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For helpful resources for learning American Sign Language, check this link: https://www.ireviews.com/sign-language-resources
For youth services through the CO Division of Vocational Rehabilitation please check out this video:
https://youtu.be/bFOHSs2hxmQ Please be advised that the 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has been announced by Social Security that has increased the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level for next year:
2023 Non-Blind SGA = $1,470.00/month 2023 Blind SGA = $2,460.00/month SGA considerations are based on countable income which is a Social Security disability beneficiary's combined unearned and earned income reduced by special rules called work incentives that, if applicable, make it possible for beneficiaries to continue receiving their monthly benefit payment, Medicare and Medicaid while working. If your clients need help determining if they could benefit from a work incentive, please consider referring them to a certified Benefits Counselor.  Press Release Wednesday, October 13, 2021 For Immediate Release Mark Hinkle, Press Officer [email protected] News Release SOCIAL SECURITY Social Security Announces 5.9 Percent Benefit Increase for 2022 Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 5.9 percent in 2022, the Social Security Administration announced today. The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2021. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $147,000 from $142,800. Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. Most people who receive Social Security payments will be able to view their COLA notice online through their personal my Social Security account. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Information about Medicare changes for 2022, when announced, will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2022 are announced. Final 2022 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security's Message Center. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS: Here is a fact sheet showing the effect of the various automatic adjustments. To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress. If you’re totally and permanently disabled, you may qualify for a discharge of your federal student loans.
https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/disability-discharge The Biden Administration is announcing new actions to help protect vulnerable tenants and landlords, including steps the Treasury Department is taking to strengthen existing guidance and implement new policies to ensure that state and local grantees can further accelerate Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) to aid the struggling landlords and renters most at risk of eviction.
 Are you ready for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)? Held every October, NDEAM is a fitting time to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The 2021 NDEAM theme will be “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” NDEAM is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. The Campaign for Disability Employment encourages organizations of all sizes and in all industries to participate in NDEAM. For specific ideas on supporting NDEAM, visit the website www.dol.gov/ndeam. The School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP) is a collaborative initiative between the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and local school districts/Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and is supported by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). SWAP provides case management and direct services to young adults with disabilities who:
▪ Are potentially eligible, applicants of or are eligible to receive DVR services (meeting disability documentation requirements and able to benefit from the program); and ▪ Have mild to moderate needs in employment; ▪ Need support in developing vocational awareness, career exploration, and experiencing career and employment opportunities to become competitively employed and to achieve successful outcomes. For more information, contact your local DVR: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dvr/contact-us-90 |
