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Can YOU promote positive change and challenge misconceptions about disability employment? Show us! The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) is launching a nationwide "What can YOU do?" Video Contest to promote the talent and skills that people with disabilities bring to America's workforce and economy. This is your opportunity to produce a video that illustrates that at work, it's what people CAN do that matters
The CDE is looking for creative, fun, compelling videos of all genres that reflect the diversity of skills that people with disabilities offer, challenge misconceptions about disability and employment, and/or highlight employers' inclusive employment programs and practices. The CDE will recognize winners in up to three specific categories (General Public, Youth and Employer), and the public will be encouraged to select a People's Choice winner.
The deadline for entry is March 30, 2012. Videos should be one to three minutes in length (depending on the category entered) and reflect one or more of the campaign's key themes, which are outlined on the contest website, www.WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org/videocontest. Several selected videos may be showcased on the CDE's website and at future campaign events. More information and the official contest rules are outlined on the competition website.
The CDE is a national effort to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Built around a coordinated campaign titled "What can YOU do?," it aims to promote the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities through public service announcements, educational materials and other grass-roots outreach activities. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and managed in collaboration with seven leading disability and business organization. Learn more about the CDE by visiting www.WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org, or by following the Campaign on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Travelers with disabilities or medical conditions who are nervous or uncertain about getting through airport security now have a helpline they can call for assistance.
The Transportation Security Administration launched TSA Cares on Thursday. "It is primarily to provide passengers - or families of passengers - with disabilities and medical conditions information about our screening procedures and what they should expect at the security checkpoint," TSA spokesperson Greg Soule told msnbc.com.
Travelers can call the helpline (1-855-787-2227, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. ET) for information about security procedures.
Get full story: HERE
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is warning Texans with Medicaid coverage to be aware of a scam where a caller asks them to provide a bank account number and tries to sell them a replacement Medicaid card.
The state recently replaced paper Medicaid IDs that were mailed to clients monthly with a plastic Your Texas Benefits Medicaid card that looks much like a typical insurance card. People who lose their card can call the state for a free replacement.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) issued the warning after receiving a report of the scam Monday. A Medicaid client reported that a caller told them a replacement Your Texas Benefits card would cost $50 and asked them for a bank account number.
The state is advising Medicaid clients who receive similar calls to report them to the state by calling 800-436-6184.
"Please don't give any personal information to these callers," said Texas Medicaid Director Billy Millwee. "There's no charge for a replacement card, and we wouldn't ask for anyone's back account number. Just make a note of the number the call came from and report it to the state immediately."
A new, free phone app for Texans stranded on the highway during snow and ice storms has been added to the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (Texas EDEN) website. It will help users find their current location, call 911, notify friends and family, and calculate how long it is possible to run their vehicle's engine to keep warm before running out of fuel. The app called Winter Survival Kit can be downloaded for iPhone and Android smartphones.
Related article: http://ohsonline.com/articles/2011/12/04/phone-app-developed-to-help-stranded-texas-motorists.aspx?admgarea=news
As we enter the cold weather and flu season, the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities has added two new resources to their homepage intended to provide information on staying warm, safe and healthy. The Cold Weather preparedness materials includes tips on preparedness for Texans with disabilities and information for an iPhone and Android app called, "Winter Survival Kit." Additionally, we've included a Flu Shot web widget to locate by zip code where you can obtain a flu shot in your area. http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/
The Directory of Community Resources (DCR) at http://disabilityresources.tamu.edu allows users to search, contribute, and update disability resources throughout Texas. More than 3,000 disability agencies and supports are already listed in this interactive directory created by the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University.