Every October, we join residents and staff of long-term care facilities, state Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, families, and advocates to celebrate Residents’ Rights Month. This month serves as an extra opportunity to celebrate, and increase awareness of, the rights that people living in long-term care facilities exercise every day.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) held a Grantee Stakeholder Meeting on October 20, 2021 at 1:00 pm ET.  Listen to the October 20 call. It is also captioned for accessibility.

What’s in today’s Policy Round Up? Updated CDC guidance on COVID-19 vaccine boosters and additional doses Call for comments on: Proposed rule that would prohibit payment of subminimum wages by nonprofits in the AbilityOne Program.  HHS Strategic Plan  FDA’s landmark proposal to improve access to hearing aid technology and proposed guidance on hearing aids and personal amplification devices New Department of Education resource for supporting student mental health

How do most of us get our job? It is often through personal relationships and networking that we find out about openings or others connect us to a job of interest. Or, in other words, social capital is often the pathway to work.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Listening Sessions on Preparedness HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Ms. Dawn O’Connell, invites you to participate in an upcoming virtual listening session. During this session, Ms. O’Connell will share her vision for ASPR and the organization’s current priorities. The event will also offer you an opportunity to join in a Q/A session and discussion focused on preparedness in the areas of supply chain, health care, and public health.  

VIEW THE RFA Pilot Award Information Session: November 3, 2021 1:00-2:00 PM ET LOI (optional) Deadline: January 4, 2022 11:59 PM ET Application Deadline: February 1, 2022 11:59 PM ET

engAGED Webinar: Addressing Social Isolation of Older Adults Living in Rural America Friday, November 19, 2021 1:00-2:00 PM ET Webinar Registration

Part 1: An Introduction to Advancing Equity in Legal and Aging Services Thursday, October 28, 2021, 2:00-3:15 PM ET

Supporting Older Adults, Caregivers, and People with Disabilities Through Innovative Volunteer Models November 16, 2021, 1:00-3:30 PM ET November 17, 2021, 1:00-3:45 PM ET Webinar Registration

From U.S. Equal Employment Office Commission Chair Charlotte A. Burrows: Each October, the nation commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month to recognize the many contributions of persons with disabilities to our country’s economy and workplaces. In 1988, Congress first declared National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an extension of a week that had been celebrated since 1945, to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.