Archives for October 2017

The Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual 50-state budget survey is here! This year, they’ve captured the findings in three reports – Medicaid Enrollment & Spending Growth: FY 2017 & 2018, providing an analysis of national trends in Medicaid enrollment and spending; Medicaid Moving Ahead in Uncertain Times, taking a more detailed look at the policy and programmatic changes across all… Continue Reading Kaiser Family Foundation 50-State Budget Survey Provides Insight Into Medicaid Trends

Funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expired 26 days ago and Congress still hasn’t acted. Today we are releasing  a report that unpacks some of the implications of Congressional inaction beyond the beltway. We didn’t survey all 50 states but looked at those where other reports suggested early depletion of funds as well as the… Continue Reading What are the Consequences of Congressional Inaction on CHIP?

Attending professional conferences, summits, workshops and seminars have positive impacts on business professionals. They offer an opportunity to develop new professional relationships, meet new friends, gain knowledge and become more successful in your career. Reasons to Attend Conferences and Workshops: – Networking Opportunities– Building new relationships and meeting new contacts is important to personal and… Continue Reading The Benefits of Attending Professional Development Workshops

Trying to understand what services are available to children who do not qualify for Medicaid and whose families lack access to affordable employer based or private insurance can be daunting. In Idaho there is the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that is available to fill this gap. But, on September 30th of this year Congress… Continue Reading Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Who do you think of when you hear of individuals or businesses making a difference in the lives of those with disabilities? Is it your service coordinator, your program coordinator, your local doctor or your habilitative interventionist? This summer I had the opportunity to learn about 20 individuals and businesses who are pushing boundaries, creating… Continue Reading Making a Difference in the Lives of those with Disabilities

Many people with disabilities use a service animal in order to fully participate in everyday life. Dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities, such as providing stability for a person who has difficulty walking, picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, preventing a child with… Continue Reading Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA

According to research, preschool age children age 3-6 experience the highest rate of learning and development. Children with special needs, or developmental delays, risk missing some of the most important learning and developmental milestones.  Early intervention helps keep these children on a path to making the most of abilities and skills developed during the early… Continue Reading The Benefits of Early Intervention in Children Age 3-6

Families whose child is almost 18 face unique challenges when thinking about their youth transitioning into an adult. Often, youth with disabilities have the need for additional training, supports and services outside of those offered in the educational setting. For families this can be a confusing time that can be difficult to navigate. It is… Continue Reading The Journey to Adulthood: Transition Planning in Idaho

Over the past six years, I have had the honor of talking with more than 70,000 direct support professionals in a variety of settings, and surprisingly, many of them tell me that they don’t really need any formal recognition. They tell me that they feel a sense of deep personal satisfaction that comes from an… Continue Reading Recognizing Direct Support Professionals: Past, Present and Future

Have you encountered the alphabet soup that is Medicare? Whether checking it out for yourself or for someone for whom you are a caregiver, you were probably overwhelmed by the confusing terms associated with Medicare. Adding to the confusion are the many acronyms and references to Part A and Plan A, Medicare supplements and Medigaps.… Continue Reading Medicare’s Alphabet Soup