The Orange County, California Health Care Agency has contracted with BBI to conduct a four – year evaluation of an innovative web-based platform supporting the availability and accessibility of Psychiatric Advanced Directives (“PADs”) used by persons with mental health challenges. PADs are a form of self-determination that results in the creation of a legal document specifying a person with mental health challenges’ preferences for treatment and support when they are unable to make their own decisions. Continue Reading
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Isabel Torrence Joins the BBI Team as a Research Associate
Isabel Torrence, BA, has joined the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University a Research Associate. She will help implement BBI’s evaluation of new technology supporting access and use of psychiatric advanced directives (PADs) across seven California counties. Isabel has been a BBI Research Assistant since 2021 and she worked on projects related to Supported Decision Making for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ms. Torrence has experience in conducting both human rights studies and research on equity and inclusion for people with disabilities that are particularly relevant to the California PADs evaluation.
Southeast ADA Center Launches Virtual Interview Series: Section 504 at 50
In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Southeast ADA Center has launched a special virtual interview series where we speak with leaders of the disability rights movement who advance the cause of equal rights through their tireless work. The interview series and resources are available at the website Section 504 at 50. Continue Reading
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 113: Stories of Parenting with a Disability
The American social reformer and clergyman Henry Ward Beecher once said, “We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.” Families come in many forms and in the United States, nearly 10% of children live with a parent with a disability.
Join us for an engaging conversation on parenting with a disability and a new book on the topic, “A Celebration of Family: Stories of Parents with Disabilities,” with our four guests
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 112: A Successful Path to Employment with the Innovative Supports for Autistic Workers (ISAW) Project
Some autistic adults have difficulties in finding employment opportunities that match their interests, gifts, and talents. Many autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed. Continue Reading
Katherine McDonald – BBI Faculty Fellow, Associate Dean of Research – Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics Interview “Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Often Excluded From Clinical Trials, Research Finds”
Scientific breakthroughs aren’t possible without the painstaking process of clinical trials. So what happens when many of those trials leave out large portions of the population? Katherine McDonald, a professor of public health and associate dean of research in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, set out to answer that question in her latest research paper: “Eligibility criteria in NIH-funded clinical trials: Can adults with intellectual disabilities get in?” published in the Disability and Health Journal. Continue Reading
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 111 Resources: Supporting Our Veterans Tips for Job Seekers and Returning Workers
As Veterans return to civilian life, some want to return to jobs they held before entering the military. Some will begin the search for new jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.9 million Veterans, or 27 percent, have a service-connected disability.
Social Security Announces 8.7 Percent Benefit Increase for 2023
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January. Continue Reading
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 110: Ensuring Equity in Employment: A Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
Each October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The 2022 NDEAM theme of “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” recognizes the important role that people with disabilities play in a diverse inclusive workforce. Continue Reading
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 109: Workplace Accommodations and the ADA
Under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done during the hiring process. Job accommodations are changes to the ways workplace tasks are typically done that help people with disabilities be successful and have the same opportunities as people without disabilities.
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