Having Trouble Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccination or Booster Shots?

Through a grant from the Centers of Disease Control Foundation and Able South Carolina, ACI is partnering with the Disability Vaccine Access Opportunity Center (DVAO) to increase access to the COVID-19 vaccinations among NJ residents with disabilities. Efforts include removing barriers that prevent individuals from obtaining vaccinations and combating vaccine hesitancy.

ACI is working with the Middlesex County Health Department to organize mobile vaccination units and pop up vaccination sites at events throughout the area. If your organization is interested in having a mobile vaccination unit or pop up unit at your event, contact ctonks@adacil.org

Is the lack of accessible and safe transportation preventing you from getting your COVID vaccine or booster shot? ACI may be able to assist. Call us at 732-738-4388

For more information about vaccinations, including where to get your vaccine, contact:

• Disability Information and Access Hotline at 888-667-1199 or acl.gov/dial

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: covid19.nj.gov

• Alliance Center for Independence at adacil.org or the ACI helpline at 732-738-1941

Please Support NJ WorkAbility Bills!

The Disability Advocacy Committee, of which ACI is a member, has been working on advocating to make changes to the NJ WorkAbility program. NJ WorkAbility offers people with disabilities who are working, and whose income would otherwise make them ineligible for Medicaid, the opportunity to receive full Medicaid coverage.

Legislation, A5262 and S3455, is pending in the NJ Legislature to make 5 changes that would benefit more people with disabilities who which to return to work but continue to receive Medicaid. These are…

• The removal of the unearned income limit

• The removal of the earned income limit

• The removal of the current upper-age limit of 64

• Continued coverage for 12 months following a job loss

• The exclusion of spousal income and resources in the applicant's eligibility determination

Please click on the link below to send letters to the Senate and Assembly leadership and Governor Murphy before the current legislature expires in January: actionnetwork.org/letters/please-support-nj-workability-bills-a5262-as-introduced-and-s3455

Great.com Interview with ACI's CJ Dodge

Individuals with disabilities face the same challenges that everyone does in life, however their disabilities may not only make those challenges more difficult but they often have additional obstacles as well. Many of these obstacles are due to how the world around them is designed and the lack of adequate support systems. But, this need not be the case. In this episode, we talk with Charles Dodge from Alliance Center for Independence about providing resources and education for disabled individuals on how they can live their lives independently as possible, as well as providing resources and assistance for those that are in need and would like to be independent.

Disabled Advocacy 101

Recently, ACI held a 7-part series of Zoom workshops geared towards individuals who wanted to sharpen their advocacy skills to make changes in their community. Topics included voting and civil rights laws, public speaking skills, the history of disability, the legislative process, and systems v. self advocacy. Guest speakers included Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling and Assemblywoman Joann Downey of NJ 11th Legislative District and Stephen Leiberman of United Spinal. Upon completion, participants received an official NJ Senate and Assembly citation from the 11th District office. Congratulations to all our participants!

DOT Proposes Rule to Improve Access to Vehicles for People with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released for public comment a proposed rule to improve access to motor vehicles, including rental cars, for people with disabilities. The rule proposes changes to NHTSA’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard to facilitate the use of adaptive equipment in rental cars and to simplify vehicle transport of wheelchairs and scooters.

Public comments are due January 27, 2021. For further information, visit DOT’s website or contact Gunyoung Lee of NHTSA Office of Crash Avoidance Standards at 202-366-6005, Daniel Koblenz of NHTSA Office of Chief Counsel at 202-366-5329, or David Jasinski at 202-366-5552.

“As a member of the disability community and a wheelchair user, I believe this is a step in the right direction.” says CJ Dodge, ACI’s Information & Referral Specialist. “There are not currently enough options for rental vehicles that have adaptive equipment. I believe this will allow companies who provide rental vehicles to begin to provide more inventory to the public. It also allows customers to choose the vehicle that they would like to use to fit their needs instead of having to choose the one option that is only sometimes available. I think that there is a need to take additional steps. I believe that every rental company should have not only the options that this proposal provides but also vehicles with ramps and adaptive seating already in place. I also believe that there should be vehicles that have adaptive equipment for people who are deaf or heard of hearing. People with disabilities should have the same opportunities as people without disabilities and that includes not having to go through extra waiting periods for adaptive rental cars to be found or retrofitted. I believe people with disabilities should be able to make a spontaneous trip if they desire to do so. But, there is definitely a need for this proposal because there isn't enough inventory available at rental companies now. “

If you are interested in writing your own testimony and would like help, contact cdodge@adacil.org