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Join us Thursday, Oct. 23 at 12:45 at Fenway Park (enter through Gate E) for the ceremonial signing of two of the MDSC's priorities bills - the National Background Check (NBC) Bill and Real Lives Bill. 

 

These two bills, which Governor Patrick officially signed into law over the summer, will have a profound effect on protecting and providing more opportunities for our loved ones with Down syndrome for many years to come. (Another major piece of legislation, the Autism Omnibus, which is also important to many of our families and friends, will also be part of the signing ceremony.)


Please join us for this momentous public occasion by emailing [email protected]. Share with your friends, family and social networks, too. 

 

We couldn't have passed these bills without your support and we want YOU there to celebrate with us. So let's fill Fenway with the power of our Down syndrome and disability communities! 


Sincerely,


 


 

Executive Director

 

P.S. - Please read below for more information on both laws!

The National Background Check Bill

 

Prior to the new law, individuals who apply for employment within Massachusetts to work with persons served by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDS) must undergo a Criminal Offense Registry Information (CORI) check. The CORI database is limited to a person's criminal history within Massachusetts. There was no statutory or regulatory requirement that DDS or any of its vendor agencies conduct any systematic national criminal background checks of potential employees. As such, potential employees with a criminal history documented beyond the border of Massachusetts have worked with some of our state's most vulnerable residents.

 

This new legislation remedies this dangerous situation by requiring a national check of candidates who apply for positions working with individuals served by DDS. Criminal background verification will be determined by cross-referencing fingerprint data with The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, more commonly known as IAFIS, a national fingerprint and criminal history system maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. The IAFIS provides automated fingerprint search capabilities, latent searching capability, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses. Before an individual is hired to work with a person served by DDS, they must undergo this screening. 

 

H4327 is modeled after H4307 ('the education background check bill'), which was signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in January 2013, requiring all school districts to conduct fingerprint-supported national criminal history background checks on all teachers, school employees and early education providers in Massachusetts. Implementation of the 'education background check bill' is underway.

The Real Lives Bill

 

The Real Lives Bill was so critical that "Real Lives" became the MDSC's theme in 2013 - Real Lives Conference, Walk for Real Lives, etc. It was on our platform for several legislative sessions. Sponsored by Rep. Tom Sannicandro, Real Lives promises to change the way developmental services are financed and delivered for the tens of thousands of people with disabilities in the Commonwealth who receive state services. 

 

Real Lives will empower people with disabilities to make choices on how they lead their lives, allowing individuals to determine how to spend their allocated dollars on the services and supports they need. In that sense, it will help improve the real lives of real people with disabilities in very real ways. 

 

It is crucial that the state implements the necessary safeguards so that consumer choice remains in tact. Real Lives does this and we are thrilled to finally make Real Lives the law! 

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