ENDING: Free at-home COVID-19 test kits

The free COVID-19 test program from COVIDtests.gov 

is stopping September 2. 

Order yours NOW, before it's too late: 

Order FREE COVID-19 tests NOW!

Tests for people who are blind or low vision will still be available. 

Orders will remain open until tests run out. 

Order your accessible COVID-19 tests

USPS is distributing free rapid antigen COVID-19 at-home tests, but this program is stopping. Why is this program stopping? Because Congress has not approved more funding to cover the tests.

You should call and order your free tests if you haven't already, as soon as possible. Be sure to order before Friday, September 2, when the program will stop.

 

COVID-19 tests for people who are blind or have low vision will still be available to order after Friday, but they might not be available for long. This is because ordering will end when they run out of the free tests. 

If you are a person who is blind or low vision, here's what you need to know about ordering: 

• Your order will include 2 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or low vision 
• Supplies of more accessible tests are limited. Please only order the more accessible tests if you do not have other options for using the standard COVID-19 tests 
• Tests require you to use a compatible, Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, as well as download and install an app from the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play (for Android) 
• Orders will ship free, while supplies last 

If you need help accessing these free tests, please contact us! 

When preparing to order: 

• The information needed for the order is first name, last name, and household address 
• When you order, you will be signed up to get one package of 2 COVID-19 rapid tests for your household 
• Your order cannot use a place of business address 
• To track your package, include your email address when prompted on the form. The same email address can be used to track multiple orders 
• Your package will take 7 to 12 days to ship 
• Order your test kit today, before you need it! 

Important note from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) about the tests for people who are blind or have low vision:

• The Ellume COVID-19 home test was found by blind users to be more accessible than the other at-home tests currently available. The test was not created specifically for blind users, and it is not perfectly accessible, but blind users have found that they could use this test independently. 
• Some of the app functions, parts of the test itself, and portions of the instructions have created challenges users have had to navigate around. Based on the experiences people have shared -- and their suggestions for addressing some of the challenges --  ACL compiled these supplemental instructions to help people who are blind or who have low vision use the test.  

Protect yourself further with vaccination!

Call the South Carolina Vaccine Access Hotline. 

Still have questions? 

Contact the Disability Vaccine Access Hotline 

at (800) 787-6046

*****  

South Carolina Disability Vaccine Access Hotline:  

A hotline staffed by Able South Carolina and Disability Rights South Carolina designed to provide people with disabilities information about many different aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine.  These resources include but are not limited to: 

• Address any concerns you may have about getting the vaccine
• Find a trusted medical provider  
• Assist with vaccine appointment scheduling 
• Navigate transportation to get your vaccine  
• Offer resources and guidance on transportation to and from vaccine  
• Answer some of the most common disability related questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine  
• Provide information about accessible vaccine sites based on crowd sourced data  
• Address other disability-related barriers about the vaccine you may be experiencing      

Disclaimer:  

The staff of the Disability Vaccine Access Hotline are not licensed medical providers.  They are unable to offer medical advice about the best vaccine for you or predict how the vaccine may affect you or your family. 

Able South Carolina

720 Gracern Road Suite 106 | Columbia, South Carolina 29210

803.779.5121 | advocacy@able-sc.org 

Restoration, Resilience & Rebuilding: Call for Proposals

2023 Desmond P. Kelly, MD 

Nurturing Developing Minds Conference 

& Research And Implementation Symposium

The Desmond P. Kelly MD Nurturing Developing Minds Conference & Research and Implementation Symposium will be held February 23-24, 2023 in Greenville, South Carolina at the Greenville ONE Center.

This continuing professional development conference attracts a wide array of participants and provides an interactive learning and networking opportunity for a broad, interconnected workforce. We intend to provide both in-person and hybrid virtual learning opportunities.

We are soliciting proposals for sessions and/or posters around the following themes:

• Early childhood programs
• Promoting healthy child development
• Autism and developmental disabilities
• Special healthcare needs/chronic illness management

The themes above should only be used for guidance in developing your submission. We encourage broad consideration of our theme, Restoration, Resilience & Rebuilding.

Session Criteria:

• This conference is strongly focused on inter-disciplinary collaboration. We invite participation from the field of child health, education, development, policy, and more. Please see agendas from 2022, 2021, & 2020 for context.
• Most sessions will be 60 minutes long; the final timeline slot on Friday afternoon will be 45 minutes only.
• Plan for at least 10 minutes of Q&A or other audience engagement.
• All sessions should explicitly address equity and inclusion for all children.
• We are particularly interested in research with immediate real-world implications in the worlds of pediatric health care, early care and education settings, and other fields working with children. Policy-focused research is also welcome.
• If applying for poster sessions, posters should be sized 36” x 48.” You may indicate interest in your session proposal being considered for a poster session.

Speaker Logistics:

• We strongly encourage submissions from early career professionals.
• Registration is complimentary for first and second presenters; subsequent presenters in a session will receive discounted registration. Poster session presenters will receive discounted registration.
• Hotel rooms will be made available at a discounted room. We cannot provide other travel support.
• Note that Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) airport is an accessible airport to this conference and has many direct flights.
• At this time, we anticipate all speakers being in person at the event, with streaming options for virtual attendees.

Inquiries:

• Please direct 2023 NDM inquiries to Amber Posey.
• Proposals must be received no later than 8pm ET/5pm PT on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Input your data below. You will receive a response in early October.

Click here to submit your data. 

Register NOW! Digital Accessibility Conference

Join us for a one-day online crash course that will teach you everything you need to know about how to make sure your online content is accessible! 

Everything about our world is digital these days, which means that all of it needs to be accessible, too.

Who should attend? Anyone who studies/works in web development, marketing, communications, social media, etc., or anyone who runs an online shop or business! 

Visit www.ascit4all.org for ticketing and details. 

$50 event registration fee 

$25 discounted student fee 

Register Here!

Able South Carolina

803.779.5121 | advocacy@able-sc.org 

Caregiver Survey

Survey link: https://redcap.link/pow6l72o

Living Independently

 

Everyone has the right to determine the path of their own life! 

Register for this free online training on Monday, September 12 from 3:00-4:00 PM to learn tools for preparing to be independent and making choices for yourself. 

Registration will close on Sunday, September 11 

For questions, contact Dori at dtempio@able-sc.org. 

Register Here!

803.779.5121 | advocacy@able-sc.org 

Veterans and Mild TBI Issues

Online Think Tank Meetings via Zoom to Discuss Mild TBI Among Veterans

Why:  To discuss challenges related to mild TBI, to hear what you think needs to be researched, and to identify the best ways to overcome the challenges and engage veterans with mild TBI in the planning and implementation of related research that they want or would best benefit them.  Over the next few months, we hope to conduct 4 meetings on specific topics related to mild TBI (attention, memory sequencing, problem-solving, executive functioning, and others.)

Who:  We are looking for persons with a vested interest in veterans with mild TBI.  This might include veterans, their caregivers, their loved ones, anyone who has worked with veterans with mild TBI, and anyone who can influence the care or research related to veterans with mild TBI. 

When:  Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 7 pm    

• We will offer two sessions. 
• The 7pm session will focus on attention. 
• The 8pm session will focus on memory sequencing. 
• Each will last no more than 1 hour. 
• Sessions with different questions will be scheduled later.

How to Register:  Email jane.garvin2019@gmail.com by August 23 to obtain the Zoom link.

Appreciation:  For each session in which you participate, a $10 Amazon gift card and a $10 Panera Bread gift card will be emailed after the meeting. 

Please share with any others you know 

who think might be interested.

Questions? 

Contact  Jane Garvin, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC 

at 706-288-7877

Thank you!

 

Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome

New Guide Provides Adults With Down Syndrome Roadmap For Care

by Michelle Diament | August 19, 2022

Marilyn Long, left, helps her brother, Jeff Malanoski who has Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, in their Elk Grove Village, Ill. home in 2014. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

As individuals with Down syndrome live longer than ever before, a newly released guide is offering first-of-its-kind advice to families about how the chromosomal disorder should impact their medical care.

The resource issued this summer by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation builds on recommendations for clinicians that were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in October 2020, the result of a multi-year research review.

That document, developed by experts at eight of the nation’s largest adult Down syndrome medical centers and other stakeholders, includes over 80 pages of technical guidance on managing behavior, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, atlantoaxial instability, thyroid disease and celiac disease.

Among other things, the recommendations urge all people with Down syndrome to receive Alzheimer’s screening beginning at age 40 and indicate that individuals in this population should be screened for diabetes earlier and more often than others.

Much of the advice for doctors was new since there was no clinical research available in many topic areas.

Now, at a quarter the length, a family friendly version of the GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome is simplifying the recommendations provided to clinicians nearly two years ago in order to offer adults with Down syndrome and their families a user-friendly understanding of how their care should differ from that of typically developing adults.

“We created the guidelines following the highest standards so that we could be published in JAMA,” said Michelle Sie Whitten, president and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, which is behind both the guide for clinicians and the family friendly version. At this point, “we are taking it to the next level and empowering adults with Down syndrome and their families to understand the guidelines and to advocate for them with their medical providers.”

The revised version is based on input from focus groups that included individuals with Down syndrome and their families, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation said, and it’s available for free on the group’s website.

Going forward, the foundation indicated that it is working to update the guidelines to include information about sleep apnea, blood cancers, solid tumor cancers, vision and eye issues, physical therapy and fitness.

Click here to read more news from Disability Scoop. 

The Most Accessible Hotel Chain in America

August 17, 2022

TRAVEL

BEST OF: Most Accessible Hotel Chain in America

While most hotel chains vary significantly from location to location — making accessibility a crapshoot, at best — travel writer Sylvia Longmire says that Hilton’s Home2 Suites has provided worry-free access wherever she’s booked a room. Read about what sets Home2 Suites apart, plus Longmire reveals the nicest accessible hotel she’s ever stayed in. 

Report: Disabled Travelers Spend $58.2 Billion a Year and Want Better Access

A new survey of 2,375 people with mobility disabilities in the U.S. found that we spend tens of billions a year on travel and take trips about as frequently as nondisabled travelers. Yet, we remain a poorly served demographic within the industry. Click the link to see respondents’ major complaints and what they’d like improved.

PRODUCTS

RGK Launches in the U.S. with a Wheelchair that Weighs Less than 9 Pounds

RGK has been providing custom-fit everyday and sports wheelchairs to United Kingdom residents for decades. Now, they are available in the U.S. The Octane Sub4, RGK’s flagship product, is a rigid titanium wheelchair guaranteed to weigh less than 8.8 pounds. Also available: an ultralight wheelchair with a unique folding mechanism that can fit in an airplane storage bin, and an off-road attachable wheel that secures to almost any rigid footplate. 

Click here to read more!

Let's Get Prepared! Personal Emergency Prep

Make a plan for when emergencies strike! 

This training focused on teaching individuals with how to plan and prepare for emergencies and create plans for communication, apps, and resources. Register for this free online training on Monday, August 22 from 3:00-4:00 PM. 

The first 30 people in our service area who register (and have not gotten one in the past) will receive a free backpack full of emergency supplies. We will coordinate with you on picking up emergency kits from our office after the training. At this time, we are unable to deliver kits to you. 

(Our service area includes the following counties in the Midlands and Upstate, South Carolina: Abbeville, Anderson, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Clarendon, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, and York.) 

Registration will close on Sunday, August 21 

For questions, contact Dori at dtempio@able-sc.org. 

Register Here! 

Register NOW! Digital Accessibility Conference

Everything about our world is digital these days, 

which means that all of it needs to be accessible, too.

Join us for a one-day online crash course that will teach you everything you need to know about how to make sure your online content is accessible!

Who should attend? 

Anyone who studies/works in web development, marketing, communications, social media, etc., or anyone who runs an online shop or business!

Visit www.ascit4all.org for ticketing and details.

$50 event registration fee

$25 discounted student fee

Register Here!

Impact & Perspective of the ID/DD Community

Getting Back to Basics

Join us for this free community conversation! This event will be facilitated by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering their perspective & expertise. All participants will be welcomed and encouraged to join in the conversation. 

 

Register for a free online training 

on August 25 from 3 pm to 4 pm

 

For questions, contact Mandy at mhalloran@able-sc.org. 

Register Here!

www.SCDisabilityVaccine.org 

Contact our Vaccine Access Helpline at 1-800-787-6046. 

 

COVID-19 Guidance Update

 

The CDC has updated COVID-19 guidance. 

We’re here to help you understand! 

Keep reading to learn: 

• What to do if you test positive for COVID-19 
• What to do if you get exposed to COVID-19 
• Know how to protect yourself if you have a disability 
• Know how to protect yourself and others 
• Know how to prevent severe sickness! 

5 things to do if you test positive for COVID-19: 

1. Stay home and away from others. This is called isolation. You should isolate in your home away from other people who live with you. 
2. If you are at high risk of getting very sick, call your doctor immediately about treatment to help you! 
3. For 10 days, wear a mask if you have no choice but to be around others. Remember, people with disabilities and medical conditions are more likely to get very sick. Always wear your mask to protect others. Do not meet in person with someone who can get very sick! Consider meeting virtually or calling your loved ones with disabilities on the phone. 
4. On day 6, if you’ve had no symptoms, you can end your isolation. If you had symptoms, but they are much better and you haven’t had a fever for a day, you can end your isolation, after 6 days. 
5. On day 11 take 2 COVID-19 rapid tests. If they are both negative, you can stop wearing a mask. 

4 things to do if you are exposed to COVID-19:

1. For 10 days, pay close attention to your health. If you start to feel sick, contact your doctor. 
2. For 10 days, wear a mask if you’re ever around others. Find free masks here. You can also call Able SC for free mask supplies! 
3. On day 5 take a COVID-19 test. You can take a test sooner if you feel sick before day 5. If your test is positive, follow guidance for people who are sick. Get free at-home tests here. Find testing locations here. 
4. Remember, people with disabilities and medical conditions are more likely to get very sick. Always wear your mask to protect others. Consider meeting virtually or calling your loved ones with disabilities on the phone. 

10 days after your exposure you can go back to normal activities. 

Do you have a disability? Take these extra steps to protect yourself: 

• If you have a weak immune system, talk to your doctor about EVUSHELD. EVUSHELD is a prescription you can take to prevent COVID-19 before exposure! 
• If you are at high risk of getting very sick, find out where you can get treatment or prevention medication here! 
• Learn more about EVUSHELD for prevention and other treatments here. 

5 ways to protect yourself and others: 

1. Get your COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots. Make sure you are up to date! Use our "My Vaccination Plan" to stay up to date here. 
2. Do activities outside or in places with open windows, doors, and air moving. 
3. Get tested if you feel sick. Get tested 5 days after you’ve been exposed to COVID-19. 
4. Wear your mask when community spread is high or medium! Learn about your community spread here. 
5. Stay home when you’re sick. Stay home if you test positive for COVID-19 

You can prevent severe COVID-19 sickness in 4 easy steps: 

1. Get your COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots. Make sure you are up to date! Use our "My Vaccination Plan" to stay up to date here. 
2. Know the COVID-19 levels in your area: Visit the CDC's tracker here. Know if you are at risk: Visit the CDC's list of medical conditions here. 
3. If you’re exposed to COVID-19, take action! Follow the 10-day guidance. 
4. If you are sick or test positive for COVID-19, take action! Follow the 10-day home isolation guidance. 

Able South Carolina

803.779.5121 | advocacy@able-sc.org 

ABLE SC August Youth Newsletter

August Youth Newsletter 

Able SC AmeriCorps Program 

beginning this fall! 

Able SC has started an AmeriCorps program, and we are recruiting new members to serve! Members serve the organization, build skills, and impact their community. Part of our program is helping young adults become independent and self-advocates. This includes having some of our AmeriCorps Members help with giving peer support and helping with our Equip and YLF programs. Another part includes meeting with other young adults to work on skills one-on-one. 

Members serve a set number of hours per year and receive a stipend, education award, loan forbearance, experience, and other small benefits for serving at Able SC. If you want to know more about what it means to be an AmeriCorps Member, visit the AmeriCorps website. 

If you are a young adult, 17 years or older, looking to gain experience before returning to school or choosing a career, serving as an AmeriCorps member could be a great next step!  

The job descriptions will be posted on the Able SC website soon! Please email fhamrick@able-sc.org for more information. 

*****

Able SC Summer Series was a Success! 

This past June, 42 young adults with disabilities were able to get together in person for the 2022 Equip Summer Series for the first time in two years! The event was held simultaneously in Columbia at Irmo High School and Greenville at Project Search Bon Secours. Here, our youth participants were able to come together safely to practice and support each other in learning the skills they need to speak up for themselves, build disability pride, develop employment skills, and become future leaders in their communities.   

The in-person programming allowed the Equip Summer Series participants to engage fully and make meaningful connections with their peers and the Equip Leaders. This event was a powerful and fun-filled learning experience developed by and for youth with disabilities. 

Finally, while we are certainly looking forward to the 2023 event, you don't have to wait to get connected with Equip! We have programs like our Group Hangouts, One-on-One Peer Mentoring, Social Skills Groups, and more that you can get involved with right now. If you're interested in learning more, please contact Michael Hanna, the Equip Coordinator, at mhanna@able-sc.org.  

*****

Youth Leadership Forum 2022 

The 2022 South Carolina Youth Leadership Forum was held from 7/10-7/13 at Presbyterian College. After two years of virtual YLF events, the 2022 event returned to an in-person format and was a huge success! Twenty-five delegates and peer staff spent their time learning about disability history and rights, working on leadership and advocacy skills, and building community with new friends from across the entire state. This group of YLF alumni is now an active part of a community that is here to support them and help them reach their goals. Dates and location for the 2023 YLF event have not yet been decided; please check our Facebook page for any news or updates about the application process for the 2023 event. We want to see many familiar faces returning to the event as peer staff to pass on their knowledge and experience to new delegates. See you in 2023!

***** 

Click here to read more of this month's newsletter!