Tomorrow is Halloween, so I thought I'd share some super adorable (and really awesome) photos of kids dressed up for the occasion. These kids happen to use adaptive equipment and their creative costumes are really impressive. Enjoy the cuteness and have a very happy Halloween!  

Dear Illinois, 

C'mon, you're better than this. The drawn-out showdown between Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and the Democrats who control the General Assembly is causing a whole lot of trouble for a whole lot of people. I, for one, am really disappointed in you. After more than three months without a state budget, you're still acting like a bunch of stubborn jerks who need to be right at any cost. Every last one of you needs to think about the serious damage your pigheadedness is doing. 

The terribly sad stories that illustrate the disruptive and disturbing consequences of not having a budget have become all too commonplace - and every new day that goes by just results in even more of them. Services are being postponed or denied, agencies are begging and borrowing, and people are suffering. The worst part is, that doesn't seem to phase you.

Haven't you ever heard that apologies and compromise aren't always about being right? Sometimes you compromise because you value your relationships and the overall good more than you value your pride. I hope that you've been thinking about that - but unfortunately, you don't seem to be thinking about much. 

You just had a hearing to decide whether or not personal allowances for people with disabilities can be adjusted back to $60 per month (after the previous rate of $30 was reinstated again in July). $60 per month still won't be enough. In fact, it's not enough to cover personal expenses for anyone - with or without a disability. If there's a way cover the costs of clothing, dental care, podiatry, medication co-pays, psychiatric visits, snacks and entertainment with $60 every month, please share. While you're at it, you can fill us in on what happens to the people who don't have anyone who can subsidize their care. 

The statewide transition plans for HCBS rule have been gradualy rolling into CMS and as of this week, almost every state's CMIA letter has been posted. 

CMIA stands for "Changes or Modifications required for Initial Approval" and because no state's initial transition plan was accepted "as is" - every state is receiving one. 

The new states that were most recently posted are:

Tomorrow (Thursday October 22nd, 2015) at 11am Eastern Standard Time, we'll be kicking off a brand new installment in our Live Webinar Series. 

The topic? 50 Pieces of Data Every Agency Should Be Tracking.