Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, College of Education

"The pilot program for the Padbots launched in Dauphin County, and the devices were purchased with funding from the CARES Act. The goal is to get two Padbots in each of the six regions of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman." ... "The program is partnering with TechOWL, a part of the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, to provide these Padbots as an option for facility visits. TechOWL will provide needed guidance and on-going support for proposed in-person and virtual activities, particularly with the increasing cases of COVID-19."

"More than 40% of the nation’s coronavirus related deaths have been people with disabilities in congregate settings, and yet the recent COVID-19 relief bill provides no dedicated funding to support people with disabilities living in their homes and prevent further admissions to congregate settings. The bill also did not provide funding to get disabled people out of dangerous congregate settings where the spread of COVID-19 has been so deadly."

The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University extends heartfelt wishes for your well-being and the brightest hope for your happiness. As we approach the final week of 2020, we reflect on what has been a most extraordinary year for all of us. I would like to personally thank you for continuing to support our work and for being patient while we adapted our events and programs to seamlessly serve the disability community in Pennsylvania. We approach the new year with a... renewed enthusiasm and excitement about what we can, and will, achieve together. Wishing you all a great holiday season and a peaceful and healthy new year! Sally Gould-Taylor Interim Executive Director

A report by Joe Shapiro. "[According to the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] When care is scarce, doctors are allowed to decide who gets it and who doesn't. They can decide who is most likely to do best with that treatment by making an 'individualized assessment of the patient' based on objective medical evidence. "But doctors can't rule out people because they have a specific disability for example, dementia or using portable ventilators every day to help themselves breathe."

"On 2 December, the United Kingdom’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended prioritizing people with DS for speedy vaccination. But the more than 200,000 Americans with DS so far are not slated for early vaccination. Nor has the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) included DS in its list of conditions it says boost the risk for severe COVID-19."