JFActivist

Join Us in Celebrating 20 Years of the ADA

From AAPD (3/24/10):

 

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, ADA National Network-DBTACs, American Association of People with Disabilities, Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Committee on Disability Power & Pride, Epilepsy Foundation, Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association of the Deaf, National Federation of the Blind, National Industries for the Blind, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Shepherd Center, United Spinal Association (as of 3/19/10).

RESERVATION FORM
(Deadline for reservations: Friday, July 9, 2010)

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.

>>> Download ADA FLYER, HERE!

>>>Download THE SPIRIT OF ADA FLIER (Text Only)

Cosi Restaurant Chain to Seek Greater Accessibility

From Equal Rights Center (2.24.10):

Equal Rights Center and National Restaurant Chain Così Reach Agreement to Make Restaurants More Accessible

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 24, 2010 – The Equal Rights Center (ERC), a national non-profit civil rights organization, Donna Sims, and Così, Inc., a national restaurant chain, announced today their agreement and initiative to make Così restaurants more accessible to people with disabilities. 

“The Equal Rights Center applauds Così for opening its doors to all patrons and agreeing to make its restaurants more accessible for customers with disabilities,” said Don Kahl, Executive Director of the Equal Rights Center. 

Così CEO and President, James Hyatt, stated, “Così remains committed to actively providing a welcoming atmosphere to customers with disabilities.  Così is a restaurant that believes ‘life should be delicious’—for everyone.”

The parties’ agreement resolves a federal lawsuit brought by the ERC and Sims after Sims, an ERC member who uses a wheelchair, was unable to enter a Così in Washington D.C., and after an ERC’s review of other Così restaurants identified accessibility issues. 

As a result of the parties’ agreement, Così will survey its restaurants to determine  accessibility and make necessary modifications to insure that the restaurants comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state or local laws addressing the rights of people with disabilities.  Cosi will also implement policies aimed at improving accessibility, will provide ADA training to staff, and will pay the ERC and Sims for damages and attorneys’ fees incurred in the matter.

“Così has demonstrated its commitment to the happiness and wellbeing of all its customers by agreeing to take the necessary steps to make their restaurant more accessible,” said Elaine Gardner, Disability Rights Project Director at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. 

Both Sims and the Equal Rights Center were represented in this matter by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs and the law firm of Foley and Lardner. 

Così was represented in this matter by the law firm, Wiley Rein, LLP.

Comment Below: Other than Cosi, do you believe there are other restaurants that still have barriers for individuasls with disabilities? Do you believe this is a step in the right direction for Cosi restaurant?

Just In: AAPD Joins Facebook Causes

From the JFA Moderator:

AAPD recently joined Facebook Causes as a way to get the word out about the disability rights movement and to make it easier for YOU, our dedicated activists, to contribute your support.

Take Action TODAY: Join or Donate to AAPD's Cause on Facebook and share these links with your friends.

>>> To Join the Movement

>>> To Support our Work

UW Hospital Starves Patients with Disabilities at Parents Request

From the Wisconsin State Journal (May 14, 2009):

Group sues UW Hospital over policy on withholding treatment from disabled patients
By JASON STEIN

In a case that could have broad legal implications for when some patients are allowed to die, an advocacy group is alleging that doctors at UW Hospital broke the law by withholding treatment [and food and water] from two developmentally disabled patients with apparent cases of pneumonia...

...In the first case, the family of a then 72-year-old developmentally disabled patient identified as “J.L.” complained to Disability Rights about “what the family believed was undue pressure on the part of a (UW Hospital) physician to terminate life-sustaining medical treatment,” according to the lawsuit.

On May 1, 2008, the patient was brought to UW Hospital with apparent pneumonia. After a discussion with Dr. Julia Wright that included J.L.’s quality of life, the family agreed to discontinue the patient’s medications and not use a feeding tube.

When J.L. woke up the next morning and asked to eat, the family sought to restart treatment but encountered resistance from Wright, the lawsuit alleges....

The other case involved M.E., a then 13-year-old patient with severe developmental disabilities that left him unable to speak. During the summer of 2006, the parents of M.E. worked out a plan with UW Hospital doctors to limit medical treatment for conditions such as pneumonia in the future because of his “poor prognosis and poor quality of life,” the lawsuit alleges.

In November 2006, M.E. developed apparent pneumonia and the staff at the long-term care facility where he was staying, Bethesda Lutheran Homes in Watertown, sought an order from his doctors at UW Hospital to treat him with an antibiotic. When UW Hospital doctors ultimately declined to give the order, citing the wishes of M.E.’s mother, Bethesda Lutheran staff decided to give the patient antibiotics anyway because they believed it was possible to treat M.E., the lawsuit alleges.

Bethesda Lutheran spokesman David Morstad declined to speak about the case, citing privacy concerns. But he said the staff at the Christian long-term care home believe those with developmental disabilities “should receive medical care for treatable illnesses just as non-disabled citizens do.”

“We believe that the law in Wisconsin is clear that people with developmental disabilities should receive medical care for treatable illnesses unless they are dying or in a persistent vegetative state,” Morstad said.

The boy’s parents objected to the treatment and transferred him on Nov. 20, 2006, to UW Hospital, where he did not receive treatment and where nutrition and fluids were stopped. From the hospital he was transferred to a hospice facility where he died on Nov. 22, according to the lawsuit....

>>> For the Full Story

Psycho Donuts to Open with a "Fun Mental Institution" Theme

From Mercury News (3/16/09):

Masha Zavarskaya,left Jordan Sweigoron(co-owner), Kipp Berdianski(co-owner), and store manager, Gregory Lim of Psycho donuts in Campbell.

Psycho Donuts in Campbell is a wild and crazy place

By Chris Vongsarath

Somewhere between classic Americana and completely insane lies the idea behind the newest doughnut shop in Campbell...

...Open for just a couple of weeks with little fanfare, the modest shop at 2006 S. Winchester Blvd. has brought a new twist to a classic treat. And it's not just the whacked-out delicacies that Psycho Donuts brass want to offer, but also an atmosphere just as crazy to go with it...

...In addition to carrying the classic doughnuts, the shop also offers nuttier creations such as the Massive Brain Trauma, a jelly-filled doughnut decorated with the face of a guy who looks like he's had better days and the Psycho, a pretzel-covered doughnut with a taste of "sweet, sour and spicy," Zweigoron said...

...The shop is an attraction in itself. Zweigoron and co-owner Kipp Berdiansky, both in the tech industry, went all out decorating the place to fit their lighthearted insane asylum theme.

In one corner is a padded cell that has become a favorite place for kids to take photos while wearing a straitjacket. The "group therapy" area sits under a flat-screen TV playing short films about doughnuts. And all over the walls is artwork for sale, created by Bay Area artists such as Christine Benjamin and Nicolas Caesar.

The employees are also decked out in lab coats and nurse outfits...

>>>For the Full Article

Comment Below: I usually try and remain objective and let you, the Readers, do the commentary, but I find this absolutely appalling.  We still have miles to go in changing attitudes in this country. There is nothing "fun" or "lighthearted" about straitjackets and institutions, and someone who "looks like he's had better days" decorating the Massive Brain Trauma is a fantastic way to reinforce negative stereotyping.  Am I overreacting? How can we take these (admittedly unintended) offenses and make them "teachable moments?"

AAPD 2009 Leadership Gala Tickets on Sale Now

2009 AAPD Leadership Gala Fact Sheet

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The National Building Museum
401 F Street, NW
Washington, DC

5:45pm- 7:00pm Reception
7:00pm- 9:00pm Dinner & Awards Ceremony
Emcees:    Robert David Hall, Actor and Disability Activist
The Honorable Tony Coelho

With special appearance by Sam Moore, the legendary "Soul Man."

Co-Chairs: Debra Carnahan, Missouri
Chris English, Pennsylvania
Cheryl Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin

What:    Bringing together leaders from government, business, and the disability and civil rights communities, in recognition of the important work of AAPD and the 2009 award recipients, the 2009 AAPD Leadership Gala will be a celebration of achievement, leadership and progress toward AAPD’s vision of political and economic power for all people living with disabilities in the U.S.

The 2009 AAPD Leadership Gala will celebrate the progress made for people with disabilities and the extraordinary leaders who have made it possible. AAPD Leadership Gala keynote speakers have included: White House Chief of Staff Andy Card, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, Senator Bob Dole, and Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta; the Emcees have been esteemed journalist Judy Woodruff and The Honorable Tony Coehlo.

Who:    Attendees will include Washington dignitaries, community and business leaders, and disabilities rights leaders.

Why:    The AAPD Leadership Gala serves as a forum for recognizing, empowering, and supporting both emerging and established leaders in the disability community, as well as for inspiring and mobilizing all attendees to increase their advocacy in support of realizing the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Recipients were selected through competitive national processes to accept the following prestigious awards, all of which will be presented at the Gala:
Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards – three $10,000 cash awards are given to emerging leaders in the disability community.

Cost:    Individual tickets will be $250; $100 discounted tickets for AAPD members.  Must be a member for at least one year to be eligible to receive the discount.  To purchase tickets online go to -   https://secure.netsolhost.com/aapd.com/galatickets.html  To purchase tickets over the phone please call 703-714-2363/ TTY = 703-556-0808.

Founded in 1995, AAPD is now the largest cross-disability membership organization in the United States, working toward the economic self-sufficiency and political power for the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD organizes the disability community to be a powerful force for change – economically, politically, and socially.

For additional information, please contact
UniQue Webster at AAPD:  (202) 349-5848 (V/TTY), uwebster@aapd.com, or Kelly Mills at Hayes & Associates:  (703) 714-2366