Pre-Thanksgiving Updates!

It feels important to get a brief post out before tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday, and I’m overdue with some updates:

 -          First, my last blog post called on DDS to highlight the change in eligibility requirements prominently on the home page, and I’ve also raised it with Andy Reese in a couple of Friday forums.  As a result, you’ll now find a “crawler” across the header of the DDS website (https://dds.dc.gov/) reading “Eligibility Requirements for DDS Services Expanded” – but unfortunately it just links to the existing application page:  https://dds.dc.gov/service/how-apply-services.  If you go very far down this page you’ll find an “eligibility fact sheet” deeply buried.  This is something, but not, I think, the level of visibility most of us would have hoped for in explaining how things changed on October 1.

-          -         Second, the Eligibility First Summit took place at MLK library October 20 and 21 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U7ZrFj6UnEZS16B2FFjhfp8RUp8GSzA5/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=107296839803360874196&rtpof=true&sd=true), and for those in attendance it was considered a great success.  At least 150 people attended some portion of the event, either in person or online.  We could have wished for more agencies providing employment supports to attend, and we certainly could have wished for more private employers.  But there will be follow-up!  And that follow-up already is proceeding with respect to how the DC government can lead by example by hiring more people with disabilities.  Robin Shaffert of the Georgetown UCEDD (https://ucedd.georgetown.edu/index.php) led a fantastic breakout group on the subject, and plans to pursue the issue further.  Meantime, I understand the mayor expressed determination to make more happen on this front at the Disability Expo on October 26.

That’s all for now – have a meaningful and healthy Thanksgiving tomorrow!