Blog

Hospital Visitation Rights

By DRI

Patients with disabilities who need a support person for disability related needs should be able to access this support while in the hospital. If you have problems with your support person being allowed into the hospital with you because of COVID-19 visitor limitations, please contact us.

 

Office of Civil Rights resolves complaints to allow patients with disabilities reasonable access to support persons in hospitals: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/06/09/ocr-resolves-complaints-after-state-connecticut-private-hospital-safeguard-rights-persons.html

 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid guidance regarding hospital visitation limits: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-hospital-visitation-phase-ii-visitation-covid-negative-patients.pdf

 

 

 

IPUL, DRI, and SDE – Back to School Special Education Conversation – IPUL’s July 2020 Statewide Training

By DRI

DRI is going to be participating in a live discussion with IPUL and the State Department of Education regarding returning to school in the fall of 2020 on July 15, 2020 from 6:00pm – 7:15pm MST. Parents and families of students receiving special education and related services are encouraged to attend! Visit IPUL website here: https://ipulidaho.org/news-and-events#ipul-s-next-training or view PDF announcement for information, registration is required.

Click here to download the PDF.

The Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities needs to hear from YOU!

By DRI

Every five years the Council seeks for your ideas to decide what work we
will do to improve the lives of those with intellectual/developmental
disabilities and their families.

Your ideas will help guide our work to support people with I/DD to be included and meaningfully participate in all aspects of life.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

The survey is anonymous and is available online in English and Spanish until June 30, 2020. This survey will take about 20 minutes.

English survey: https://bit.ly/5YR-EN

or

Spanish survey: https://bit.ly/5YR-ES

If you need help with the survey, or would like a paper copy of the survey,
call 208-334-2178, or email info@icdd.idaho.gov.

Click to view the PDF version of the English flyer

Haga clic para ver la versión en PDF del folleto en español

Conversations with the Council WE NEED YOUR VOICE!

By DRI

Are you an adult with an intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD), or a
parent/family member of a person with I/DD?

We want to hear from you!

The Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities wants to hear about
your experiences accessing the services and supports you need to live the
life you choose.

The Council is hosting webinars on the topics of: Abuse, Direct Support Staff, and Leadership and Accessing Technology.

Join us!

Date: June 19, 2020

Topic: Abuse – We want to learn and hear from you about
what information you need to understand signs of abuse, how
to report abuse, and how to protect yourself and others from
abuse.

Time: 1:30-3:00 pm (Mountain)

Register: https://bit.ly/DDConvo1

Visit the Council’s website to take the full survey at icdd.idaho.gov
Every five years the Council seeks for your ideas to decide what
work we will do to improve the lives of those with
intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families.

Click here to download a PDF flyer for this event.

ACB Urges Department of Justice to Ensure Right to Private, Independent Vote

By DRI

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Claire Stanley, Advocacy and Outreach Specialist, American Council of the Blind
(202) 467-5081
cstanley@acb.org
Courtney R. Holthus, Advocacy Director, DisAbility Rights Idaho
(208) 336-5353, ext. 119
courtney@disabilityrightsidaho.org

ACB Urges Department of Justice to Ensure Right to Private, Independent Vote

“Individuals with disabilities have a right to full participation in voting, including absentee voting,” stated Eric Bridges, executive director of the American Council of the Blind. “Persons with disabilities have fought for decades for their right to vote privately and independently. Now, especially in light of COVID- 19, such persons are fighting for their right to vote via absentee ballot.”

On May 15, 2020, ACB filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Disability Rights Section, to emphasize the inaccessibility of absentee voting for persons who are blind and visually impaired in the state of Idaho during the 2020 primary election. The complaint provided personal declarations of Idaho residents who, as it stands now, cannot vote privately and independently in their home state via absentee ballot. This submission was a supplemental complaint to one filed by Disability Rights Idaho (DRI) on April 23, 2020. The complaint filed by DRI stressed concerns about the lack of information being provided for voters with disabilities, including elderly individuals with disabilities, regarding accessibility options so that voters can maintain their right to vote independently during the May 19, 2020 primary election.

“DRIP remains concerned that voters with disabilities across the state of Idaho may become disenfranchised by the lack of uniformity and specificity that is being offered when it comes to providing accommodations to voters with disabilities,” said Courtney Holthus, Advocacy Director with DRI. “Voters with disabilities have the right to request modifications to the voting process. They have a right to equally effective communication, including the provision of ballots in alternative formats. Those rights are not waived or eliminated by the COVID-19 crisis.”

ACB urges the DOJ to ensure the right to a private and independent vote in Idaho for all future elections. Both organizations are confident that these complaints with the Department will yield positive findings that will impact voting accessibility nationwide.

Click here to download a pdf of the press release.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

 

 

Solidarity

By DRI

Today DisAbility Rights Idaho stands in solidarity with those and the families of those who have lost their lives to systemic racism and white supremacy. DRI’s mission is independence, self-sufficiency, and full membership into communities for people with disabilities. Race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation/identity and socio-economic status all know disability. DRI values integration and diversity. DRI acknowledges and respects past trauma. DRI works to eliminate cultural and linguistic biases.
In order to achieve our mission and vision of independence, self-sufficiency and full membership, minorities including persons of color and disability must feel and be safe in their communities and neighborhoods. Violence against people of color must end. We reject white supremacy, racism and the very idea that any individual or group has the right to dominate others. DRI will continue to fight for inclusion, equality, civil rights and justice.

Amy Cunningham
Acting Executive Director/Legal Director
Disability Rights Idaho

COVID-19 Video

By DRI

This video is a guide for people in Group Homes, Nursing Homes, and other Residential Facilities to help answer questions about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.