Center for Disabilities Studies

The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) is advising clients to monitor their credit reports for signs of identity theft after personal information was inadvertently revealed in early May. The information, provided by DDDS to a group of UD student researchers and shown on Zoom during a presentation, includes full names, birth dates, primary diagnoses and county of residence. DDDS instructed the students to delete all files containing the data.

During the first three months of the coronavirus pandemic, the labor force lost 232,000 home health care workers, most of whom resigned, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who quit were on average younger, healthier and more financially secure. The remaining 3.2 million workers are more likely to have disabilities themselves, be older than 55 and be a member of a racial or ethnic minority.

In the past several months, people with disabilities and advocates have held demonstrations, pursued legislation and filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice to combat discrimination in the way medical professionals prioritize Covid-19 treatment, the way police interact with suspects and other concerns. Delaware is one of several states to see protests about police violence committed against people with disabilities.

Autism Delaware and other organizations that support Latino families with educational programs have received grants from the Arsht-Cannon Fund, a part of the Delaware Community Foundation. The fund’s executive director said the awards, which total more than $500,000, prioritized organizations that redesigned critical services in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next week, Delaware Secretary of Education Susan Bunting will release a summary of the recommendations created by the state’s School Reopening Working Groups. The three groups each covered a different focus: academics and equity; health and wellness; and operations and services. The recommendations will offer guidance for resuming full in-person instruction, continuing remote instruction and using a hybrid model. Gov. Carney’s instructions on school reopening are expected as soon as next week.