';
Tags Posts tagged with "ANCOR"

ANCOR

This morning, Barbara Merrill, Chief Executive Officer for the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), issued the following statement regarding the prioritization of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the distribution of forthcoming COVID-19 vaccines. Merrill’s statement comes just hours after a promising announcement from Moderna about its plans to seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its vaccine and one day before the anticipated publication of vaccine allocation recommendations from ACIP, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Having spent much of 2020 waiting for good news about a COVID-19 vaccine, ANCOR is incredibly optimistic about several recent positive developments from vaccine developers such as Pfizer, Moderna, and others. These developments suggest that we could be within 10 days of the FDA approving at least one highly effective COVID-19 vaccine.

“With FDA approval on the horizon, states will soon begin implementing the vaccine distribution frameworks that they have spent the past several months developing. We believe that across the board, these frameworks rightly identify several high-priority groups who ought to be vaccinated as soon as possible given the risks that they face if they contract COVID-19. These groups include frontline health care workers, people living in long-term care facilities, and people over the age of 65. Missing from most states’ lists of priority groups, however, are people with IDD.

“For months, ANCOR has advocated that people with IDD be explicitly included in the top priority tier to receive the vaccine because mounting research shows particularly significant risks facing this group. Data recently collected from eight states in partnership with ANCOR’s state association members found that people with IDD were twice as likely as members of the general population to die from COVID-19 despite being no likelier to contract the virus. Meanwhile, an analysis of insurance claims data conducted by Fair Health found that people with ‘developmental disorders’ were among the likeliest to die from COVID-19 while another study in the United Kingdom found that people with Down syndrome were 10 times likelier to die from COVID-19 compared to members of the general population.

“Furthermore, ANCOR firmly believes that direct support professionals (DSPs)—those on the frontlines who are keeping people with IDD safe during the pandemic—must be prioritized in states’ vaccine distribution plans. DSPs are critical to supporting people with IDD in doing everything from activities of daily living to taking precautions to avoid exposure to the coronavirus. Because they often work in people’s homes and in situations where social distancing is not possible, prioritizing DSPs to receive the vaccine will be a critical step in keeping the people they support safe and healthy.

“Given the expedited timeline on which forthcoming COVID-19 vaccines will be approved by the FDA and allocated according to states’ distribution frameworks, it is absolutely imperative for states that have yet to identify people with IDD as a top-tier priority to do so prior to December 10—the date on which the FDA is expected to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine for distribution. It is also crucial that ACIP, through its formal vaccine allocation recommendations, clearly signals to states the need to prioritize people with IDD in the allocation of any FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.

“Federal and state governments should be applauded for the important work they’ve done in response to the record speed at which vaccine developers have created a highly effective antidote to this deadly virus. However, the reality is that the work is far from over. ANCOR stands as a ready and eager partner to these lawmakers as we all work to ensure the fastest possible recovery from a global pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the lives of far too many Americans.”

RCPA has been chosen to participate in the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) in partnership with ANCOR and other ANCOR State Association members. Participants receive intensive onsite technical support to develop their individualized capacity building strategic plans. We will be amongst the first cohort to use the Community of Practice to disseminate best practices, and communicate with the assigned Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and with each other on their shared experiences through NEON. We will have more information to share regarding the specifics of the project shortly. Contact Carol Ferenz if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity.

September is Emergency Preparedness Month. While there frequently seems to be a day, week, or month dedicated to recognizing or learning about various topics, this particular topic became a pertinent event this week. The newly renovated central office of a LEAP (Life Enrichment Advancing People), a nonprofit agency in Maine, was leveled in an explosion on Monday. LEAP provides community services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The explosion occurred on Monday morning shortly after the LEAP Maintenance Director noticed a strong smell of gas in the basement of the building and alerted everyone to evacuate the building before it exploded. Sadly, one of the firefighters who responded to the call was killed in the explosion, and six other people were injured, including the Maintenance Director.

LEAP is a member of ANCOR, as is RCPA, and so we share a connection. There has been much conversation regarding this incident in an online ANCOR Forum. LEAP CEO Darryl Wood responded to the outpouring of support on this forum, stating:

There are heroes among us. Our maintenance director evacuated everyone and was working with the first responders when the explosion occurred. Many lives were saved by an attentive person and a team that evacuated as we practiced. Don’t take those emergency plans for granted folks.

Inspired by Darryl’s message, ANCOR is offering two webinar recordings about emergency preparedness free of charge to their members. Offering these webinars is only a small part — but hopefully a meaningful part — of how ANCOR works to support our friends at LEAP and, more broadly, ANCOR members who experience all manner of disasters.

Both of these webinars, which were broadcast previously, offer information that remains relevant for providers seeking to understand the steps they can take to be more responsive to disasters of all kinds. To access the webinars, please use the following links:

We hope all providers take the time to reflect on disaster preparedness by watching these recordings, as well as to review your Disaster Plans and training for all staff and people supported. Other actions that have been suggested include:

  • Evaluate the location of your meeting place when evacuating. In this case, it was really far from the building, yet right on the periphery of the blast area.
  • When evacuating, people should leave immediately and not stop to pick up personal items.
  • People should not attempt to use their cell phones while the emergency is in process. Among other things, phones can trigger explosions.
  • If you have propane at any one of your sites, you should have a propane detector.

In an upcoming issue of RCPA News, there will be additional information provided, as well as resources available to assist agencies with emergency preparedness. For any questions regarding this info or how to assist LEAP in their recovery from this disaster, contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA IDD Division Director.

Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) introduced the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act of 2019 (HR 873 / S 260). This Act provides states, service providers, subminimum wage certificate holders, and other agencies with the resources to help workers with disabilities transition into competitive, integrated employment. The Transformation to Competitive Employment Act is legislation designed to strengthen and enhance the disability employment service delivery systems throughout states while subminimum wages, which are currently allowed under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, are phased out over a six-year period. Currently, under Section 14(c), employers that obtain a certificate are permitted to hire individuals with disabilities at less than minimum wage. The Act would include some grant money to assist states and certificate holders in transforming their organizations.

Chairman Scott’s press release lists the organizations supporting the bill: “American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Autism National Committee, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Autism Society of America, Center for Public Representation (CPR), Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD), Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), Disability Rights California, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), Disability Rights Florida, Disability Rights Iowa, Disability Rights New Mexico, Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc., National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Disability Institute (NDI), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), National Federation of the Blind (NFB), National Rehabilitation Association, TASH, Inc.”

ACCSES, on the other hand, strongly supports a full array of employment options for people with disabilities, including Section 14(c), and will continue to advocate for providers and people who chose this option. Contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA IDD Division Director, with any questions.