Lesson 7: Benefits, Entitlements, & Community Services and
The American's with Disabilities Act
Attention
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- MHRT Outcome: Understand benefit and entitlement programs
- MHRT Outcome: Knowledge of the community provider system
- Gain an understanding of how the Americans with Disabilties Act helped many people.
Teaching
As future case managers/community integration worker, it is beneficial for you to be able to go out and find information about benefits, entitlements, and about the community or providers in your area. Sometimes I would describe my work as a case manager as being like a detective looking for the services or information my clients needed. We live in a society where there are many services that are provided for those in need. Some are free for everyone while some are geared toward the most vulnerable, disabled and poor. Within the PowerPoint below you will learn about the benefits and entitlements available to individuals in the U.S. as well as some specific information about benefits within Maine. Please review PowerPoint below
| MHT 216 Aging Lessons 7 Fall 2016 |
Below you find additional links to information about benefit and entitlement programs.
Social Security vs. Suppliment Security Income (SSI)
Interesting speech on 10 Truths About America’s Entitlement Programs Address
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Watch this video summarizing the Americans with Disabilities Act ) ADA:
ADA Video (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns7UY8HdPr8)
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress.
To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.
Read Article: Wheeler, H.R. (2010). Senior Power: How does the ADA define Disability? The Berkely Daily Planet (December 22, 2010) Click HERE to view the article.
For additional informtion on the ADA please read: Disability Rights Section: A Guide to Disability Rights Law
This iPad Integration encourages you to think about your own retirment. The free app we are using is called My Retirement Tools by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. The prior lesson had you thinking about the tasks of retirement including financial well-being. This app allows you calculate your retirment savings needs, your retirment contributions, and provides other tools to help you plan to be finacially stable in your retirment. Take a few minutes and put in your retirement age in the calculator as well as your current savings and contributions. You will most likely be surprised by how much you need to save to have a stable income in your retirement.
My Retirement Tools https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-retirement-tools/id964554972?mt=8 I hope you find this app useful in your own retirment planning. |
Assessment
Lesson 7 Discussion (for online classes only)
Please share your thoughts about the Americans with Disabilities Act based on what you learned in this lesson. You can also share your experience with the My Retirement App. Did the information surprise you?
Lesson 7 Assignment
You will be provided with two clients outlined in the two case studies below. You are being asked to find out what benefit and entitlement programs each of these individuals may be eligible for. For each service/progam you identify you have to list the specific agency and contact information related to each of the services/programs you would explore for each client. For example, if you were going to get Russell signed up for Food Stamps where would you go to complete that task in Augusta, since that is where he lives? Be very specific!
Some of this will entail looking up information on the web and even making phone calls, so make sure to give yourself enough time to appropriately research the necessary resources.
Case Study 1:
Russell, a 65 year-old veteran with a service-connected disability is living with his parents and needs to move out. What benefits, entitlements, and welfare options would you explore. He lives in Augusta, ME and wishes to continue living there. He has insurance through the Veteran's Administration (VA).
Case Study 2:
Charles, a 72 year-old man, living alone in Waterville can no longer drive. He is isolated, needs transportation to any medical appointments, and has a small social security check that barely covers his rent. It is unknown if he has any insurance.