Topeka Independent Living Resource Center
... for a fully integrated and accessible society for all people with disabilities ...
What can we do for you?
Who are we? What do we do? What's happening? Read the We The People Newsletter! Need an interpreter or Braille?
President Barack Obama told a crowd of students at Arcadia University, in Glenside, Pa. on Monday that
there should be an "up or down vote on health care." (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
Obama Turns Up the Volume in Health Care Bid
President Obama challenged wavering members of his party on Monday not to give in to political fears about supporting health care legislation, asserting that the urgency of getting a bill through Congress should trump any concern about the consequences for Democrats in November. ...
Read the full story on our Health/Long-term Services page
Who Is Defending the Children?
We applaud the passage of H.R. 4247, the Keeping All Students Safe Act, in the House of Representatives on March 3rd, 2010. We are grateful to Representative Miller and Representative McMorris Rodgers for their leadership on this issue.
A few self-preservationist educators have written Our Children Left Behind (OCLB) expressing concern that barring the use of seclusion and restraint in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) denies children and parents their right to "individualization" in an IEP or BIP. These same educators decry the move toward a federal law banning the use of restraint and seclusion by asking "where's the data?" ...
Read the full story on our Education Page
Parkinson announces budget changes, slams Legislature’s tax breaks; Senate president advances tax increase plan
As the budget crisis intensified Friday, Senate Republican leaders said they will push for a $300 million tax increase and Gov. Mark Parkinson sharply crticized the Legislature for going on a 20-year "tax-cutting binge" for businesses and the wealthy.
Meanwhile, Parkinson applied an $85 million Band-aid to balance the state’s current fiscal year budget. ...
Read the full story on our State/Local Issues page
Public Forum on the Future of Community Transportation
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Big Gage Shelter House, 1-4 pm
Learn more! Share more!
Explore with us how we can improve Topeka’s support of alternative transportation modes.
Apply NOW for Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)
LIEAP provides help paying winter heating bills to qualifying households.
You can apply for LIEAP online at: http://www.usa800.net/lieapportal/.
New to the TILRC Website:
Unsafe In The Schoolhouse: Abuse Of Children With Disabilities, details 180 incidents of the use of abusive interventions against children with disabilities in school. The report also includes suggested legislative remedies.
The Intersection between Budget Cuts to Services and Civil Rights of People with Disabilities under the “Olmstead” Decision, Presented to: The House Committee on Long Term Care and Aging, Provided by: Mike Oxford, Executive Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, January 26, 2010 - This testimony presents a cogent argument regarding the necessity for systematic, comprehensive, long range planning to address the future long term care needs of our state that culminates in the development of an Olmstead Plan for the state of Kansas.
Job Openings
- Full-time Director for the Montgomery Center for Independent Living (MCIL), Applications accepted until position is filled
- Co-Director, Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)
- Social Security Administration - Various job openings w/ possible preference for workers w/ disabilities
2009-2010 Accessible Tech Webinar Series
The next in the series of webcasts will be, Best Practice in Developing and Disseminating Documents Electronically at 1pm on March 10, 2010.
Kansas Employment First Summit, April 15 and 16, 2010, Capitol Plaza Holtel, Topeka KS
The Employment First initiative establishes integrated, competitive employment as the first priority for Kansans with disabilities. The summit will share best practices and strategies designed to support this initiative. For more information, please contact the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities at 785-296-2608.