^New! 8/31/2010: Save The Date: Disability Rights Center is hosting a Voter Education and Registration event on October 1, 2010, from 10 AM to 2 PM at our office, 1100 N University Ave, Suite 201, Little Rock. Last day to register for the event is September 24th. To read more and fill-in the registration form, download the flyer »

^New! 8/24/2010: The Arkansas Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council has hired Regina Wilson as its new coordinator. Read more »

^New! 8/19/2010: The Commissioner of the Federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities is calling for input from the public on how ADD can best meet the diverse needs of individuals with developmental disabilities, and their families, across the country and into the future. Read more »

^New! 8/18/2010: 150 hold rally to keep open state centers, kin of longtime residents back facilities for disabled. Read more »

^New! 7/28/2010: The Kids Count Data Center, an initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has released its 2010 Kids Count Data Book, a compendium of demographic information about children and families in Arkansas. Read more »

7/26/2010: The Justice Department has 4 new proposals to change the Americans with Disabilities Act. On July 26, 2010, the Department will publish four advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPRMs) in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the topics addressed by these fact sheets. These advance notices of proposed rule makings, published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2010, address the accessibility of websites, the provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and the ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities. Comments will be accepted for 180 days. For more information visit: http://www.ada.gov/anprm2010.htm

7/23/2010: Attorney General Eric Holder signs regulations revising the Department's ADA regulations, including its ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Read more »

7/23/2010: State expecting third Justice suit, 5 centers for disabled likely to get hit again, legislators hear. Read more »

7/19/2010: Disability Rights Center is soliciting applications to fill positions on its Board of Directors. If you're interested please take a moment and complete the online application.

7/2/2010: The fliers for the 9/18/2010 Blytheville Mini-conference, Parents Clearing Trails—Northeast Conference – are ready for distribution.

6/22/2010: Last year, on the 10th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C., President Obama launched The Year of Community Living. As part of this initiative, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius created the Community Living Initiative to coordinate the efforts of federal agencies and support the Administration's commitment to addressing isolation and discrimination against people with disabilities. Today, HHS awarded a $3.2 million contract to establish a Housing Capacity Building Initiative for Community Living to connect persons with disabilities to affordable housing in their communities. Also today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is issuing a letter to state Medicaid directors about the extension of the Money Follows the Person Demonstration under the Affordable Care Act.

6/22/2010: Disability Rights Center Calls For Governor Beebe To Close Booneville Human Development Center. Read more »

6/18/2010: New rule extends disability protections to passenger ships & boats. Read more »

6/17/2010: The revised agenda for the 2010 Governor's DD Conference is now available. Download it here.

6/17/2010: The Arkansas State Tuberculosis Sanatorium was opened 100 years ago this year. A former resident of ASTS says it was a terrible place, full of suffering and death, and should be torn down and forgotten. The facility now houses the Booneville Human Development Center. Read the Arkansas Times article.

6/14/2010: Community Living Initiative, a collaboration of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), asking for public input. Read more »

6/11/2010: HUD Tells Grant Applicants: Don't Discriminate Based On Legal 'Sources Of Income' Or Risk Funding. Read more »

6/11/2010: Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families released its report "Crossing the Finish Line 2009: Moving Toward Covering All Kids". The report urges state to address growing problem of uninsured children; unnecessary barriers preventing thousands from being covered in Arkansas.

6/11/2010: The Southwest ADA Center is pleased to announce the release of our latest Legal E-Bulletin; Remedies Under the ADA is now available online.

6/10/2010: Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, gave a speech at the National Disability Rights Network conference on June 10. Read the prepared text of the speech.

6/8/2010: Complaint report on 5/28/2010 finds failures at Booneville Human Development Center placed clients in Immediate Jeopardy; one client choked to death on cheese and meat.

6/8/2010: State employee at Conway HDC accused of murdering his girlfriend, arrested, fired after only four hours on the clock because his availability to work was in question. Read the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article.

6/4/2010: Board approves Alexander closure. Read more »

6/3/2010: State asks care providers to step in, hopes to move everyone out of Alexander within a year. Read more »

6/2/2010: Arkansas Support Network, in conjunction with Arkansas People First, hold a news conference to support the closing of Alexander Human Development Center. Read the June 2 article from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Read the op-ed letter to the newspaper written by Keith Vire of Arkansas Support Network, Inc.

5/29/2010: Employee assigned to Booneville HDC resident who choked to death is fired, identity pending appeal request. Read more »

5/28/2010: Judge decides Conway suit should not be delayed. Read more »

5/27/2010: Community Input Sought on AIDS Housing. Read more »

5/27/2010: Resident of Booneville HDC chokes to death. Read more »

5/25/2010: The Justice Department has announced that it has filed briefs in three separate cases in Florida, Illinois and New Jersey as part of its continuing effort to enforce civil rights laws that require states to end discrimination against and unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities. The department's filings support two private lawsuits seeking relief in Florida and New Jersey, as well as a proposed statewide class action settlement in Illinois. The briefs allege that the three states are failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court's decision in Olmstead v. L.C. Read the press release »

5/24/2010: Companion Bill to 21st Century Communications Act Introduced in the Senate. Read more »

5/24/2010: Letter from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Cindy Mann to State Medicaid Directors on Community Living Initiative describing efforts to implement solutions that address barriers to community living for individuals with disabilities and older Americans.

5/20/2010: Disability Rights Center (DRC) and Arkansas Support Network (ASN) call on Governor Mike Beebe to provide Arkansans with a choice in community placement options. Read the press release

5/19/2010: Alexander Human Development Center will close, Medicaid funding withdrawn. Read more »

5/18/2010: Governor Beebe to Seek Closure of Alexander Human Development Center. Read more »

5/17/2010: RSA's revised website has posted several new categories of resources that provide technical assistance to state agencies and their partners. http://rsa.ed.gov/

5/6/2010: US Department Of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Arkansas Alleging Statewide Violations Of The Americans With Disabilities Act Read more »

5/5/2010: US Department of Justice to file complaint alleging Arkansas systemically violates the ADA in providing services to individuals with Developmental Disabilities across the entire State. Read more »

4/23/2010: Today, the Federal Communications Commission issued the agency's first ever working paper addressing accessibility and technology issues. Part of a series of working papers released in conjunction with the National Broadband Plan, the paper considers the numerous barriers to broadband usage faced by people with disabilities, including inaccessible hardware, software, services, and web content and expensive specialized assistive technologies. Read the press release and the working papers.

4/12/2010: Arkansas becomes the first state to offer voter registration verification on smart phones. Read more »

4/8/2010: Thousands of Americans with disabilities will have housing assistance specifically targeted to meet their needs, according to the departments of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Housing & Urban Development (HUD).  As part of President Obama's Year of Community Living initiative, HHS and HUD have been working to provide housing support for non-elderly persons with disabilities to live productive, independent lives in their communities rather than in institutional settings. HUD is offering approximately $40 million to public housing authorities across the country to fund nearly 5,300 Housing Choice Vouchers for non-elderly persons with disabilities, allowing them to live independently. Read the press release »

4/8/2010: Judge denies DOJ request for injunction to stop admission of children at Conway HDC. Read the ruling »

3/19/2010: Department of Justice to inspection of human development centers starts at Alexander and Arkadelphia. Read more in the March 19 issue of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

3/19/2010: Department of Justice to investigate all human development centers in Arkansas. Read the DOJ letter and the State's response.

3/19/2010: The Access Board has released a draft of updated requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act. As part of this rulemaking, the Board proposes to supplement its ADA Accessibility Guidelines to include certain types of interactive transaction machines such as point-of-sales machines and self-service kiosks. Public comments are due by June 21, 2010.

3/16/2010: Governor taking action to fix problems at Alexander HDC. See the article in the March 16 edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

3/15/2010: Beebe Picks Charlie Green as New Supervisor for Alexander Human Development Center (Read more »)

3/15/2010: Governor Beebe Orders Changes at Alexander Development Center (Read more »)

3/15/2010: Arkansas Support Network publishes a Position Statement concerning the closure of one of the six Human Development Centers operated in Arkansas within one year. Download the position statement »

3/11/2010: DRC disappointed with Governor's response to DOJ filing. View the report »

3/11/2010: Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U. S. Department of Labor are sponsoring a historic day-long Federal Hiring Event for People with Disabilities. Read more »

3/10/2010: The U. S. Department of Justice has filed a motion for preliminary injunction against Conway Human Development Center, based on the imminent and serious threat of harm to the life, health, safety, and liberty of the individuals residing at the Center. The motion asks a federal judge to immediately halt all admissions of children to the facility, hire a certified child psychiatrist, which they do not currently have, and to prohibit the State from using outdated and extreme forms of behavioral restraints on children. Read more »

3/8/2010: Save The Date... Arkansas Disability Policy Consortium (ADPC) will host the 2010 Disability Policy Summit. October 20, 2010. Comfort Inn & Suites Downtown at the Clinton Library, 707 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR. 501-687-7700. More information contact "adpc2003@aol.com"

2/25/2010: The U.S. Department of Education has released a summary of state laws, regulations, policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion techniques in schools. This state-by-state summary is a result of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's letter issued to Chief State School Officers on July 31, 2009, urging a review of current state policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion in schools.Read more »

2/22/2010: White House unveils compromise health care bill. Read more »

2/12/2010: Disability Law Lowdown has released podcast number 47, "Especially for Teens". In this 12½ minute MP3 podcast, host Jacquie Brennan discusses allowing teens to take charge of their own Individualized Education Program (IEP) and plan for their transition and future goals. Based on the Pacer Center handout titled "Chart Your Own Future: How Your Individualized Education Program (IEP) Can Help".

2/1/2010: Is there a possible ban on feeding the homeless under the Broadway Bridge in the works? (includes a message from Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola) Read more »

1/27/2010: Texas Tech sociologist's new book uncovers nationwide problem with how homelessness is handled. Read more »

1/25/2010: Bill filings will begin on February 1st in anticipation of the opening of the Fiscal Session of the Arkansas General Assembly on February 8, 2010.

1/20/2010: Findings from the 2009 U.S. Conference of Mayors Report on Hunger and Homelessness. Read more »

1/20/2010: Family Called Us, Inc. is opening two new houses for homeless in Central Arkansas and needs furniture and kitchen items. Read more »

1/19/2010: Northwest Arkansas Morning News joins the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and more than 300 nationally available newspapers and magazines on NFB-NEWSLINE, the free news-on-demand service from the National Federation of the Blind. For more information and to subscribe to the service visit their website at http://www.nfbnewsline.org/

1/11/2010: The Title V Children's Services Program/DDS, Arkansas Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council, Disability Rights Center, and Partners for Inclusive Communities announce a series of public forums on "Needs of Children with Special Health Care Needs and Individuals with Disabilities and their Families" Read more »

12/30/2009: For qualified participants, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offers once-per-year assistance for energy bills. Read more »

12/22/2009: SOAR Network looks back on an eventful 2009. Read more »

12/22/2009: Compassion Communities changes their mission and their name. Read more »

12/9/2009: Bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation that will protect all children in schools from abuse. For a brief introduction and the link to view the webcast, go to http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/12/lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan.shtml

12/1/2009: The Central Arkansas Library System is offering a free "Books by Mail" service to those who live in Pulaski and Perry Counties, but are unable to leave home because of a temporary or permanent disability. Interested individuals should complete the Books by Mail Service application. Once the application has been processed, patrons may begin requesting materials. They may either select their own titles or complete an interest survey to  have books selected for them. The limit for the first shipment is one item, however, once the first item is returned, up to four items may be requested at a time. Each shipment will be mailed in a reusable nylon bag and will contain a pre-paid postage label for the patron to return the materials. Items that may be checked out through the "Books by Mail" program include books, books on CD, and books on audio-cassette in the CALS collection. For more information about the "Books by Mail" program and download the application, visit http://www.cals.lib.ar.us/news/books-by-mail.html or call 918-3032.

12/1/2009: Campaign to pressure mortgage lenders to reduce payments for troubled homeowners to be announced today. Local non-profits assisting residents in buying homes.

11/23/2009: The 2nd Annual Partners in Brain injury Conference, 2009 November 17, 2009 was a great success with over 100 attendees. See a conference report and press release on the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury Web page.

11/17/2009: Mayor Stodola Announces The Job Corp Building Is No Longer Under Consideration For A Homeless Day Resource Center. Read more »

11/13/2009: VA announces new plan to end homelessness among veterans. Read more »

11/13/2009: Fannie Mae to allow some homeowners to rent back their homes with new program. Read more »

11/13/2009: On October 28, 2008, President Obama signed a hate crimes bill that extended protection of that bill to individuals with disabilities. This means that it is a federal offense to commit a crime against a person based on their disability.  This would result in harsher criminal sanctions than are currently provided for by state criminal laws. Under the new law, hate crimes protections will be widened to include crimes committed based on a person's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Before passage of this bill, crimes committed based on race, color, religion or national origin were considered hate crimes. People with disabilities are 50 percent more likely to experience nonfatal violent crime than those without disabilities, according to a Justice Department study released in early October. Additionally, the study found that about one in five crime victims with disabilities believe their disability was the reason they were targeted.

11/3/2009: For the first time in history a United States coin will feature readable Braille commemorating the 200th birthday, life and legacy of Louis Braille, inventor of the Braille system of reading and writing used today. Surcharges from the sale of this coin are authorized to be paid to the National Federation of the Blind to further its programs to promote Braille literacy. The law authorizing this 2009 silver dollar requires that any coins not sold by midnight on December 31, 2009, be melted down. To read more go to http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Braille_Initiative.asp or you can purchase your 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar directly from the U. S. Mint.

10/30/2009: Congress Passes The "Helping Families Save Their Homes Act Of 2009". Read more »

10/15/2009: Governor Beebe issues a proclaimation that October 15, 2009 is Disability Awareness Day. Download the proclaimation »

10/7/2009: The Arkansas Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council is preparing for their Family Leadership Training Program. The first session will be in January 2010. The Family Leadership Project is designed to provide education and information to parents of children with disabilities. Because it is free for parents, the number of participants is very limited, so please submit your applications as soon as possible. The brochure and applications may be downloaded by visiting www.ddcouncil.org, requested by email from brenda.mercer[at]arkansas.gov, or by calling 501-280-4608, or 800-462-0599, ext. 280-4608.

9/30/2009: The Granite Mountain Senior Housing facility will receive a $2.2 million grant to increase energy efficiency. Read more »

9/30/2009: By a combined margin of more than 5 to 1, Congress voted to cut off housing grants to ACORN. Read more »

9/30/2009: ARHousing.org is a new and free website to both search for and to list available housing in the state of Arkansas. The website is sponsored by the Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services. The website enables you to search for housing by location, by special needs (such as wheelchair accessibility) and by other criteria. There are also "housing tools" that will help you refine your search by considering your budget, roommate preferences, and housing needs. The website also allows landlords to list available properties. To view website, go to: www.arhousing.org

9/16/2009: Fort Washington Medical Center to Ensure Effective Communication for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Patients. Read more »

9/14/2009: DRC Protection and Advocacy for TBI Advisory Council member Shaun Best has written and posted a blog entitled "Words Do Make a Difference in How We Treat People" on the Lash & Associates website, a helpful site for survivors of traumatic brain injury and their familes and the professionals who work with them. Please take a look. Congratulations, Shaun.

9/11/2009: The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) has dedicated funds that are available this year for one time only to assist individuals diagnosed with Autism through Special Needs Autism funds. Read more »

9/8/2009: Environmental Study Of Potential Homeless Day Resource Center Site Reveals Lead Paint, Asbestos. Read more »

8/26/2009: The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education (ED) have announced new guidance for institutions of higher education to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season. A Preparing for the Flu toolkit is available for these institutions, in addition to a recently released toolkit for businesses and employers to help them prepare for the 2009-2010 flu season.

8/18/2009: DRC sends letter to Ernie Passailaigue, Executive Director of the Arkansas Lottery Commission to encourage the Arkansas Lottery Commission to review its obligations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities to ensure that it operates the lottery so that it is accessible, when viewed in its entirely, to people with disabilities in Arkansas. To read the letter click here [pdf]. To read the reply from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery attorney click here [pdf].

8/13/2009: The Kaiser Family Foundation has published updated health data for Arkansas and the entire country on it's website, statehealthfacts.org/. The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. Their website is at kff.org

8/12/2009: The National Council on Disability (NCD) has released a report calling on federal, state and local authorities to make sweeping changes in emergency management practices for people with disabilities. To read the report click here »

8/11/2009: The Arkansas Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) has received approval for use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, also known as stimulus money, for home and van modifications for people who must use wheelchairs for mobility. Read more »

8/3/2009: On July 30, 2009 the United States became one of 142 other countries that have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

7/31/2009: On this date, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to Chief State School Officers encouraging each State to review its current policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraints and seclusion in schools to ensure every student is safe and protected, and if appropriate, develop or revise its policies and guidelines. To read Secretary Duncan’s letter visit the U. S. Department of Education website or watch YouTube video of Secretary Duncan's comments at a hearing regarding the Obama Administrations Education Agenda on May 20, 2009.

7/30/2009: The National Council on Disability (NCD) is gathering public input for a study of emerging issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities. If you would like to participate, the entire document and information on how to respond is available here » (Word format)

7/28/2009: The Medicaid Adult Dental Care Program is a new benefit to be effective August 1, 2009. It is available to beneficiaries 21 and over eligible for full-range benefits, except for certain aid categories. It does not provide all the same services as the Children's Dental Program, and a benefit limit of $500 per state fiscal year (not including extractions or dentures) and no extensions of benefits available Other limitations apply. For assistance, you may contact ConnectCare at 1-800-322-5580 or the DHS Dental Unit 501-683-2166.

7/28/2009: The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its Kids Count Data Book for 2009, profiling the well-being of America's children on a state-by-state basis. Arkansas is in the bottom five in the country for infant and teen mortality and poverty. See the Stats (pdf) », and find more in-depth data for Arkansas on the Kids Count website ».

7/22/2009: Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS), a division of the Arkansas Department of Career Education, is informing the public that the ARS FY 2010 State Plan for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employment Services Programs is available for review and input. Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments in writing concerning the Plan. Read more »