Speaking out for People with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published a draft of their Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022. The plan fails to mention ICF's or to acknowledge the specific needs of people with I/DD.
VOR has submitted point-by-point comments to each of the goals and strategies outlined in the plan.
The U.S. Department of Education recently issued a request for comments, in response to Executive Order 13777, which requires federal agencies to to evaluate and implement measures to lower regulatory burdens on the American people.
On September 20, VOR's Caroline Lahrmann and Jill Barker submitted their own personal comments to this request.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently issued a request for comments, in response to Executive Order 13777, which requires federal agencies to to evaluate and implement measures to lower regulatory burdens on the American people.
On August 14, VOR submitted comments.
On March 14, 2017, Secretary Tom Price and CMS Administrator Seema Verma sent a letter to the Nations' Governors concerning their goals for making changes to Medicaid.
VOR President Caroline Lahrmann wrote back in response to Secretary Price and Administrator Verma. Administrator Verma replied on August 2nd.
Read the original Letter from Secretary Price and CMS Administrator Verma here
Read the Response to VOR from Administrator Verma here.
At the beggining of every Congress, VOR delivers a letter to the members of the House and Senate, welcoming them to work on behalf of the people of this country, introducing ourselves, and outlining our issues.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently requested submissions and recommendations for how they might improve service in HCBS Waiver settings. VOR's comments focused on the need to expand and improve services for people not well suited to group homes as a way to imporve the services for people for whom those settings might be deemed appropriate.
We provided links to articles in our archives and from newspapers that illustrate VOR's position on these issues. The resources in this article should prove useful to many of our members in making presentations to their representatives, decision makers, and family groups.
All of the links in the footnotes will work once you download the pdf.
