Recent Blog Posts
Facts on Domestic violence and the workplace
By Sharon Langer On average, four or five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day and women experience two million incidents of intimate partner violence each year. It only makes sense that domestic violence spills over into the workplace. It can be in-person harassment or phone calls, absenteeism because of injuries… Read More »
Asset Building for Individuals with Disabilities
Public benefit programs for people with disabilities, especially Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are not aimed at increasing assets and independence for people with disabilities as a result individuals with disabilities often have very limited income and few, if any, assets. The intent of asset building initiatives is that as individuals develop assets, they will… Read More »
Resource for Employees with Disabilities – ASKJAN.ORG
By: Lisa Goodman Have you ever had any questions about workplace accommodations or the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)? Some of those questions might include: What accommodations could you, as an employee, ask for/be entitled to at your job What accommodations should I ask for given my Disability? What accommodations are you as… Read More »
It’s not my fault – protections for autistic persons under the Fair Housing Act
At Disability Independence Group, we focus on providing people on the autism spectrum the tools needed to advocate for themselves. The availability to live where one chooses is a cornerstone of community integration and self-determination for a person with any disability. The relatively simple act of disability disclosure, when necessary, and request for accommodation is a free tool to ensure housing opportunity.
The Key to my Independence
In my life, I define independent living simply as living my life my way. I knew at a young age that I wanted to move out of my parent’s home and get my own place. My goal was not to always depend on my mother to provide me care, but instead to live independently by finding a way to acquire long-term care coverage that would pay for personal care assistants to help me on a daily basis.
Kids Crusaders Corner – How my wish to become a full time caregiver was fulfilled
I often go many hours without sleep because after working all night outside the home, there is so much that still needs to be done inside the home, including caring for my son. As of April 1, 2016 I will be able to step down from my “career” as a nurse and step into my role as a Mom…which is how it should have been all along.
Roseline Joseph receives a Christmas Gift from the Coral Gables Police Department to welcome her medically fragile grandchild home
Jocelyne Joseph was just granted custody of her grandson, who is a medically-fragile three year old with a disability, and received a gift from the Coral Gables Police Department to assist her in the holiday season.
Kiddle Ordinance passes in Hallandale Beach
By: Michele Lazarow, Hallandale Beach Commissioner I have always wanted to fight for those who could not fight for themselves. Once I realized that putting an official title in front of my name would be the best way to impact change, I ran for political office. I am now a Hallandale Beach City Commissioner…. Read More »
Sharon Langer Recognized with the Anti-Defamation League Miami Jurisprudence Award
On November 19, 2015, Sharon Langer, Development Director of Disability Independence Group, and Alan Dimond of Greenberg Traurig were both recognized with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Miami Jurisprudence Award. Sharon Langer’s remarks included the following For the past 100 years, the Anti-Defamation League has stood up against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and other pernicious stereotypes in our… Read More »
Samuel Rony is Awarded the Caribbean Bar Association Award
Each year, the Caribbean Bar Association (CBA) awards various Judicial and Legal Services Internship opportunities to law students. In the summer of 2015, the CBA awarded three law students in South Florida with either an eight-week Judicial Internship in South Florida, or an eight-week Legal Services Internship with Legal Services of Greater Miami. In… Read More »
Gratitude is the Healthiest of all Human Emotions
By: Lorinda Gonzalez Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for. Zig Ziglar A short cool breeze, early sunset, and pumpkins galore. It’s November! One month before the holiday madness begins, and only… Read More »
What is a Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) or benefits planner?
By: Lesly Lopez If you receive Social Security benefits and you have a job or are looking for one, there are specially trained professionals known as Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWIC) to help you make sense of complex employment and benefit-related issues. What is a CWIC? A highly skilled and rigorously trained cadre of… Read More »
The Cuddle Effect
By: Matthew Dietz Cuddles, the Persian cat, was worth a million dollars to Izak Teller and his wife, Barbara. Because of Cuddles, they were rejected from the ability to live in a fully renovated unit overlooking the Intercostal in Palm Beach, and bought a less desirable unit that they were required to renovate. The… Read More »
Are Doctors Required to Provide Interpreters for Deaf Patients?
Source: Are Doctors Required to Provide Interpreters for Deaf Patients?
What information am I supposed to report to Social Security?
By: Lesly Lopez The answer depends on the type of benefits you receive. The SSI program involves a lot more reporting than the Social Security Title II disability programs like SSDI because the SSI program has strict rules about how much income and resources beneficiaries can have. Below is a chart that provides… Read More »
Mindfulness and Law Practice
None of us likes the idea that our doctor is practicing on us, but she is. None of us likes the idea that our lawyer is practicing on us, but he is. We may dislike even more the idea that we are practicing law on our clients…but we are! By: Benjamin Goodman If you… Read More »
Miami Is Kind Foundation: “Let’s put Autism and developmental disabilities to work”
By: Silvia Planas Prats Letting go of her career at DuPont from Barcelona, in Spain and moving to Miami, FL was not easy, but Silvia knows it was the most important decision of her life. Marc is now an adorable 12 year old boy that just happens to have autism. He loves riding his… Read More »
AARP’s Livability Index
The AARP Public Policy Institute developed the Livability Index as a web-based tool to measure community livability. Users can search the Index by address, ZIP Code, or community to find an overall livability score, as well as a score for each of seven major livability categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity…. Read More »
Telly Award
Telly Award 30th Annual Tell Awards: Bronze Telly Winner
Mat at BBI at Syracruse University
On October 6, 2015, Matt visited The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University. Matt met with Peter Blanck, Mizuki Katsyama Hsu, Stephen Kuusisto, Wendy Blanck, and the rest of the team.
