AAMR F.Y.I.
August 2002, Vol. 2, No. 2
Please feel free to forward AAMR F.Y.I. to friends and associates.
Dear AAMR Friends and Colleagues:
IN THIS ISSUE:
Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Chairperson
Testifies Before U.S. Congress on Fraud And Abuse in Supplemental Social Security
Program
On July 25, Tony Young, Chairperson of the CCD testified before the Subcommittee
on Human Resources of the House Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. Congress
on behalf of 14 disability organizations including AAMR, regarding fraud and
abuse in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Young highlighted loopholes
in the SSI program and how they affect persons with disabilities. He also made
recommendations on how the program can be enhanced. Other witnesses in the hearing
include The Honorable James G. Huse, Jr., Inspector General of the Social Security
Administration; The Honorable Hal Daub, Chairman of the Social Security Advisory
Board; and Robert Robertson, Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security
Issues of the U.S. General Accounting Office. The CCD is a consortium of 100
national disability organizations advocating on behalf of people with physical,
mental, and sensory disabilities. Doreen Croser, executive director of AAMR
is Treasurer of CCD.
Read Tony Young’s testimony at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/humres/107cong/7-25-02/7-25young.htm
AAMR Executive Team to Appear on Voice of America
On August 5, people around the world will hear Doreen Croser, executive director
of AAMR, and Ruth Luckasson, AAMR President and author of the new 10th edition
of Mental Retardation: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports
talk on the challenges facing America on issues in mental retardation. Croser
and Luckasson are scheduled to appear on Talk to America, an international
call-in show broadcast by the Voice of America, along with Jack Stark, noted
sports psychologist and past president of AAMR. Award-winning journalist Carol
Pearson will be conducting the interview.
Visit www.voa.gov/talk/ttaaudio.html for information on how to tune in, in the U.S.
For international broadcasting information, visit http://www.voa.gov/talk/where.html
New IWPR Report Reveals Welfare Gap For Persons with
Disabilities
Nearly half of all families headed by a single mother receiving welfare
benefits include either a child or a parent with a disability, and only a small
percentage are receiving traditional government disability assistance, according
to a report published by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Data
shows that families on welfare were nearly twice as likely as higher-income
families to have a child with a disability. Melissa Sills, IWPR researcher calls
the findings "shocking."
Read the full report at http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/d449.pdf
Save The Dates! AAMR Training Seminars on The New 10th Edition
Of Mental Retardation Coming to Washington, DC and New Orleans
On September 23-24 and October 3-4, AAMR will hold training workshops on the
new 10th edition of Mental Retardation: Definition, Classification, and Systems
of Supports in New Orleans, LA and Washington, DC respectively. Conducted
by experts, including authors of the 10th edition, the seminars will train
participants on how to diagnose mental retardation, determine the strengths
and needs of persons with MR, and plan supports accordingly.
For a detailed brochure and registration information, visit http://www.aamr.org/Events/index.shtml
To find out more on the 10th edition of Mental Retardation, visit www.aamr.org
Online FAQ on New AAMR Definition on Mental Retardation
What is the latest AAMR definition of mental retardation? What factors
determine whether a person has mental retardation? How can supports help persons
with mental retardation? A new online FAQ launched by AAMR answers these questions
and more. The FAQ was developed in response to the numerous queries AAMR received
following the U.S. Supreme Court decision banning execution of persons with
mental retardation. The site launch also coincides with the release of the
new 10th edition of Mental Retardation. The FAQ will help anyone with an interest
in developmental disabilities understand what mental retardation is.
Access the FAQ at http://www.aamr.org/Policies/mental_retardation.shtml
To learn more about the 10th edition of Mental Retardation including pricing and ordering information, visit http://www.aamr.org
Online Forum on Positive Behavior Supports by TheArcLink.org
Underway
The ArcLink.org is currently holding an online forum on positive behavior supports
for individuals with developmental disabilities. The discussion, which will
continue till August 31, is being moderated by Dr. Cathy Pratt, Director of
the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, and Bob Bowen, an educator and administrator
with more than 25 years of experience working with people with disabilities.
Visit http://www.thearclink.org/share/index.asp for instructions on how to participate in the forum.
Current Edition of News & Notes On www.AAMR.org
The Summer 2002 issue of News & Notes is now online! Read on, to find out
more on how family caregivers in the U.S. will benefit from the new respite
care bill. Also, catch up with highlights from the AAMR 126th annual convention
in Orlando, Florida!
To read the Summer issue, go to http://www.aamr.org/Periodicals/n&n.shtml
and click on "Current Issue" on the right. Enter your member ID number
and password (all lower case) and click OK. If you don't have Acrobat Reader
on your computer, you can download it by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Non-members can access past issues at http://www.aamr.org/Periodicals/n&n.shtml
AAMR F.Y.I. is compiled by Anna Prabhala, Editor. Please submit comments, suggestions, tips, and news to annap@aamr.org
© Copyright 2002 American Association on Mental Retardation
AAMR F.Y.I. may only be redistributed in its unedited form