Skip to Main Content
UNLV Logo

PPY 731/781: Fundamentals of Writing Policy Briefs/Doctoral Capstone Course I (Bruner): Disabilities

Library, government, and think tank resources to assist with research projects.

Andreana Franco

Andreana Franco-- PPY 731/781

 

Loan forgiveness law –Obama: permanently disabled—loan is forgiven

Retention is big; accommodations; family supporting students; student debt

Obtaining a degree is a priority to help graduates w/disabilities w/their health, independence, going to therapists, doctors, transportation issues, etc. 

Independence is GOAL; degree; self-efficacy

Real issue: student debt w/permanent disability that graduate from college need to have their loans forgiven so they can take care of the other barriers

Student Debt for people w/permanent disabilities

Range of Disabilities: Students w/a permanent disability w/documentation are supposed to get their loans forgiven

Social Security : Determines what that means

Definitions

What kind of research?  Has more lit than she needs

What Other Information Do You Need?

  • Stipulations: must live under the level of poverty

  • Why?

  • Standard made by federal government

  • Statistics : graduation rates w/people w/disabilities—

  • Individual states

  • Poverty levels per state for people w/permanent physical disability

  • Loan forgiveness opportunities

  • PSL: Program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness

  • Loan forgiveness for various jobs

  • Loan forgiveness

  • Here are the loan forgiveness opportunities: here’s how they are/are not relevant for permanent disabilities

  • Who are the institutional people providing?

  • Loan forgiveness laws & how they impact w/people w/disabilities

  • Loan forgiveness is through federal gov--not w/in the states

  • If these loan forgiveness programs are FEDERAL—what are the current opportunities in NV; how many people

  •  **Remember to focus on the status quo!

  • ***Raise the level of poverty for this population—not be dependent on the state or their families***

  • **How are the loan forgiveness programs not working for the people of Nevada

 

Catrina Grigsby-Thedford

Catrina Grigsby-Thedford PPY 731/781

Policy Issue: Individuals w/disabilities discharged from hospitals, drug & alcohol rehab/substance abuse, jails, mental health institutions--They are need of social support & end up homeless

Other communities have funding to prisoners/hospitals

Questions: 

  • What is the status quo?

  • What networks are actually out there?

  • How many rehab/MH/hospitals/prisons/jails/rehab-substance abuse centers?

  • **Discharge planners/exit strategists: How many people are in these roles? What kinds of jobs do they have? (MH/Hospitals/Prisons/Rehab Ctrs)

  • Number of providers?

  • Number of people?

  • Costs in NV/Las Vegas/Clark County?

  • How many are discharged? From where are they being discharged? Moving out of the institutions?

  • Current local/state/federal advocacy groups? 

  • What resources are unused?

  • Housing Needs?

**Catrina knows the resources that are out there—but she doesn’t know the current network in the city? What do they do? Facts of what the city has for the individuals (*She will forward this info to Susie)

**Indiv in an institution under 90 days: homeless status

Over 90 days: resources for shelters

Robin Brown

Robin Brown PPY 731/781

Direct Support Professionals (DSP): Underqualified staff; direct support professional staff; intensive supportive living home for adults w/intellectual disabilities

Staff may be Undereducated; unprepared

Research/Resources Needed: 

  1. Disability Legislation over the last 20 years

  • Federal, NV, & Local

  • Specifically: Federal level w/Medicaid-

  • Outlet: Medicaid Laws—How they dictate—How the state can use their funds

  • Understand status quo-current issue—map this out

 

2) Disability Advocacy Groups—Natl groups affect the local=What are their platforms; Different ideas: Who is an ally/who is a foe?

3) New movement: 2 years: Host Homes: Foster care for adults w/disabilities; (Cheaper, but it is creating new problems); history of host homes

4) Local & national DSP labor data/turnover rates-has to have an intellectual disability/

DSP: do it all & MH technicians deal w/MH issues

Labor Data: trends/pay/turnover

5) DSP Accreditation Programs (National) –research-wise 

Dr. Bruner: What about NV?

Lobbying groups? Orgs? In NV 24-hour

Comparative zone at a later date

Can you prove to us right now? training: who trains/pay / turnover in NV

WHY? Is the DSP—WHY is it that way? Current Status Quo

© University of Nevada Las Vegas