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<br />NEW BUSINESS <br /> <br /> <br />A. Presentation by Gretchen Lawson, CEO, ARC of Kona <br /> <br />G. LAWSON <br /> spoke about being nominated to the Institute for Rehabilitation <br />issues; the draft of Understanding the Impact of Health Care Reform on <br />Employment and Independence of Individuals with Disabilities; Patient <br />Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) which alters how <br />consumers access health insurance coverage. By changes in the insurance <br />market rules, it reforms Medicare and Medicaid and then poses taxes on <br />various health care stakeholders. She feels that people with disabilities who <br />want to work will find a great opportunity in this shift from institutionalization <br />W. Kita <br />to community care. asked if her focus was on employability or <br />employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Gretchen said it <br />was and Woody wanted her to touch up on a couple of things that this law <br />may promote or improve. According to Gretchen, health homes would be <br />created, and with that, jobs like CNAs, navigators, counselors, people to <br />operate the equipments, and clerical, among other things. <br /> <br />A. Parker <br /> stated what they’re doing is looking at cutting the costs for long <br />term care facilities. He is excited about the Affordable Care Act which is <br />promoting more community based services. He agrees that one of the <br />positive things to look at is that it should promote more employment <br />opportunities for different segments and helpfully just to provide more <br />services for people with disabilities and aging people who are trying to live <br />independently. <br /> <br />B. Report of Ad Hoc Committees <br />J. Navarro <br /> 1. Employment Ad Hoc Committee: stated that they met with <br />Gabriella Cabanas from HR at the ROSI in Honokaa, and discussed <br />County job applications that have now gone paperless. The committee <br />had questions about how the disabled would get access if they didn’t <br />have a computer, and how one would advocate for the person who is <br />disabled. Gabriella’s response was that there is a section on the form <br />that says accommodations, and if someone needed an <br />accommodation they would put it on the application, and that’s the flag <br />that says we might have someone with a disability. Jean told her that <br />there still needs to be discussion because that’s not providing the <br />access that the committee is looking for. When the team gets back <br />together they will be meeting with Gabriella again to try to find a way <br />that we can be able to call someone and say we have a candidate that <br />A. Mitchener <br />I’d like to bring to you. asked Jean if she knew whether <br />the on-line applications were accessible to the blind and deaf and if <br />they were captioned at all? J. Navarro stated that it was not accessible <br />yet but they are working on that. It’s closed caption and also they have <br />the audio. <br /> <br /> 2 <br /> <br />