People with disabilities have the right to vote!
 
Everyone needs to vote this year, including voters with mental disabilities. If you are a voter with a disability, you should know your rights. Knowing your rights will help make sure you can vote. Take this piece of paper with you when you go to vote so that you know what your rights are.
 
You can also show this to others if you run into any problems. This flyer tells lawyers and poll workers where to find the laws that protect your right to vote!
 

Dear Colleagues, The election’s around the corner! The National Council on Disability (NCD), in collaboration with the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and EIN SOF Communications, Inc., wants to hear about people with disabilities voting experiences during the upcoming 2012 General Election. Through a brief, open-ended questionnaire, NCD and our partners will collect information about voter’s experiences, including any physical, attitudinal, or other barriers they may have faced when attempting to exercise your constitutional right to vote.

New Information Resource Now Available
TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Resources Secretary Shawn Sullivan announced Thursday that a new resource is available to help Kansans. Effective November 1, the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is now available to provide Kansans with information and referrals. ADRC staff members can also put residents in contact with local Options Counselors.

She was the first person hired to work for the SKIL Resource Center back in 1993, and since the day she came aboard Pam Spohn has put her imprint on the organization.
 
Although there are changes on the horizon at SKIL, Pam will continue as a strong asset to the Parsons disability and independent living communities.
 
Pam has worn many hats in her 19 years with the organization, with her latest being a two-fold gig. She serves as the assistant to business manager Bill Cochran during the morning hours before taking her spot at the SKIL reception desk after lunch.
 

Share your voice – vote on Election Day.
By Nancy Burns
Since November is when the country goes to vote for president again, here’s my take.
Once, Will Rogers said the best thing about the candidates is that only one can win.
While I agree with him, which one do we choose? The first time I voted in a national and local election, I was just out of high school. My parents told me to vote for who I thought would be the right person for the job.
Although I still go by that advice, it’s getting harder to pick who you think is the right person for the job.

In late October or early November, KanCare will mail packets to existing Medicaid enrollees and members of waiver populations.  Click Here For Detailed Fact Sheet

The packets will include:

• Information on the KanCare program
• A chart comparing the extra benefits offered by the three MCOs
• A letter telling the member which health plan they have been assigned to Brochures containing additional details about each MCO
• Members should decide which MCO is best for them by reviewing the materials included in the packet, and by:
• Calling the MCO to see if their doctor is part of the plan's network Comparing the extra benefits offered by each MCO
• Members will have until at least February 14, 2013 to change health plans. Members can switch by:
• Visiting www.kancare.ks.gov/apply.htm
• Calling KanCare Consumer Assistance at 1-866-305-5147 (TTY 1-800-766-3777) Returning the KanCare Enrollment Form they receive in their packet

Voting Access Questionnaire

The election’s around the corner. The National Council on Disability (NCD), in collaboration with the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and EIN SOF Communications, Inc., wants to hear about YOUR voting experiences during the upcoming 2012 General Election. Through a brief, open-ended questionnaire, to be completed following your vote, NCD and our partners will collect information about your experiences, including any physical, attitudinal, or other barriers you may have faced when attempting to exercise your constitutional right to vote. We will issue a report based on the findings of the questionnaire in early 2013.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, presenting an opportunity to inform more women with disabilities about the importance of breast cancer screening for early detection.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. And living with a disability does not make you immune. Know the facts about breast cancer and why you need to make screening a regular part of your health care.