by Administrator | Sep 29, 2016 | Budget Cuts, Cross Disability Coalition, Policy, RIDDC, Supports Intensity Scale
In just the few months she has served as interim director of Rhode Island’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, Jane Gallivan has been instrumental in changing the state’s approach to providing services for individuals with intellectual challenges. On the most...
by Administrator | Jun 21, 2016 | Community Living, Cross Disability Coalition, Employment, Employment First, Family Connections, Life is Good, Money & Finances, Safety, Self Directed Supports, Speaker's Bureau
The Cross Disability Coalition has been working on the development of a Speakers Bureau to provide education/training on various topics to different audiences including people with disabilities, families, advocates, agency administrators and support staff, employers...
by Administrator | Jun 21, 2016 | Cross Disability Coalition, Employment First, Policy
By Gina Macris When she became director of Rhode Island’s developmental disability agency in February, 2015, Maria Montanaro inherited a budget with no relation to actual costs that was destined to run a deficit. She had to work with a state-run system of group homes...
by Administrator | Jun 21, 2016 | Budget Cuts, Consent Decree, Cross Disability Coalition, Employment First, Laws & Legislation, Policy
By Gina Macris Rhode Island’s developmental disability budget for the next fiscal year includes assurances that a total of $9.1 million in Medicaid money will be spent to raise pay for direct support workers and to begin transforming the state’s system of services for...
by Administrator | Oct 13, 2015 | Cross Disability Coalition, Employment, Employment First, Life is Good
The October Issue of RI Monthly has a featured article entitled “The Tyranny of Low Expectations” written by Associate Editor Casey Nilsson. “For decades, local agencies segregated people with disabilities and kept them from pursuing real work in the community. The...
by Administrator | Sep 15, 2015 | Cross Disability Coalition, Employment, Life is Good
Ever since she was small, Maureen Gaynor, from Smithfield RI, has been enthralled with music. She has recently released her fifth original album Iron Horse. She is self-employed and has worked as a freelance Writer and Musician since 1993. “One of my favorite shows...