JFActivist

Disability in the Budget: Why it Matters

via AAPD (5.26.11):

Disability in the Budget: Why It Matters

By David Heymsfeld, Policy Advisor, AAPD

On May 12, 2011, AAPD staff attended a field hearing of the National Council on Disability (NCD) focusing on how the projected deficits in the federal budget will affect people with disabilities.  NCD is a small independent federal government agency that advises the Congress and the President about federal disabilities policies, programs, practices and procedures.  In his opening statement, NCD Chairman Jonathan Young said that the federal government’s current fiscal path is unsustainable, and that a failure to deal with the problem now will ultimately force draconian actions that will harm all Americans, including people with disabilities. The focus of the hearing was maintaining supports for the independent living of people with disabilities in the community.

 Disability Community Testimony

 The first was Kelly Stuart Woodall, Executive Director, Association of Self-Advocates of North Carolina. She testified about her personal experiences with the Medicaid program known as Community Alternatives Program (CAP) for Developmental Disabilities. CAP workers come to her home to help her dress, eat and get to work, medical appointments, and community and social activities. Without these services she would have to live in an institution, and would not be able to get to a job. The CAP services cost $27,000 a year, while an intermediate care facility would cost $75,000.

Also speaking was Bonnie Miller, Coordinator of the Pennsylvania Self-Determination Consumer and Family Group. She spoke about her experience with CAP services for her daughter who has intellectual disabilities. Her daughter was not thriving under programs that required her to live or spend days in confined settings. Ms. Miller has insisted upon exercising her right to direct services for her daughter, including hiring, managing and training support staff.  She reported that these services cost less than a sheltered workshop or group home.

 Federal Testimonies

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, emphasized that having a disability should not mean automatic confinement or institutionalization, or a life of government dependence. She stated that government policies should enhance help for people with disabilities to enhance their abilities and ambitions to the fullest extent possible.

 Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, emphasized that the recession has had a severe impact on people with disabilities. As of April 2011, the percentage of persons with disabilities in the work force was 20.6%, as compared to 69.6% for persons without disabilities. He urged that budget cutting measures not cut programs that will enable individuals with disabilities to achieve a higher level of independence, productivity and inclusion within society.  He supports reforms in Social Security and Medicaid to relieve concerns of individuals that if they return to work they will lose their health coverage.

The final government witness was Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, U.S. Department of Agriculture. He emphasized the importance to people with disabilities of the fifteen government nutrition assistance programs. He discussed the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP-formerly known as food stamps), which is currently utilized by 3.2 million households that have at least one person with a disability.

 For copies of the witnesses’ full statements, please contact Anne Sommers via E-mail asommers@ncd.org.  Read NCD press release about the event at http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/05112011

 Advocacy Measures

1. Write to the National Council on Disability urging them to oppose actively any reductions in funding for Medicaid that will result in limitations in eligibility or the services provided.
2. Monitor the Council’s website for future field hearings at www.cd.gov and for other events at which you may want to appear.
3. Be ready for the next round of Action Alerts in regard to Medicaid proposals.
4. To respond, please comment below or send email to policy@aapd.com

J.J.'s List Links Shoppers to Disability-Friendly Businesses, Local Chicago News Station Reports

Via ABC 7 News WLS-TV Chicago, IL (5.15.11):

Group links shoppers to disability-friendly businesses

by Karen Meyer

(EVANSTON, Ill.) (WLS) --Customers with and without disabilities want to be treated with respect when they deal with a business, and that's why a non-profit organization is making sure that happens.

JJ's List was started by a mother who has a child with autism. She saw a need to create a network of disability-friendly businesses for the fastest growing population.

Located in a storefront on a busy street in Evanston, JJ's List has a team of volunteers. Many of them have disabilities.

"The heart of our organization is a website, a consumer review website, where anybody can go to post reviews about the disability awareness or the disability services of local businesses, services any kind of business that you might use," said J.J. Hanley, founder and executive director of J.J.'s List.

In addition to their consumer review website, the group also provides disability awareness training to businesses.

"We can customize them for businesses to help them see what the benefits to disability aware services are, learn how to interact naturally and comfortably with an individual who has a disability," said Hanley. "We will also talk with them about making their website of what's called 508 compatible, which is so that individuals who use assistive technology can access and use a business's website."

J.J.'s List has been around for two years. Most of their reviews and training are in the northern suburbs area.

>>>To Read the Full Article

Looking for a disability-friendly business? Want to write a J.J.'s List review? Check J.J.'s List Out Here!

Equal Right Center Wants Your Stories about Inaccessible Services

From the Equal Rights Center (4.18.11):

Accessibility surveys

The ERC’s Disability Rights Program is in the process of examining access to travel, shopping, dining, movies (including online streaming), and online gaming for people with disabilities. Please help us learn more about accessibility barriers by taking our surveys.

Originally formed in 1983, the ERC is a national non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.  With members located in 42 states and the District of Columbia, the ERC works nationally to promote equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services for all protected classes under federal, state, and local laws.

>>> For More on the Equal Rights Center

Panera Accessibility Survey

From the Equal Rights Center (4.7.11):

Panera Accessibility Survey

The Equal Rights Center is a national, non-profit civil rights organization that promotes equal opportunity in a variety of areas, including disability rights.  The ERC has obtained information that people with disabilities may be encountering barriers to accessibility at Panera Bread Bakery-Cafes.

If you or your constituents have personal knowledge about issues of accessibility at any Panera Bread restaurants, or know of someone who does, please contact the Equal Rights Center at 202-234-3062 and speak with one of our disability rights specialists, or email us at www.equalrightscenter.org/complaints.

Originally formed in 1983, the ERC is a national non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.  With members located in 42 states and the District of Columbia, the ERC works nationally to promote equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services for all protected classes under federal, state, and local laws.

Are you a member of the ERC?  If not, please consider joining today!  Our members are our greatest source of input on important issues and we strive to keep our members educated about important issues in civil rights.  While we have 4 levels of membership, general membership is free.  To join, please visit our website.

Thank you for your help.  Please share with your staff, constituents, and anyone else you’d think might be able to share a story!

Budget Proposal Slashes Services to Low Income Americans

From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (4.5.11):

Chairman Ryan Gets Roughly Two-Thirds of His Huge Budget Cuts From Programs for Lower-Income Americans

By Robert Greenstein

The $2.9 trillion — or about two-thirds — of the cuts includes the following three categories of cuts: 

• $2.17 trillion in reductions from Medicaid and related health care,
• $350 billion in cuts in mandatory programs serving low-income Americans (other than Medicaid), and
• $400 billion in cuts in low-income discretionary programs. 

View the full report:
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3451
http://www.cbpp.org/files/4-5-11bud2.pdf

 

AAPD Gala Sold Out

From JFA Moderator (3.10.11):

AAPD Gala Sold Out in Record Time

The AAPD Gala sold out in record time this year.  This news came as AAPD received final confirmation that Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, will be presenting this year's Image Award after delivering his message around efforts to improve special education policy and address the issue of bullying in schools.  The 2011 Image Award will be accepted in person by Lauren Potter who plays the character Becki Jackson on the Fox Television Series 'Glee.'  Lauren has recently begun speaking out on the issue of disability bullying in schools.  For more on her advocacy check out her YouTube Video (uncaptioned). This event promises to be a glamorous celebration of disability unity and strength. 

For More on the AAPD Gala visit www.aapd.com/gala

On the Night of the Gala, participate remotely via twitter at http://twitter.com/AAPD. We’ll be live tweeting from the 2011 AAPD Leadership Awards Gala on March 15! Join us on Twitter and follow the conversation about the Gala using #AAPDgala.

AAPD will not only be tweeting @AAPD, we will also be encouraging audience members, participants and members of the disability community to tweet from and about the Gala throughout the evening, so you can see what other people have to say about the event.

Halloween: Targeting or Celebrating Difference

From the JFA Moderator:

This Halloween weekend, NPR has posted a piece by commentator, Ben Mattlin, where he describes feeling targeted as a person with difference by the festivities.  In conversations, I’ve had with friends and colleagues with disabilities, the idea has been put forward that Halloween is a time where difference is accepted and even celebrated.  What is your experience?  Are disabilities perceived differently around Halloween?  If so, how?

Read or listen to Ben Mattlin’s story “On Halloween, Celebrating Differences Of All Types” and post your thoughts below.

From NPR (10.28.10):

On Halloween, Celebrating Differences Of All Types

Commentator Ben Mattlin never looks forward to Halloween. He says having a highly visible disability can make the holiday feel odd and unsettling.

I never thought about a connection between disabilities and Halloween until I learned of the once-common fear of deformities — the limping, hunchbacked, hook-handed or one-eyed monsters of ancient fairy tales and old horror movies. Even the word "creepy" comes from the same word as the oldest term for folks like me, the politically incorrect "cripple."…

…Yet as an adult, I began to feel uneasy about the creepy exhibitionism of Halloween, the way it encourages staring at all things weird. I can't help wondering if Halloween doesn't promote ridiculing differences — even a kind of conformity. Yes, I know, for most people Halloween is an escape  from conformity, but for those of us who don't quite fit the norm, that's nothing special. In fact, demonstrating that you're not exactly what people expect is pretty much what disabled folks do every day…

>>> For the whole story

Come Celebrate: A Night to Remember

Disability Power & Pride (6.23.2010):

20TH Anniversery ADA GALA

National Press Club

Washington, DC

July 26, 2010 7 – 11 pm

Come celebrate

“A Night to Remember”

 

Join Disability Power & Pride, lead

sponsor AT&T, and other sponsors at our

Gala Celebration commemorating the

20th anniversary of the Americans with

Disabilities Act. This special evening

salutes the disability community’s

crowning achievement. Representatives

from Congress and the Administration

will attend the Gala, along with featured

performing artists. Fine food, great

company, good laughs, and lively dancing—

they’re all yours to enjoy as we come

together to celebrate our diversity and

showcase our Power & Pride.

 

Business attire.

 

Individual tickets are $100 and are available on a first-come first-served basis.

 

You can purchase them online at

www.mypowerandpride.com or call 1-877-693-7702

 

The National Press Club is located at 529 14^th Street NW and is easily accessible via Metrorail.

 

Sign language interpreters and CART will be available.

 

 Sponsors

Disability Power & Pride ($50,000)

AT&T

Disability Power ($25,000)

Esquire Bank

Disability Pride ($10,000)

NIB

Unifund

Gala Power & Pride ($5,000)

Bender Consulting

UCP

Gala Power ($2,500)

Disability Opportunity Fund

Gala Pride ($1,000)

AAPD

Gala Supporter ($500)

DREDF

Gallaudet University

Maggie & Larry Roffee

WID

 

In Kind Donors

NIB (Marketing Communications,

Merchandising, e-commerce Customer

Support and Event Planning)

Luis Hurtado (Web Development)

BNA Communications (Communications

and Graphic Design)

Joel Snyder (Audio Description)

VSA (Entertainment)

 

Sponsorships are available from

$50,000 to $1,000.

Supporter contributions are welcome

and start at $500.

For more information on becoming a

sponsor or supporter, please contact:

Nellie Wild

Disability Power & Pride

750 17th Street, NW. Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20006

Phone: 202-778-2306 or 202-61

org Or visit www.mypowerandpride.org

Your Invitation to the AAPD and NCIL 20th Anniversary ADA Bash

From AAPD (6.4.10):

THE SPIRIT OF THE ADA…LEAD ON!
 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

   Tuesday evening, July 20, 2010 •

7 pm–11 pm

Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, DC

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of the ADA

         Dance to the music of Flame, a rock band from New York and enjoy a barbecue supper. Flame is made up of 11 people with disabilities and performs across the USA and in Europe with a song list of over 100 classic rock, country and blues songs from the past five decades.

Sponsored by: The National Council on Independent Living, Able Newspaper, ADA National Network-DB TACs, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Association on Health and Disability, American Federation of the Blind, Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Brown, Goldstein & Levy, Committee on Disability Power & Pride, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Yoshiko Dart, Easter Seals, Epilepsy Foundation, Hearing Loss Association of America, The HSC Foundation, Institute for Educational Leadership, Job Accommodation Network and the Campaign for Disability Employment, Kessler Foundation, Liberty Resources, Inc., National Association of the Deaf, National Disability Institute, National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, National Industries for the Blind, National MS Society, National Organization on Disability, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Shepherd Center, TASH, The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, United Spinal Association, U.S. Business Leadership Network, U.S. International Council on Disabilities, VSA (as of  5/17/10).

If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Natalie Shear at natalie@natalieshear.com.

RESERVATION FORM

(For A Hard Copy  of the ADA Evite Text version)

Deadline for reservations: Friday, July 9, 2010. All tickets are available on a first come-first served basis and may sell out quickly.

NOTE: NCIL Conference Registration includes tickets to this event.

Questions? Contact Natalie Shear by phone or TTY at 202-833-4456 or 800-833-1354.

PLEASE NOTE: The organizers of the Spirit of ADA…Lead On! event are aware that a series of events are being planned in Washington, DC and around the country to celebrate the ADA Anniversary, including a large Disability Pride Parade in Chicago on July 24 and a Disability Power & Pride 20th ADA Anniversary Gala in Washington on July 26. We plan to coordinate and collaborate on events wherever possible, and encourage folks to let us know your plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Please send details of your event to Sarah Peterson at jfaan@aapd.com and we will maintain a central listing of all the events we know about.

Countdown to the ADA

From the JFA Moderator:

Countdown to ADA's 20th Anniversary: Building the Movement

As we approach the 20th Anniversary of the ADA, there is a buzz in the air.  In celebrating this momentous achievement and reflecting on the promises yet to be fulfilled, our community is becoming unified and energized in a very special way.  We want to maximize this opportunity to engage people with disabilities in our cities, states and regions.  

What You Can Do to Join the Celebration

1.  Sign  on to the Justice For All Action Network's Spirit of the ADA Campaign.  Organizational Sign-Ons can be emailed jfaan@aapd.com. Individuals can sign onto the Spirit of the ADA Campaign at www.jfaan.aapd.com/spirit-of-the-ada

2. Celebrate In DC at the Spirit of the ADA 20th Anniversary BBQ. For More information see the below flyers. 

>>> Download Spirit of the ADA 20th Anniversary Event Flyer (PDF)

>>> Download Spirit of the ADA 20th Anniversary Event Flyer (Word)

3. Plan or attend an ADA Party!  Parades to house parties, use this opportunity to reach out to friends and family to celebrate this achievement and motivate each other for the work ahead. If you know of an event happening in your neighborhood, town,  city state or region, send the information to jfaan@aapd.com

We will be compiling and disseminating a calendar of ADA Celebration Events.

4. Get the Word Out: write editorials and op-eds for your newspapers; blog, tweet, and post on your social networks; and talk with family, friends and co-workers about the ADA, what it has meant, and what it still can mean in the years to come.

5. We have a lot of exciting stuff planned leading up to July 26, so check back regularly so you stay in the loop with what is happening near you and across the nation.

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National Disability Institute is having ADA Anniversary Video Contest

The National Disability Institute is looking for videos that show how persons with disabilities, veterans with disabilities, and family members of persons with disabilities are working to achieve their American Dream. This contest is an ideal way for individuals with disabilities to highlight the Real Economic Impact the ADA has had on their lives. The video contest begins July 1, 2010 and all entries must be received by August 13, 2010. To learn more about this contest and for a complete list of submission guidelines and contest rules, go to http://dream.realeconomicimpact.org.

ONE GRAND PRIZE winner will recieve $1,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. where their winning video will be viewed at NDI's Real Economic Impact Tour's (REI Tour) Annual Kick-off at the National Press Club on October 19, 2010.