JFActivist

PWDs in Japan, What is Happening and How You Can Help

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From the Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake:

Dear Friends,

To support persons with disabilities affected by the Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake on 11 March, DPI-Japan, JIL, Yumekaze Foundation and other Disability Organizations established "Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake".

Today they open their site in English.  Please circulate among your network!
http://dpi.cocolog-nifty.com/en

Currently, this blog is providing updates from the "Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake".  This HQ is organized by persons with disabilities to support persons with disabilities affected by the great earthquake.

It will be updated continuously with fresh information thanks to the support of Taisuke of DPI Asia-Pacific office.

Recent Posts Include:

Mass media pays less attention to PWDs in disaster (21 March)

National Welfare Center becomes Shelter for PWDs (19 March)

and Iwaki IL Center evacuates to Tokyo (19 March)

For donation, please visit the following site.
http://dpi.cocolog-nifty.com/en/2011/03/we-need-your-su.html

Dear friends,

On behalf of my colleagues, I sincerely appreciate messages of concern and sympathy from all over the world.

On March 11, massive earthquake hit east-northern part of Japan.  The earthquake recorded unhistorical scale - Magnitude 9.0 - and caused tens of thousands of causalities.  Hundreds of persons with disabilities are highly suffered from this disaster. 

DPOs in Japan immediately set up an emergent disaster relief headquarters at Japan Council on Independent Living Centers (JIL) and appointed me as director.  The headquarters started operation on March 15 in collaborations with DPI-Japan and various groups of persons with disabilities of all over Japan.

In disaster plagued areas, serious shortage of fuel and electricity is a big problem.  Personal assistants cannot reach to users' home.  Respirator users have difficulty in obtaining electric power. Even if they have generators, it is difficult to use portable generator due to lack of fuel.  Shortage of food is also serious...

>>> To Download A Petition Asking the Japanese Government for Appropriate Emergency Relief Supports

Your support is highly, highly appreciated.

Yukiko Nakanishi and Shoji Nakanishi, Director
Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake

From the TakeAway (3.21.11):

Japan Relief: Helping the Most Vulnerable
John Hockenberry's story interviewing Shoji and Yukiko Nakanishi

The tsunami came too quickly. Japan's coastal towns had only a 30-minute warning, which was barely enough time to escape the wave, and for many disabled citizens, not enough time at all. The disabled are among the most vulnerable victims of the recent destruction in Japan. Yukiko and Shoji Nakanishi are members of a Japanese relief organization that is working tirelessly to provide shelter and evacuation support to northern Japan's disabled populations.

>>> To Listen to the (Uncaptioned/Untranscribed) Interview

From the Beacon Broadside (3.17.11):

Postcard from Japan: Disability and Disaster
by Suzanne Kamata

Whenever I case a new location, look at friends' vacation photos, or watch travelogues, I wonder about wheelchair accessibility. I wondered the same thing on Friday afternoon, watching disaster coverage on TV with my eleven-year-old daughter in Japan.

An hour earlier, when I went to pick her and her wheelchair up from school – the school for the deaf, which is housed in an aging four-story building with no elevator – her principal rushed out to my car to tell me to hurry home. He told me that a tsunami warning had been issued for Tokushima Prefecture...

>>> To Read Kamata's Full Account

International Policy Development: AAPD Hosts South African Fellow

From AAPD (11.17.10):

International Policy Development: AAPD Hosts South African Fellow

From October 25 to November 5, 2010 AAPD was honored to have Ms. Betty Mokoena from South Africa (SA) visit AAPD for two weeks as part of a Fellowship program sponsored through the U.S. State Department and Appalachian State University. The goal of the fellowship program is to strengthen South Africa's democracy and assist in the empowerment of mid-level government professionals, and to enhance technical skills and institution-building capacity for South African legislative professionals. Ms. Mokoena’s focus was on policymaking and issues of concern for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. As a sign language interpreter for the SA parliament, she was most interested in policy development from the American viewpoint.  Over the course of her fellowship, AAPD helped coordinate her meetings with representatives from the U.S. Congress, Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., Sorenson VRS, Verizon, Federal Communications Commission, Hearing Loss Association of America, and the Northern Virginia Resource Center. She also found time to tour Gallaudet and meet key people there.  Below is Ms. Mokoena’s story that she wrote for us:

"JUSTICE FOR ALL”

 My name is Betty Tshepiso Mokoena, born to Deaf parents. I am a Professional South African Sign Language Practitioner and an Advocate for Disability Rights

One would ask what does justice mean: You can’t define justice but you can see justice, when you are treated fairly and equal. Justice prevails when I am treated with dignity and fairness regardless of my race, gender and disability. How do we defend justice? One would say when Laws are passed and not just Laws that are favorable to anybody but Laws that are accommodative of People with Disabilities. The Legislators tend to justify the ignorance of sidelining People with Disabilities and later realized that by doing so, they are in contravention of Human Rights. From my past observation especially when Act or Legislation is passed in the House, people with disabilities are often “forgotten”. Who do we blame? The Legislature or the Disability sector for not being complacent? Then one would ask again what does Justice mean? Justice mean: Equality, Empowerment, Education, Equal opportunities and Employment.

Life is full of challenges and adversities, but that doesn't mean you can't overcome them. My experience is a testament to that. I grew up fighting for a just life, to be treated with respect, dignity and fairness even though my parents were Deaf. But,  was I living in a just Society? No, because there was no Justice. I was ostracized by the ignorant society because I was from a Deaf family. Luckily, I overcame my adversity, because I believed in what I was and who I was. Even though my family was labeled because of the stigma that prevailed and superseded sanity, I survived the discrimination. Did I enjoy my childhood life? No, because I was living in an unjust society, the society that was ignorant, that believed misconception and unfounded facts.  My definition of Justice for all is: Equality, living my life without fear and prejudice and enjoy my rights as human being.

I was not  powerless, I didn’t have to make excuses, because of my parents disability and I’d  never wallowed in self-pity or blame others because I knew who I was a CODA: Child of a Deaf Adult.

AAPD CEO's Lecture on the Furture of Disability Policy Inspires and Enlightens

From AAPD (11.8.20):

Courtesy of Joseph John Kappelwski, Jr.

Imparato speaks on future of disability policy at University of Pittsburgh

AAPD's President and CEO, Andrew Imparato, delivered a speech at the University of Pittsburgh's Thornburgh Family Lecture Series on November 4, 2010. Entitled "From Civil Rights to Economic Well-Being: New Directions in Disability Law and Policy," Imparato captivated the audience with what he believes needs to happen in order for people with disabilities to gain equality.

Highlights:

20 years ago, we passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA...Twenty years later, we spend 440 billion dollars per year on federal programs designed in the 50s, 60s and 70s to warehouse—not empower—people with disabilities...Today—20 YEARS LATER—our country still requires 18-year-olds with disabilities to prove to the government that they cannot work in order to get income supports and the corollary acute and long-term care coverage provided by Medicaid. That’s right, 20 years after the ADA, our public policy continues to force young adults with disabilities to retire... 

What our federal policy is not doing to promote truly equal opportunity and equal economic power for 1 in 5 Americans.

• Our massive expenditures on poverty-oriented disability entitlements;  
• Our still-segregated education system; and
• Federal employment, which should set the standard for fair employment practices [but has been decreasing employment of people with disabilities for the last 14 years!]...

...Most of the money that we spend to support people with disabilities is flowing through programs that were designed before the ADA and that were designed to maintain people with disabilities outside the workforce in poverty. The 20th anniversary of the ADA is a great time for us to be saying that is not okay. That is doing harm...

So what do I mean by that? Well what are the four programs that we spend most of our money on that serve people with disabilities? Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and Medicare.

We're currently spending around 440 billion dollars per year on those four programs serving people with disabilities. The definition of eligibility -- this is the gateway to all four of those programs -- dates to 1956. It says that in order to qualify as a person with a disability and to qualify for $440 billion of services and support, you have to go to the Federal Government, and tell them that you have a permanent condition, physical or mental, that's going to last at least 12 months or result in death, and that it prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity.

Most people understand that to mean that they're swearing to the government that they're unable to work. And a lot of people have to go through a process proving that they're unable to work. That is 100 percent inconsistent with the vision and the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act...

...If we're trying to increase that employment outcome from one third of people with significant disabilities to something that would be closer to the general employment rate of the public, we need employers to have the right incentives and motivations to hire and retain and promote people with disabilities and keep people at work after the onset of a disability. I’m excited about things that are happening right now in the Obama administration on the demand side. First, the federal government-- the largest employer in the country—is strongly promoting the fact that people with disabilities should be a priority for federal employment. In July on the ADA anniversary, President Obama signed an executive order requiring the executive branch of the Federal Government to hire 100,000 new workers with disabilities over the next 5 years...The other thing that they're doing which I’m excited about is a new initiative being lead by Patricia Shiu, the head of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which enforces affirmative action requirements for federal contractors. Keep in mind that federal contractors represent a huge part of the economy, about 22 percent of the workforce. They are going to enforce the provisions in the rehabilitation act that require federal contractors to do affirmative action recruitment, promotion and retention for people with disabilities. That provision in the rehabilitation act, which dates back to the 1970s, has never been enforced...

...But before all of that, there is education...Over 40 percent of students with disabilities are placed in separate classes all day. Over 40 percent of the kids that get labeled as needing special education are placed in segregated settings, separate but equal, the entire day...Race compounds the segregation. African/American children with intellectual disabilities are far more likely to be in a segregated classroom, and far more likely to always be in a segregated environment—all day long...You could say that the system is violating [their] rights in at least two ways. But what it really comes down to is, the school is not meeting [their] needs.  I think that we need to reorganize our schools so that all of the teachers, staff, and resources are designed to serve all of the students.

For example, let’s look at teacher preparation. We need to stop dividing teachers into those who get trained in general education and those get trained in special education. We should have national standards for teacher certification that require all elementary teachers to be grade-level classroom teachers first who can teach reading and mathematics and then have the option of adding specializations. This means that every teacher would be able to give all students access to the general education curriculum—and every child would have a teacher trained to teach reading and math.

...We worked very hard to pass the ADA but it is going to take an overhaul of our big four entitlements and our education practices to accord that measure of power that the ADA intended— the power to work and achieve self sufficiency. 

So this is, I believe, the central challenge we face as a community, and we too must get back to work, and make these changes.

>>> For the Full Text of the Speech

Comment Below: Do you agree with his assessment of the major barriers to equal opportunity, full participation, indepdendant living and economic self-sufficiency?  What would you add? How can we address these problems moving forward?

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

Comparing Olmstead Implementation Among Disabilities

From Steve Gold (9.7.10):

Comparing Olmstead Implementation Among Disabilities

By Steve Gold,

Information Bulletin #322 (9.2010)

For years, we have reviewed and compared Medicaid expenditures for people in institutions and in the community.  For quite a number of these years, advocates for people who have an Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities have consistently used the Medicaid's Home and Community-Based systems far better than advocates for older and younger people with physical disabilities, dementia.

To analyze how well the Olmstead's ADA mandate to end unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities has been accomplished, it is necessary to separate these two groups, ID/DD (previously MR/DD) vs.
A/D(Aged/Disabled) (these are CMS designations).  The reason this is necessary is, because depending on the disability label people have affixed to their heads, this label determines the institution into which you may be unnecessarily institutionalized and the funding stream you can access in the community.

Under the federal Medicaid statute, people with a ID/DD label are institutionalized in State Centers and ICF-MR (Intermediate Care Facilities for Mentally Retarded), and older and younger people with, for example, physical disabilities, dementia or anything other than the ID/DD label, are u nnecessarily institutionalized in nursing homes.

These institutions, though similar in how they treat people, differ dramatically when measured by per person spending which carries over directly into the Medicaid Home and Community-based Waiver system and therefore into the amount and package of services a person will receive.
Therefore, the label triggers the institution which triggers the amount of Medicaid community-based services one receives.

This long-winded explanation is necessary to understand that when one compares Medicaid community vs. institutional expenditures, the label determines both the institutional and community-based expenditures.

With this background information, we can now compare Olmstead's ADA mandate by looking at the Medicaid expenditures for the two groups.
Here's what we find:

*   In FY 2004, nationally the distribution of Medicaid Long Term Care
  expenditures for MR/DD services spent 42.4% in the institutions (State
  Centers and ICF-MRs) and 57.6% of the total LTC in the community.  In
  dollars, $12 billion went to MR/DD institutions and $16 billion for
  services in the community.

*   In the same year, FY 2004, nationally the distribution of MA LTC
  expenditures for A/D services spent 74.9% institutions (nursing homes)
  and 25.1% in the community.  In dollars, $46 billion went to A/D
  institutions and $15 billion for services in the community.

Let's see what changes occurred in five years. Was there a leveling and how much progress was made?

*   In FY 2009, nationally the distribution of Medicaid Long Term Care
  Expenditures for ID/DD services spent 34.4% in the institutions (State
  Centers and ICF-MRs) and 65.6% in the community.  In dollars, $13
  billion went to MR/DD institutions and $26 billion for services in the
  community.

*   In FY 2009, nationally the distribution of expenditures for A/D
  services spent 66.2% institutions (nursing homes) and 33.81% in the
  community. In dollars, $50 billion went to A/G institutions and $26
  billion for services in the community.

The FY2004 data and statistics were only five years after the Olmstead decision. However, the FY 2009 data is ten years after Olmstead.  Though there has been a lot of improvement, there is still a significant institutional bias if one has the A/D label.

Let's compare the two funding groups over the five years:

The good news is that between 2004 and 2009, both groups had increased the distribution of Medicaid expenditures in the community as compared to their respective institutions.

But the inexplicable fact remains: people with a ID/DD label have a significantly better chance of residing in the community than people with an A/D label.

Just the facts!

There were 17 States in FY 2009 that expended more than 80% of their Medicaid funds in the community for people with ID/DD.  Congratulations!
There were only 2 States in FY 2009 that expended more than 60% (that's
correct) of their Medicaid funds for people with A/D in the community!
Wow.

Here are a few examples: Why in FY 2009 would Michigan spend 99.2% of Medicaid funds for people with ID/DD in the community but only 21.5% in the community for people with A/D? Similarly, New Hampshire spent 98.1% for ID/DD in the community but only 17.7% in the community for A/D; Alabama spent 87.8% for ID/DD in the community but only 14.9% for A/D in the community.

Why are there such marked differences based on a label?

Are the ID/DD advocates better than the A/D advocates?

Do younger and older people with physical disabilities prefer nursing homes over community services?

Why can State administrators (Medicaid Directors) continue to shift Medicaid funds from ID/DD institutions to the community while at the same time increase significantly faster the pace of shifting the A/D Medicaid funds to the community?

If the goal is to rebalance the entire long-term service and support system, then we need to look at how each of the funding streams are faring and develop rebalancing strategies to meet our overall goal of a total community integrated system.

Disability advocates - whether older or younger are people with disabilities. Whether your label is A/D or ID/DD or MI or....... , we all want services in the most integrated setting.  The Olmstead decision was about all of us. Isn't it about time we confront the labels and the different funding streams?

The people united will never be defeated.
El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido!

Thanks to Thompson/Reuters for compiling the above state MA expenditures data.

Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues

>>Back issues of Information Bulletins

>>Steve Gold's Blog

Older Americans and People with Disabilities - Bridging the Disconnect

From Steve Gold (8.23.2010):

Older Americans and People with Disabilities - Bridging the Disconnect.

by Steve Gold

Information Bulletin # 320 (8/2010)

This Information Bulletin is an attempt to bridge and solidify advocates from two communities - older Americans and people with disabilities.  For many reasons, there has been a disconnect between them.

More than two years ago, we wrote "The Older Americans Act: Consumer Choice and Control over Long Term Care," (see February 9, 2007 Information Bulletin).  We reviewed how Congress' amendments to the Older Americans Act and its "Choices for Independence" began to provide services for people to remain in their homes, instead of going into nursing homes. 

The Older Americans Act was for the first time really focused on community!

The OAA provided grants for States to develop a "single point of entry"
for long-term care, so people would know what community-based services were available in order to avoid institutionalization.  This single point was through the "Aging and Disability Resource Centers" (ADRC).  It also adopted the "consumer model" so people could self-direct care and services.

The Older Americans Act is up for reauthorization in 2011. Yes folks, Congress will have to face whether or not the "Aging and Disability" centers will be refunded.  This reauthorization will provide a forum and opportunity for these two communities to discuss how well they have worked together, how well the ADRCs are functioning, if they are serving both older Americans with disabilities and younger Americans with disabilities and what changes should occur.

There are a number of issues which we hope both communities understand and
address:

1.  Medicaid is the same funding stream for long-term community care and
   nursing homes for all people with disabilities, regardless of age. 
   Cut-backs and reductions of Medicaid services impact every disabled
   person, and State legislatures' common attacks on services will hurt
   people regardless of age.

2.  Yes, these two communities do not agree on everything (e.g., assisted
   living, identifying oneself as having a disability), but there are
   unequivocally common interests.  In an era of reductions and attacks by
   States on community-based services, it is critical to put aside
   differences and join to fight what the two communities have in common.

3.  There really is power in numbers!  Can you imagine a State legislative
   hearing with twenty-five year old wheelchair uses holding hands with
   seventy-five year old wheelchair uses demanding their right to live in
   the community and not being dumped into nursing homes.

4.  How about next year, during the Congressional reauthorization
   hearings, joining forces?  Tell Congress that all people with
   disabilities, regardless of age, want the right to receive services in
   their own homes.

5.  The increased Medicaid funds for Money Follows the Person grants must
   focus on getting anyone out of nursing homes who wants to live in the
   community - not just people with disabilities under 60 years old. Older
   Americans do not enter nursing homes because they want to; they do not
   have community-based services offered to them. If both communities
   combined their efforts, they could have a significant impact of
   enhancing waivers - especially in those 20 States that have not yet
   received MFP grants but probably will be applying for them very soon.

6.  The Independent Living Centers serve many older Americans with
   disabilities. Yet, the AAAs and ILCs in most states keep each other at
   some distance.  As the under 60s younger Americans with disabilities
   become the over 60s older Americans with disabilities, yes it really
   happens, the disability issues and culture will cross the age barrier.
   Let's hope that the people take the lead and make these organization
   really work together.

To not take the 2011 reauthorization as an opportunity to address these issues and to jointly work out strategies is perilous.

POWER concedes nothing without a struggle.

    Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues

Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. 

To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-627-7100.

Poetic Insight on the 20th Anniversary of the ADA

Signs of Changing Times     by R.R. Williams

To view in word click here.

For once 
There was no
razor-pitched shrillness

No harangues

No self-righteous
demagoguery

No more yielding
To the next Senator’s
  latest whim.

Because for once
there was only silence

The silence of truth.

Sign spoken
on the Senate floor

Brother to Brother
across our nation.

Deep into its heartland

He stood there tall:

Silent, firm and resolute
like another man of
 the prairie

Painting a sign of
 changing times

A mosaic, a dream
of what some day
 will yet be

A More Perfect Union
abroad in our land.

Declaring:
In a bold, sweeping
symphony of arms,
 hands, fingers and heart.

That with this day
and with this law

We were saying NO

NO to exclusion
NO to isolation
NO to segregation

No to the one true crippler:

Injustice in our land.

With his signs
and with his words
and with his tears,

He set us free.

Freeing our tears
from the  back wards
of our hearts.

Tears
that streamed down
our faces freely,
proudly now.

Like
so much unwritten history
on to a blank page.

Tears for dreams.

Dreams deferred;

Nightmares remembered;

Dreams, sweet dreams;

Dreams yet to be dreamt. 

Voices of the ADA

  AAPD Debuts Countdown to the ADA Video Series

From AAPD (5.28.2010):

AAPD premiered the first of our Countdown to the ADA video series on Monday, May 24, a series of videos in which we’re speaking to people in our community about the 20th anniversary of the ADA. Every Monday leading up to the ADA anniversary on July 26, we’ll be posting a new video as part of the series.

In our first interview, we spoke to Bobby Coward, co-founder and director of DIRECT Action (Disabled Individuals for Real Empowerment and Community Training) and AAPD board member.

The videos are captioned and you can check them out on our website at http://www.aapd.com

To see the first video, you can also visit AAPD’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GbESMXtvd4

The Census and the Disability Community - We Count!

From The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (3.17.10):

It's Time. Make Yourself Count.

Census 2010

...The census influences the distribution of more than $400 billion every year in federal funds for programs in education, health care, community services, economic development and more. In fiscal year 2007, the federal government used census information to guide the distribution of approximately $15 billion in services specifically to people with disabilities. In addition, census data are used by state and local governments and private corporations to guide investments in transportation, restaurants, shopping centers and other types of economic development.
Here are some of the ways census data are used:

• To help state and county agencies plan for eligible recipients under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income programs.
• To distribute funds and develop programs for people with disabilities and seniors.
• To distribute funds for housing for people with disabilities.
• To allocate funds to states and local areas for employment and job training programs for veterans.
• To ensure that comparable public transportation services are available for all segments of the population.
• To award federal grants, under the Older Americans Act, based on the number of elderly people with physical and mental disabilities.
• To allocate funds for mass transit systems to provide facilities for people with disabilities
• To provide housing assistance and supportive services for low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program.
• To make available special education for children ages 3-5 through Special Education Preschool Grants.

The Census Influences Funding of Programs for People with Disabilities

According to the National Council on Disability, nearly one-third of households in America had at least one member with a disability. This statistic does not include an additional 2.1 million in nursing homes and group homes. In addition to government funding for general federal health care and education programs, the census influences a number of programs that directly serve individuals with disabilities.
Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities -- $10.5 million
The Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities grant program provides support to states to establish, expand, and improve access to the election process for more than 20 million individuals with disabilities who are of voting age. Grant awards have supported a range of activities including the development of training videos for election officials, poll workers, and volunteers on providing assistance to voters with visual impairments and surveying polling places to determine accessibility needs...An accurate census helps empower people with disabilities. In addition to influencing funding for programs directed toward people with disabilities, an accurate count has a huge impact on the financial health and political influence of the communities in which individuals with disabilities live.

Political Power – The census shapes voting districts, which can determine whether individuals and their communities are fairly represented in Congress, state legislatures and local governments. The census is also used to monitor whether people have access to the voting booth.

Education – Billions of dollars in education funding are distributed based on census information, including $7.7 billion in Title I spending to assist schools with high numbers or percentages of low-income students and $5.5 billion for Head Start, which provides grants for early childhood education and development programs for economically disadvantaged children and families.

Jobs – The census influences the distribution of community development block grants and is used by governments and private companies to decide where to invest in new housing, roads, and shopping centers. Census information also helps the government monitor discrimination and enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Making Sure that Individuals with Disabilities Count
The Leadership Conference Education Fund is working with its national partners and local organizations across the country to make sure that every person is counted in the 2010 census. More information is available at www.civilrights.org/census.
Organizations that serve and advocate for people with disabilities can make a big difference by helping their clients and constituents understand the importance of the census and by helping individuals who have questions or need assistance completing the census form. Census forms will be distributed to households in mid-March. Forms are available in Braille. Help on filling out the forms is available through a toll-free telephone assistance line (1-866-872-6868) and TDD (1-866-783-2010).

>>>For More Information

Sponsor Young Disability Leaders at AAPD Gala

From Day al-Mohamed, AAPD Board Member (3.2.10):

Dear AAPD Gala Attendees and Supporters:

 

I am writing to you about an issue that is dear to my heart - young people with disabilities.  As many of you already know, AAPD as an organization, and through the actions of its individual staff and members, has a strong commitment to the development of young people with disabilities.  The AAPD Gala is the premiere event for this organization and in many ways, the disability community.  This year is especially pivotal as it celebrates AAPD's 15th Anniversary and the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Many youth with disabilities, including myself, have benefitted from the generosity of spirit of Mrs. Yoshiko Dart. She has made it her mission to empower the next generation of leaders with disabilities. In a community that frequently uses the term “passing the torch” she has  been a “Torch Lighter” and uses her passion for the disability community and the disability rights movement to inspire, motivate, and continue to mentor youth to engage and participate as active members of our community.  Another example is AAPD Board member Margaret Staton who made it possible for young women with disabilities who participate in the Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation Scholar program to attend the AAPD Gala at the expense of the Foundation.  Many of us have had leaders in our community support us and look out for us along the way.  

I believe that it is important to continue this tradition and I challenge you to join me in continuing to empower young people with disabilities.  I have committed to sponsoring a ticket for a youth with a disability to attend this year’s AAPD gala and I am joined by both the Chairman of AAPD’s Board of Directors, Tony Coelho and the Immediate Past Chair, Cheryl Sensenbrenner.  We urge you to join us in becoming a “Torch Lighter” for the next generation, those who will be our “Torch Bearers” and carry forward all of our hopes for the disability community.

This is not a single gesture of support, but a promise for the future.  We have committed to the creation of the AAPD “Torch Bearer” Fund.  When purchasing your ticket for the gala this year, you are now able to sponsor the cost of a ticket to be provided for a young person with a disability, or donate towards the purchase of a ticket.  AAPD staff has made the necessary changes to the AAPD website over this last week to enable these additional donations to be made during ticket purchase.  Should the event sell out, your donation will go to the Fund so that young people with disabilities will always be able to attend the AAPD Gala and perhaps one day, sponsor young advocates from outside the Washington D.C. area to be a part of this amazing event.

Together we will do great things.  

Sincerely,

Day Al-Mohamed

AAPD Board of Directors, Member