Monday, May 18, 2009

HOW THE STIMULUS PACKAGE POSITIVELY AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Social Security - $250 million: Veterans with disabilities and individuals who received Social Security Income and other selected social Security benefits will receive a one-time economic stimulus check. Vice President Joe Biden announced on march 26, 2009 that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive their payment starting in early May. In a written statement, Biden stated that the $250 checks "will make a big difference in the lives of older Americans and people with disabilities - many of whom have been hit especially hard by the economic crisis that has swept across the country."


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Social Security Administration - $500 million: To be used to help the Social Security Administration to reduce the backlog and processing time for claims and appeals decisions. The funds will also help the Social Security Administration modernize the computer center.
Medicaid - $87 billion: The temporary increase in the Medicaid matching rates for states will help states pay for Medicaid services and preserve programs. Each state will receive a 6.2% increase of the federal government's share of Medicaid spending, and states with high unemployment rates will receive a greater federal match.


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Vocational Rehabilitation/Employment - $540 million: To be used by state Vocational Rehabilitation programs. such programs assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining higher education and jobs.


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Special Education: $12.2 billion: This includes $11.3 billion to be used by states to meet their obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and $500 million for pre-school/early intervention under IDEA. IDEA mandates a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities, regardless of severity.


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Additionally, the ARRA includes funding to state and local government entities, businesses and communities for a wide variety of reconstruction and new construction projects such as the renovation and new construction of state and local government facilities and schools. State and local government entities and places of public accommodation and commercial facilities must comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design in new construction and alteration projects utilizing ARRA funds. Any construction and renovation of federal buildings and other facilities operated by federal agencies must comply with the Architectural Barriers Act accessibility standards.


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To learn more about where money is going at both the federal and state levels, visit the following websites http://www.recovery.gov and http://www.recovery.ohio.gov.



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