GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Volume 7, Number 1, February 2021 Governor’s Council on Disability GCD Update Inside this by Claudia Browner Issue Since switching to remote work and virtual meetings, trainings, and events last year, we have all become more accustomed and comfortable with this new way of business and Page 1: education. What first began with a lot of uncertainties, technical hiccups and difficulties,  GCD Update has now become a more familiar way of operating and conducting business. With the  Gaining Independence ongoing pandemic and concerns for the health and safety of our staff and program through Assistive participants, the Governor’s Council on Disability will continue to conduct meetings and Technology programs in a virtual format for the foreseeable future. Page 2: An important consideration in providing virtual services and programs is the need for  Virtual Regional accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities to assure they can participate and Leadership Forum  Legislative Advocacy enjoy the same opportunities as everyone else. In this issue, you will read about bridging during the Pandemic the digital divide, the benefits of assistive technology, tips and tools for accessible online events, tips for legislative advocacy, the new format for the Legislative Education Project, Page 3: and the Regional Leadership Forum.  Bridging the Digital Divide We all look forward to returning to in-person events, meeting with people, and networking Page 4: with colleagues to make new connections and form partnerships. Until then, we can all do  Legislative Education our part to promote inclusion and accessibility for all. Project Q&A  COVID Testing and Gaining Independence through Assistive Vaccinations  Tips for Accessible Technology Virtual Events by Caitlin Bartley, Department of Mental Health When you have a disability, independence means everything. Even completing small tasks on your own is exhilarating! I have Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, a neuromuscular disease that impacts my mobility and ability to perform basic daily living activities. So, I am constantly looking for new (and fun) ways to be independent—and I love assistive technology! I live in a completely accessible house that has everything set up just like I need it. Still, I have been looking into some technology upgrades that could help me control my living environment. For Christmas, my mom and stepdad hooked me up with some Wi-Fi- enabled wall switches and electrical plugs. Via my smartphone, these switches and plugs allow me to turn my lights and ceiling fan on and off and have control of the power to my heated mattress pad, aurora light, and disco ball. While flipping lights and appliances on and off may seem small, it’s a big deal for me. Due to muscle weakness in my arms, I have always had to ask for help with these things. In addition, by having control of my mattress pad and ceiling fan, I can independently regulate my temperature at night, which has helped me to sleep much better. The independence these devices have given me means a lot—and it is so much fun to be able to turn things off and on by myself! Photo: Caitlin Bartley, NCI Project Coordinator, Department of Mental Health Referenced AT products: Kasa Smart Plug-In Mini, Wi-Fi Light Smart Switch GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Page 2 Virtual Regional Leadership Forum by Rachel Rackers The Governor’s Council on Disability is accepting applications now until February 15th for the first virtual Regional Leadership Forum, held March 13 and 20, 2021! Concerns about the ongoing pandemic and the health and wellbeing of our participants and staff have led us to the difficult decision to cancel our 2021 five-day Missouri Youth Leadership Forum, hosted annually by the Governor’s Council on Disability and its partnering agencies. In addition, we have also canceled our four, one-day in person regional events that were scheduled for the spring. As an alternative leadership training opportunity, the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum is excited to offer a FREE, virtual Regional Leadership Forum for high school students with disabilities (ages 16-21). Participants will have the opportunity to learn about leadership, career development, employment, goal setting, self- advocacy and independent living. On two consecutive Saturdays, March 13 and March 20, 2021 participants will meet virtually with leaders in the disability community and hear from employers, mentors, alumni, and keynote speakers about the importance of goal setting, self- advocacy, and leadership. The event is open transition age high school students. Must be a Missouri resident to qualify. Apply now and get more information at https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/ylf.htm. For questions about the RLFs, please contact Rachel Rackers at [email protected] or 573-751-2600. Please help us share this exciting opportunity with students, parents, teachers and colleagues! Legislative Advocacy During the Pandemic by Laura Mueth With the beginning of the 2021 legislative session in January and the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, our office has been actively working to find answers to the uncertainty of doing legislative advocacy in a time when many people are unable to travel to the Capitol to attend hearings or meet with legislators in-person in Jefferson City or in their districts. Some of the options that existed prior to the pandemic are still in place. Citizens can call a legislator’s office or send an email to share thoughts of how particular bills will impact their lives as well as to voice support or opposition. Many legislators maintain a social media presence. Postal mail is another option though it is not the most effective choice when time is of the essence. The contact information for each legislator can be found on their individual pages on the House (house.mo.gov) and Senate (senate.mo.gov) websites. If you desire to still meet with your legislators, many are participating in virtual visits with constituents over ZOOM and other virtual meeting software. For organizations which typically invite legislators to tour their locations, you might consider hosting a virtual tour. The House hearing page contains a weekly list of scheduled hearings as does the Senate hearing page for Senate hearings. The House and Senate have provided the opportunity to listen to hearings and the daily chamber activities online. At this time, the Senate is limited to audio and captions are not provided. The House provides video and audio. Captions are provided for the House Chamber activities. The House provides the Chamber debate via the Message board on the home page. The Senate Chamber Debate is available off the home page. GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Page 3 (Continued from page 2) The House and Senate are continuing to welcome individuals to provide testimony at hearings. However, seating is limited in the hearing rooms due to social distancing. If you do provide in-person testimony, you will most likely be asked to remove your mask while giving it. Individuals are being encouraged to provide written testimony to the committees in lieu of providing in-person testimony. The Senate has established a system (https://www.senate.mo.gov/senatewitnesssystem/) for electronic submission of written testimony. All submissions must not exceed five pages and must be received an hour prior to the beginning of a hearing. The House will be establishing a similar system on their website. The recently adopted rules (https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills211/rules/rules.pdf) for the 101st House of Representatives contain provisions allowing for remote testimony by phone or video conference at the discretion of each committee. The logistics of this method are currently being worked on. The House Appropriations Subcommittees have decided to allow remote testimony. More information will be available at a later time. The Senate Appropriations committee will not be holding public hearings for Governor Parson’s budget recommendations. Any comments may be submitted in writing to individual committee members. Should you choose to travel to the Capitol, all visitors must use the south entrance and will undergo screenings in the form of questions and a physical screening. Advocacy days can be scheduled and held. Groups may reserve the first floor rotunda for events but are asked to wear masks and maintain social distance as much as possible. The third floor rotunda, alcoves, and House Hearing Room 2 are not accepting reservations for the entirety of the legislative session. Bridging the Digital Divide by David Baker, Missouri Assistive Technology @~ MISSOURI As remote work, on-line schooling and similar modifications to daily life have occurred during the pandemic, considerable attention has been ASSISTIVE ~ placed on the digital divide. (1)©) TECHNOLOGY The term digital divide refers to the demographic and regional gaps between those who have access to modern information and communication technology and those who don’t. In far too many cases, individuals with disabilities are on the wrong side of the divide. One reason that individuals with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by the digital divide is lack of access to technology, assistive technology in particular. We live in a golden age of assistive technology in which numerous devices that “level the playing field” are available to individuals. The mission of Missouri Assistive Technology (MoAT) is to help Missourians with disabilities and older Missourians increase access to and acquisition of assistive technology devices and services. The Telecommunication Access Program, iCanConnect Program and Show-Me Loans Program are but three examples of MoAT programs that are potential sources of devices to close the digital divide. For those new to assistive technology, MoAT staff are available to help you discover appropriate devices, uncover funding sources or provide training and other guidance on accessibility features. Additional information on programs and services visit Missouri Assistive Technology’s website. The digital divide will not evaporate in the post-pandemic world as tele-medicine, on-line shopping, and similar strategies for adapting to the pandemic become commonplace. In response, it is important that people with disabilities and their advocates keep in mind that assistive technology is an important tool, while also advocating to see the digital divide eliminated through working to ensure internet access and accessible digital content. Missouri Governor’s Legislative Education Project Q&A by Laura Mueth Council on Disability Members After reading the legislative advocacy article on the previous pages, are you wondering how to find your  Yvonne Wright, Chair, New Bloomfield way around the House and Senate websites? Legislative Education  Joan Bergstrom, Ed. D, Project (LEP) Lee’s Summit Navigating the House and Senate Websites* is one of https:1/dlS(lblUty.mo.p/gcd/LEP.htm  Charles Comstock, the recorded modules offered as part of the Kirksville Legislative Education Project (LEP).  Betty Davidson, Ph.D., It provides information on the layout of each of the websites and how to utilize various St. Louis features.  Ronald Hack, St. Louis  Chip Hailey, If you have questions after watching the module, you are invited to schedule a Q&A Joplin session with Laura. She can be contacted at [email protected]  Rosemary Hendon, West Plains *Please note: All modules and videos were created prior to the pandemic and therefore do not  Katie Jones, reflect COVID-19 changes implemented by the House and Senate St. Charles  Kim Lackey, St. Louis COVID Testing and Vaccinations  Elijah Mayfield, Jefferson City Get up to date information and resources about free community testing throughout  DeAnna Noriega, Missouri and the latest info about vaccines: Columbia  Susan Orton, COVID-19 Free Testing—https://mako.exchange/splash/MOmakotesting Creve Coeur  Andrew Sartorius, COVID-19 Vaccine Information—https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/ Jefferson City  Lesia Shelton, Buffalo  Opeoluwa Sotonwa, Tips for Accessible Virtual Events by Claudia Browner Jefferson City  James Trout, Accessibility should be a consideration any time we communicate information digitally, St. Louis whether it is on websites, social media, documents such as PDFs and PowerPoint  Robert Wallace, St. Louis presentations, or in virtual meetings and events. Here are some important questions to consider: Missouri Governor’s  Does your meeting/event platform offer accessibility features? Council on Disability Staff  Prior to the event/meeting, do you ask what accommodations participants might Members need so you can prepare accordingly?  Claudia Browner, Executive Director  Is the content accessible to all, or shared prior to the event?  Laura Mueth,  Is text captioning or sign language interpretation available? Senior Program Specialist  Is there good lighting when using a video camera?  Rachel Rackers,  Do speakers/presenters identify themselves before speaking, and speak one at a time? Senior Program Specialist  Are participants muted when they are not presenting/speaking?  Jessica Zimmer,  Is there a chat or Q&A feature for participants as an alternative for speaking? Lead Administrative Support Assistant  Are you offering a recording of the event so participants can review information they may have missed? For more information on hosting accessible meetings and events, please visit these helpful resource links:  Making Virtual Meetings Accessible to All https://www.idealist.org/en/careers/accessibility-virtual-meetings  Hosting Accessible Online Meetings https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/online-meetings/ GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Volume 7, Number 2, April 2021 Governor’s Council on Disability Inside this GCD names Annual Award Winners Issue by Claudia Browner The Governor's Council on Disability Page 1:  GCD names Annual (GCD) has selected the award winners and Award Winners honorable mention recipients of the 29th Annual Inclusion Award and the  COVID-19 8th Annual Youth Leadership Award. Information and Resources Photo: 2020 GCD Awards Page 2:  Legislative Advocacy The Inclusion Award and one Honorable Mention are presented annually to recognize Updates private and public employers, individuals, and organizations that have successfully  Financial Support for included people with disabilities in education, employment, housing, leisure activities, Missouri Renters universal design and website accessibility. Page 3: The 2020 Inclusion Award winner is the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station and the  Virtual Regional Leadership Forum a Honorable Mention goes to Job One, Independence. Success For more information on the Inclusion Award winners, visit https://disability.mo.gov/ gcd/inclwin.htm Page 4:  Travel with Service The annual Youth Leadership Award and one Honorable Mention are presented to Animals recognize an outstanding Missouri youth (age 16-26) with a disability that has  April Awareness demonstrated exemplary leadership by making a difference in their community. Events The 2020 Youth Leadership Award winner is Luke Barber and the Honorable Mention goes to Olivia Apollo. For more information on the Youth Leadership Award winners, visit https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/youthleadershipaward.htm The awards will be presented to the winners at the quarterly meeting of the Governor’s Council on Disability on April 30. COVID-19 Information and Resources Get up to date information and resources about free community testing, vaccination eligibility and events, and transportation resources available for Missouri citizens: COVID-19 Free Testing—https://mako.exchange/splash/MOmakotesting COVID-19 Vaccine Information—https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/ *NEW* COVID-19 Vaccine—Get a Ride—https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/ride/ Additional disability related information is available on the Disability Web Portal’s COVID-19 Resources page. https://disability.mo.gov/covid-19.htm GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Page 2 Legislative Advocacy Updates by Claudia Browner On March 23, Missouri disability organizations and advocates met for the annual Disability Rights Legislative Day (DRLD). Hundreds of individuals participated in the first ever virtual DLRD and discussed important disability issues and legislation with several Missouri legislators. Among the invited guests were Governor Parson, who issued a proclamation declaring March Development Disability Awareness Month, and Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick who spoke about the MO ABLE accounts for Missourians with disabilities. Throughout the event, participants were able to connect with legislators via email message to raise awareness about DLRD. The last day of the 2021 Legislative Session is May 14, 2021, which is only a few short weeks away. However, there is still time to meet with your legislators, either virtually or in-person at the capitol. To assist in preparing for a visit with your legislators, the Governor’s Council on Disability has put together a flyer titled Tips for Meeting with Your Legislators, which can be found on our website, along with many other resources and educational videos about the legislative process in Missouri. If you have questions after viewing the information on our Legislative Education Project (LEP) website at https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/LEP.htm, you can schedule a Virtual Q&A Session with our office by contacting Laura Mueth at [email protected]. The Q&A sessions will be offered throughout the month of April. As a reminder, if you are interested in attending a House or Senate hearing, the House hearing page contains a weekly list of scheduled hearings, as does the Senate hearing page. You can attend hearings, or provide testimony either in person or virtually. Both chambers provide a system to submit testimony electronically. For information about Senate testimony, visit https://www.senate.mo.gov/senatewitnesssystem/; for House testimony, visit https://house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/ Lastly, if you are planning a visit to the state capitol and require accessibility accommodations, you can find helpful information on the House Accessibility Page (https://house.mo.gov/Accessibility.aspx) to prepare for your visit and request accommodations if needed. Additional information is available in the Capitol Access Guide, which can be found at https://at.mo.gov/information-resources-publications/cap-access-booklet.html Financial Support for Missouri Renters by Claudia Browner The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) recently announced the Missouri State Assistance For Housing Relief (SAFHR) program to Missouri assist Missouri renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. HR The program provides rent and utility assistance for eligible Missouri residents. The money is paid directly to the landlord or utility company. To be eligible for the program, you must be a resident of the State of Missouri and at least one member of For Renters your household must be directly or indirectly financially impacted as a result of the pandemic, and you must be at risk of losing your housing or having your utilities shut off due to this financial hardship. Income limits apply. More information on program eligibility and the application can be found at mohousingresources.com/safhr If you can not apply online or need help with your application, please call 833-541-1599 or email: [email protected] GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Page 3 Virtual Regional Leadership Forum a Success by Rachel Rackers The Governor’s Council on Disability hosted its first virtual Regional Leadership Forum in 2021. On two consecutive Saturdays, March 13 and March 20, twenty-eight high school students who represented 17 different Missouri counties, met virtually with leaders in the disability community and heard from employers, mentors, alumni, and keynote speakers about the importance of goal setting, self-advocacy, and leadership. To kick off the event, participants heard from keynote speaker, Derrick Duncan about the importance of setting goals for yourself. They also learned a lot of valuable information about employment, interviewing and applying for jobs from a panel of different employers throughout the state. To wrap up the first day, SIL in Columbia lead a session about self- determination, self-advocacy and independent living. Day 2 was full of great sessions, information and MO-YLF alumni. 2021 Virtual Regional Leadership Forum participants by county To start the day off, participants heard from keynote speaker and • -I pa~tidpant Missouri Youth Leadership Forum (MO-YLF) alum, Madelyn Hubbs about the importance of self-advocacy in all aspects of life. During a small group session, youth had the opportunity to learn from the alumni about the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum and how it impacted their lives. They also learned about the importance of mentors in school, college and at work. A panel of mentors provided great tips & tools for self-advocacy and leadership. Participants also heard from representatives from community colleges and Vocational Rehabilitation about college, accommodations, and disability services. MO-YLF alumni also joined in to share their experiences at college. A special thank you goes to Paraquad, MU Pre-Employment Transition Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Services for Independent Living for their involvement in the planning and staffing of the event. Also, thank you to the many panelists and 12 MO-YLF alumni that participated in the very first Virtual Regional Leadership Forum. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Missouri Youth Leadership Forum (MO-YLF) has been canceled. Our planning team is saddened by the cancellation, but the well-being and safety of everyone is important to all of us. The planning team will soon start preparing for MO-YLF 2022. Be sure to watch for announcements and the application this fall. In the meantime, stay tuned for additional upcoming youth leadership opportunities throughout the remainder of the year! For more information on the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum program and events, please visit our website at https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/ylf.htm Missouri Governor’s Travel with Service Animals Council on Disability by Claudia Browner Members As the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases are  Yvonne Wright, Chair, starting to decrease and Missouri residents are New Bloomfield able to receive their vaccinations, people may  Joan Bergstrom, Ed. D, start thinking about travelling again in the near Lee’s Summit future.  Charles Comstock, Kirksville  Betty Davidson, Ph.D., Whether you travel by car, bus, train, or airplane, St. Louis here are some important facts to remember if you  Ronald Hack, require a service animal to accompany you on St. Louis your trip:  Chip Hailey, Joplin  Places of public accommodation, such as public transportation (bus, train, public  Rosemary Hendon, transit), hotels, and restaurants are required (by the Americans with Disabilities Act— West Plains ADA) to allow individuals with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animal  Katie Jones, St. Charles without charging an extra fee for the dog. The same applies to places of entertainment  Kim Lackey, such as amusement parks, museums, theatres, zoos, etc. St. Louis  If you are planning to travel by airplane, airlines are required by the Air Carrier  Elijah Mayfield, Access Act (ACAA) to allow persons with disabilities to travel with their service dogs. Jefferson City  DeAnna Noriega, Please note that due to a recent change in the final rule about Travel with Service Columbia Animals, airlines can require service dog owners to complete paperwork prior to their  Susan Orton, flights and airlines are no longer required to allow individuals with disabilities to Creve Coeur travel with emotional support animals. If you travel out of the country, please keep in  Andrew Sartorius, mind that the laws about travel with service animals may be different in the country Jefferson City  Lesia Shelton, of your destination. Buffalo  To avoid unnecessary issues or surprises, it is always a good idea to plan ahead, do  James Trout, your research about your destination, and communicate any accommodation needs St. Louis ahead of time.  Robert Wallace, St. Louis To find out more information about the rights and responsibilities of service dog owners, Missouri Governor’s and the laws that apply, visit our website at https://disability.mo.gov/serviceanimals.htm Council on Disability Staff or contact our office at [email protected] or 573-751-2600. Members  Claudia Browner, Executive Director April Awareness Events  Laura Mueth, Senior Program Specialist Autism Awareness Month—to celebrate differences and build an inclusive society. https://www.autismacceptance.org/  Rachel Rackers, Senior Program Specialist Distracted Driving Awareness Month—Information about the dangers of  Jessica Zimmer, Lead Administrative distracted driving and the injuries or fatalities it can cause. Support Assistant https://www.nhtsa.gov/distracted-driving/april-distracted-driving-awareness- month Limb Loss Awareness Month—Information and resources for live with limb loss or limb differences. https://www.amputee-coalition.org/events-programs/limb-loss-awareness- month/ Parkinson’s Awareness Month—Information about available resources to make life better for people living with Parkinson’s disease. https://www.parkinson.org/parkinsons-awareness-month GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Volume 7, Number 3, June 2021 Governor’s Council on Disability Inside this Opportunity for Inclusion in Recovery Issue by Claudia Browner Page 1: As more and more Missourians are vaccinated against COVID-19 and the number of cases  Opportunity for is on the decline, the State of Missouri is returning to a new normal. Businesses around the Inclusion in Recovery state are reopening and many are looking for employees to fill vacancies. This provides a  Disability Employment great opportunity for job seekers of all abilities to find employment, and for employers to Awareness Month embrace inclusive hiring practices to fill those vacancies. People with disabilities are an Poster Contest important part of the economy and are willing and able to contribute to America’s recovery  COVID-19 Information and Resources from the pandemic. There are many resources available for employers or organizations who have questions about the employment of people with disabilities and creating an Page 2: inclusive workforce, including educational training on disability-related employment  How Missouri’s topics provided by the Governor’s Council on Disability. Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Is The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the theme for this year’s National Disability Including People with Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) as “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” Disabilities NDEAM is observed annually in October and celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and educates employers and others about the importance of Page 3: disability-inclusive employment policies and practices. Employers of all sizes and all  Legislative Session Results industries are encouraged to participate. Read the press release or learn more  Celebrating our 2021 about NDEAM. Graduates In preparation for NDEAM, and to raise Page 4: awareness about the importance of  Missouri Youth including people with disabilities in the Leadership Forum celebrates its 20th workforce, the Governor’s Council on Anniversary Disability is now accepting entries for Calling all artists  Meet Council Member the annual Accepting entries now for the Governor's Council on Disability's Wayne Crawford Disability Employment Awareness National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) Poster Contest. Page 5: Month Poster Contest. Illustrate the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and what employment means to you. Find out more at  FCC Broadband Benefit https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/PosterContest/. available now Please submit your entries by August 15. Open to a\\ Missouri residents. Deadline for submissions is August 15, 2021  June and July More information can be found at Awareness Events https://disability.mo.gov/PosterContest COVID—19 Information and Resources COVID-19 Vaccine Information—https://covidvaccine.mo.gov Disability Web Portal—COVID-19 Resources page—https://disability.mo.gov/covid-19.htm GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Page 2 How Missouri’s Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Is Including People with Disabilities Article by: Sara Hart Weir, Special Advisor on COVID-19 (Disability Services) & Co-Chair of the Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID Vaccine Distribution The Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID Vaccine Distribution was formed in 2020 to work directly with and engage the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services' (DHSS) external partners and stakeholders, including the Governor´s Council on Disability (GCD), to inform an equitable distribution of Missouri’s COVID-19 vaccine supply. The Committee’s mission is to solicit stakeholder feedback across the state of Missouri to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine across all communities with a focus on the disability, aging and underserved and underrepresented minority communities. This Advisory Committee is working hard with community leaders to help Missouri strategize and deploy new resources to vaccinate those individuals who need them most, inform our State’s process on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and help expand COVID-19 vaccine awareness, education and promotion. As co-chair of this Committee, alongside Mr. Adam Crumbliss, Director, Division of Community & Public Health, our goal since day one has been to ensure Missouri’s most vulnerable, people with disabilities and those who support them (i.e., their families, caregivers and disability service providers (DSPs)) were at the front of the line to receive the free vaccine throughout our vaccine roll-out process. Throughout the year, we have also been working to deploy new strategies and resources to meet the disability community where they are. You can also access some of our new COVID-19 resources (and our website, MOStopsCovid.com, can provide translation in multiple different languages):  “Get a Ride”: a list of statewide and regional resources for individuals who face transportation as a barrier to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine  Elijah Mayfield’s PSA with Governor Parson  Missouri’s Seniors & Homebound Adults  COVID-19 Accessible Resources by Accessibility  Vaccine Considerations for People with Disabilities  Caring for People with Disabilities COVID-19  CDC YouTube American Sign Language (ASL) Video Series In early June, we will also launch the new “Missouri Plain Language Guide for People with Disabilities, their Families and Caregivers” on COVID-19 and the vaccine. This work is also deeply personal for me. I spent 20 years working in the disability community where I started as a DSP in college, and ultimately became the CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). A few weeks after joining the team at DHSS, I lost my best friend, Kasey, who happened to have Down syndrome, to COVID-19 before she had access to the vaccine in Kansas. It’s important that we continue to work together to win the fight against Sara Weir and her friend Kasey COVID-19 and protect our most vulnerable. I hope you will join us either by participating in our weekly meetings (which are open to the public, and take place each Thursday at 1 p.m. CST) or reach out to me with any questions at [email protected]. To learn more about our efforts and get involved, please visit: MOstopscovid.com/equity.