Resources

                                                                                 

I am having trouble logging into the online library with the D2L access. I am saddened that I could not get more credible information from the library. I did use www.scholar.google.com to do some research. I entered the words "Colorado and taxes and disabilities" and found this great paper written on all three of those criteria. The paper is titled "State Tax Law and People with Disabilities: Opportunities for Supporting Fuller Participation in Community and Society" and is written by Steven Mendelsohn. I am assuming this paper was written by a student, but nonetheless it is a wealth of information. Mendelsohn has many charts and graphs to support his thesis:  "The focus of this paper is to examine an element of the puzzle that has received little or no attention in the discussion thus far. That is the role of the income tax system, in itself; but also its role as a component of federal and state policy, in leveraging public funds with private resources, and in enhancing the ability of many persons to choose to continue living in their homes and participating in their communities over institutionalization" (Mendelshohn 1).  Wow! I could not have said it better myself. Basically, Mendelsohn advocates for those with disabilities to stay within their own homes (instead of having to be institutionalized) and allocates for the redistribution of state funds from these big institutions to private caretakers of the disabled. This guy must be a genius. Mendelsohn's paper is extensive, well researched and well versed. I can't wait to try and access some of the sources he listed.  I am feeling a bit overwhelmed about picking such an enormous topic. I thought I knew what I was talking about, but I really have no clue. Mendelsohn's paper has persuaded me to put what I thought I knew and understood about this topic into the trash bin. To fully understand this topic, I would have to have an understanding of tax laws, how taxes are collected, how are they dispersed, and so forth. There is no way I can accumulate that wealth of information in the time allotted to me to do my argument paper. I am thinking I need to narrow down my research question. 

I am hoping to be able to access the library tomorrow to get some more credible sources. 

I was not able to access the FRCCOnline library data base, until Saturday morning. When I gained access I searched all the categories for something substantial to use for a resource. I tried using key words like: Colorado, taxes, disability, disabilities, and funding. There were very few recent (within last 5 years) articles available. Those that were available were geared toward funding special education. Not really what I am looking for. I am researching how to fund the Colorado disabled who are on the HCBS waiting list. These are mostly adults awaiting services. 

I went back to Google Scholar and found an article on the deep cuts to the National Medicaid program. Although this article is geared toward a National problem, I feel it is relevant to Colorado as well. 

"Cutting Medicaid: Harming Seniors and People with Disabilities Who Need Long-Term Care" was published by Families USA Foundation. The article uses many charts to show the amount of people who are in need of long-term care. The charts list how many individuals are in need of care, in nursing homes and those who are under "Informal Care" (private caretakers usually are family members). The charts list the states individually, so I could access this information for my essay. The article also addresses why family caretakers need assistance. "Informal" caregivers are more likely to suffer from depression, stress and other health issues. They also suffer from financial impacts from reduced work hours, cuts on household spending and neglected personal health caused by caregiving. "The services that Medicaid provides allow these informal caregivers to maintain their jobs, take care of their families, or simply rest when they need to, thus helping to reduce the significant financial, emotional, and health strains of caregiving." I think this article will be useful for good quotes to demonstrate the "need" for services. 
  

                             

                                                                    Works Cited

"Cutting Medicaid: Harming Seniors and People with Disabilities Who Need Long-Term Care." Cutting Medicaid: Harming Seniors and People with Disabilities Who Need Long-Term Care. Families USA Foundation, May 2011. Web. 13 July 2013. <https://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/medicaid/Cutting-Medicaid.pdf>.

Mendelsohn, Steven. "State Tax Law and People with Disabilities: Opportunities for Supporting Fuller Participation in Community and Society." N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2013. <http://pascenter.org/documents/2012_State_Tax_Law_BBI.pdf>.

N.d. Photograph. Richmond Society for Community Living. Richmond Society for Community Living. Web. 13 July 2013.

N.d. Photograph. Smart 911. Smart 911. Web. 13 July 2013.

N.d. Photograph. Transitions of Western Illinois. Transitions of Western Illinois. Web. 13 July 2013.

Opatz, Shane. Family Fights Back. N.d. Photograph. Leader-Telegram. Leader-Telegram. Web. 13 July 2013.