Here is a PDF of the letter of notification to medicaid recipients from Elizabeth A. Johnson, Commissioner. Also see the attached list of Community Mental Health Center contacts.

The regulation that spells out the Michelle P. waiver program has been published. The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) issued the regulation on July 16, 2008 as an emergency regulation. This means that it became effective at the time it was filed with the Legislative Research Commission.

Kentucky law requires DMS to ask for and respond to public comments and to have a public hearing about the regulation.

The Division of Exceptional Children Services and the Office of Teaching and Learning has made available an Online Parent Involvement Survey for parents of students receiving special education services. The deadline to complete the survey is August 30.
http://oapd.kde.state.ky.us/exc08/exc.htm

Please see the attached files below for information on proposed changes to the settlement agreement in the Michelle P. case.

Response to State's 8-bed ICFs-MR Proposal

At a time of state budget constraints and when there are nearly 3,000 individuals on the waiting list to receive supports from the Supports for Community Living
waiver, it is difficult to understand how Kentucky can find the dollars to build 8-bed ICFs-MR. Yet it is doing so by issuing $10 million in bonds along
with $400,000 in fiscal year ’09 for site preparation, and an additional $884,000 in the following fiscal year, for debt service on the new bonds. The

Web produced by: Jessica Noll

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Marsha Hockensmith, a long-time disabilities rights advocate, has been named the Department of Public Advocacy's Division Director for Protection & Advocacy, replacing Maureen Fitzgerald.

KENTUCKY DISABILITIES COALITION
Voting Accessibility Surveyors Needed

The Kentucky Disabilities Coalition is seeking individuals with disabilities to assist local Boards of Election to survey perspective locations for voting locations. The individuals will have to participate in a three hour training before they can assist in the survey process. Reimbursement for travel will be provided to the training and participants will receive $25.00 for each location they survey.

The proposed Beshear budget for 2009 to 2010 will have big effects on programs
that are important to P&A clients. P&A staff analyzed the Health and
Family Services part. The items below will interest P&A clients. The page
numbers refer to the Official
Budget for Health and Family Services, unless it says otherwise.

Army-Operated Child Care Program’s Refusal to Administer Emergency Epilepsy Medication, Discriminates Based on Disability

Protection & Advocacy Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Seeking to Ensure Safe Child Care for 3-Year-Old Boy, Whose Father is about to be Deployed to Afghanistan