tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51876880427690509382024-02-19T15:55:42.274-08:00Defending Our FreedomUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-19635541717579056012010-12-05T09:20:00.000-08:002010-12-05T09:23:42.480-08:00Shortage of living spaces for disabled outside nursing homes is costing Colorado<div><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><h1 id="articleTitle" class="articleTitle"><span style="font-size:100%;">By Laura Frank and Joe Mahoney<br /></span></h1><div id="articleByline" class="articleByline"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>I-News Network<br /></i></span></div><div id="articleDate" class="articleDate"><span style="font-size:100%;">Posted: 12/05/2010<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span></span><span></span></span><div id="articleBody" class="articleBody"><div class="articleViewerGroup" id="articleViewerGroup" style="border: 0px none;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="articleEmbeddedViewerBox"></span><span></span><span></span></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span></span>One out of every five residents in Colorado nursing homes wants out, an analysis of state and federal records shows.</span> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">But a shortage of places for the disabled to live outside a nursing home and regulations that critics say make it hard to qualify for home services mean many who want out continue to receive expensive nursing care.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">"Long-term care in general is costing the state more and more each year, just as more people need long-term care services and the cost of care continues to increase," said Tim Cortez, who was hired by the state in June to reform long-term care with the goals of serving more people and saving money.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court said people who can live independently have that right. But Colorado doesn't have the resources or infrastructure to assist all the people who want out.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Many are people like Cliff Seigneur.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Seigneur was an assistant state attorney general, but his multiple sclerosis eventually made it impossible for him to work. He wound up in a Denver nursing home at age 48.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">"I don't want to be brought out of this place in a body bag," Seigneur said.</span></p></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span></span></span></div></div><span style="font-size:100%;">For more, see <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_16782066">http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_16782066</a>.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-81865389857815965662010-11-30T05:27:00.000-08:002010-11-30T05:31:35.121-08:00Washington State Cuts Needed Medicaid Drug Program<span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color:black;"><div><span style="color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;">From the Columbian:<br /><br />Cuts To Medicaid Threaten Real Pain</span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><br /> November 23, 2010<br /><br /> OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON-- [Excerpt] Debb Snyder's slender lifeline to independent living is her government-paid prescription for Klonopin, the expensive anti-seizure drug that controls her grand mal seizures and allows her to remain in her small apartment off St. Johns Road. She's been taking 0.5 milligrams of the drug six times daily for 20 years. </span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div> <div><span style="color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br />That's why it was intensely personal for Snyder when she saw the list of cuts to Medicaid programs the Washington Department of Social and Health Services is preparing to implement between Jan. 1 and March 1 to achieve its share of 6.27 percent across-the-board cuts in state agency budgets. </span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div> <div><span style="color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br />The department will eliminate coverage for outpatient prescription drugs provided by retail pharmacies to an estimated 277,000 clients, effective March 1. As a "discretionary" program under Medicaid, the prescription drug program is one the state has the option to discontinue while still maintaining its partnership with the federal government in providing health coverage to the poorest of the poor under Medicaid. </span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div> <div><span style="color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br />Drugs administered in a hospital, doctor's office or long-term care setting won't be affected by the cut.</span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div> <span style="color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br />For more, see: <a href="http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/nov/21/cuts-to-medicaid-threaten-real-pain/">http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/nov/21/cuts-to-medicaid-threaten-real-pain/</a>.<br /></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/2010/red/1123m.htm" target="_blank"></a></span></span></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-68663087558063827712010-09-22T14:59:00.000-07:002010-09-22T15:34:59.205-07:00Liberating Women with DisabilitiesToday 300 ADAPT activists called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to liberate women with disabilities from institutions by supporting the Community Choice Act. We covered all the entrances at 1st and Constitution NW in DC where Pelosi was receiving the Alice Paul award at a luncheon. Alice Paul was a first wave feminist leader and the annual award is sponsored by the Sewell Belmont House.<div><br /></div><div>68.4 % of all nursing home residents are women. You can bet they would rather be in their own homes with services and supports. Most are seniors and women with disabilities and definitely not rich. These women are not exactly on Speaker Pelosi's high priority list. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly these women are also not high on the priority list of most feminists. All the women in ADAPT and many women with disabilities around the country were stoked about today's action. Most of us are feminists and would love to build links to a women's movement that, for the most part, ignores us.</div><div><br /></div><div>What's the story here? Women with disabilities are among the most excluded and oppressed in the country. One would think the women's movement would be all over us. Not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead it is often conservatives who attempt to build political alliances with us. The ADA was signed by President Bush 1 and President Bush 2 implemented and funded Money Follows the Person to get people with disabilities out of institutions, receiving services and supports in our own homes.</div><div><br /></div><div>We still cannot get Speaker Pelosi to support the Community Choice Act and mainstream women's groups keep us off their agendas.</div><div><br /></div><div>When will the women's and progressive movements welcome all excluded groups?</div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime...the women of ADAPT will continue to come out and rock and roll...until we Free Our People from nursing homes and other institutions.</div><div><br /></div><div>If Alice Paul were still alive, she would have been in the streets with ADAPT.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-43679209462385005322010-09-21T10:16:00.000-07:002010-09-21T10:29:17.855-07:00ADAPT Protest Brings Real Solutions to HUD-blocks 3 entrancesAs I write this, 300 ADAPTERS are blocking 3 entrances to the HUD building in Washington, DC. What's up with that?<div>These are folks that live full lives and have better things to do with their time so why protest how federal housing dollars are spent?</div><div>There are still many in our society who want seniors and people with disabilities locked away in nursing homes and other institutions..out of sight out of mind. That's especially true if you are a senior or person with a disability who has a low income....and with 1 in 7 Americans living in poverty....well do the math. Tens of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities need affordable, integrated, accessible housing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet 20 years after the ADA was signed into law, HUD still spends our tax dollars so that seniors and people with disabilities are forced to live ....and too often die...in institutions.</div><div><br /></div><div>ADAPTers can launch a great chant, can block the doors and chain themselves to HUD with a flair...yet also among us are top policy wonks in the housing arena. We want to work with HUD Secretary Donovan to implement a solution to this housing crisis.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is so scary or hard about that?</div><div><br /></div><div>What do we want? Affordable, accessible, integrated housing. When do we want it? NOW</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-78371656795635107822010-09-20T09:26:00.000-07:002010-09-20T09:40:35.232-07:00Right now 300 plus ADAPTers are blocking streets around the White House. ADAPT was headed to the White House to tell President Obama to live up to his campaign promise to end the institutional bias and support the Community Choice Act. Sadly, the Obama White House is limiting the right to protest. No more than 25 people can protest at the WH without a permit. No other administration has done this.<div><br /></div><div>Can you help tell the Obama administration to meet with ADAPT and hear our demands? </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Right now we need YOU to contact the White House at <a href="http://bit.ly/aX7aab" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">http://bit.ly/aX7aab</a>! The action is nationwide, help us get the President's attention. YOU can make it happen!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Why is giving people the right to live in their own homes and communities so difficult? Why will the federal government pay for people to live in a nursing home but not in the community when the aggregate costs are less? Sane policy in this arena is not rocket science.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Have you ever heard anyone say "I can't wait until I age enough to live in a nursing home?" No one chooses such a horrid, constricted life if they can live in the community with services and supports.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">It is past time for politicians to say no to all those dollars from the nursing homes and end the institutional bias.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-23413554970819838352010-09-19T15:51:00.000-07:002010-09-19T15:57:02.964-07:00What If...By National ADAPT<br /><ul><li>What if your landlord decided if you could go out...and when, where and with whom?</li><li>What if someone made it their business to decide that you could not have anyone spend the night, and even though you were 43 years old?</li><li>What if you could only have alcohol on special occasions, and only if you were "good"?</li><li>What if there were no guarantee you and your spouse, let alone a friend, could live together?</li><li>What if your entire living space was 10 by 12 feet and you had to share it with a roommate your landlord picked for you?</li><li>What if they sedated you because you were "uncooperative"?</li><li>And that said it was all "for your own good"?</li></ul>That's life in a nursing home or institution.<br /><br />What if you could have a REAL CHOICE?<br /><br />That's what the Community Choice Act (CCA) would do. ADAPT is fighting to give people the opportunity to decide where they live and receive long term services and supports. People cold choose to stay in their own homes rather than be forced into nursing homes or institutions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-4176569296611778312010-09-18T18:24:00.000-07:002010-09-18T18:25:47.305-07:00Press Release: ADAPT to Storm Washington, DC<span style="font-size:85%;color:black;"><div>For immediate release</div> <div>Contact:</div> <div>Mike Oxford, (785) 224-3865</div> <div>Bruce Darling, (585) 370-6690</div> <div><a target="_blank" href="http://www.adapt.org/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#3b5998;">www.adapt.org</span></a></div> <div> </div> <div>ADAPT Activists to Storm Washington DC; Vow to Fight State Cuts to Medicaid Home Services</div> <div> </div> <div>Fighting dangerous state Medicaid budget cuts across the country, the national grassroots disability rights action group ADAPT is planning direct actions at several venues in Washington, DC between September 19 to 22 to demand that states save Medicaid-funded home and community based services. These services support low income people with disabilities and who are aging to stay in their own homes instead of being forced into nursing facilities to obtain services. During this critical election season, ADAPT plans to make it clear that saving Medicaid services is key to winning the disability vote.</div> <div> </div> <div>"During this time of fiscal panic, governors are looking for ways to save dollars," notes Mike Ervin of Chicago ADAPT. "Hundreds of us are coming to Washington because Congress and the White House need to step up efforts to protect Medicaid community services in the states. I use home services and without someone to assist me, I'd be waiting on some nursing home aide to change me or feed me whenever she was done with the other fifty people living in the same facility. With home services, I am in charge of my life."</div> <div> </div> <div>Current Medicaid law mandates that states use their Medicaid programs to pay for nursing homes, but the law does not equally mandate that states pay for the same services in a person's own home. Today, most states recognize that providing home and community based services (HCBS) is a less expensive solution than institutions. However, in these tight fiscal times, Medicaid dollars funding "optional" services like HCBS are first on the budget chopping block, while the mandatory institutional budgets are rarely touched. ADAPT's current "Defending Our Freedom" campaign is a direct response to states' attacks against HCBS, services that allow people with disabilities to take care of themselves, raise their families and be part of society.</div> <div> </div> <div>"Without the home services funded by Medicaid, hundreds, if not thousands, of people with disabilities in my state would be forced to live in nursing homes or institutions," said Joe Stramondo of Michigan ADAPT. "Some states are virtually on the edge of bankruptcy. It makes no sense to spend extra dollars on institutions when those same dollars could fund more people with disabilities to live in the communities of our choice."</div> <div> </div> <div>To learn more about Defending Our Freedom, please visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.adapt.org/adapt-campaign.php" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#3b5998;">http://www.adapt.org/adapt-campaign.php</span></a>.</div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-32913064253311676502010-09-17T19:30:00.000-07:002010-09-18T19:33:23.661-07:00Center for Disability Services Cuts 10 Jobs<div id="articledate">2010-09-17 17:37:14</div> <p>ALBANY – The not-for-profit Center for Disability Services is eliminating ten jobs, forcing remaining service coordinators to double their caseload from 25 to as many as 50, a spokeswoman said Friday.</p> <p>Each consumer will only receive about three yearly visits instead of 12, she said.</p> <p>“We remain committed to providing the best program possible,” Anne Scheider Costigan said in a statement. “We are doing everything possible to make this a smooth transition."</p> <p>The Center will attempt to find another position for the affected employees, as it did in 2009 when 50 jobs were eliminated by the termination of daycare and pre-school programs.</p> <p>Scheinder Costigan blamed the layoffs on a reduction in Medicaid Service Coordination funding mandated by Gov. David Paterson at the height of New York’s fiscal crisis.</p><p>For more see <a href="http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/services-1278479-albany-center.html">http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/services-1278479-albany-center.html</a>.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-77123511182989042262010-09-10T19:26:00.000-07:002010-09-18T19:28:50.509-07:00Minnesota Governor: Obstructionist?<span style="font-size:85%;">From the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities: </span><a target="_blank" href="http://mnccd.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><u>http://mnccd.wordpress.com/</u></span></a><br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://mnccd.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/update-on-minnesotas-ability-to-pursue-federal-healthcare-reform-grants/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><u>Update on Minnesota’s ability to pursue federal healthcare reform grants</u></b></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">September 10, 2010</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">by mnccd</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Many of you are already aware that last Tuesday, Aug. 31, Governor Pawlenty announced an executive order requiring all state agencies to send any federal grant requests related to federal healthcare reform through his office, noting that he would likely not allow these grant requests to move forward unless they are required by law. The federal healthcare reform legislating that was passed this past year contains a variety of opportunities for states to apply for specific healthcare reform grants from the federal government. At this point it is unclear exactly how much this action will cost the state of Minnesota, but some estimates place this number as high as tens of millions of dollars in lost potential grant money. You can view a Star Tribune story on the decision </span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/101940198.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU"><span style="font-size:85%;"><u>here</u></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Minnesota’s disability community will feel the impact of this decision. First of all, federal monies that would have come to MN in the form of specific healthcare reform grants would have lessened the strain on Minnesota’s overall Medicaid budget. Secondly, a number of the state grant opportunities outlined in federal healthcare reform legislation were designed to support states in their work to serve individuals with disabilities in their homes and communities, rather than in institutions. The inability of Minnesota to move forward with applying for these grants will negatively impact our state’s progress in this area.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />As a specific example, federal healthcare reform legislation included a $200,000 planning grant for a Money Follows the Person program that would have supported states in helping individuals with disabilities to move out of nursing homes and into the community by providing an increased federal Medicaid match for the individual’s first year in community services. A Minnesota state agency’s plan to move forward with applying for this grant was stopped as a result of this executive order.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">MN-CCD leaders will continue to meet with state officials and other stakeholders to discuss this issue, so stay tuned for updates.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-25462225282197678202010-08-10T18:35:00.000-07:002010-08-10T18:43:10.726-07:00All Politics Are Local...The contentious debate going on in our country is primarily focused on one critical question: what is the balance of the roles between the federal and state governments?<br /><br />For disability advocates who have spent years fighting for federal legislation to end the institutional bias, you would think their vote would be to support a strong federal role. The answer however is not that simple.<br /><br />At the state level is where all Medicaid programs are implemented. Who the Governor is determines who the Medicaid Director is. Who is elected to the State Legislature determines funding levels as well as policy decisions that affect things such as level of consumer direction, nurse delegation, wage rates for attendants, types of waivers and programs provided, as well as more macro but extremely important legislative decisions such as redistricting, etc.<br /><br />If the institutional bias was gone tomorrow, we would still be confronting some of these same issues at the state level the next day.<br /><br />In the DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM Campaign the question isn't “Should we end the institutional bias?”<br /><br />We agree - YES!<br /><br />The strategic tactical question is: the balance of our advocacy resources between federal and state action.<br /><br />Remembering the old adage “all politics are local" might be helpful in deciding what that balance should be.<br /><br />MetamorphosisUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-87670670475032338982010-07-30T09:36:00.000-07:002010-07-30T09:38:10.779-07:00Attendant Speaks Out on Monroe County Crisis<a href="http://spillingofthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/07/unwarranted-attack-on-health-care.html" target="_blank">http://spillingofthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/07/unwarranted-attack-on-health-care.html</a><br /><br /><a href="http://spillingofthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/07/unwarranted-attack-on-health-care.html" target="_blank">Unwarranted Attack on health care</a><br /><br />Today I learned from the Monroe County, NY government that I will no longer have a job as of August 1. I am a attendant with the program Consumer directed health care of New York State. The County pulled the contract from 4 "so called" reports of abuse/neglect. They stated 12 cases of abuse or neglect, but found 4.<br /><br />One case was reported that a young man was left alone, those attendants were fired, case closed. One man who is the director of a committee was not in attendance, seems to me that he may well be the mole that caused the cancerous attack that led to the downfall of the agency. The County never really tried to work out the issues, they just handed us our walking papers.<br />It seems that politics in New York State have gone from the hand shake, baby cooing to let's see how much mud we can throw at people. It is deplorable that you can't close nursing homes, but you can throw 3 hundred people onto a hot bed of issues that disabled people get all the time; the shaft. The real losers aren't the attendants from Center for Disability Rights, but the consumers who have their aides in place and now have to scramble for a new agency.<br /><br />The other agencies are like what I used to have to deal with in the assisted living places. They pay jack squat, give no medical insurance, 3 days per year for sick time, and NO VACATION. By the time I make my money most of it has gone to a roof over my head, electric & gas, food, car/car insurance. Not much money left after that for medical or dental. It is hard work to lift, push, pull all day long; but I want to be treated like I matter. The Center for Disability Rights even gave me a bonus for Christmas!!! I was floored, a bonus? I usually get a lousy bottle of wine, but from Emeritus; one year I received NOTHING !!! But, my boss' all received gifts and bonus'. I am the foundation of an agency, I can make or break your agency; so please treat me well and I will try really hard to please you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-7102154302423818652010-07-30T09:05:00.000-07:002010-07-30T09:08:12.412-07:00Rochester Disability Community Under AttackThe Center for Disability Rights is under attack - Tell Maggie Brooks to Restore the CDPAS Contract by phone and in person!<br /><br />The Center for Disability Rights is under attack by the Monroe County Executive, Maggie Brooks. Without warning, on July 22nd, CDR received a terse, 5 sentence letter informing us of the contract termination with no explanation included. All of our CDPAS consumers received a letter the same day telling them that the county is terminating its contract with CDR and that they have until just August 1st to choose from one of five for-profit agencies for their Consumer Directed Personal Assistance.<br /><br />The next day, we received from a friend in the local media, a copy of a three page letter from the County Executive to the media. The letter was filled with blatant falsehoods mixed with misunderstandings of the roles of CDR and the county in the CDPAS program. Here is CDR's letter to Maggie Brooks debunking her allegations against CDR:<br /><a href="http://www.whec.com/whecimages/cdr_letter-to-county.pdf">http://www.whec.com/whecimages/cdr_letter-to-county.pdf</a>. Videos of consumers refuting the county's charges are here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cdrnys">http://www.youtube.com/user/cdrnys</a>. Share these; make them go viral as meanwhile, Brooks continues to use the media as a buffer to not have to talk with us. Many more documents available on CDR's website at <a href="http://www.cdrnys.org/">www.cdrnys.org</a>.<br /><br />Our consumers and their attendants have been thrown into chaos and Ms.<br />Brooks refuses to talk to them. Nearly 300 consumers are in danger of losing their attendants and possibly their services outright.<br /><br />Currently consumers, supporters and staff have camped out in front of the County Building on Main Street in Rochester. We have been out there 24/7 since Monday and will continue until this is over.<br /><br />We need your help!<br /><br />TAKE ACTION: CALL MAGGIE BROOKS!<br /><br />Call Maggie Brooks and urge her to restore CDR's contract for the sake of the hundreds of people who like their services and want to continue them.<br /><br />Then ask at least two friends to do the same.<br /><br />Be respectful, but be firm. Her phone should not stop ringing!<br /><br />County Executive Maggie Brooks: (585) 753-1000<br /><br />TAKE ACTION: JOIN US FOR A RALLY!<br /><br />The Center for Disability Rights and Rochester ADAPT will be having a rally on Monday, August 2, 2010<br /><br />11:00 AM at 39 West Main Street, Rochester, NY<br /><br />Although this has been mentioned in the media, key issues are not being raised or addressed:<br /><br />- Monroe County is not explaining why CDR's program is still being shut down when most of the people who were investigated are actively refuting claims that they were neglected.<br /><br />- Monroe County is not explaining why a successful program run by a disability-led, consumer controlled organization is being dismantled and given to for-profit entities.<br /><br />- Monroe County is not explaining why it continues to refuse to acknowledge the voices of the people with disabilities who want to stay and let them make their own choices.<br /><br />Monroe County folks are the same people who used the R-word.<br /><br />Now they are talking ABOUT us, and refuse to talk WITH us.<br /><br />Please come and help us make our voices heard!<br /><br />39 West Main Street, Rochester, NY<br /><br />Monday, August 2, 2010<br /><br />11:00 AM<br /><br />We will be continuing our vigil throughout the weekend.<br /><br />People can feel free to come and join us!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-30596751759957062272010-07-28T14:58:00.000-07:002010-07-28T15:00:57.041-07:00Defending Our Freedom in Rochester, NY: Call Maggie Brooks and Tell Her Don't Take Away Our Choice!By The Roving Activist<br /><br />For three days, I have been on the sidewalk with the folks from the Center for Disability Rights (CDR) as we fight for the freedom of our sisters and brothers who use the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services (CDPAS) program through CDR.<br /><br />On July 22, 2010, CDR, and each of its 300 CDPAS consumers received a letter from the Monroe County Department of Human Services stating that CDR's contract with the county had been terminated, and that consumers had until August 1, 2010 to find another agency. No reason was given for the termination of the contract.<br /><br />A list of five agencies was provided for consumers to transfer to in order to receive services. All are for-profit, and two have central offices that are located out of state. In a separate letter to the media, the county made several allegations which were either patently false, or misrepresentations of CDR responsibilities. CDR responded to this letter with facts and documentation so that the truth would be known.<br /><br />On Monday, July 26, 2010, the 20th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, over 300 people packed a forum originally organized to celebrate the ADA, but it quickly became a venue to express their outrage over what had happened, and how it would have a devastating impact on their lives.<br /><br />After the forum, 100 activists and CDPAS consumers and attendants, along with CDR staff and ADAPT members marched to the Monroe County Building to demand the restoration of the CDPAS contract to CDR. Over 30 people, including myself, held vigil through the night in front of the building. Today, Wednesday, is day three of our vigil at the County Building. Maggie Brooks, the Monroe County Executive, has dug in her heels and is refusing to meet with CDR, or restore the CDPAS contract.<br /><br />I am appalled at the actions of Ms. Brooks and Kelly Reed, Commissioner of the Monroe County Department of Human Services. They are well aware of the fact that their decision has done three things: It has taken away our people's ability to direct their own attendant services (something unheard of in traditional home care agencies), it has endangered their lives because traditional home health agencies will not accept or cover those with complex needs, and those who need 24-hour care, leading to health deterioration, and it has put people at risk of placement in nursing facilities, where neglect and substandard care is common. They simply don't care!<br /><br />The county also doesn't seem to mind that due to it's actions, it is potentially in violation of Olmstead, and lawsuits from consumers and their families are a likely result, as well.<br /><br />I am sure that the county knows the status of the agencies that it is referring CDPAS consumers to transition to. According to one worker who called each agency, one of the agencies is closed, another is not accepting new clients, and the others are saying that they don't have the human resources to deal with the influx of clients with complex needs.<br /><br />These machinations by the county are in my opinion, nothing more than politics in action. It is a ploy to silence the advocacy, activism, and voice of CDR and it's consumers. I can't help but believe that when I hear stories of people dying of neglect in the county jail, yet that contractor still has a contract. It is my understanding that children have died in the care of the Monroe County Department of Human Services, yet, Kelly Reed, it's Commissioner, still has a job.<br /><br />CDR has not neglected CDPAS consumers, and no one has died, yet CDR's contract has been terminated without due process. When the County tolerates long-standing abuse and neglect of clients in other programs that it oversees, but terminates the contract of an agency well-known in the community as outspoken disability rights activists and advocates, it is a clear sign that big government is attempting to silence the voices of downtrodden people.<br /><br />Call Maggie Brooks, Monroe County Executive, at 585-753-1000, and tell her don't take away our choice. Restore the CDPAS contract to CDR!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-59305411185224846582010-07-25T14:55:00.000-07:002010-07-25T15:03:29.714-07:00Without FMAP Extension, More Cuts LoomThis story is from New York, but the FMAP extension problem is part of what is threatening funding for services that support our freedom to live in the community. The US Congress needs to extend FMAP asap! This affects most states, particularly ones facing serious budget crises.<br /><br />Counties to lose millions in federal medical reimbursements<br /><br />By Don Lehman dlehman@poststar.com Posted: Sunday, July 25, 2010 3:51 pm<br /><br />The term FMAP may not mean much to the general public, but to local officials they are four very important letters.<br /><br />The acronym stands for Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, a program that increased Medicaid reimbursement percentages during the recession and expires at the end of the year unless Congress extends it.<br /><br />Warren County officials are expecting to receive $3.2 million in FMAP funds this year, and were expecting at least a portion of that money next year as well if the reimbursement remained heightened for the first six months of 2011 as expected.<br /><br />But so far, Congress has not approved an extension and national media reports indicate many think it won’t as a way to rein in expenses.<br /><br />Not having that money would leave a hole in the Warren County budget that would require a tax increase of 9 percent if budget cuts weren’t made, said Fred Monroe, the Chester supervisor who is chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.<br /><br />Monroe sent a letter Thursday to U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls, and the state’s U.S. senators asking that Congress extend the program.<br /><br />"It’s an extension everyone thought was going to happen, but it hasn’t happened," Monroe said. "We’re going to have some tough choices if that FMAP money doesn’t come through."<br /><br />The county will see some savings next year when its contract with the Hudson Falls trash plant ends, but the FMAP loss — along with what many believe is an inevitable cut to state aid when a state budget is passed — will still be a hurdle, Monroe said.<br /><br />"Our situation isn’t as bad as it was last year, but we’re going to have some heavy lifting without that (FMAP money) and with whatever the state is going to do to us," Monroe said.<br /><br />In Washington County, FMAP provided $1.8 million this year, and like most states and counties, was leaning on a portion of the money for next year.<br /><br />"We’re praying for it," said Washington County Administrator Kevin Hayes. "It’s a big hole to go back from if it’s not extended."<br /><br />Saratoga County hoped to receive $2 million next year under the six-month extension, county Administrator David Wickerham said.<br /><br />"We all know it’s going to end eventually," he said. "Everyone is going to have to start structuring their budgets so they don’t rely on it."<br /><br />He questioned why New York’s federal Medicaid reimbursement rate is normally 50 percent, while other states normally receive up to 67 percent, FMAP notwithstanding.<br /><br />Hayes said the extension was initially included in a federal bill that extended unemployment benefits, but was pulled out before the bill passed.<br /><br />"Everyone thought the extension was going to pass," Hayes said.<br /><br />On Thursday, Gov. David Paterson called on the federal government to pass the FMAP extension bill before the House of Representatives leaves for its August recess.<br /><br />The state expected $2.2 billion next year from FMAP, with another $800 million to go to counties in the state, according to Paterson’s office. Paterson said the state Legislature needs to come up with a contingency plan to deal with the possibility the funding will not be coming.<br /><br /><a href="http://poststar.com/news/local/article_50d467ec-9826-11df-86d2-001cc4c002e0.html">http://poststar.com/news/local/article_50d467ec-9826-11df-86d2-001cc4c002e0.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-3000499326920275552010-07-25T14:52:00.000-07:002010-07-25T14:55:07.250-07:00An Open Letter from ADAPT to the Disability Community on the 20th Anniversary of the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities ActSisters and Brothers in the Disability Community: As the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act draws near, we approach the milestone with mixed emotions.<br /><br />Securing national civil rights legislation, protecting the rights of people with disabilities, was truly historic. It is important that we recognize the incredible nature of this accomplishment and the hard work of those that made this happen, but 20 years after President George H. W. Bush signed this civil rights legislation into law and as our community is preparing for the celebrations, we pause in disappointment that the promise of freedom has still not reached our sisters and brothers in nursing facilities and other institutions.<br /><br />Our sisters and brothers remain locked away, unseen and unheard. For them, the act is just words on paper. They are not given the opportunity to exercise their civil rights under this law because they still do not have the basic freedoms that other Americans enjoy.<br /><br />As the Anniversary date draws closer, they may hear about the progress our community has made over the past 20 years, but knowing that you are protected against discrimination in employment means nothing when the hub of your life is a bedroom you share with a stranger. Knowing that buildings and public accommodations are accessible means nothing when the facility staff won't let you leave; and even having access to lifts on buses - as dear to our hearts as that is - means nothing when you cannot afford to go anywhere on the allowance that is left over after the institution has taken its share of your money.<br /><br />When we gather together as a community, we must remember that our sisters and brothers in institutions will not be toasting those that authored or advocated for the Act. They will not be celebrating independent living, either as a movement or personal achievement, and they certainly won't share in the power or pride of the disability community. For them, July 26th will be the same as every other day in the institution.<br /><br />Recently, ADAPT has been criticized by some of the provider-based advocates in our community because we are publicly demanding that Speaker Pelosi sign onto the Community Choice Act and agree to eliminate the institutional bias once and for all. They tell us that publicly questioning "our friends" is inappropriate. We are told we should be grateful for the efforts that have been made so far, and that we must be patient because change takes time.<br /><br />We will not apologize for our impatience. We do this because our brothers and sisters have waited long enough for their freedom. We cannot sit by, patiently and quietly waiting for our government to give our people the freedom which should be our birthright.<br /><br />We had great hopes for President Obama and this Congress. Many of us believed that his promise for change included the promise of freedom. When President Obama was taking the oath of office with his hand on Lincoln's bible, it seemed like fate was telling us that he would free our people.<br /><br />When the President and Congress took up health care reform, we were sure that they would finally eliminate the institutional bias, and we hoped that this historic anniversary in the disability community would be celebrated with historic change. Unfortunately, the President and Congress did not have the political will to make this happen. While we recognize that some gains were made, unlike any other class of Americans, our freedom remains a state option.<br /><br />It is, indeed, true that one of the tools we are using to help people leave institutions and move into the community is the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision, which is based on the requirements of the ADA, and it is true that President Obama's administration has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to enforcing the Olmstead decision. But such efforts are transitory.<br /><br />We have seen, during the last 20 years, that new administrations have their own priorities, and although there may now be a commitment to enforce the Olmstead decision, the pendulum will ultimately swing back in the other direction. We also know that the gains we may make in the courts are hard-fought, slow, and constantly subject to attack.<br /><br />Even right now, as many in the disability community commemorate the ADA's anniversary, the Attorney General in Connecticut is coordinating legal efforts by the states to fight against some of the recent gains we have made in court which will allow more of our people to live in freedom. Ironically, the deadline for states to join the effort is just one day after the anniversary, July 27th.<br /><br />In America, freedom shouldn't ever be optional, but - in fact - for us it is. While federal Medicaid rules require states to pay for institutional placement, community-based alternatives are state options and continually subject to elimination in state budget cuts. It is ironic that as we celebrate a civil rights victory that is 20 years old, our freedom is becoming even more precarious and the situation becoming more dire. States, facing record budget shortfalls, are cutting the services that support community living options for seniors and persons with disabilities. These budget cuts force people into unwanted placement, stealing from them much of what is most precious: their homes, their families and their freedom.<br /><br />Some people have moved across the country to a different state to get supports and services to live outside of the institution. There, they have been able to share in the promise of the ADA, but many people don't know about the services available in other states or simply might not be able to make the journey on this modern underground railroad.<br /><br />But as long as community services are only an option, those who have escaped to freedom cannot escape the fear. No place is safe because their freedom can easily disappear at the whim of state policy makers. They will be called upon to help solve their state's budget crisis by sacrificing their freedom, home and lives.<br /><br />We all need to recognize that through personal circumstance or state policy change any of us can lose our freedom. No one in our community is exempt. No one is safe. No one in our community can afford to be comfortable, but it is also our hope that - from this discomfort - the disability community will be mobilized to take action and, together, we will build on a 20-year legacy to address this injustice.<br /><br />Our movement isn't about the civil rights for some of us; it is about the freedom of all of us. We cannot wait any longer. ADAPT asks you, during this ADA 20th anniversary celebration, to recommit your energy to ending the institutional bias during the next Congress. The time is now to end the institutional bias and FREE OUR PEOPLE!<br /><br />Sincerely, The ADAPT CommunityUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-66955530714608695542010-07-25T14:46:00.000-07:002010-07-25T14:48:02.576-07:00New York Times Covers Cuts to Home ServicesJuly 16, 2010<br /><br />Cuts in Home Care Put Elderly and Disabled at Risk<br /><br />By <a class="meta-per" title="More Articles by John Leland" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/john_leland/index.html?inline=nyt-per">JOHN LELAND</a><br /><br />HILLSBORO, Ore. — As states face severe budget shortfalls, many have cut home-care services for the elderly or the disabled, programs that have been shown to save states money in the long run because they keep people out of nursing homes.<br /><br />Since the start of the recession, at least 25 states and the District of Columbia have curtailed programs that include meal deliveries, housekeeping aid and assistance for family caregivers, according to the <a title="Center’s Web site." href="http://www.cbpp.org/">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities</a>, a research organization. That threatens to reverse a long-term trend of enabling people to stay in their homes longer.<br /><br />For Afton England, who lives in a trailer home here, the news came in a letter last week: Oregon, facing a $577 million deficit, was cutting home aides to more than 4,500 low-income residents, including her. Ms. England, 65, has diabetes, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, arthritis and other health problems that prevent her from walking or standing for more than a few minutes at a time.<br /><br />Through a state program, she has received 45 hours of assistance a month to help her bathe, prepare meals, clean her house and shop. The program had helped make Oregon a model for helping older and disabled people remain in their homes.<br /><br />But state legislators say home care is a service the state can no longer afford. Cuts affecting an additional 10,500 people are scheduled for Oct. 1.<br /><br />For more, see: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/us/21aging.html?_r=3&th&emc=th">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/us/21aging.html?_r=3&th&emc=th</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-34640630073405817002010-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:002010-06-27T15:01:26.914-07:00Via Steve Gold:<br /><br />"Forced Institutionalization of People With Disabilities Is Illegal" - <br />DOJ and Federal Court Ruling. <br /><br />By Gail Zoppo - Jun 25, 2010 reprinted from DiversityInc. <br /><br />The U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, Fla., ruled this week that <br />Michele Haddad must be provided with services that will allow her to stay <br />in her home. Haddad, who has a spinal-cord injury caused by a motorcycle <br />accident with a drunk driver three years ago, was at risk of being forced <br />into a nursing home because of changes in her caregiver situation. <br />Although the 49-year-old woman has been on the waiting list for Medicaid <br />community-based waiver services for two years and had alerted the state of <br />her need, she was told that the requested services would only be available <br />if she was admitted to a nursing home for 60 days.<br /><br />In Haddad v. Arnold, the plaintiff argued that she would suffer <br />irreparable harm if forced to enter a nursing home.<br /><br />The court agreed, ordering the state to offer Haddad community-based <br />services. The reason: Segregating people with disabilities is a form of <br />discrimination, as found in Olmstead v. L.C. This landmark <br />disability-rights decision determined that isolating people with <br />disabilities in institutional settings deprives them of the opportunity to <br />participate in their communities, interact with individuals who don't have <br />disabilities and make daily choices. The ruling also acknowledged that <br />unnecessary institutionalization stigmatizes people with disabilities.<br /><br />The Olmstead decision, which marks its 11th anniversary this week, is not <br />the first such case that the U.S Department of Justice has filed briefs. <br />The DOJ is involved in several other cases in Illinois and New Jersey, as <br />part of its mission to end discrimination against people with <br />disabilities.<br /><br />"In the Olmstead case, the court recognized that the unnecessary <br />segregation of individuals with disabilities stigmatizes those individuals <br />as unworthy of participation in community life," stated Assistant Attorney <br />General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez. "By supporting Ms. <br />Haddad in this case, we seek to ensure that individuals with disabilities <br />can receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate, where <br />they can participate in their communities, interact with individuals who <br />do not have disabilities and make their own day-to-day choices."<br /><br />The Department of Justice's involvement in these cases reinforce the Obama <br />administration's national efforts to protect the rights of all people.<br /><br />"This work is a priority for the Civil Rights Division, and we are <br />committed to aggressive enforcement of Olmstead so that we can build upon <br />progress made over the last 11 years," said Perez earlier this week. "But <br />our work is only one piece of a larger, administration-wide effort to make <br />the promise of Olmstead a reality for individuals with disabilities <br />nationwide. Real reform requires a holistic approach. As a lifelong public <br />servant, I recognize that the most vexing problems a government faces are <br />those that require unprecedented interagency collaboration and <br />coordination. The unnecessary and illegal institutionalization of <br />individuals with disabilities who would be better served, and better able <br />to contribute to their communities, if they were provided services in <br />integrated settings, is one of those problems."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-14023306725469869622010-06-27T07:49:00.000-07:002010-06-27T07:57:43.633-07:00Back in the SaddleADAPT and Defending Our Freedom is happy to announce that we are back in the blog saddle after some time out of commission. Expect to see new updates on our struggle for community choice! We have also recruited some helpers so the workload of posting posts is shared. Onward and upward...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-82465794355662513382010-04-26T05:27:00.000-07:002010-04-26T05:31:44.997-07:00Money Follows the Person in USA TodayNursing-home residents get aid to move out<br /><br />By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News<br /><br />PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Richard Hasselbach and Deborah Kadlec met in a nursing home and dreamed of a life together outside its walls.<br /><br />Their health conditions made living on their own a challenge: Hasselbach, 63, is disabled from a stroke and lost a leg to a blocked artery. Kadlec, 52, has multiple sclerosis. They both use wheelchairs and need help with basic chores such as bathing, cooking and remembering to take their medicines. Most of their relatives live in other states. <br /><br />Despite those obstacles, Hasselbach and Kadlec got their own apartment and a personal care aide last summer through the help of a federally funded program run by the state. The program, known as Money Follows the Person, is the nation's most ambitious effort to move people out of nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities. It aims to help them live on their own and also save tens of millions of dollars for Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled that pays for two-thirds of nursing home bills in the U.S.<br /><br />Nationally, nursing home care averages about $75,190 per patient each year. Care in the home, through such services as meals-on-wheels and daily visits by a health aide, averages $18,000 a year, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute. <br /><br />The program gives nursing home residents personal and financial help to live on their own or in small group settings, as well as payments for costs such as apartment security deposits, household furniture and alterations to make homes or cars accessible to the handicapped. <br /><br />Georgia is one of 29 states and the District of Columbia participating in Money Follows the Person. Its experience shows both early successes and an illustration of the program's slow start nationwide. Georgia had hoped to move 1,312 people from nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities by 2013. Through the end of last year, though, it had moved only 221.<br /><br />Combined goal: Moving 37,000 out <br /><br />Congress established Money Follows the Person in 2005, and states set a combined goal of moving out more than 37,000 residents from nursing homes and other facilities by 2013. Most states, including Georgia, started their programs in 2008. Two years later, just 5,774 residents have moved nationally.<br /><br />Most states are moving slowly for various reasons: problems finding affordable housing, resistance from nursing homes and stringent federal rules that limit who is eligible and what types of community settings they can move into, according to a study by Mathematica, a Princeton, N.J.-based think tank that is evaluating the program for the federal government. <br /><br />For more, see <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-04-21-nursing-homes_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-04-21-nursing-homes_N.htm</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-21047304123749445902010-04-26T04:46:00.000-07:002010-04-26T04:48:08.725-07:00North Carolina Faces In Home Services CutsProposed N.C. budget has personal impact<br />Posted: April 22<br />Updated: April 23<br /><br />Born with cerebral palsy, Valerie Harper is paralyzed on her right side. Swollen limbs and severe arthritis, she says, cause her constant pain.<br /><br />"I can't stand very long. I can't walk that far," Harper, 51, said Thursday.<br /><br />Yet, she lives on her own, with the help of an aide who comes in two to three hours a day, five to six days a week, to assist with day-to-day tasks such as fixing meals, dressing and bathing.<br /><br />"She's really like a part of me," Harper said.<br /><br />But proposed budget cuts could leave Harper and thousands of others who qualify for a state-funded program called In-Home Personal Care Services without that extra help they need to live independently.<br /><br />Gov. Bev Perdue's $19 billion spending plan, which includes cutting about $386 million from the Department of Health and Human Services' budget, recommends eliminating the program and creating a new one for adults with the most severe needs.<br /><br />Patient advocates say the move would force thousands of people from their homes and into state facilities, where the cost of care is more expensive.<br /><br />For the full story, go to: <a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7470899/">http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7470899/</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-87826330682830235822010-04-24T06:19:00.000-07:002010-04-24T06:22:04.114-07:00"It appears that in Texas there is no justice for sadists..."January 23, 2010 <br />Tom Perez<br />United States Department of Justice<br />Criminal Investigation Division<br />P.O. Box 66018<br />Washington D.C. 20035-6018 <br /><br />Dear Mr. Perez, <br /><br />On behalf of Community Now! a Texas statewide advocacy group with a mission to support people with disabilities to live in their communities please accept this sincere and critical request to investigate numerous former Texas state employees who committed horrific acts of violence against residents of several state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. Upon investigation and if warranted, we sincerely request that those individuals found guilty of criminal acts be charged by the DOJ with Hate Crimes against people with disabilities. It was recently reported in the Texas Tribune (note enclosed article) that since 2000, 75 former employees were fired because of confirmed Class 1 Abuse. This level of abuse is the most heinous and includes sexual and physical assault, murder and gross neglect. Of those 75 individuals, only two were incarcerated for their crimes. <br /><br />It appears that in Texas there is no justice for sadists who commit violent crimes against our most vulnerable and at risk citizens. The Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), the agency who operates these facilities points to Adult Protective Services, (APS) the agency that investigates abuse and neglect at these facilities. APS points to local law enforcement and local law enforcement points to the County Prosecutors and the Prosecutors do little to nothing with these cases. And with everyone pointing fingers at everyone else, people in these facilities are abused without accountability thus sending a clear message to other facility staff that you can get away with murder. <br /><br />Even with state institution reform legislation passed in the previous Texas Legislative Session (SB 643), it appears that the Ombudsman position with increased oversight authority of these facilities has not been appointed by Governor Perry and even with a network of Ombudsman, there is limited authority by the Texas Attorney General to investigate and prosecute state employees with confirmed Class 1 Abuse if the County Prosecutor is not willing to do so.<br /><br />As you most likely know, Texas entered into a settlement for numerous civil rights violations investigated by the DOJ CRIPPA division. Currently, the conditions of these facilities are being monitored by the DOJ. Hopefully something will come of this monitoring to ensure the safety of those who live in these facilities. <br /><br />Further, the hope is that the DOJ will ensure Olmstead is honored by closely monitoring the right of residents to leave the facility to live in the community upon their request. <br /><br />Let me be clear, I am not asking for any further investigation from the DOJ regarding CRIPPA. On behalf of Community Now! we strongly request the immediate investigation and charges of Hate Crimes against those perpetrators of these despicable crimes. I was provided your name by the leadership at the Regional Office of Civil Rights. If you are not the right person to make the decision to investigate these crimes, I implore you to forward this letter to the individual charged with leading Hate Crime investigations at the DOJ with all haste. And if this is not within the authority of the DOJ, please provide me with the contact information of the appropriate person and agency to contact. <br /><br />I look forward to your prompt response and immediate action to our requests. Thank you for your time and consideration. <br /><br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />David Wittie, President<br />2316 Bristol Street<br />Bryan, Texas 77802<br />512-577-8982 <br /><br />CC;<br />Governor Rick Perry<br />Lt. Governor David Dewhurst<br />United States Senator John Cornyn<br />United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison<br />United States Representative Lloyd Doggett<br />State Senator Jane Nelson<br />State Senator Steve Ogden<br />State Senator Jeff Wentworth<br />State Representative Abel Herrera<br />State Representative Larry Phillips<br />State Representative Patrick RoseUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-68086831083326483422010-04-24T06:17:00.000-07:002010-04-24T06:19:00.689-07:00State Budget in Kansas a Life and Death StruggleLives on the line in budget crisis, advocates for disabled say<br />By Scott Rothschild<br />April 16, 2010<br /><br />Topeka — For Kansans with disabilities, the fight over the state budget is a life and death struggle.<br /><br />Since 2009, 65 Kansans have died while on waiting lists for services that provide assistance in-home or in the communities, according to organizations that advocate on behalf of those with disabilities.<br /><br />“They did not die in dignity,” said Shannon Jones, executive director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas. “People are languishing. Reducing their quality of life does lead to their death without dignity,” she said.<br /><br />Because of plummeting tax revenues, Gov. Mark Parkinson in November ordered a 10-percent cut in Medicaid. Other social service spending was approved by legislators in February.<br /><br />That has left more than 4,300 people on waiting lists for services.<br />Parkinson, who has proposed a temporary state sales tax increase of 1 cent per dollar, and an increase in the cigarette tax, has vowed to restore the 10 percent Medicaid cut when the wrap up session of the Legislature starts April 28.<br /><br />But Parkinson has said he doubts there will be enough funding to take care of all those on the waiting list.<br /><br />“I think the best we can do is restore the Medicaid rates that I previously cut,” he said recently.<br /><br />For more, see <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/apr/16/lives-line-budget-crisis-advocates-disabled-say/?kansas_legislature">http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/apr/16/lives-line-budget-crisis-advocates-disabled-say/?kansas_legislature</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-34065918998347846102010-04-24T06:12:00.000-07:002010-04-24T06:16:51.488-07:00Young Alabamian Forced to Live in Nursing FacilitySome needs of Alabamians with disabilities unmet by state-funded programs<br />By The Associated Press<br />April 18, 2010, 7:31AM<br />Written by Michelle Rupe Eubanks -- The Times Daily in Florence<br /><br />FLORENCE -- Haylee Cain doesn't belong where she lives.<br /><br />At 21, she's a spirited and vivacious Crimson Tide fan, thinks wrestler John Cena is the best thing ever, and loves logging on to social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to catch up with friends.<br /><br />But because she has cerebral palsy, Haylee lives in a nursing home.<br /><br />The state of Alabama offers little or no services for people like Haylee, those with potentially debilitating physical ailments who are over the age of 21 and with an IQ of more than 70. One reason for the dearth in care, according to state and local officials, is that there is no money available to support an organization that would provide around-the-clock care or organized day programs.<br /><br />"It's an issue we talk about. What happens when someone turns 21?" said Kerry Boswell, executive director for the Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services in Montgomery.<br /><br />He offers little hope the situation will change in the near future.<br /><br />For more, see <a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20100418/APN/1004180506">http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20100418/APN/1004180506</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-83364727202873444142010-04-24T04:49:00.000-07:002010-04-24T04:54:00.934-07:00Missouri Looks to Reduce In Home ServicesBill cutting in-home care moves forward in Missouri Senate<br /><br />By Michael Bushnell and Rebecca Berg, State Capitol Bureau<br />April 20, 2010<br /><br />JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Senate advanced a bill Monday that would reduce in-home services for those on the state's Medicaid program, over the objections of some Senators who said it would cut benefits without saving money.<br /><br />Legislative staff estimated the bill, as written, would save the state $11 million in 2011. Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, who sponsored the bill, said this would be achieved in part by reducing reimbursements to those on Medicaid and allowing the state to privatize its assessments of who is eligible for in-home health care.<br /><br />Currently, the state's health department is responsible for all assessments.<br />As of September, 42,827 Missourians on Medicaid received some kind of in-home health care treatment. Dempsey said reducing services is just one step towards balancing the state's budget, a process he said Gov. Jay Nixon made more painful.<br /><br />For more, see <a href="http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/apr/20/bill-cutting-home-care-moves-forward-missouri-sena/">http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/apr/20/bill-cutting-home-care-moves-forward-missouri-sena/</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187688042769050938.post-65079451592413396822010-04-22T11:50:00.000-07:002010-04-22T11:52:58.440-07:00Money Follows the Person in USA TodayNursing-home residents get aid to move out<br /><br />By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News<br /><br />PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Richard Hasselbach and Deborah Kadlec met in a nursing home and dreamed of a life together outside its walls.<br /><br />Their health conditions made living on their own a challenge: Hasselbach, 63, is disabled from a stroke and lost a leg to a blocked artery. Kadlec, 52, has multiple sclerosis. They both use wheelchairs and need help with basic chores such as bathing, cooking and remembering to take their medicines. Most of their relatives live in other states.<br /><br />Despite those obstacles, Hasselbach and Kadlec got their own apartment and a personal care aide last summer through the help of a federally funded program run by the state. The program, known as Money Follows the Person, is the nation's most ambitious effort to move people out of nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities. It aims to help them live on their own and also save tens of millions of dollars for Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled that pays for two-thirds of nursing home bills in the U.S.<br /><br />For the rest of this excellent article, plus statistical resources, see <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-04-21-nursing-homes_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-04-21-nursing-homes_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0