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Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options, Inc. has recently been appointed to Governor-Elect Chris Christie’s Transition Subcommittee of Human Services and Children and Families. Saturday, November 28, 2009
Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options, Inc. has recently been appointed to Governor-Elect Chris Christie’s Transition Subcommittee of Human Services and Children and Families. 
Monday, November 16, 2009
Please find our article in the Wall Street Journal entitled, "Businesses Mount Efforts to Retain Valued Employees," by Sarah Needleman:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703811604574534142561139588.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Hi COI Friends/Fans,
Today, we wanted to draw your attention to an important issue that affects many people with disabilities. As many of you know, asset-building is a difficult task for many people with disabilities, and these individuals are much more likely to be living in poverty, or be “asset poor,” which is when one doesn’t have enough resources to meet his or her expenses if there is no outside income for a period of three months. For example, although it’s estimated that 20% of the population has a disability, nearly half of the people living below the poverty line (47%) have one. This huge disparity speaks to the barriers people with disabilities face when it comes to asset-building or financial security.
Although these statistics are upsetting, the good news is that something is being done about it. On February 26, 2009, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2009 was introduced in Congress. This legislation was sponsored by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) and Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), and is designed to allow people with disabilities build assets. That is, it would allow for tax-exempt federal savings accounts for people with disabilities (similar to a 529 college savings plan). Every SSI beneficiary would qualify for one account that has a contribution limit of $500,000, and contributions up to $2,000 per year per individual would be tax deductible. This would also apply to potential beneficiaries, so if individuals becomes disabled as adults, they aren’t forced into poverty before qualifying. The account wouldn’t affect any other federal assistance the individual may be receiving.
This plan is seen as an improvement over the Special Needs Trusts that are offered in many states. It’s not as paternalistic as special needs trusts, which assume that people with disabilities aren’t able to control their own money. In the ABLE Accounts, a beneficiary can be a trustee (along with family members, financial institutions, and other qualified third parties as needed), which empowers the individuals and allows them to decide how to spend their money.
Furthermore, the accounts can be used for a wide range of needs, which include (but aren’t limited to): education and education services, training and employment supports, personal assistance support, respite care, community support, clothing, assistive technology, home or vehicle modifications, out of pocket medical expenses, habilitation and rehab services, and funeral and burial expenses.
We’ll admit that the act isn’t perfect – the account needs to be set up through an attorney, which can be seen as a drawback. It may be difficult for low-income populations to have the money to set up the account in the first place. However, this act is an improvement over our current system.
Now for the bad news: the ABLE Act hasn’t passed yet, and we are going to need your help if we want to get it through this session of Congress. We ask that you write your local representative to show your support for this important piece of legislation. To send the letter with the help of AutismVotes (which makes the process incredibly simple, you just need to fill out a form), go to:
http://www.autismvotes.org/c.frKNI3PCImE/b.3978771/k.11F3/Take_Action_on_the_ABLE_Accounts_Act_of_2009/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx
You may also find this site helpful to learn more about the act: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1205/show
As always, feel free to contact the COI office with any questions or comments you may have!
Today, we wanted to draw your attention to an important issue that affects many people with disabilities. As many of you know, asset-building is a difficult task for many people with disabilities, and these individuals are much more likely to be living in poverty, or be “asset poor,” which is when one doesn’t have enough resources to meet his or her expenses if there is no outside income for a period of three months. For example, although it’s estimated that 20% of the population has a disability, nearly half of the people living below the poverty line (47%) have one. This huge disparity speaks to the barriers people with disabilities face when it comes to asset-building or financial security.
Although these statistics are upsetting, the good news is that something is being done about it. On February 26, 2009, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2009 was introduced in Congress. This legislation was sponsored by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) and Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), and is designed to allow people with disabilities build assets. That is, it would allow for tax-exempt federal savings accounts for people with disabilities (similar to a 529 college savings plan). Every SSI beneficiary would qualify for one account that has a contribution limit of $500,000, and contributions up to $2,000 per year per individual would be tax deductible. This would also apply to potential beneficiaries, so if individuals becomes disabled as adults, they aren’t forced into poverty before qualifying. The account wouldn’t affect any other federal assistance the individual may be receiving.
This plan is seen as an improvement over the Special Needs Trusts that are offered in many states. It’s not as paternalistic as special needs trusts, which assume that people with disabilities aren’t able to control their own money. In the ABLE Accounts, a beneficiary can be a trustee (along with family members, financial institutions, and other qualified third parties as needed), which empowers the individuals and allows them to decide how to spend their money.
Furthermore, the accounts can be used for a wide range of needs, which include (but aren’t limited to): education and education services, training and employment supports, personal assistance support, respite care, community support, clothing, assistive technology, home or vehicle modifications, out of pocket medical expenses, habilitation and rehab services, and funeral and burial expenses.
We’ll admit that the act isn’t perfect – the account needs to be set up through an attorney, which can be seen as a drawback. It may be difficult for low-income populations to have the money to set up the account in the first place. However, this act is an improvement over our current system.
Now for the bad news: the ABLE Act hasn’t passed yet, and we are going to need your help if we want to get it through this session of Congress. We ask that you write your local representative to show your support for this important piece of legislation. To send the letter with the help of AutismVotes (which makes the process incredibly simple, you just need to fill out a form), go to:
http://www.autismvotes.org/c.frKNI3PCImE/b.3978771/k.11F3/Take_Action_on_the_ABLE_Accounts_Act_of_2009/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx
You may also find this site helpful to learn more about the act: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1205/show
As always, feel free to contact the COI office with any questions or comments you may have!
Community Options, a national nonprofit organization that develops homes and employment supports for people with disabilities will be hosting its 5th Annual National Conference on September 27-29th of 2010 at The W Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
The organization is announcing that Judy Woodruff has committed to delivering the opening keynote on the morning of September 27, 2010 at 9:30am at the hotel.
Broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff has covered politics and other news for more than three decades at CNN, NBC and PBS. Most recently, she signed on as a senior correspondent for the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
For 12 years, Woodruff served as anchor and senior correspondent for CNN, anchoring the weekday political program, "Inside Politics." Woodruff also played a central role in the network's political coverage and other major news stories. In addition, she anchors a monthly program for Bloomberg Television, “Conversations with Judy Woodruff.” Through fall 2006, Judy was a visiting professor at Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of
Public Policy, teaching a weekly seminar course on media and politics.
In the fall of 2005, she was a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, where she led a study group for students on contemporary issues in journalism.
At NBC News, Woodruff served as White House correspondent from 1977 to 1982. For one year after that she served as NBC's Today Show chief Washington correspondent. She wrote the book, This is Judy Woodruff at the White House, published in 1982 by ddison-
Wesley. Woodruff is a founding co-chair of the International Women's Media Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting and encouraging women in communication industries worldwide. She serves on the boards of trustee of the Freedom Forum, the Newseum, and Global Rights: Partners for Justice. She also serves as a member of The Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and the board of the National Museum of American History. Woodruff is a graduate of Duke University, where she is a trustee emerita.
For more information about Community Options, please visit www.comop.org. For more information about their 5th Annual Conference, please contact 609.951.9900.
For more information about Community Options, please visit www.comop.org. For more information about their 5th Annual Conference, please contact 609.951.9900.
On February 13, 2010, Community Options, a national nonprofit organization that develops homes and employment supports for people with developmental disabilities, will hold its widely attended Cupid’s Chase 5k Run in Audrey Chen, a Community Options Enterprises Board Member and in charge of Marketing and Business Development for Princeton Design Guild, will be leading the organization as they gear up for their second annual Cupid’s Chase 5K taking place at the Princeton Shopping Center on February 13, 2010.
Audrey Chen, Cupid’s Chase 5K Run Chair
"I'm very excited to be doing anything to support the mission of Community Options, but this Cupid's Chase is particularly rewarding. Not only is this a great physical activity, but we also see it as a fantastic social event,” say Chen. “It is a chance to participate in something meaningful and healthy while meeting some wonderful people at the same time," she added.
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