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Two moms put a human face on the caregiver crisis, sharing its devastating impact on their families and loved ones with disabilities. Their stories are like many across the state. Is a legislative solution in sight? What happens if nothing happens?Support the show

Two empowered moms behind the groundbreaking multifamily housing development Prairie Haus for people with and without disabilities did not have long to celebrate their accomplishment before they were forced to tackle new challenges. How do you open housing during COVID? How do you find new purpose in your life when your adult children with disabilities are living independently? What happens when that independence is threatened when caregivers are no longer available? In this case, our moms' journey comes full circle.Support the show

When they could not find housing options for their adult children with disabilities in rural Wisconsin, two moms made it happen. Their story of resiliency and determination show us all what is possible.Thank you CUNA Mutual Group FoundationThe CUNA Mutual Group Foundation: Supporting the sustainable development of our communities.Support the show

How can people with disabilities have access to affordable and safe housing where they can live independently with supports to meet their needs? Increasing the supply of such housing is one side of the equation and that is what WHEDA's Supportive Housing Institute (SHI) aims to do. In this episode we will hear directly from WHEDA and partner CSH about this initiative along with SHI participant Catapult Wellness and find out what's next.Thank you CUNA Mutual Group FoundationThe CUNA Mutual Group Foundation: Supporting the sustainable development of our communities.Support the show

There is perhaps no issue that people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) struggle with more than dental care.  ·        State data indicates that 29% of adults with disabilities reported having at least one permanent tooth removed over the past year, and 26% said they had not visited a dentist within the past year. ·        Adults with a disability are less likely to visit the dentist for a cleaning, check-up, or exam than people without disabilities (47% and 76%, respectively).  Most people with I/DD rely upon Medicaid for their dental care. Yet only 37% of licensed dentists  in WI are available to serve the Medicaid population and 53% of these dentists are listed as either inactive or are not accepting new patients.  Today we talk to a dentist who is trying to make things better.   Lakisha Arif-Holmes DDS owns  Mayfair Family Dentistry in Wauwatosa. and she takes pride in specializing in  treatment to patients of all ages with special healthcare needs, including Autism and people with IDD. Mayfair Family Dentistry: https://www.mayfairfamdentistry.com/414-259-0665Specialty Care Dentistry Association: https://scda.site-ym.com/Support the show

Today we are talking about something that’s hard for a lot of people: Thinking about the future. We don’t know what to expect – and frankly, the unknown can be a little scary – especially if you are a person with a disability or a family member who relies on supports to build and live a good life.  In this episode we meet Liz Mahar who is sharing a wake up call across the country about future planning. She says it's not only possible but – it is necessary. Liz is the Director of Family and Sibling Initiatives at The Arc of the United States and she is a leader within the Center for Future Planning. However, her greatest experience might come as sister to Crystal, who has Down syndrome. Learn more about future planning: https://arcwi.org/2017/10/05/part-wisconsin-future-planning-network/The Center for Future Planning: https://futureplanning.thearc.org/?_ga=2.182646630.1397700017.1636577291-193680245.1590781332Letter of Intent: https://arcwi.org/content/uploads/sites/17/2017/12/FINAL-CFP-LOI-on-cfp-website.pdfWisconsin Professionals to Help: https://futureplanning.thearc.org/professionals?utf8=%E2%9C%93&profession=&state=WisconsinSupport the show

November is National Family Caregiver month. Did you know that One in five Wisconsinites (or 1.18M people) is estimated to be an unpaid caregiver?  Wisconsin family caregivers provide more than 490 million unpaid hours of care annually to individuals with disabilities and older adults.  80 percent of all care is provided by families who help loved ones daily with meals, bathing and dressing, medications, doctor appointments and more.  Today’s guest is first and foremost Mom to Kelsey, who has Angelman Syndrome. Lisa has over 30 years’ experience advocating for persons with disabilities and navigating the complicated support system, including for her own daughter.  She is also Executive Director of the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin.Respite Care Association of Wisconsin: https://respitecarewi.org/RCAW respite care provider registry: https://respitecarewi.org/registry/ Family Caregiver Month activities and resources: https://www.caregiver.org/news/celebrating-our-communities-caregivers/Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (WFACSA): https://wisconsincaregiver.org/alliance2021 Wisconsin Family Caregiver Month proclamation: https://arcwi.org/content/uploads/sites/17/2021/09/110121_Proclamation_Family-Caregiver-Month.pdfThank you CUNA Mutual Group Foundation The CUNA Mutual Group Foundation: Supporting the sustainable development of our communities. Support the show

If you haven't heard of the Britney Spears conservatorship case we'd be pretty surprised! It seems everyone is talking about conservatorship or guardianship these days as the case of the pop star's life hits the headlines. But while you may now know that Britney had very limited control over any decisions in her life, what may be new news is that tens of thousands of people in Wisconsin live with the same restrictions. Many people think guardianship is an over-used tool in Wisconsin and people with disabilities should have more choice and control in their lives. Listen to this podcast to hear from an attorney who is in the trenches helping Wisconsin people with disabilities have their guardianships reviewed and get their rights back. Resources on Guardianship in Wisconsin: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/supporteddecision-making/https://arcwi.org/2018/04/13/supported-decision-making/Guardianship Support Center: https://gwaar.org/guardianship-resourcesSupport the show

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and this episode celebrates the journey of one man from a life-changing event to his position today as a leading disability and inclusion professional in a national company. While employers struggle to find talent, Ben Trockman has found the solution in the significant population of talented, problem-solving people with disabilities sitting on the on the sidelines. People with disabilities make up  the world’s largest minority but simply aren't being tapped. Ben Trockman's personal and professional goal is to build awareness, tackle assumptions and rethink the way we work to build more inclusion. Ben is the Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Specialist with Old National Bank, based in Indiana and with offices throughout the Midwest. He is focused on helping  Old National to become a leader in disability employment in part by enhancing recruiting efforts and restructuring  hiring processes. Ben also manages the Achieve Ability professional mentoring program at Old National Bank. On a personal level, Ben  is active within the disability advocacy community, working with legislators in Washington DC and Indianapolis  to improve employment opportunities, airline accessibility and healthcare options for people with disabilities.  Old National Mentorship program:  https://www.oldnational.com/ONB/insights-detail/insights/2021/03/17/achieve-abilityTo contact Ben:  Ben.Trockman@oldnational.com Thank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show

Are you IN? Disability:IN Wisconsin is empowering  leading companies statewide  to achieve disability inclusion and equality. As the state's largest employers are looking for new talent, they are also learning how to foster a culture that welcomes workers with disabilities. Disability:IN Wisconsin is a member organization where employers set the table, share tools and mentor and learn from each other. These companies are some of the  hottest leads for your next job!  They are committed to developing a workplace that not only accommodates, but values all contributions. In today's episode we talk with Derek Smith  -  senior vice president at Old National Bank and and the current Board Chair for Disability:IN Wisconsin. Derek says there is no time like today to get your application IN! For more information: https://disabilityinwisconsin.org/Become a member: https://disabilityinwisconsin.org/join-us/2021 Ability Summit: 10/7/21 - https://disabilityinwisconsin.org/2021-wisconsin-ability-summit/Contact: Judy QuigleyExecutive Director262-364-6456judyquigley@disabilityinwisconsin.orgDerek Smith, Current Board Chair (August 2021): Derek.Smith@oldnational.comThank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show

Today's podcast is about Wisconsin's dark secret.  A piece of history that many think should be forgotten. And while many states have made decisions to do just that, Wisconsin seems stuck in the past. What are we talking about? It is the fact that Wisconsin still operates three state institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Places that have been open since the 19th century. Why? Let’s learn about it with our guests today – Tami Jackson and Cindy Bentley. Tami is an experienced public policy analyst and has worked on budget and legislative proposals on a wide array of public policy issues at both the state and federal level. Tami leads the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities policy work, advocating on public policy issues important to people with developmental disabilities and their families.  Born with an intellectual disability, Cindy Bentley spent much of her childhood at the Southern Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled. No one expected her to learn the skills necessary to live on her own. But now we know she now runs a statewide organization as the executive director of people first Wisconsin and lives in her own apartment. She is a self-advocate leader in Wisconsin and the nation. Learn more about People First Wisconsin: http://www.peoplefirstwisconsin.org/Learn more about the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities: https://wi-bpdd.org/WI State Institution Facts: ·       There are three state institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Wisconsin at Northern, Central and Southern Center.  ·       Many states have closed all their institutions for people with IDD.  ·       Over the years fewer people have been living in our state institutions, yet the cost to keep them open is growing.  ·       The total cost to run all three state centers is more than 125 million dollars which is $9 million more than last year.[1]  ·       It takes almost 15-hundred staff to run the institutions.[2] ·       In this budget the Governor is asking for more than $45 million to repair buildings at Central Center.  ·       Only 307 people live in all the state centers right now. That is 39 fewer people than lived there last year. These residents are getting older and there are no new admissions.  ·       It costs $1,303 a day to support someone at a state institution.  [1] $126,703,600 in 2020-2021; $117,153,200 in 2017-2018; Fiscal Bureau numbers.[2] 1,441.60 in 2020-21; 1,461 in 2017-2018; Fiscal Bureau numbers. Support the show

Today we are talking about a program that is an important lifeline for people with disabilities, but it simply doesn’t work very well.  In fact,  this program prevents people from getting married, discourages them from working, and even prevents them from accepting help from family members.  There are 1,275,932  recipients of Supplemental Security Income (or SSI) in Wisconsin.  SSI provides help to many of the lowest income Social Security beneficiaries who are also disproportionately people of color. Today's guests are experts on SSI policy with two different perspectives and many ideas on what needs to be fixed in SSI.  Bethany Lilly is the Director of Income Policy at The Arc where she specializes in public policy related to Social Security, income supports, paid leave, and poverty. She  joined The Arc in 2019 after six years at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, where she worked on public policy impacting people with mental health disabilities. She also was a former was a law clerk with the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in Congress.  Jason Endres is president of People First Wisconsin, the state’s largest self-advocacy organization, Chair of the state’s Independent Living Council and a graduate of partners in policymaking. He lives in Eau Claire his wife Julie and his service dogs Bucky and Pinky.  More resources on SSI and the proposed changes discussed in this episode: Easy SSI Action Alert: https://p2a.co/IAFTwCzFind your Member of Congress: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member Letter from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities: http://c-c-d.org/fichiers/CCD-SSI-Letter_5-20-21.pdfLetter from Members of Congress in Support of SSI Reform: https://bowman.house.gov/_cache/files/b/a/baebc065-38c0-45cd-bcfd-eaedad4c228d/2E60F47C388560A6676B9F80C9B0D938.ssi-letter-final.pdf SSI Background: https://disabilitypolicyseminar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Social-Security-Fact-Sheet.pdfSSI Reforms Talking Points: https://disabilitypolicyseminar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Social-Security-Talking-Points-.docxSupport the show

There is a lot happening in Washington these days for people with disabilities. And as the old saying goes – if you’re not in the kitchen, you are on the menu! Today’s guest is not only in the kitchen in Congress, but she is often busy mixing up the ingredients to make the lives of people with disabilities and their families better. In this episode, Nicole Jorwic, The Arc’s Senior Director of Public Policy tells us what happens during August recess, what’s at stake in Washington for people with disabilities and why it is a critical time to build a relationship with your Member of Congress.  August Congressional Recess Resources:  The Arc US Action Center: https://p2a.co/lRPDZ5C Find your federal legislators: https://www.govtrack.us/Support the show

What is the “good life” for people with disabilities and how can we get it for ourselves or secure it for our loved ones? Why should you think beyond the  services you receive? You might be surprised to learn that the life you've been  planning won't get you the good life– and you could be to blame. Stacey Ramirez – a Mom and national leader in person-centered thinking, challenges us to take some risks in our vision of the good life. She shares her own story of moving out of her comfort zone and the tools that got her there. She leaves us with some words of wisdom you don’t want to miss.  Stacey Ramirez has led The Arc Georgia since 2015 and recently started her own consulting firm, Crimminz and Associates. She is a nationally known trainer with significant experience in person-centered planning. She has a steadfast belief that every person has gifts and the capacity to exceed the often-arbitrary expectations that our society imposes. She is a mom to 3 sons, one who has autism. Contact Stacey Ramirez:  sramirez@crimminz.com  Phone: 678-313-3177 More on Person-Centered Planning: https://acl.gov/programs/consumer-control/person-centered-planning Balancing Dreams With Support https://www.uwsp.edu/conted/Documents/PersonCenteredPlanning.WiEmply1st.2021.pdf Support the show

Now that our state is talking about what life looks like coming out of the pandemic there is a lot of the discussion about economic recovery – getting businesses back up and running and getting everyone back to work safely.  In Wisconsin, we know people with disabilities want to work, but they are seriously underemployed. In fact, People with disabilities have lost their jobs at a much more rapid pace during the pandemic  - generally, nationally, people with disabilities are employed at one-third the rate of people without disabilities.  Today’s guest is passionate about changing that. Shannon Webb has over 25 years of experience working in the field of employment and community services for people with disabilities. Since 2005, she has been fostering innovation and systems change as subject matter expert for state and federal initiatives to increase integrated employment for youth and adults with disabilities. Over the years, she has collaborated extensively with self-advocates, family members, service providers, schools and funders and has received the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Leadership Award. Shannon is creative and an excellent problem solver. She believes everyone can work.   Work Incentives Planning and Assistance: https://eri-wi.org/programs/wipa/ Customized Employment: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/program-areas/customized-employment Thank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show

When you die will your loved one have enough money and support to live a good life? Who will pay for those "extras" that make all the difference? If you are a person with a disability, do you wonder where you can put money that helps you save for important things but that won't impact your benefits? Many people with disabilities and their families struggle with these questions, and a Special Needs Trust may be the answer. In this episode John Shaw of WisPACT explains this unique tool and shares how with just a small amount of investment people can purchase peace of mind. Thank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show

In this episode we hear from  one of Wisconsin’s leading experts in best practices in special education and transition supports for student with disabilities. Dr. Nancy Molfenter  is currently an Assistant Director of Student Services in Wisconsin’s 2nd largest school district as well as a special education professor at the University of Wisconsin. Nancy is someone who is not afraid to roll up her sleeves! She has more than 20 years of experience working as as a special educator, transition coordinator, and a leader in statewide and national organizations supporting inclusion and employment first. She is passionate about supporting all students with disabilities to reach their potential.  Hear what Nancy  to say about three key ways to close the achievement gap for students with disabilities, the biggest challenges for school districts and how parents and IEP teams can find common ground, even when there are disagreements. Support the show

Twenty years ago Nelsinia Ramos not only had a young daughter with autism, but was struggling to learn English and navigate the special education system at the same time. It was intimidating to say the least. Looking back, that experience is what fuels her desire to help other families in her work at Wisconsin FACETS today. In this podcast, Nelsinia,  now the Associate Director at the statewide parent support organization, talks about the unique obstacles for Latino families raising children with disabilities, shares more about how Wisconsin FACETS tries to help and tells us her dream for the future. Contact Nelsinia at Wisconsin FACETS: 877-374-0511 or 4140374-4645www.wifacets.orgNelsinia Ramos is the Associate Director of WI FACETS, Inc. and co-director of the Parent Training and Information Center. She has worked for WI FACETS since 2003 and has extensive experience implementing parent support programs and outreach activities. Nelsinia also serves as senior specialist for the Region C Parent Technical Assistance Center, a federal funded grant that assists parent centers in 16 states in the Midwest; and is the Multicultural Outreach Coordinator for the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation Project. Support the show

When businesses want to hire people with disabilities, a lot of things can get in the way: from building accessibility and workplace accommodations to understanding disability benefits and how to work with outside providers like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), IRIS or Family Care. Today’s podcast guests know all about these obstacles, both from inside the business and out. This episode features the mother and son team, Mary and Sam Dess! Mary is a consultant at Northwestern Mutual, one of Wisconsin’s largest employers. Mary helped to found Northwestern Mutual’s Disability Alliance Employee Resource Group and is watching them increase their hiring of people with disabilities. Mary’s efforts are informed by her experiences alongside her son Sam, who is successfully employed and working on big career goals. Sam also has some great advice to share in this episode! Thank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show

When Andrea Curley was 18 and had just graduated from high school, she lost her mother. That’s when she enrolled in Family Care, Wisconsin's long-term services and supports managed care program, and her journey toward learning how to be independent began. In fact, just recently she made the decision to disenroll from Family Care because she's met her goals! In this episode you'll learn how Andrea did it, with a little help from some friends. Thank You to Old National Bank This podcast episode has been brought to you by Old National Bank - a Leading Disability Employer. Support the show