Independence Empowerment Center

March 11, 2009   

CHICAGO – Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago applauds the introduction of new federal legislation called the Inclusive Home Design Act (IHDA).  The new legislation, introduced on March 10 by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, will dramatically increase the number of homes accessible to people with disabilities.  The Inclusive Home Design Act aims to increase the number of homes accessible to people with disabilities by applying visitability standards.  The principle of visitability seeks to create homes that are affordable and sustainable, and utilize a design approach that integrates accessibility features into newly-built homes.  The legislation intends to reverse a national trend that locks people with disabilities out of the housing market.  Currently, 95 percent of new single-family homes and townhouses built with federal assistance fail to incorporate accessibility features, making it impossible for many people with disabilities to live in or visit the homes. “Whether you have a disability or you don’t have a disability, everyone needs and everyone has a right to housing,” said Beto Barrera, Access Living’s Housing Team Leader.  “Because we continue to build inaccessible housing in this country, housing options for people with disabilities are severely limited.”   

The Inclusive Home Design Act would require that all newly-built single-family homes and townhouses receiving federal funds meet four specific standards:   

·         Include at least one accessible (”zero step”) entrance into the home  ·         Ensure all doorways on the main floor have a minimum of 32 inches of clear passage space  ·         Build at least one wheelchair accessible bathroom on the main floor ·         Place electrical and climate controls (such as light switches and thermostats) at heights reachable from a wheelchair “We applaud the Schakowsky for building support around, and introducing the Inclusive Home Design Act,” Barrera went on.  “With this new legislation, the housing market for people with disabilities will open up dramatically.  Not only will we recognize the right of people with disabilities to pursue housing opportunities on a more level playing field, we will save thousands of dollars in renovation and retrofitting costs.”  

The legislation applies only to new construction.  The average added cost per home for the required features runs from $98 to $573.  Adding accessible features after construction often costs several thousand dollars. 

For more information contact Gary Arnold at Access Living, 312-640-2199 (voice), 312-640-2102 (TTY).      

            Roberta’s Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I submitted my timesheet two days late. Will I get paid on time?
A: No. PPL will not pay late timesheets on regular pay days. You will have to wait until the next pay cycle.
Q: Can a family member call on behalf of the Director of Care to get information from PPL?
A: No. Only the Director of Care or the Service Facilitator can make calls on the consumer’s behalf.
Q: How do I find out how many respite hours I have left?
A: The Director of Care should call PPL for that information. The PPL number is
1-866-259-3009
Q: If I make a mistake on my timesheet or I submitted a messy timesheet, will I receive
my pay on time?
A: No. PPL will contact the Director of Care and inform him or her that you have to resubmit a new timesheet. Payment will be late.
Q: I need to get diapers for my child.  How old does he have to be to receive incontinence supplies?
A: The child has to be three years old to receive incontinence supplies. They can be ordered from Home Care Delivered, a Medicaid Supplier 1-800-565-5644.
Q:  Does PPL have more than one fax number?
A:  Yes. PPL’s Fax number for timesheets is 1-888-564-1532. Do not submit your timesheet to another number or you will not get paid.
Q:  What do I tell a friend about how to get a personal attendant?
A:  First, the person must contact the Department of Social Services to get on a Medicaid EDCD waiver. A social worker and a nurse will visit to make a health assessment.  Once the consumer has gotten the waiver, she will need to choose an organization to facilitate her services and let the social worker know which organization was chosen. This can be a home health care agency or an organization such as IEC. The social worker will send the necessary information, and an appointment will be made with the consumer. After that appointment, the consumer will receive forms from PPL to enroll both the employer (consumer) and the attendant. Enrolling with PPL takes about 6 weeks.  
Q: My father is unable to direct his own services. Can I direct services for him?
A:  Yes. A consumer may appoint someone to direct his personal attendant services.
Q:  Where can I donate used equipment that I no longer want?
A:  IEC accepts equipment for redistribution, if you are able to drop it off at our office. We can help you find a home for all types of equipment. You can also put it online at www.rehabequipmentexchange.com, or contact Foundation for Rehabilitation Equipment and Endowment at 1-540-777-4929 or www.free-foundation.org.
Q:  My personal attendant quit. Where can I find a new one?
A:  IEC maintains a list of people who are interested in working as personal attendants. Call us for a copy of the list. You can also ask your friends, neighbors, people from your church, hospital, and other organizations if they know someone who wants to work as a personal attendant. Contact nearby colleges to see if there are students who are interested. Your child’s school may have teacher’s aides who want part time or weekend work. You can also post notices at nearby grocery stores or other places that have bulletin boards, or even place an ad in the newspaper. Interview carefully!
Q:  A Physical Therapist has suggested that I get a prone stander or gait trainer for my child to use at home. How do I order it?
A:  You need to get a prescription with the child’s height and weight and fax it to Roberta or Jane at 703-257-5043. Some Medicaid equipment providers are  East Coast Rehab 703-329-2977 and Rehab Equipment Professionals
703-370-2100.
Q:  What do I do if I don’t receive my pay on time?
A:  Have your Director of Care call PPL. The timesheet may have a mistake or be too light for the scanner to read.
Q:  How go I get my Attendant ID Number?
A:  Have your Director of Care call PPL. They may have not received your hire packet or there could be information missing in your packet.
Q:  I signed up for direct deposit. Why was my check mailed?
A:  If you are a new personal attendant, PPL will mail your first check while they run tests and set up a bank draft.
Q:  Do I get paid for overtime?
A:  No, However, if your employer has respite hours the Director of Care needs to call PPL to see how many hours can be used and submit a separate time sheet within the same pay period for those hours.
Q:  How many personal attendants can I have?
A:  You can have up to five with three providing care and two as back-ups. You cannot have more than one working at the same time of day.
Q:  Can I have my mother as my personal attendant?
A:   You must be over the age of 18, live in an area that is underserved by nursing agencies and have placed ads without replies. You must send Roberta or Jane the ad you placed to show that you attempted to find someone. Then you would be able to hire your mother as your personal attendant.
Frequently Used Numbers:
PPL: 1-804-200-4001 or 1-866-259-3009                                PPL Fax: 1-888-564-1532
IEC: 703-257-5400                                                               IEC Fax: 703-257-5043