Bridges to Better Advocacy, April 4-6, 2001
Conference Handouts
A three-day conference for attorneys, paralegals and
advocates who specialize in Assistive Technology Advocacy
Medicaid
Primary Presenter: Maureen O'Connell, Esq., Advocacy, Inc., Austin, Texas
The Public Schools and AT
Primary Presenter: Ron Hager, Esq., National AT Advocacy Project
The Public School's Special Education System as a Funding Source for AT
Enforcing the Fair Housing Act to Obtain
Assistive Technology
Fred Fuchs, Esq., Housing Attorney, Legal Aid of Central Texas Will
present overview of the Fair Housing Act: types of housing and tenants protected; remedies
available, how enforced. How can Act be used both offensively and defensively to ensure
that persons with disabilities obtain AT to make housing fully accessible? Case Scenarios
Practical Hearing Skills: For the
Beginner and the Seasoned Advocate
Maureen O'Connell, Esq., Advocacy, Inc., Austin, Tim Sindelar, Esq.,
Disability Law Center, Boston, Ed Myers, Esq., Arizona Technology Access Program, Jim
Sheldon, National AT Project & others to be announced. Using case scenario,
based on a real Medicaid hearing, will use combination of lecture and testimony
demonstrations to present "best practices" approach to doing an administrative
hearing. Will discuss: routine and creative approaches to presenting evidence and
testimony; pitfalls and special challenges; anticipating the record needed for court
review.
Affecting Policy Change on a Federal
and State Level
Tom Hlavacek and Ed Myers, Arizona Technology Access Program Speakers
will provide practical insights on how policy change is affected on the federal and state
levels - Tom, from his years of work with the NAPAS legislative committee and a recent,
one-year Kennedy fellowship through the office of Sen. Harkins; and Ed, from his
AT-related work with P&As in two states and now with a Tech Act Project in Arizona.
Private Insurance: Individual and
Systems Advocacy
Steve Elliot, Esq., Minnesota Disability Law Center Presenter will
discuss: types of health insurance policies; the rules of the game (as contrasted with
Medicaid and Medicare); how rules may vary from plan to plan, and state to state;
determining what AT is covered by a plan, including a discussion of benefit categories;
coverage and appeals processes; and representative state law protections. He will also
share a success story involving systems advocacy and private insurance.
Medicare vs. Medicaid: Program
Comparison
Lew Golinker, Esq., Assistive Technology Law Center, Ithaca, New York
Presenter will discuss legislative, regulatory, policy and case law developments from
these two programs.
Key Questions for Medicare Coverage
& Funding for AAC Devices
Lew Golinker, Esq., Assistive Technology Law Center, Ithaca, New York
Presenter will provide an update on new federal policies governing the funding of
augmentative and alternative communication devices through Medicare.
Advocating for Accessible Information:
Section 508 and Other Federal Mandates
Steven Mendelsohn, Esq., New York, NY & Ron Hager, National AT Advocacy
Project Presenters will discuss new regulations under section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act, which apply to federal agencies in their relationships with employees
and private individuals who seek access to and use of information and data generated by
federal agencies. Will also discuss other federal mandates as they relate to the
accessibility of information and data.
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