The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) will be bringing you the lastest news for people with developmental disabilities to keep you informed during the coronavirus pandemic. To see more information, visit our COVID-19 Resource web page.
Here are a few opportunities for self advocates to participate and share their stories about their experience during this Coronavirus pandemic. Please see the following:
HBCS Critical to People with Disabiities and Older Adults
Sens. Casey, Brown, and Warren are asking for examples of how and why home and community based services (HCBS) are critical to people with disabilities and older adults during this public health emergency. You can help by sharing your stories, photos and videos about what HCBS means to people with disabilities and the direct support professionals and personal care attendants who support them.
Share what HCBS means to you by sending stories to [email protected] by April 10th. You can also share your story, photo or video on Twitter with the hashtag #WhatWeNeed.
Please remember that once you share a story online it is public, so please make sure to respect the privacy of anyone you include in your stories.
Stories Needed about Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities is collecting stories from people with intellectural and developmental disabilities about how COVID-19 affects them. Congress is writing the next bill to respond to the needs of Americans in this crisis. In order for the needs of people with disabilities and their families to be addressed in the next bill, members need to hear about the real impacts. Often, a short personal story is helpful for them. Below are tips and tools to share your story.
Important to include:
What to send in a story:
How to send a story:
No Education Waivers Necessary
The National Disability Rights Network is sending messages to Congress telling them not to adopt any waivers for educational services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will report to Congress in the next few weeks and could recommend education waivers that would allow schools to drop services for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rights of students with disabilities are on the chopping block. Here's the latest:
Congress has requested Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recommend education waivers that would allow schools to drop services for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. While schools are designing innovative new ways to bring the classroom to students who are quarantined at home, Secretary DeVos is devising ways for them to skip providing that same innovation to students with disabilities!
We need your help!
You can do your part to protect the rights of students with disabilities by emailing your Representative and Senators and telling them not to adopt any waivers for educational services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fill in the information here to take action!