHMHKavita Krishnaswamy Md. Commission on Disabilities Karen Ann Lichtenstein as Chair of the Maryland Commission on Disabilities chaired the meeting and Emily Ferren took the minutes. Welcome and Introductions: Karen Ann Lichtenstein called the meeting to order. Attendees introduced themselves. Approval of Minutes from previous meeting: The Minutes of the October 2016 meeting were approved. (Motion by Seth Morgan and second by Mark Leeds)Joint Meeting with the Maryland Commission on Disabilities: This is an annual event prior to the opening of the Legislative session. As background, the Alliance has been meeting since 2002. Other agencies were brought in to participate. On an annual basis, Maryland Commission members were invited to attend. Carol Beatty, Secretary of MDOD, welcomed the group. MissionThe?mission of the Maryland Department of Disabilities is to advance the rights and interests of people with disabilities so they may fully participate in their communities.VisionThe Maryland Department of Disabilities is committed to a vision where all Marylanders are valued and respected and have the knowledge, opportunity, and power to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. The Maryland Department of Disabilities and its supporting programs reach deep into the stakeholder community on an on-going basis. ?Through formal meetings, responses to constituent concerns, outreach activities, and informal listening sessions, these entities are constantly in dialogue with the people most impacted by services provided by State government. ?Presentation-MDOD Housing Policy-Pat Sylvester, Director Housing PolicyPat Sylvester is a lawyer by training and has been with MDOD for two years. She provided a handout of her presentation. The presentation was on housing of choice for the disabled community that is affordable. She also explained the various linkages to appropriate services such as The Maryland Partnership for Affordable Housing. Specific examples were cited: Generation of Hope, Jubilee, and Main Street Housing. Those eligible for Section 811, PRA, are ages 18-62, and then aging in place, and a yearly income of no more than $20,000. A state voucher is valid for three years. For marketing, there is partnering with the Behavioral Health Administration. Currently, there is one resident with low vision and no deaf or hard of hearing residents. For Bridge, Weinberg, and 811, all have separate housing lists. It is a closed wait list and recommendations must be made by a case manager (support planner) or a Center for Independent Living. Suggestions from the audience were to have a video (with captions and audio) that explains the program. Tenant training is available. The training is named “Your Own Front Door”. Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID) Program Discussion—John Michaels, Assistant Director, Resources for Independent LivingJohn Michaels is from Western Maryland and brought with him a small work group to address the disparities of employed individuals with disabilities. From the point of view of a Community Work Incentive Counselor for Social Security and Medicaid benefits, there is a threshold of $41,740 and carries a resource limit of $10,000 for singles and $15,000 for married. Both John and Josh Basell spoke to the group of their personal circumstances to demonstrate the need for a change in the benefits package. Josh had a spinal injury at age 18, attended Montgomery College, University of Maryland and Law School. He is now an attorney in Maryland that receives DDA support, which he will lose, due to income limitations. He has two caregivers who have been with him for nine years that he will have to lay off due to funding. Also, he met his future wife and when they marry, this will also limit his benefits. Both Josh and John explained that to seek a purpose in life, love, and family, they are penalized because they are working and earn too much income. Could this be a block grant with a per capita basis or controlled amount? Skilled nursing care with state funds changed two years ago. This will be an agenda item for the next Maryland Commission on Disabilities meeting. Alliance Members—Highlights and Challenges 2016/2017—Led by Terri ParrishA request was made to each jurisdiction to provide a written summary of their activities. These reports will be attached to the minutes. Those present gave brief updates from their geographic areas. Baltimore County provides an orientation for new members of their Commission. They also have a student representative. Montgomery Co. highlighted their program of “Respect the Space” and a snow removal letter through the Office of Human Rights. In their booklet of services (available online), they have eliminated terms of senior and elderly and have replaced with specified ages, such as 50+ or 55+ as applicable. Ben Dubin (Baltimore Co.) gave an update on parking lots and accessibility. Nancy Jenkins from Anne Arundel Co. went over their training opportunities to include police and fire departments. They also participate in Artists without Limits, Community Outreach events, ADA advocacy, RDA liaison, Disability Awareness Day, Awards for Employers who hire the disabled, and an online resource book. Charles County requested permission to borrow the theme Artists without Limits and held their first reception at the County Government Building in July. They also hosted their 2nd annual Employer Recognition Breakfast with the Job Developers Alliance. Charles County began attending the Alliance meetings in 2014 and is thankful for the learning and sharing environment provided by the Alliance. Howard Co. is concentrating on transportation at the present time. MDOD participates on the Alliance, as does the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council and the Governor’s Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Legislation for the 2017 Session/Deputy Secretary Bill Frank, MDOD: The legislative session began on Wednesday, January 10th. Bill Frank, as a former delegate, served in the House of Delegates for 12 years. Bill’s presentation was in three parts. The first part was a legislative report on the legislative process and some interesting history. Mandated spending is a huge issue, since 83% of the budget is “mandated” and most are formula-driven. The 90 day legislative session must end with a balanced budget. From a historical perspective, did you know that Annapolis served as the capital of the United States from November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784? The second part of the presentation gave those present tips for effective lobbying. Never be late, say thank you, and build a relationship are all good to use on a regular basis when lobbying in Annapolis. A handout with additional tips and a checklist of both pre and post meeting all can be used to make the best use of your time in the halls of Annapolis and when meeting with your elected officials. The third part of Bill’s presentation were the bills in both the House and Senate. The categories and bill numbers can also be found on the MDOD website. They include income tax, family law, vehicle laws, Commission on the Disposition of the Crownsville Hospital property, labor and employment. DHMH (updating Advisory Boards and Councils), hunting & fishing licenses for active military, former POW’s, recipients of Purple Heart Award and disabled veterans. All three parts of Bill’s presentation will be scanned and attached to the minutes. The Meeting was adjourned by the Chair, Karen Ann Lichtenstein, at 3:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Emily Ferren (Charles Co. Commission)? ................
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