BEINEINU NEWS & Notes
December 4, 2014
USA
Guidelines For Student Services---The US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued joint guidance about the rights of public school students with hearing, vision or speech disabilities to effective communication. The guidance includes a letter to educators, a FAQ document, and Fact Sheet, and is intended to help schools, parents, and others understand schools’ obligations under Federal law to meet the communications needs of students with disabilities. Guidance documents can be found by visiting www.ADA.gov.
Building Blocks Special Needs Magazine---Do you like to write? Do you have something to share with thousands of other families dealing with special needs? Building Blocks is still accepting submissions for their upcoming December issue. If you have tips, anecdotes, complaints, suggestions, or even gripes, you can submit them for publication in their Family Forum section. Send all entries to
NYC Disability Rental Programs---The income limit for disabled renters under 60 year old who are eligible for the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) program has been raised to $50,000 per year since July 1, 2014, the same limit that applies to renters age 60 or older who are eligible for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. We owe this important change to the legislators and advocates in NYS who pushed for parity. Please read further if you or someone you know may possibly qualify for a DRIE exemption.
In order to qualify for DRIE one should be over 18 years old and rent an apartment that is :
- Regulated by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) (i.e. Rent stabilized units, Rent controlled units, Rent regulated hotel units);
- Owned by a Mitchell-Lama development, Limited Dividend housing company, Redevelopment company or Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) incorporated under New York State’s Private Housing Finance Law;
- Located in a building where the mortgage was federally insured under Section 213 of the National Housing Act.
- Be named on the lease or rent order or have been granted succession rights to the apartment;
- Have a total annual household income of $50,000 or less;
- Spend more than one-third of your monthly household income on rent; and
- Receive Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability pension or compensation, or Disability-related Medicaid if the applicant has received either SSI or SSDI in the past.
To find out how to apply for DRIE, please click here. <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?YadHaChazakahTheJewi/6ea7936994/d399b4290b/4847639fee>
To find out how to apply for SCRIE, please click here. <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?YadHaChazakahTheJewi/6ea7936994/d399b4290b/b8b14413a6
ISRAEL
Children with severe disabilities (nachut kasha) who are dependent upon others will soon receive 1000 ILS more in monthly benefits. Their benefits will rise from 3116 ILS to 4126 ILS. For more information contact Dafna Azarzar of AHAVA (in Hebrew):