A proposal in Connecticut to create a statewide registry of people with disabilities, including mental disorders, is drawing criticism from some disability advocates concerned it will cause further social stigma and decrease citizens’ privacy. The proposal represents an expansion of voluntary programs offered by many U. S. police departments to register individuals with dementia, autism, bipolar disorder and other conditions.
Although an estimated 300,000 people in the U.S. with intellectual and developmental disabilities live in congregate housing, ranging from group homes to intermediate care facilities, the federal government does not collect data from them related to Covid-19. The result is that states decide whether to collect that data, leading to a wide range of policies and an unclear picture of the pandemic’s effects on people with disabilities.
Led by Sens. Bob Casey and Cory Booker, a group of Democratic lawmakers is calling on President Biden to put in motion his campaign promise to invest $450 million in home- and community-based services for people with disabilities and the elderly. They argue that the investment would benefit individuals who could transition from institutions to home or community settings and bolster the caregiver workforce, which has been depleted by the pandemic.
According to a new study published in health policy journal Health Affairs, more than 80 percent of U.S. doctors surveyed believed people with disabilities experienced an inferior quality of life than that of people without disabilities. The study, led by a Harvard doctor who specializes in the clinical experiences of people with disabilities, consisted of survey responses from more than 700 doctors from a variety of specialties across the country.
During a weekly press conference, Gov. Carney said that the state is prioritizing administering the second dose of Covid vaccine to nursing home residents and health care workers – and will delay vaccinations for people with “high risk” medical conditions including intellectual and developmental disabilities and people living in congregate settings like group homes. It will likely not be until mid-March, WBOC reports, that Covid vaccines will be made available to this population.
