Access Health CT sign-ups

Posted on by

Have questions or need help signing up for healthcare coverage? We’re here to help.

All help is free. Access Health CT staff will answer your questions and help you enroll in quality, affordable healthcare coverage. Certified Brokers will be on-hand if you need a plan recommendation. Don’t delay – Open Enrollment ends on January 15th. Registration is encouraged, but not required. For a full list of in-person help, visit Learn.AccessHealthCT.com/FindUs/

**IMPORTANT: If you are a Certified Broker and would like to attend an Enrollment Fair, DO NOT register here. Please contact [email protected].**

Have the following information for yourself and anyone in your household applying for coverage:

  • Dates of Birth
  • Social Security numbers
  • Visa, green card or immigration documents
  • Most recent W2 and/or Form 1040, Form 1099
  • Current insurance coverage
  • Paystubs, Profit & Loss statements or other employment information to confirm income for everyone in your tax household

Download the full checklist HERE

 

Wed 12/18 – Norwalk
5:00pm-8:00pm
Norwalk City Hall – Community Room
125 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851

Thu 12/19 – Bristol
5:00pm-7:30pm
Bristol Library Meeting Rooms 1-3
5 High Street, Bristol, CT 06010

Sat 12/21 – Stamford
10:00am-1:00pm
UConn Stamford – Auditorium
1 University Place, Stamford, CT 06901
Located at the intersection of Broad St and Washington Blvd. Free parking is available at the garage at 1194 Washington Blvd.

Sat 01/04 – Fairfield
10:00am-1:00pm
Fairfield University – Faber Hall
42 Bellarmine Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
Free parking is available in lots N-1 and N-3. Click HERE for a campus parking map

Mon 01/06 – Hartford
5:00pm-8:00pm
The Lyceum
227 Lawrence Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Tue 01/07 – Middletown
5:00pm-8:00pm
St. Francis of Assisi Parish – Fox Parish Center
10 Elm Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Wed 01/08 – West Hartford
5:00pm-8:00pm
Elmwood Community Center
1106 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
Note: Although Elmwood Community Center’s address is 1106 New Britain Avenue, you must gain entrance via South Quaker Lane and then to Burgoyne Street. There is no entrance access from New Britain Avenue.

Thu 01/09 – Hamden
5:00pm-8:00pm
Whitneyville Cultural Commons
1253 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517

Sat 01/11 – New London
10:00am-1:00pm
OIC of New London
106 Truman Street, New London, CT 06320

Mon 01/13 – Torrington
5:00pm-8:00pm
Torrington Elks Lodge #372
70 Litchfield Street, Torrington, CT 06790

Tue 01/14 – Branford
5:00pm-8:00pm
Joseph Trapasso Community House – Multi-Function Rooms A&B
46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405

Wed 01/15 – Bridgeport
5:00pm-8:00pm
St. Vincent’s Medical Center – Cancer Center (4th Floor)
2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606
Note: Parking will be validated for Enrollment Fair participants and staff who use St. Vincent Medical Center parking.

Working While Receiving Social Security Disability

Posted on by

To become eligible for Social Security disability benefits, you must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. However, you may be able to earn a small amount of income while receiving Social Security disability payments.

“It is possible to qualify for Social Security disability benefits and still work in a limited capacity,” says Nick Ortiz, a board-certified Social Security disability attorney and owner of Ortiz Law Firm in Pensacola, Florida. “Social Security has special rules for work activity called work incentives.”

To make the most of your benefits and job opportunities, it can be helpful to know what’s available. Read on for a look at what’s involved with Social Security disability benefits, as well as the rules related to working while receiving benefits.

Source: Working While Receiving Social Security Disability

Gov. Lamont Activates State’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol From Wednesday to Sunday

Posted on by


Bitter Cold Temperatures Expected to Move into the State; Anyone in Need of Shelter Should Call 2-1-1

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he will activate the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol beginning at noon on Wednesday, January 30, and lasting through noon on Sunday, February 3, as bitter cold temperatures and wind chills are anticipated to impact the state. The protocol directs staff from the relevant state agencies to coordinate with 2-1-1 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe cold.

A listing of available shelters throughout Connecticut can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting www.211ct.org.

“A brutally cold stretch of weather is expected to impact our state again in the coming days,” Governor Lamont said. “We need to spread the word to the most vulnerable in our communities that the conditions will become too dangerous to spend extended periods of time outdoors – shelters are available throughout the state.”

While activated, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security activates its WebEOC communications network, which serves as an internet-based system enabling local, regional, and state emergency management officials and first responders to share up-to-date information about a variety of situations and conditions. The system is used to monitor capacity at shelters and enables 2-1-1 to act as a clearinghouse to assist in finding shelter space for those who need it. Local officials, working through WebEOC, can alert 2-1-1 and the state when they open temporary shelters or warming centers.

In addition, staff from the Department of Social Services, the Department of Housing, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services coordinate with 2-1-1 and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, along with other community-based providers, to locate people who are in need and provide transportation to shelters.

Complete healthcare survey for the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy

Posted on by
 

On Sept. 18 Access Independence hosted a community forum at Burroughs Community Center.

The group discussed many critical issues relating to issues of health, disability, and racial/ethnic minorities. We thank our participants and community partners for taking the time to engage in this conversation and value the input that has been shared. 

This community forum is part of an ongoing initiative led by the Office of Minority Health specifically looking at minority disability populations in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Findings will be made available in a public report around March 2019. 

If you were unable to attend the forum, and or would like to help continue this conversation:

Please consider sharing the links to the surveys below with your clients / patients / colleagues / networks. This is an anonymous survey that can be completed by anyone in the states of RI and CT over the age of 18. 

We would greatly appreciate if you would consider circulating the links to the surveys widely across all methods of communication. If you would prefer hard copies of the survey mailed we are able to do so. 

English language survey: click here 

Spanish language survey: click here

Thanks for everything each of you are doing to help people with disabilities in the Greater Bridgeport community. 

Best,
—
Sandy Ho
Research Associate
Lurie Institute for Disability Policy
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Brandeis University
781 736 3954

CDR 2018 Meeting to feature “Breaking Rubrics Jazz Ensemble” Oct. 9, 6-8:15 p.m.

Posted on by

Center for Disability Rights 2018 Autumn Meeting of the Membership will feature the “Breaking Rubrics Jazz Ensemble” Oct. 9, 2018 from 6-8:15 p.m. at CDR, 369 Highland St., West Haven, CT 06516.

  • Light Supper: 6-6:30 p.m.
  • Membership Meeting: 6:40-7 p.m. (Members who attend and renew their Annual Membership in person or new Members who join at this event will receive a free gift!)
  • Entertainment: 7-8 p.m.
  • Free, but donations are always welcome.
  • RSVP: to Center for Disability Rights at 203-934-7077, Ext. 10, or e-mail [email protected].

All events at CDR are smoke and fragrance free, please refrain from using fragrances.

Community Action Agencies Accepting Energy Assistance Applications

Posted on by

The Connecticut Community Action Agency (CAA) Network began accepting early energy assistance applications for the 2018-2019 heating season Aug. 1, 2018.

Connecticut residents struggling to pay their utility bills can apply for home heating assistance at their local CAA. Community Action Agencies are the only nonprofit agencies administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides home heating assistance to the state’s most vulnerable residents. In Connecticut this program is called the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and is housed under the Department of Social Services. The state’s Community Action Agencies administer the program locally in all 169 cities and towns. Click here to read the full press release and find your local CAA!

Home heating assistance application deadline is May 1

Posted on by

Dear Neighbor,

We are closing in on the deadline to apply for heating assistance. If you are eligible for home heating assistance, this program is here to help you and your family stay warm.

The general deadline for applications is May 1, 2018, however eligible households that are subject to a shut-off notice by a utility for heating bills have an extended deadline of May 15.

Basic benefit awards are determined based on income, household size, vulnerability (eg. families with children or seniors) and liquid assets. Vulnerable households and households with the lowest incomes receive the highest awards.

Follow this link for benefit eligibility.

The state Department of Social Services and the Community Action Agencies work in conjunction with local governments, private human services providers and the General Assembly to assist Connecticut residents who are CEAP-eligible in maximizing potential energy assistance options.
 
Those seeking heating assistance should call 2-1-1 or visit this link.

Emergency funding is also available to repair or replace unsafe or inoperable heating systems for single-family, owner-occupied homes. To qualify, a household’s income cannot exceed 60 percent of the state median income (currently $34,366 for a single person and $66,089 for a household of four).  A heating system must be deemed as unsafe or inoperable by a licensed heating vendor to be considered.
 
Applicants can request an appointment through the community action agency serving their town or city, or can apply at partnering intake sites around the state. To find the nearest application site, people should call 2-1-1 or visit this link.
 
If you or someone you know might be eligible, please apply and share this information.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns at [email protected] or 860-240-1371.

Where we’ve failed Americans with disabilities (opinion) | Ted Kennedy via CNN

Posted on by

Ed note: Connecticut Sen. Ted Kennedy, Jr., (D-Branford), a healthcare lawyer and civil rights activist for people with disabilities, is board chairman of the American Association of People with Disabilities. The views expressed in this commentary are his own.

Twenty-seven years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. I still remember standing in the Rose Garden watching President George H.W. Bush sign the bill into law.

Today, as a result, people with disabilities face far fewer barriers to mobility and communication. Thanks to innovations ranging from curb cuts and Braille on ATMs to improved access to education and healthcare, people with disabilities lead more productive lives and can contribute more to our nation’s economy.

Read the entire commentary on the CNN website here: Where we’ve failed Americans with disabilities (opinion) – CNN

Disability activist (Ted Kennedy) criticizes Trump

Posted on by

Approximately 20 Yalies attended a conversation about political issues including medical insurance and disability rights with state Sen. Ted Kennedy FES ’91, D-Branford, hosted by the Yale College Democrats on Wednesday evening.

After he was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 12, Kennedy had his right leg amputated. Since then, Kennedy — the nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy — has made the rights of people with disabilities a large part of his advocacy work, campaigning against the use of the word “retarded” in schools and serving on the boards of Special Olympics International, Connecticut’s Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities and the American Association of People with Disabilities. At the event in WLH 120, Kennedy expressed opposition to what he described as President Donald Trump’s anti-disability policies and encouraged students to challenge candidates’ policies on the rights of those with disabilities.

Read the whole story at Yale Daily News: Disability activist criticizes Trump