News

State Disability and Developmental Program Directors are focused on several challenges and priorities as we wind up 2024. Aging technology systems, workflow improvements, data capture and analysis, and compliance with the new federal rules are all top-of-mind issues. As the state directors develop strategies to implement solutions to these critical initiatives in the short term, several trends facing the states should also be evaluated for longer-term planning. These trends will shape the future of disability and developmental programs and their participants.

In 2023, nearly a quarter of people with a disability were employed, the highest percentage since the data was first collected in 2008. The jump in employment is due to combination of factors like remote work opportunities and companies' increased commitment to accessibility. But that's not the whole story.

Tempo is excited to announce a partnership with Gilford’s Golden Guardians. Gilford’s Golden Guardians trains service dogs to increase the independence of people with disabilities and other social service needs. Our data collection and outcome reporting will measure their goal progress and participant impact in real time for all their clients. Find out how Tempo can do the same for you! Schedule a demo today.

We're addressing the nationwide shortage of direct support professionals by building our own DSP and vendor database. Across our industry, DSPs who care for individuals with developmental disabilities are often categorized together with home health aides, personal care aides, certified nursing assistants and other job categories that don’t accurately describe their roles.

The new Apple Vision Pro is designed with a range of accessibility features that can bring work and play experiences to people with a variety of disabilities. “As a disabled person,” one user wrote, “the ability to finally sit back with my feet up on a bench out in the sun while working on my laptop — or more accurately, while working on a 30-foot-wide 4K screen floating in exactly the perfect ergonomic position, one that I can reposition anywhere I want it to be in any moment — is the answer to decades of prayers to the accessibility gods.”

It's here! We are proud to announce the launch of Cadence by Tempo, a comprehensive web platform for Person Centered Measures. Cadence is a scalable, person-centered, outcome-based solution to support persons with developmental disabilities in living self-directed, fruitful lives in their communities.

A new program aimed at helping drivers with autism to navigate traffic stops is making its way across the country. Already adopted in states like Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine and Arizona, the Blue Envelope Program assists drivers in communicating with police officers when they are pulled over.

The federal government's new Access PRM rule may make it easier for people with disabilities to find available services and supports. That's the good news!

To make this a reality, states will need to adhere to new requirements for Medicaid home and community-based services, like reporting on quality measures, wait lists, and timelines for service delivery. It's a lot to take on, and Tempo is here to help.