JFActivist

Massive Disability Employment Survey and Business Case Released

ODEP News Release [01/09/2009]:

Findings of most extensive employer survey ever on people with disabilities released by U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy

Agency also makes available ‘business case’ on value of employees with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today released findings of the most extensive survey in history of employers' actions and attitudes toward employing people with disabilities. The report is available at www.dol.gov/odep.

CESSI, a division of Axiom Resource Management Inc., conducted the survey of 3,797 companies, which statistically represent more than 2.4 million companies nationwide. This survey found that a majority of large businesses are hiring people with disabilities and discovering that costs for accommodations differ very little from those for the general employee population. Additionally, the survey showed that once an employer hires one person with a disability, it is much more likely that employer will hire other people with disabilities.

ODEP Assistant Secretary Neil Romano hailed the report. "This research shows us the pathway for workers with disabilities to enter and succeed in the workplace," he said. "Employers consistently discover that hiring and retaining people with disabilities helps their bottom line, and our efforts at the Department of Labor to educate businesses on this fact are paying off for workers."

The survey does provide some disappointing news in that it reveals some resistance among businesses to viewing people with disabilities as able to advance up the corporate ladder.

"While in many cases the front door has begun to open for people with disabilities seeking employment, unfortunately, all too often a glass ceiling still keeps these valuable employees in lower level positions," Romano commented.

In partnership with The Conference Board Inc., ODEP will present major findings of this report via webcast on Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon EST during the program "Are New Recruits Ready to Work?" This webcast will be open to the public and is part of the larger series "Maximizing Human Capital: Employees with Disabilities." To register, contact The Conference Board at 212-339-0345.

In related news, ODEP has articulated a "business case," or comprehensive feedback from employers on the value of employees with disabilities, which is available on the agency's Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) Web site at www.earnworks.com/businesscase. The business case, as supported by research, is intended to facilitate a business-to-business dialogue in six areas: return on investment, human capital, innovation, marketing, diversity and social responsibility. The Web page includes links to resources at the federal, state and local government levels, including resources specifically for veterans.

ODEP is leading a 21st century federal response to the historic underemployment of people with disabilities. In collaboration with other government agencies, public and private employers, and additional stakeholders, ODEP facilitates the development and implementation of innovative policies and practices necessary to achieve a fully inclusive workplace.

For more than 90 years, The Conference Board has created and disseminated knowledge about management and the marketplace to help businesses strengthen their performance and better serve society. The Conference Board is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3)organization operating as a global independent membership organization working in the public interest.

Money Available to Make Worship Spaces Accessible in IL

2009 FUNDING FOR ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP of Illinois

The Retirement Research Foundation announces continuation of funding through its Accessible Faith Grant Program to enable Chicago area houses of worship to make their facilities more accessible. With such improvements, older adults and people with disabilities may be able to participate more fully in the programs, services, and activities of the facilities.

Houses of worship in Cook, Lake, or DuPage County in Illinois are eligible to apply for a grant.

Grants may be awarded for up to 50% of a project’s total cost, for a maximum of $30,000.

Houses of worship may use an Accessible Faith Grant for:

• design and construction of accessibility improvements such as elevators, platform lifts, permanent ramps, or restroom renovations

• purchase and installation of program-related equipment such as assistive listening systems

Deadlines for applying are April 17, 2009 and June 26, 2009. Grant award notification will be approximately five months after each deadline with funding available one month after notification.

The full description of the program, application form, tips for completing the
application, and additional flyers are available on the Foundation’s website at
http://www.rrf.org/accessibleFaithGrantProgram.htm or by contacting The Retirement Research Foundation, 8765 W. Higgins Road, Suite 430, Chicago, IL 60631, phone 773-714-8080.

The Retirement Research Foundation is devoted solely to serving the needs of older Americans and enhancing their quality of life.

Two Disability Posts in the White House

Contributed by the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services:

Two Prominent Members of the Disability Community will Serve as Special Advisors to the President

At the Disability Pride and Power pre-Inaugural ball, it was announced that Kareem Dale would become a Special Advisor to President Obama on disability issues. We heard later that noted expert in Disability Studies Paul Steven Miller would be playing a role in helping the Obama Administration to ensure that people with disabilities will be well represented in positions within the Administration. Tony Coelho, former United States congressman from California, primary author and sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act,  current chair of the Epilepsy Foundation's national board of directors and a lead organizer of the Ball is also playing an active role in advancing disability interests and hires within the Administration.  Finally, note that the new Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison Michael Strautmanis is known to be very sensitive to disability issues, as referenced in a Washington Post Op Ed he authored last year.

Described Inauguration Now Online

With thanks to MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and Dunkin’ Donuts, the complete

2-1/2 hour described broadcast of the January 20 Inauguration coverage on PBS is now available online.

 

The URL is http://www.wgbh.org/inauguration

 

Click on the “Watch the complete Newshour broadcast”  link and a new window will open with a QuickTime stream. The actual event starts about 30 minutes in.

 

Apologies for the lack of keyboard controls on the QT video controls – talk to Apple...

 

The description is interweaved with the commentators – you’ll hear it when they stop talking and when the visuals aren’t described by Lehrer and his panel themselves.

House Passes Stimulus Package with Added Benefits for Disability Community

Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer at a news conference on the economic stimulus package.

From the NY Times (Jan. 28, 2009):

House Passes Stimulus Plan With No G.O.P. Votes
By JACKIE CALMES

WASHINGTON — Without a single Republican vote, President Obama won House approval on Wednesday for an $819 billion economic recovery plan as Congressional Democrats sought to temper their own differences over the enormous package of tax cuts and spending.

As a piece of legislation, the two-year package is among the biggest in history, reflecting a broad view in Congress that urgent fiscal help is needed for an economy in crisis, at a time when the Federal Reserve has already cut interest rates almost to zero.

... House Republicans argued that it tilted heavily toward new spending instead of tax cuts.

>>> For the Whole Article

>>> For Details on Disability Benefits in Stimulus Package

Response from Steve Gold:

The House of Representatives yesterday passed their version of the Stimulus Plan which now goes to the Senate.  There's some good news for people with disabilities and some glaring voids.

Some good points, include:

First, the House's Stimulus Plan version has $87 billion to help states' pay for Medicaid services.

This is really critical for the elderly and disabled because a number of states have been making noises about reducing community-based services, waivers, long-term care. [Interesting, these same states have not been threatening to reduce institutional care.]

...

Our hope is that states' threats to reduce community-based services, given the $87 billion stimulus, will be at least delayed and hopefully never come to fruition.  If the threats do materialize, you should have your lawyers ready.

What about affirmatively using the $87 billion to end waiting lists for community-based services?
The Olmstead decision talked about waiting lists moving at a "reasonable pace."  We know that many states have many people on waiting lists for community-based services for years!

Now is the time to meet with and talk to your state Medicaid officials about how they will affirmatively use the $87 billion.  Do not let your state violate the ADA by discriminating against people with disabilities or the elderly!

Second, the House's Stimulus Plan version has $13 billion to fix up and make more energy efficient public housing projects.  Finally!  Let's make sure that these funds increase accessibility for people with disabilities.  Under HUD's Section 504 regulations, "at least" 5% of public housing units must be fully accessible.

We know, based on 2007 data from the census (American FactFinder's American Community Survey), that we need a much larger percentage of accessible public housing units.  There are two strategies advocates should consider.  If a housing authority has not already complied with the minimum 5%, make them, and if they have 5% already, make them increase the supply of accessible units.

Now is the time to use these Simulus funds to make sure your public housing authority increases the percentage of fully accessible units.

One unmentioned point:

    We hoped that Congress would initiate a national jobs program to significantly increase the number of personal care attendants, aka, home care aides...

...An immediate "Stimulus" would be the creation, state by state, of a sufficient number of personal care attendants to end all waiting lists.  This Stimulus could assure adequate pay and training, as well as health care (via the federal government paying 100% of their Medicaid benefits).  This would have the extra benefit of enforcing the ADA in the process.

Stay tuned.  The Stimulus proposal is not final.

Comment Below: What edits would you make to this plan?  How will you ensure that the funding set out for our community doesn't get lost in the pockets of middlemen?  How can we make the most of these new opportunities? 

New TN Law Protects Children

From the Tennessean.com (Jan. 19, 2009):

State issues restraint rules for special ed students
Law aims to keep disabled children safe

... Debates about restraint or even isolation to control behavioral explosions of special education students are not new in Tennessee, which had no laws or rules governing the use of restraint or isolation of special education students.

A new state law effective this month attempts to change that. The aim of the Special Education Isolation and Restraint Modernization and Behavioral Supports Act is to keep students safe from unreasonable, unsafe or unwarranted discipline.

And a national advocacy group is focusing attention on the issue, releasing a report last week that highlights a notorious Nashville-area case from 2007 (see post on the NDRN report here)...

>>>> For the Entire Article

Comment Below: What are the laws in you state?  Has there been any movement in your area as a result of this report?  Do you believe this law and ones like it will be effective at diminishing the occurance of abuse? What other supports are necessary to change the system?

COAT ANNOUNCES LOGO CONTEST WINNER

For Immediate Release—

COAT ANNOUNCES LOGO CONTEST WINNER
Stephen Dorsey, Nevada Graphic Artist, Submits Winning Entry

Washington, D.C., January 27, 2009. – The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) is pleased to announce the winner of its recent Logo Contest.  The winning logo was designed by Stephen Dorsey, a graphic artist from Henderson, Nevada.  Mr. Dorsey will receive a cash prize for his effort.  The logo will be used to represent COAT and its mission to the general public in COAT’s printed materials, website and for other purposes.

Mr. Dorsey, a professional graphic artist for over eighteen years, is also a person with disabilities as a result of a sports-related spinal cord injury.  “It is an honor to have my design selected as a finalist in your logo search,” he said when informed that his logo design had been chosen.  “I have made accessible technology a cornerstone of my education and career and I am very honored that my logo design was selected.”

Forty-two designs were submitted by twenty-seven applicants from every region of the United States.  The logo contest began on Monday, November 17, 2008, and ended Tuesday, January 20, 2009.  Members of the COAT steering committee judged the submissions via three design review rounds before deciding on the outcome. “We were thrilled with the number of applicants and the quality, boldness and creativity of the designs submitted,” said Jenifer Simpson of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), one of the logo contest judges.

“We chose Stephen Dorsey’s design because it captures both the spirit of COAT and provides an image of communications energy,” said Rosaline Crawford of National Association of the Deaf (NAD), another logo contest judge.  The design features the coalition’s acronym, “COAT,” in a large royal blue serif font.  The letter “O” is designed in the shape of the world, with white longitude and latitude lines.  In the center of the “O” is a series of white convex arcs, a symbol that is often used to represent air waves, broadcast transmission, or sound.  The “O” also appears to be in the center of an orbit, marked by a highlight of yellow gold on its surface and a diagonal curve of yellow gold that wraps above and then diagonally across the logo around the letter “O.”  The coalition’s full name appears in small blue serif font directly below.

 Karen Peltz Strauss, another COAT judge added, “All contestants responded well to the call for a design consistent with COAT’s agenda.  We believe we have chosen an image that makes a bold statement about COAT and will represent our purpose and goals both beautifully and professionally.”

About COAT:  The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology, or COAT, founded in March 2007, is a coalition of over 220 organizations that advocates for legislative and regulatory safeguards that will ensure full access by people with disabilities to evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet protocol (IP) technologies.  More information is available at http://www.coataccess.org , E-mail info@coataccess.org, Tel 202-457-0046 Ext 31.
 
About Dorsey Design: Dorsey Design focuses on print design, typography, color and layout, and specializes in logo development and advertising design. More info at www.dorseydesign.net or via Email stephen@dorseydesign.net

Divorce or Poverty: People with Disabilities in NY Face a Tough Choice

J. B. Reed for The New York Times

Amertine Robinson at home with her husband, Douglas. Mrs. Robinson, who is on dialysis for end-stage renal disease, has a home health aide 35 hours a week, now covered by Medicaid.

From the NYTimes (Jan. 23, 2009):

Change in Medicaid Rules May Pose Stark Choice for the Chronically Ill
By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

For 20 years, federal law has protected married couples from having to choose between divorcing or becoming impoverished when one spouse needs expensive nursing home care, allowing the healthier spouse to retain assets and income while the sicker one’s care is covered by Medicaid.

New York State has routinely extended the same benefits to people with illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease or cancer who receive care at home, which is both less expensive and less disruptive to relationships.

Now, the federal government has ruled that New York has been too generous in applying the income protections to people at home, forcing several thousand couples to make a stark choice by March...

>>> For the Full Article (may require a free subscription)

Walmart Settles, ADA Reaffirmed

From Penny for your Thoughts on GettingHired.com (Jan. 26, 2009):

US Department of Justice Reaches Settlement Agreement with Wal-Mart, Reaffirming ADA Title III Rights of People with Disabilities Who Use Service Animals

By Penny Reeder

On January 16, 2009, the Civil Rights Division of the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement agreement with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to improve access for people with disabilities at the company’s many locations, nationwide.

The agreement resolves several complaints which people with disabilities had filed with the department, alleging that Wal-Mart had refused to make reasonable modifications to its rules, policies, procedures and practices to accommodate their needs. Many of the complaints alleged that people with disabilities were denied access to Wal-Mart stores or were denied an equal opportunity to shop, free of repeated challenges by Wal-Mart staff, because they were accompanied by service animals. 

The settlement agreement covers all facilities located in the United States where Wal-Mart sells any good or service to members of the public, including all Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters, Sam’s Clubs, and Neighborhood Markets...

>>> For the Whole Article

>>> For the Settlement Agreement

Disability Power and Pride Ball a Huge Success

From Yahoo! News (Jan. 19, 2009):

Balls for a cause, dresses for less for Obama Inaugural
by Karin Zeitvogel

... Disabled Americans held their community's first ever inaugural ball Sunday -- their way of thanking Obama for putting them on the political map.

"The disabled community represents 54 million Americans and this is the first time they're coming together to honor an incoming president," Karen Lee, a spokeswoman for the Power and Pride Disability Inaugural Ball, told AFP.

"It's because Obama has taken up their cause," she said.

"He supports equal opportunity in education, employment; he speaks about ending discrimination and independent living; he mentioned the disabled community on the long list of people who helped to get him here."

"Obama sees us as part of the mainstream, part of the political landscape," Andrew Imparato, head of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) told AFP at the gala evening.

"The disabled community has a lot of hope for the promise of his administration," he said...

>>> For the Full Article

From Inclusion Daily Express (Jan. 20, 2009):

Disability Groups Celebrate Inclusion At First Disability Power And Pride Inaugural Ball
Dave Reynolds

WASHINGTON, DC--Two nights before Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, several hundred disability advocates celebrated at the first ever Disability Power and Pride Inaugural Ball, held at the National Press Club.

The master of ceremonies for Sunday's event was former U.S. Congressman Tony Coelho of California, who is credited with writing the landmark 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act.

Coelho said last week that disability groups came together to organize the event because they didn't want people from other inaugural bashes to "be patronizing and say, 'Let’s include some people with disabilities at our party.'"

Instead, he said, "we want to have our own party and reach out to everybody else" ...

>>> For the Full Article