<![CDATA[Orchid Advocacy - Olmstead Law & Order Thursday]]>Mon, 16 Dec 2024 06:15:16 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[chevron overturned, HUD "OLMSTEAD VOUCHERS," 2nd Trump Administration & Olmstead]]>Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:57:44 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/chevron-overturned-hud-olmstead-vouchers-2nd-trump-administration-olmstead
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • In 2015, CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) determined that Medicaid would NOT COVER HOUSING but would cover "Housing-Related Services" and even "Olmstead Planning."
  • Under the first Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions withdrew over 20 pieces of US Department of Justice "Guidance."​
  • But it would be the US Supreme Court that overturned the Chevron Doctrine this year in 2024 and held such Executive Agency Guidance was not binding.
  • The 1999 Olmstead Supreme Court decision was about a "Comprehensive, Effectively Working State Plan for People with Disabilities"  --- "moving at a reasonable pace."​
  • The most glaring failure has been the failure to provide adequate housing for people with disabilities.
  • In Denver, the city took on the task of housing people with disabilities ---- it was seemingly was after the fact that city officials realized these were people with disabilities and needed a fair amount of case management, etc.
    • Val's Take:  One of the things that is so confusing about the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum 
      • Most of the people on it do have an IQ over 70, sometimes a lot over 70
      • They are dealing with idiosyncratic pre-natal Neuro-Developmental Disorders to the Immune System, Microbiome, and Endocrine System as well as the Central Nervous System.
      • Further, the environmental INFLAMMATORY HITS can be exaggerated by pre-natal Maternal Immune Activation.
      • Biomarkers are important for individualized, personalized treatment.
​HUD Takes Action to Support Community Living for People with Disabilities (August 2024)

​After 25 years of Olmstead, it became painfully obvious that there were not enough housing resources for people with disabilities in most states, and it wasn't getting addressed ---- except maybe by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and he was relying at least in great part on Federal Housing Vouchers.

Could a 2nd Trump Administration roll back "Olmstead Housing Vouchers" --- It could but it may not want to.

If HUD can cover Housing Vouchers, I think that makes the process of "Olmstead Planning" much easier for all the Stakeholders.

I don't think a 2nd Trump Administration is going to be focused on Olmstead Enforcement --- but there could be encouragement of reasonable, flexible plans to address the needs of people of disabilities who are institutionalized or at risk of institutionalization.
]]><![CDATA[The Mental Health Crisis and better paradigms]]>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:44:05 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/the-mental-health-crisis-and-better-paradigms
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • People with Neuro-Developmental and/or Psychiatric Disorders and an IQ over 70 have been at great risk of institutionalization or homelessness in this society and many societies.
  •  "MIA [Maternal Immune Activation] induces widespread gene expression changes in neuronal and non-neuronal cells; importantly, these responses are abolished by selective genetic deletion of microglia."
  • These are big time paradigm shifts involving the Developmental Disorders of ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Schizophrenia-- that are now seen as blurred as opposed to distinct.
    • That would make a lot of sense if what we're talking about are IDIOSYNCRATIC activation of INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES on most notably MICROGLIA during pregnancy.
The new paradigms often involve the 3 M's:
  • Maternal Immune Activation
  • Microglia, and
  • Mitochondria

Maternal Inflammation During Pregnancy and Offspring Brain Development: The Role of Mitochondria  (2022)

Surprisingly, Suicidality involves dysfunctional mitochondria.
]]><![CDATA[Moving towards biomarkers and Precision Medicine In Treating "Invisible Disabilities" ---To better avoid institutionalization]]>Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:15:07 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/moving-towards-biomarkers-and-precision-medicine-in-treating-invisible-disabilities-to-better-avoid-institutionalization
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • The BLESSING and the CURSE of the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum is that most people on it do not have any visible MOBILITY issue.
  • However, many people with MOBILITY ISSUES do have PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS.
    • That includes Autoimmune Diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Cancer, Parkinson's, Dementia, etc.
  • People with Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Disorders and an IQ above 70 can be at risk of Incarceration and/or Homelessness.
    • This is not a situation in which ignorance is bliss.
I think there can be a lot of fear of the "MEDICAL MODEL" --- but many people feel ill-served by the "NON-MEDICAL MODEL" or PRIMITIVE MODEL of SUBJECTIVE SYMPTOM CLUSTERS in the DSM.

Further, while many neuro-diverse people do not have obvious MOBILITY issues, many do have IDIOSYNCRATIC "FATIGUE" and/or ENERGY/OVER-EXCITABILITY issues that relate to MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION, among other things.
Can lifestyle choices help this, I think it probably can but that is a lot more complicated than how we normally treat it.

We need to acknowledge the challenge of ACCELERATED AGING AT A CELLULAR LEVEL as a result of MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION.

BIOMARKERS can make that a lot clearer for everyone.
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Mitochondrial dynamics and psychiatric disorders: The missing link (2024)

Accumulating data have underlined how mitochondrial bioenergetics affect major psychiatric disorders. However, how mitochondrial dynamics, a term addressing mitochondria quality control, including mitochondrial fission, fusion, biogenesis and mitophagy, is im …
Neurodivergent Rebel
Setting & Maintaining Healthy Boundaries
Val's Take:  This is an interesting video and it goes in part to the difficulty of defining "Neurodivergence" from symptoms alone --- because those symptoms can be fairly idiosyncratic.

There are often processing differences --- but those too tend to be idiosyncratic.

To me, Neurodevelopmental Inflammation is a much better predictor of Neurodivergence --- at least in many to most cases.
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Mitochondria: multifaceted regulators of aging (2019)

Metabolic processes, including nutrient sensing pathways and mitochondrial function, have emerged as prominent regulators of aging.

Mitochondria have been considered to play a key role largely due to their production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in DNA damage that accumulates over time and ultimately causes cellular failure.
]]><![CDATA[EMPLOYMENT ACCOMMODATIONS for PEOPLE on the Neuro-Developmental/ Psychiatric Continuum]]>Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:48:22 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/employment-accommodations-for-people-on-the-neuro-developmental-psychiatric-continuum
Picture
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • For some of us, we found out we were on the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum by reaching STAGE 4 of that Continuum.
  • That is a PROFOUNDLY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE in and of itself.
  • AND it can be a dangerous experience.
Medication
  • When most of us think of Mental Illness --- we think of Psychosis.
  • In many cases Medication can resolve a Psychosis. (not for everyone)
  • That is a MIRACLE.
BUT
  • the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum is a whole lot more than Psychosis.
  • People may have various "EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING" Challenges.
  • They may literally be MORE SENSITIVE --- they may have MORE REACTIVE CELLS ---
    • That may take more time and effort to manage, but
    • It can also be a SUPER POWER of SORTS in the right circumstances and part of that is creating the right circumstances.
    • It can seem like such a SUPER POWER that we, family members and employers often don't appreciate that the person needs more TIME to RECOVER to avoid a BURNOUT or BREAKDOWN.
Strengths
  • When we're talking about the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum we need to not only ACCOMMODATE WEAKNESSES, we also need to ACCOMMODATE STRENGTHS.
  • There are Savants on the Continuum, but most people aren't.
  • On the other hand, many people on the Continuum do have a WIDE RANGE of SPECIAL ABILITIES that could benefit an employer.
]]><![CDATA[Addressing Developmental Inflammation could reduce institutionalization of people with disabilities]]>Sun, 13 Oct 2024 12:33:24 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/addressing-developmental-inflammation-could-reduce-institutionalization-of-people-with-disabilities
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Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
Developmental neuroinflammation and schizophrenia (2013)
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • People on the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum --- millions of people--- are in essence contending with Pre-Mature Aging as a result of In Utero Inflammation.
    • Inflammation acquired after birth is important too, but how that inflammation is processed by the body will be influenced by the Inflammation that was acquired prior to birth.

One of the things that CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) did awhile back was it partnered with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to develop protocols for 1st Episode Psychosis.
The Feds and the States have a HUGE INTEREST in getting better treatments for a whole range of issues, including:
  • Autoimmune Disease
  • the Neuro-Developmental/Psychiatric Continuum
  • Endocrine Disorders
  • Cancer, and
  • Dementia

There are numerous researchers around the world in quest of the HOLY GRAIL of MICROGLIA (immune cells in the brain) REPLACEMENT, REPAIR and/or PROTECTION.

This could be a game-changer.

We need CMS and the National Institutes of Health to champion Public Education and Professional Education in this important area as well as other emerging research.

The Microglia focus has considerable potential to reduce Institutionalization of People with Disabilities
]]><![CDATA[Olmstead and Institutionalization of People with Disabilities---the Need for Better Understandings & Treatments]]>Sun, 22 Sep 2024 05:37:40 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/olmstead-and-institutionalization-of-people-with-disabilities-the-need-for-better-understandings-treatments
Val's Take
  • The primary institutions where  people with Neuro-Developmental Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders and Brain Injuries find themselves are Jails and Prisons.
  • When the Criminal Law was developed over hundreds, thousands of years --- the question of "INTENT" or "MENS REA" was a sophisticated question.
  • It is still an important question,
  • In 2024, it is not the question we should end with.
  • What are the biological mechanisms that are causing this INTENT?
    • If the person's Microglia are eating the person's brain synapses --- that might be important.
I do think there is a HARM REDUCTION component to Olmstead.

All secure placements are not created equal.
]]><![CDATA[Feds step up with resources to address behavioral health in homelessness or at risk of homelessness]]>Fri, 13 Sep 2024 23:54:51 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/feds-step-up-with-resources-to-address-behavioral-health-in-homelessness-or-at-risk-of-homelessness
 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Announces ---

New Federal Resources for Addressing Behavioral Health Needs of People Experiencing or At Risk of Homelessness
]]><![CDATA[The need for olmstead compliance measures]]>Thu, 12 Sep 2024 02:54:02 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/the-need-for-olmstead-compliance-measures
Val's Take
  • I had been of the opinion that the US Department of Justice guidance on Olmstead was sufficient.
  • It seems that after Chevron was struck down by the US Supreme Court this year, it would be better to have Congress address State non-compliance with Olmstead.
  • That could get a lot of issues out on the table and set some priorities.
HOUSING
The big challenge had been Housing and still is, but HUD has really stepped up with "Olmstead" housing vouchers.

I think if the Feds and the States can agree to  consistently cover Housing for people with disabilities with Long Term Care Needs --- great.
  • Municipalities and Counties are generally in the mix, too and often on the front lines.
Recently, the Biden Administration issued new rules to address COMPLIANCE with the 2008 Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act.

Were the private insurance companies doing nothing on mental health and addiction?--- No.

But there was not substantial compliance with the law.

The situation is similar with Olmstead and the States.
HEALTHCARE  & EDUCATION--
NUMERIC STAFFING
  • Staffing problems exist throughout the society.
  • People are aware at least to some degree of staffing problems in Healthcare and Education.
  • I have my own take on this:
    • I think some (not all) of these problems bleed over to Law Enforcement and the Court System.
    • We're horrified and rightly so in some cases -- I think there's an argument to be made that Law Enforcement and the Court System are being "Scapegoated" for inadequate staffing in Healthcare and Education.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment has to be included but there needs to be more support for Employers.
]]><![CDATA["Olmstead" Housing vouchers greatly improved]]>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 20:48:18 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/olmstead-housing-vouchers-greatly-improvedwith Waitlists and Admissions Preferences
Richard Cho

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Senior Advisor for Housing and Services
Val's Take:

THIS IS HUGE!  

States have not  substantially complied with the HOUSING component of Olmstead.

Olmstead  is the 1999 US Supreme Court decision holding that the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibited the unnecessary institutionalization  of people with disabilities.
Olmstead specifically assumed a State Plan for People with Disabilities, and  required that plan to be:
  • Comprehensive
  • Effectively Working, and
  • Waitlists moving at a Reasonable Pace

Currently, Olmstead and subsequent caselaw are designed to prevent:
  • Unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities, or
  • The risk of institutionalization.
Housing is expensive!    If you live in Colorado, you know that.

People with Disabilities and States have needed the FEDS to step up --- and they STEPPED UP.

We are grateful!
HUD’s Mainstream Voucher program is a special purpose voucher for people with disabilities.

I often think of them as “community living” vouchers or “Olmstead” vouchers.

But until now, there were challenges with using these vouchers to quickly connect people with disabilities leaving institutional settings or homelessness to community based housing and supportive services.

I’m excited that today [August 27, 2024] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced new requirements and flexibilities for Mainstream Vouchers that make them an even more effective tool for supporting community living.

First, public housing agencies that administer Mainstream Vouchers can now establish separate waiting lists and also establish admissions preferences that prioritize people referred by the services agencies that support community living or ending homelessness for people with disabilities.

Second, PHAs [Public Housing Authorities] must allow at least 120 days to help people find an accessible and affordable unit, along with 90-day extensions.

These flexibilities and new requirements open the door to new partnerships between PHAs [Public Housing Authorities] and Medicaid, Centers for Independent Living, Continuums of Care, and state mental health and IDD [Intellectual or Developmental Disability] agencies to help further the goals of Olmstead v. L.C.

Very proud of this!
[Why did the U.S. Supreme Court Justices in 1999 assume the States had a "State Plan" for People with Disabilities?

 Georgia  (and other  States) told them that.  

Further, that is why the Justices held that the States could not be required to make a "FUNDAMENTAL ALTERATION" to the STATE PLAN.

You can imagine that has been subject to considerable interpretation.

The big flies in the ointment:     MOST STATES don't have a comprehensive, effectively working plan for people with disabilities or waitlists moving at a reasonable pace.]
]]><![CDATA[Federal Housing Vouchers as a Key to STATE Olmstead Compliance]]>Sat, 03 Aug 2024 22:42:24 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/olmstead-law--order-thursday/neuro-inflammation-and-adhd-and-autism
Val's Take
  • Colorado's Nursing Home Transition Program  was designed to transition nursing home residents to the community where appropriate.
  • I remember asking --- what about housing.  They were flush with housing vouchers.  That wasn't the most pressing issue.
  • In that situation, the Feds and the States were bearing very high nursing home costs and --- there was a clear financial benefit to the Feds and the States to transition people with disabilities out of nursing homes if they could safely live in the community.
  • In contrast, Chronic Homelessness often involves people with  some type of Neuro-Developmental or Psychiatric difference/disability and an IQ over 70.
  • When it comes to homelessness, it's Municipalities and Counties that are bearing the brunt of the costs --- as it relates to governmental entities.
  • The people themselves, their families and the communities are  bearing large costs as well.
  • The Feds, including CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), US Interagency Council on Homelessness, etc. and scattered disability advocates may appreciate the responsibility of States to provide Housing under Olmstead.
  • Outside the initiated, most people are not going to know much about Olmstead.
  • It appears that Denver is getting Housing Vouchers.
  • It is important that the Feds make available Housing Vouchers and Housing + Care Vouchers to meet the need to address Chronic Homelessness.
  • In Denver, Mayor Mike Johnston and his staff learned the hard way (as so many of us have), of the importance of Case Management.
  • The State has also identified Case Management as a Critical Issue. 
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