DISABILITY INTEL

Disability Intel on Twitter

2010-12-16T09:33:00.000-06:00

Disability Intel has moved to Twitter! Please visit https://twitter.com/disabilityintel to follow Disability Intel.

White House Begins Monthly Disability Calls

2010-11-30T13:21:00.000-06:00

The White House Disability Group is now hosting MONTHLY DISABILITY CALLS, during which the public can call in to hear updates on a variety of disability-related issues.

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE DISABILITY GROUP:

In order to help keep you more informed, we are beginning in December to host monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the federal government. We strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly so that anyone who wants to participate can do so.

Our first call will be this Friday, December 3, at 11:00 AM Eastern. The conference call information is below:
Dial in: (800) 230-1092
Title: Disability Call (use instead of code)
Date of Call: 12/03/10
Start Time: 11:00 AM Eastern

For live captioning, at time of call, log onto:
http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1663465&CustomerID=321

FCC Upgrades 911 Emergency Capabilities

2010-11-29T10:30:00.000-06:00

From Disability.gov-- The Federal Communication Commissions (FCC) plans to upgrade the capabilities of the 9-1-1 emergency system by allowing texting, video streaming and data sharing as part of the National Broadband Plan's Next Generation 9-1-1.

Many people, particularly those with disabilities, depend on texting as their primary means of communication. In some emergency situations -- especially in circumstances where a call could further jeopardize someone’s life and safety -- texting is the only way to reach out for help.

For more information: http://www.disability.gov/technology/news_%26_events

ADD Summits Still Open for Registration

2010-11-10T13:16:00.000-06:00

From the NRCA Capitol Insider--
There are three remaining summits sponsored by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD). The Agency is seeking input on the following questions:

What do children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) need to live happy lives with their families?
What do adults with IDD need to live meaningful lives in their communities?
What do seniors with IDD need to live long, healthy lives in their homes?

Visit http://www.envision2010.net/registration_about.php to register to participate via telephone or in person: on November 15 in Dallas, TX; December 2 in Detroit, MI; or December 6 in Denver, CO.

ADD oversees the programs created by the Developmental Disabilities Act:
1) Protection and Advocacy Systems (P & As)
2) Councils on Developmental Disabilities (DD Councils)
3) University Centers for Excellence in Development Disabilities (UCEDs)
4) Projects of National Significance

Reduced Costs for People with Pre-Existing Med Conditions

2010-11-10T13:13:00.000-06:00

From the NRCA Capitol Insider-- The Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) announced that it would be reducing premium rates for uninsured people with pre-existing medical conditions to join temporary high risk pools.

HHS will lower premiums by about 20 percent in 2011 for the 23 states participating in the federal government run Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan and asked the states running their own programs to consider lowering their rates as well. The high risk pools are very important for people with disabilities who are frequently priced out of most private health insurance plans. The pools are intended to provide needed coverage until the health status non-discrimination provisions and the establishment of the health insurance exchanges take effect in 2014.

'Asylum' Haunted Houses Not Appropriate

2010-10-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA— Mental health and disability advocates around the country are expressing deep outrage at the inappropriateness of a Halloween attraction at the site of Pennhurst State Hospital, a former hospital and school for individuals with psychiatric and other disabilities located near Philadelphia. In years past, similar events have taken place the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia, the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio, and the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.

Pennhurst opened in 1908 but closed in 1987 following investigations revealing shocking levels of neglect and abuse. The Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance, a group whose membership includes individuals who once lived in various institutional settings, seeks to preserve the institution as a “catalyst for awareness”.

Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness says, "This whole sort of trend to have haunted asylums is both discouraging and very, very inappropriate", while the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia said “… this haunted house threatens to exploit the tragedy at Pennhurst for cheap thrills”. J. Bruce Hulick, who is the executive director of ARC of Philadelphia, wants Pennhurst to be “… a dignified remembrance, not an amusement."

In defense of the haunted house, Pennhurst Acquisition—the investment group that has owned the property since 2008— says, "By no means is our event a mockery of that. ... I would think the youth is smart enough to distinguish between the make-believe and the other.”

Haunted ‘Asylum’ At Site Of Former Institution Has Disability Advocates Cringing

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/09/15/haunted-house/10219/

HAUNTED ASYLUM: Mental health pros boo attraction at Pa. institution

http://thetandd.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/article_391952fa-cffa-11df-877b-001cc4c03286.html

Pennhurst Asylum Haunted House:

http://www.pennhurstasylum.com/flash/index.htm

In DOJ Settlement, Kerrville Texas Theater Made Accessible

2010-10-26T14:41:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the city of Kerrville, Texas, and Playhouse 2000 to bring the Cailloux Theater into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The settlement agreement resolves an investigation following a complaint filed by a person with a disability against the theater. The theater underwent significant alterations in 2003. The ADA requires that alterations to the theater should have been done so that that it is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

Under the agreement, the city of Kerrville, which owns the theater, and Playhouse 2000, which manages and operates the theater, will take the following steps to improve access to the theater, including:
-Provide a choice of accessible wheelchair seating locations with a choice of ticket prices;
-Provide fixed companion seats for all wheelchair seating locations;
-Provide accessible routes throughout the theater;
-Provide ADA-compliant signage;
-Implement an ADA-compliant reservations policy; and
-Pay $2,500 in damages to the complainant.

"Everyone should be able to enjoy the cultural experience of attending live theater, including persons with disabilities. We are pleased that the city of Kerrville and Playhouse 2000 are taking steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities are guaranteed full access to the Cailloux theater," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all activities of state and local government entities, and from being denied an equal opportunity to participate in or benefit from the goods and services of public accommodations. For more information about the ADA call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov/.

National Council on Disability Welcomes New Executive Director Aaron Bishop

2010-10-26T11:46:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON—National Council on Disability (NCD) Chairman Jonathan Young, announced today that Aaron Bishop of Washington, DC, will become NCD’s new Executive Director on November 15. NCD is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal officials and entities on all policies, programs, practices and procedures affecting people with disabilities. NCD’s mission is to further the goals enshrined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities.

According to Young, “NCD is delighted to have selected Aaron Bishop as its new Executive Director. Mr. Bishop, a well-respected disability advocate in his own right, comes to NCD directly from the United States Senate, where he has been on the Hill since 2003 and top disability policy adviser to Wyoming Senator Michael Enzi, who is the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions since 2005. His legislative background and disability expertise will be a very nice addition to the NCD staff. We look forward to working with Mr. Bishop. He holds great promise for NCD.”

“We also want to thank Joan Durocher for serving as NCD’s interim Executive Director until a permanent director could be chosen. Ms. Durocher has been promoted to NCD’s General Counsel and Director of Policy,” Young said.

New NRCA Capitol Insider Announcements

2010-10-26T11:43:00.000-05:00

Capitol Insider Announcements

Disability Rights Publication

Disability Rights Online News is the Department of Justice’s monthly newsletter covering civil rights developments across the country. The September issue includes summaries of ADA, Fair Housing, and National Voting Rights Act cases. See: http://www.ada.gov/disabilitynews.htm.

Disability Research Website

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a new website for the Center of Excellence for Research on Disability Services, Care Coordination and Integration. In May 2010, Office on Disability in HHS awarded Mathematica Policy Research Inc. a two–year, $7 million contract, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), to establish the center. The Center seeks to: identify and review evidence on effective services and care models; develop and prioritize critical research questions ; create unique linked datasets to help research these question; establish criteria and standards for assessing the effectiveness of services and models; and conduct original research that applies these standards. The Center’s website can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/disabilityresearch/index.html.

Education Commemoration

This November, in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) will host a celebration in Washington, D.C. OSERS is seeking input from people who have had a personal experience with IDEA or have witnessed its impact. As part of their celebration, OSERS is welcoming stories, poetry, photography, art work and video clips from individuals with disabilities , students, teachers, principals, researchers, parents, teacher trainers and others across the country for possible inclusion during the celebration. Submissions will be accepted through November 8, 2010 via: https://www.osep-meeting.org/idea35th/.

Presidential Proclamation--National Disability Employment Awareness Month

2010-10-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

WHITE HOUSE (FULL TEXT)-- As Americans, we understand employment and economic security are critical to fulfilling our hopes and aspirations. We also know we are stronger when our country and economy can benefit from the skills and talents of all our citizens. No individual in our Nation should face unnecessary barriers to success, and no American with a disability should be limited in his or her desire to work. During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we renew our focus on improving employment opportunities and career pathways that lead to good jobs and sound economic futures for people with disabilities.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights legislation that established a foundation of justice and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. In the two decades since its passage, much progress has been made. However, Americans with disabilities continue to be employed at a rate far below Americans without disabilities, and they are underrepresented in our Federal workforce.

My Administration is committed to ensuring people living with disabilities have fair access to jobs so they can contribute to our economy and realize their dreams. To help achieve this goal, I signed an Executive Order in July to increase Federal employment of individuals with disabilities. This directive requires Federal agencies to design model recruitment and hiring strategies for people with disabilities, and to implement programs to retain these public servants. To ensure transparency and accountability, agencies will report on their progress on hiring people with disabilities, and the Office of Personnel Management will post the results of agencies' efforts online for public evaluation. As the Nation's largest employer, the Federal Government can become a model employer by increasing employment across America of individuals with disabilities.

The 21st-century economy demands a highly educated workforce equipped with the technology and skills to maintain America's leadership in the global marketplace. Technology has changed the way we work, and the Federal Government is leveraging emerging, assistive, and other workplace technologies to improve the options available for everyone, including workers with disabilities. We must improve the accessibility of our workplaces and enable the collaboration and contributions of every employee, and that is why I look forward to signing into law the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. This legislation will greatly increase access to technology, with advances in areas such as closed captioning, delivery of emergency information, video description, and other advanced communications -- all essential tools for learning and working in today's technological society.

Individuals with disabilities are a vital and dynamic part of our Nation, and their contributions have impacted countless lives. People with disabilities bring immeasurable value to our workplaces, and we will continue to address the challenges to employment that must be overcome. This month, let us rededicate ourselves to fostering equal access and fair opportunity in our labor force , and to capitalizing on the talent, skills, and rich diversity of all our workers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2010 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I urge all Americans to embrace the unique value that individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces and communities and to promote everyone's right to employment.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.-- BARACK OBAMA

Capitol Insider Highlights

2010-09-30T14:36:00.000-05:00

Highlights from The Capitol Insider for the Week of September 27, 2010:

The ARC and UCP to Oppose CLASS Act Repeal
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced S. 3829, a bill to repeal the CLASS Act. Senators Chambliss (R- GA), Coburn (R-OK), Cornyn (R-TX), and McCain (R-AZ) joined as co-sponsors of the bill. The CLASS Act, part of the Affordable Care Act, creates a nationwide long term insurance program to assist people with long term service needs while avoiding the impoverishment necessary to receive Medicaid benefits. The Arc and UCP strongly supported passage of the CLASS Act and will oppose its repeal.

Obama to Sign "R" Word Elimination Bill
The House of Representatives passed Rosa’s Law (S. 2781), substituting the term “intellectual disabilities” for “mental retardation” in many federal laws. The bill is identical to the bill passed by the Senate earlier this year. President Obama will sign the bill into law soon. The terminology change does not affect eligibility or services available under the laws where the terminology is changed. This bill is a huge victory for self advocates and their families who have fought for years to remove the term “mental retardation”.

Expanding Assistance in Individuals with Autism
The House of Representatives passed HR 5756, The Training and Research for Autism Improvements Nationwide Act to amend Title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Act and Bill of Rights Act (The DD Act), expanding assistance to children and adults with autism. The bill would authorize $17 million grants to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) to provide training and services, and provide grants for up to four new UCEDDs that collaborate with minority institutions. The bill now does to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for consideration.

Previous issues of the Capitol Insider are available at www.ucp.org anytime by choosing "Capitol Insider" under "Public Policy." If you have any questions, please contact Annie Acosta at acosta@thedpc.org.

Stevie Wonder: Better Blind Access To Materials

2010-09-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

UN NEWS SERVICE –Stevie Wonder, a United Nations Messenger for Peace, called for improved access to copyright material for people with visual disabilities at the annual meeting of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Wonder said “… while I know that it is critical not to act to the detriment of the authors who labor to create the great works that enlighten and nourish our minds, hearts and souls, we must develop a protocol that allows the easy import and export of copyright materials so that people with print disabilities can join the mainstream of the literate world”.

Accessible copy-righted materials is a key topic at this year’s WIPO and the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry acknowledged the growing complexity of intellectual property concerns and technological innovations. WIPO recently opened WIPO Lex, an on-line global intellectual property reference resource on national intellectual property laws and treaties.

SOURCE:
UN Peace Messenger Stevie Wonder calls for copyright steps for the blind
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35998&Cr=WIPO&Cr1=#

RSA Announces Special Issue of American Rehabilitation

2010-09-10T14:24:00.000-05:00

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) has created a Special Edition of American Rehabilitation “Celebrating 90 Years: Creating Our Vision for 2020” in honor of the legacy of Mary E. Switzer and celebrating the partnerships that have contributed to the success of our profession.

This issue is available on both the CSAVR and NRA websites, as well as below:

American Rehabilitation Summer 2010.pdf
Accessible American rehabilitation Pub 2010-WORD.doc

DOT Fines AirTran for Disability Discrimination

2010-09-10T10:01:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has assessed a civil penalty of $500,000 against AirTran Airways for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities.

The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 requires airlines to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities in boarding and deplaning aircraft, including the use of wheelchairs, ramps, mechanical lifts or service personnel where needed. DOT found several violations of the requirement for boarding assistance. In addition, the carrier’s complaint files showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to complaints from passengers.

Recent EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuits

2010-08-31T15:14:00.000-05:00

FROM THE NRCA CAPITOL INSIDER-
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed two employment discrimination lawsuits under title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston. In the first lawsuit against ENGlobal Engineering, Inc., an energy engineering and professional services company, EEOC alleged the company fired an individual because it regarded him as having a disability. The employer insisted that the employee take a medical leave of absence when he began experiencing symptoms of multiple sclerosis even though he could still work. When the person returned to work with a doctor's clearance, ENGlobal falsely told him his position was no longer available. Three weeks later, the company hired someone else.

In the second employment discrimination lawsuit, EEOC alleged that DynMcDermott Petroleum Operations Company refused to hire someone who had previously worked for the company because his wife had cancer which the company felt would interfere with his ability to do his job. The company later hired someone with no experience for the position. Discrimination based on association with a person who has a disability is prohibited under title I of the ADA. See EEOC's press release at:
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/8-26-10.cfm

Call for 2011 ADARA Awards

2010-08-18T12:43:00.000-05:00

ADARA is calling for nominations for Biennial Awards to be presented at the 2011 Conference.

Boyce R. Williams Award is the highest award presented by ADARA in recognition of contributions toward improvement in the rehabilitation of people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Frederick C. Schreiber Award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding
contributions to ADARA.

Eugene W. Petersen Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary direct service provision in the rehabilitation of Deaf adults with additional handicapping conditions.

Legislative Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated contributions related to
legislative activities that benefit Deaf, Late Deafened, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind individuals.

The deadline for all nominations is December, 2010

Nominations are accepted from any member of ADARA. All nominees must be members of ADARA in order to be selected. All nominations must be submitted to Steve Hamerdinger via email at steve.hamerdinger@mh.alabama.gov , fax to 334.242.3025, or mail to Office of Deaf Services, Alabama Dept of Mental Health, PO Box 3011410, Montgomery, AL 36130.

20th Anniversay of the ADA Today

2010-07-26T13:12:00.000-05:00

The first National Disability Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. kicked off today, the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) and its partners. The landmark Act became law on July 26, 1990, signed by then President George H. W. Bush. ADA, you've come a long way, baby, but much work remains.

For an ADA Anniversay Toolkit, visit: http://sedbtac.org/ada/publications/ada_anniversary/index.php#packet

DOJ To Propose New ADA Rules

2010-07-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

The Justice Department will publish four new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) proposals addressing website accessibility, captioning and video description in movie theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and 9-1-1 emergency call centers accessibility. The Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for public comment will be published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2010. The new regulation proposals are needed to keep up with “...technological advances that were unimaginable 20 years ago,” according to Attorney General Eric Holder.

Visit http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/July/10-crt-850.html for the entire press release.

AG Holder Comments on ADA "Revolution"

2010-07-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

Attorney General Eric Holder spoke yesterday at the American Association of People with Disabilities “Justice for All” Event. He quoted past Attorney General Thornburgh, the AG when the ADA became law, noting the legislation has been “another emancipation, [recognizing] the right of people with disabilities to come into mainstream society – to come into the restaurant or the concert hall or house of worship or movie theater…or the workplace, and, above all, to long-term prospects for a future life of hope and achievement.” To read the full text of the speech, visit: http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2010/ag-speech-100721.html

New CRCC Category

2010-07-19T12:52:00.000-05:00

CRCC announces Category R - a new CRC Exam eligibility category providing increased opportunity for CRC certification. Category R expands certification eligibility through the attainment of a post-graduate advanced certificate or degree in lieu of a second Master's degree in Counseling or Rehabilitation Counseling.

Qualified individuals with advanced degrees in thirteen areas of study may be eligible to sit for the CRC Exam upon completion of an integrated program of study focused on rehabilitation counseling coursework and having demonstrated acceptable employment experience. Further details on Category R can be found on pages 9-10 of the CRC Certification Guide. The category is similar to the previous "D4" category phased out by CRCC several years ago.

Summer Break

2010-06-24T13:26:00.000-05:00

Disability Intel will be summer break until July 15, 2010.

Thank you for your readership, and please continue to follow DI on Twitter!!

New Report On Closing the Digital Divide

2010-05-25T19:56:00.000-05:00

For several years, scholars and pundits alike have used the term "digital divide" to describe the technology access differential between individuals of varying socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups. But people with disabilities also face a digital divide in access, despite the transformational effects technology can have in their lives.

FROM MOBILE FUTURE COALITION:

The Mobile Future Coalition just released an important report on wireless technology, and how it is being used every by Americans with disabilities entitled "Mobile Ability: The Transformational Impact of Wireless Innovation for People with Disabilities". Here are a few of the highlights:

* For the nation’s 37 million adults who experience trouble hearing, new technologies have the capacity to translate spoken word into text in real time.

* For those who have difficulty seeing, new mobile apps can use smartphone cameras to scan labels and announce the contents of grocery items, their nutrition labels, and even pill bottles.

* For the 6 to 8 million Americans who have problems speaking, there are many low- or no-cost cell phone apps that convey typed words into audible speech.

The full report is available here:
http://www.mobilefuture.org/content/pages/mobile_ability

2010-04-29T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers, have you heard about Steve Wampler? He will be the first man with Cerebral Palsy to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan. Mr. Wampler is climbing to raise funds for his wilderness camps for children with physical disabilities. Read his story at: http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/04/27/man-with-cerebral-palsy-to-climb-yosemites-el-capitan/

Thanks to Jenny at TakePart.com for sharing Steve Wampler’s story. TakePart.com is an independent online community that connects its members to the social, environmental, political and cultural issues of our day.

CNN: Parents with Disabilities

2010-04-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

For several days, CNN has been running a series of stories about parenting with disabilities. The network is also soliciting “iReports” from families in which one or both parents have disabilities. Despite using non-person-first language, the reports have been for the most part interesting and insightful. In the disability community, parenting with a disability is certainly not new; for many people it’s not news-worthy, it’s just life. What are YOUR thoughts? Do stories like those on CNN promote disability, diversity, and inclusion? Or, are they unnecessarily sensational?

Visit: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/21/parents.disabilities/index.html?hpt=C1
to read the stories and see the videos.

School District Approves Anti-Bullying Books with Disability Themes

2010-04-20T09:17:00.001-05:00

In California, the Alameda School District approved has just approved a new reading list of 21 books focused on themes such as disability, religion, race, and sexual orientation to help elementary students learn about groups who face discrimination and stereotyping. The effort is aimed a reducing bullying, especially of individuals from potentially vulnerable groups and minorities.

The approved list is not without controversy, however, as some parents raised concerns about the inclusion of books related to sexual orientation. Nonetheless, Patricia Sanders, President of the Alameda Education Association supports the approval.

SOURCE:

“Alameda school board approves books to help curb bullying”

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_14911424

CAREERS & the disABLED Mag Gives Kudo to Walgreens

2010-04-15T17:09:00.000-05:00

DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS (BUSINESS WIRE) – CAREERS & the disABLED magazine has selected Walgreens as it’s private employer of the year for Walgreen’s commitment to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities.

Recently, Walgreen’s launched a disability employment program in conjunction with the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), with a commitment to hire people with disabilities for at least 10% of all service clerk openings in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas areas stores. CAREERS & the disABLED magazine publisher John Miller, says "We are pleased to name Walgreens for its commitment to recruit, hire and promote people with disabilities."

Senate Hold on NCD Nominee with Autism

2010-03-30T13:04:00.000-05:00

An anonymous Senate member has placed a “hold” on President Obama's nomination of Ari Ne'eman (pronounced NAYmen) to the National Council on Disability (NCD). The hold prevents the nomination from being sent to the Senate floor for a vote. Mr. Ne'eman , the 22 year old founder of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, has Autism and is high-functioning. When—and if— confirmed, he will be the first person with Autism to serve on the NCD.

Some critics are concerned about Ne'eman's youth and lack of experience, but others have more specific concerns. Jonathan Shestack, co-founder of Autism Speaks, a group dedicated to financing cure-based Autism research and the largest Autism advocacy group in the US, says about Ne’eman, “…he doesn’t seem to represent, understand or have great sympathy for all the people who are truly, deeply affected in a way that he isn’t”. Ne’eman has also organized protests over one of the group’s fund-raising videos.

The Senate recently confirmed President Obama’s other seven NCD nominees.

SOURCES:

Ari Ne’eman and the Controversy Over an Autism Cure

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/03/29/ari-ne-eman-and-the-controversy-over-an-autism-cure.aspx

Nominee to Disability Council Is Lightning Rod for Dispute on Views of Autism

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/health/policy/28autism.html

National Council on Disability Nominees

2010-03-17T08:41:00.000-05:00

FROM THE NRCA/ARC/UCP NEWSLETTER:
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced last week the Committee had approved nominations to fill positions at the National Council on Disability and other federal agencies. The nominees now move to the full Senate for confirmation.

The nominees for NCD membership are:

Gary Blumenthal of Massachusetts
Chester Alonzo Finn of New York
Sara A. Gelser of Oregon
Ari Ne'eman of Maryland
Dongwoo Joseph Pak of California
Carol Jean Reynolds of Colorado
Fernando Torres-Gill of California
Jonathan M. Young of Maryland

2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games Open

2010-03-15T13:01:00.000-05:00

The 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games, one of the largest global athletic events, began March 12 and continue through March 21. This year, about 600 athletes from 40 different countries are competing for medals this year. In the photo (right), Canadian cross-country skier Colette Bourgonje wins Canada's first 2010 Paralymic medal finishing with a silver in the 10km sitting event.

According to the Summit Daily News in Breckenridge, Colorado, NBC will run a two-hour highlights show on April 10 at 1:00 PM, while Universal Sports will broadcast a nightly two-hour show for nine straight nights from March 15 through March 23 at 4:00 PM, repeating at 9:00 PM. To see if you have Universal Sports coverage, visit http://www.universalsports.com/.
Paralympic Sport TV will also broadcast live and delayed coverage on http://www.paralympicsport.tv/. For additional information visit http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games.

Director James Cameron Called to Start Disability Conversation

2010-03-07T16:56:00.000-06:00

Readers, I want to share with you an article by Anna Mai Bertelsen, who blogged today about “Why James Cameron Should Start of Conversation on Disabilities” on today’s Huffington Post. Ms. Bertelsen posits that societally, we engage in a “don’t’ ask, don’t’ tell” de facto policy about disabilities that creates such an encompassing avoidance of things disability that people with disabilities are sidelined from a many if not most of the opportunities that enrich the lives of people without disabilities. She then calls on James Cameron, director of the blockbuster movie Avatar, an action-hero movie in which a character with paraplegia is the lead, to start a conversation about disability and break through the “don’t ask, don’t tell” barrier.

Ms. Bertelsen closes with a challenge the director to “…do something about the lack of chatter. Start it. You have the stage. Break our own version of "don't ask, don't tell." Share your story of creating a solution. Encourage the audience and your Hollywood counterparts to be part of the conversation. Talk to us. Look at us. Ask questions. And, then, let's innovate, invest and include.”

LINK: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-mai-bertelsen/why-james-cameron-should_b_487160.html

Today is National Spread the Word to End the Word Day

2010-03-03T13:13:00.000-06:00

Condensed Release From the Office of Texas State Senator Judith Zaffirini--

Wednesday (March 3) is National “Spread the Word to End the Word” Awareness Day, offering us a rich opportunity to focus on using respectful language for persons with intellectual disabilities by eliminating the “R-word.”

Our efforts were bolstered recently when an American Psychiatric Association review panel unveiled proposed revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, an influential guidebook in the mental health field. One recommended change favored by the panel is particularly overdue: eliminating all variations of the word "retarded" and replacing them with respectful language referencing persons with intellectual disabilities...

To find out how you can help promote respectful language, visit http://www.r-word.org/. More than 70,000 persons have visited the site and pledged to support eliminating the R-word in their everyday speech.

Joan Durocher New Interim Head of NCD

2010-03-01T14:37:00.000-06:00

WAHINGTON, DC-- Joan M. Durocher is the new interim Executive Director of the National Council on Disability. She will serve through September 11, 2010 or until NCD appoints a permanent Executive Director is appointed.

NCD is a federal agency charged with making recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families.

Joan Durocher has served NCD for over eight years, most recently as a Senior Attorney Advisor. She has managed NCD products with wide-ranging impact, such as “Foreign Policy and Disability: Legislative Strategies and Civil Rights Protections to Ensure Inclusion of People with Disabilities” and “Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.

For a more detailed description of Ms. Durocher’s accomplishment and qualifications, please visit: http://www.ncd.gov/ or contact NCD's Director of Public Affairs, Mark S. Quigley, at mailto:mquigley@ncd.gov_ or 202-272-2004.

SOURCE: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-council-on-disability-announces-executive-director-interim-85829247.html

New Conditions Added to SSA Compassionate Allowance List

2010-02-17T15:07:00.000-06:00

On February 11, the Social Security Administration announced an addition of 38 new conditions to its list of conditions for the Compassionate Allowance (CA) initiative, including early onset Alzheimer's.

The initiative makes it possible for SSA to expedite favorable disability decisions for people who apply for disability benefits based on documented diagnosis of listed disabling conditions. The initiative not only assists those whose applications are quickly processed, but also assists those whose applications need more time and attention from SSA adjudicators because staff time is freed up to address the applications which need more time.

For a copy of the press release and a list of the 38 new conditions, see:
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/cal021110-pr.html

Abuse Prevention Passes House Committee

2010-02-04T21:18:00.000-06:00

Readers,

In a follow-up to yesterday's post, I'm sharing with you excerpts of the Congressional press release on the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4227). This news is great news!!

To see Chairman Miller’s opening statement on video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dADmiyJNU34

To read the most recent markup page with the roll call votes, visit: http://edlabor.house.gov/markups/2010/02/preventing-harmful-restraint-a.shtml

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Education and Labor Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to make classrooms safer for students and school staff by preventing the misuse of restraint and seclusion. The Committee passed the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4227) by a vote of 34 to 10.

A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released last spring exposed hundreds of cases of schoolchildren being abused as a result of inappropriate uses of restraint and seclusion, often involving untrained staff. In some cases, children died. A disproportionate number of these victims were students with disabilities. In some of the cases GAO investigated, ropes, duct tape, chairs with straps and bungee cords were used to restrain or isolate young children.

“This bill makes clear that there is no place in our schools for abuse and torture,” saidU.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “The egregious abuse of a child should not be considered less criminal because it happens in a classroom -- it should be the opposite. I’m proud that this bill has bipartisan support and I hope the full House will vote on it soon.”...

... The Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act will, for the first time, put in place minimum safety standards to prevent abusive restraint and seclusion in schools across the country, similar to protections already in place in medical and community based facilities. After two years, states will need to have their own policies in place to meet these minimum standards. It would apply to public schools, private schools and preschools receiving federal education support. Specifically the legislation would:

· Limit physical restraint and locked seclusion, allowing these interventions only when there is imminent danger of injury, and only when imposed by trained staff;

· Outlaw mechanical restraints, such as strapping kids to chairs, and prohibit restraints that restrict breathing;

· Require schools to notify parents after incidents when restraint or seclusion was used;

· Encourage states to provide support and training to better protect students and prevent the need for emergency behavioral interventions; and

· Increase transparency, oversight and enforcement tools to prevent future abuse.

The legislation embodies principles outlined by the Obama administration in December. It has the support of nearly 100 organizations, including the National School Boards Association, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers. See a full list of supporters here: http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2010/01/supporters-of-the-preventing-h.shtml.

(End Excerpt)

For more information, please visit:

http://edlabor.house.gov

House Ed and Labor Committee Considers Abuse Legislation

2010-02-03T19:17:00.001-06:00

Readers,

Related to DI's ongoing concerns about the use of restraint and seclusion with children with disabilities, I am sharing a guest blog written by Representative Joe Courtney for the House Education and Labor Committee's blog. Tomorrow, Thursday, February 4th, the House Education and Labor Committee considers legislation to protect children from harmful uses of restraint and seclusion in schools. For more information, visit: http://edlabor.house.gov/

Rep. Joe Courtney: Congress Must Make Schools Safe Havens for Children

(This is a guest blog post by Rep. Joe Courtney, Education and Labor Committee Member.)

In 1998, the Hartford Courant earned a Pulitzer Prize for a series of stories on the use of restraint and seclusion tactics on students with disabilities in treatment facilities. The tales of children who were injured, or in some cases, died, shocked parents and educators across the country. As a parent of two, I was among those who were horrified. While previous Congresses passed legislation to reduce this abuse in treatment facilities, no federal laws were ever created to protect children from dangerous physical restraint in schools.

In 2009, the House Committee on Education and Labor, of which I am a member, held hearings on the use of seclusion and restraint. The testimony we heard from various experts was disturbing and signaled that Congress must act expeditiously to end once and for all seclusion and restraint. The most powerful testimony came from parents whose children were killed or severely injured as a result of dangerous restraint techniques.

In response to those stories, and the countless cases in which children have been injured or died, Education and Labor Chairman George Miller introduced the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act. I am a proud cosponsor of this bipartisan bill, which I believe will accomplish a number of important goals.

The proposal wisely bans the use of chemical or mechanical restraint and will prohibit the use of physical restraint or seclusion as a disciplinary measure. As experts throughout the medical and educational field have testified, the use of these harsh methods of controlling a child must never be utilized unless an imminent danger to a child or staff exists. Furthermore, this legislation ensures accountability and transparency, requiring that parents and school officials be notified immediately when an incident occurs. The bill requires data collection when restraint techniques are used to ensure that incidents are recorded and later used to establish best practices. We must continue to promote training for staff, and this valuable information will increase awareness to avoid future tragedies.

Tomorrow, the Committee will consider the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act. I look forward to working with Chairman Miller and my colleagues on the Committee to pass this legislation and to ensure that our schools are safe havens for children and staff.

Blind UCLA Grad Can Use AT for Bar Exam

2010-02-01T15:36:00.000-06:00

SAN FRANCISCO- Northern District of California Judge Charles Breyer ruled in favor of Stephanie Enyart, a Blind graduate of the UCLA Law School, who will be allowed to use her preferred assistive technology on her upcoming Bar exam in late February. The National Conference of Bar Examiners previously denied her request due to concerns that the integrity of the text could be compromised. The Bar also noted that Federal disability law "does not require testing organizations to provide disabled examinees with their preferred accommodations." Nonetheless, the judge ruled Enyart’s request reasonable, noting she the Bar should permit her to use the assistive technology she is accustomed to. Ms. Enyart is currently employed with

SOURCES:
Disability Rights Advocates, an organization based in Berkeley, California. Court Rules in Favor of Visually-Impaired Grad
http://www.dailycal.org/article/108028/court_rules_in_favor_of_visually-impaired_grad
Sounds Fair: Court Says Blind Law Student Can Use Software For Blind On Bar Exam
http://www.businessinsider.com/court-says-blind-law-student-can-use-software-for-blind-test-takers-for-bar-exam-2010-2
Blind student wins computer aid for bar examhttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/30/BARA1BPRQF.DTL

ADA Pioneer Justin Dart Memorialized with Giant Puppet

2010-01-25T13:52:00.000-06:00

DETROIT-- According to Abilities Buzz, Detroit-based Matrix Theatre Company is creating a giant street puppet of Justin Dart, well known disability advocate and “father" of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Matrix Theatre Company already has other activists memorialized through giant puppets, including Martin Luther King, Ceaser Chavez and Mother Jones.

The Dart puppet will ready in time to mark the 20th anniversary of the ADA, and debuts during the U.S. Social Forum June 22-26. Chicago’s 7th Annual Disability Pride Parade on July 24 will also feature the puppet. Donations to the Justin Dart Puppet Project can be made directly through Facebook.

For more Abilities Buzz, visit http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/Buzz13.html#6

Haiti Earthquake- Crush Syndrome Likely Cause of Significant Disability

2010-01-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

Haitian earthquake survivors are now experiencing increased rates of Crush Syndrome, a sometimes deadly result of earthquake-induced injuries.

Two to 15% of earthquake survivors in Haiti are likely to develop Crush Syndrome. Half of those survivors are likely to develop acute kidney failure. About 50% of those individuals will need dialysis.[1]
Crush Syndrome is unusual in American and European medical practice,[2] and it is unlikely Western medical doctors assisting in Haiti will have extensive experience with the condition.
Haitian rescue and medical personnel are unlikely to be able to meet the immediate, in-the-field or longer term management needs of survivors with Crush Syndrome due to extensive damage to facilities and lack of equipment.
Haitian health services need immediate support with IV triage units for trapped survivors and long term support through mobile dialysis units.

BACKGROUND:
Crush injuries and crush syndrome are common following entrapment in a structural collapse. Crush injury is “compression of extremities or other parts of the body that causes muscle swelling and/or neurological disturbances”. Lower extremity injuries account for most crush injuries (74%), with injuries to the upper extremities (10%), and torso (9%) are less typical.[3]

Crush Syndrome includes localized crush injury along with systemic effects, first described in 1941 after study of London aerial bombing survivors.[4] Crushing lasting more than 1 hour and/or sudden release of a crushed body part can cause the syndrome which includes rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which crushed muscles break down and release toxic muscle cell components into the blood resulting in kidney failure, heart rhythm abnormalities, metabolic abnormalities, and other organ dysfunctions.[5] When infections or other medical conditions complicate crush-related kidney failure, the mortality rate is near 55%.

Best practices for crush injuries in the field pre-hospital including providing intravenous fluids (IV) before releasing the crushed body part, especially if entrapment has been longer than 4 hours. Failure to recognize and treat Crush Syndrome is common,[6] especially during rescue efforts by non-medical personnel, and typically increases the death rate.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/blastinjury-crush.asp
[2] Ian Greaves, Keith M. Porter, Consensus statement on crush injury and crush syndrome, Accident and Emergency Nursing, Volume 12, Issue 1, January 2004, Pages 47-52, ISSN 0965-2302, DOI: 10.1016/j.aaen.2003.05.001. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W9C-49NRK2N-1/2/f147366677d0977c277fd6e3e44963ba)
[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/blastinjury-crush.asp
[4] Bywaters and Beall, 1941. E.G.L. Bywaters and D. Beall, Crush injuries with impairment of renal function. BMJ 1 (1941), p. 427.
[5] Robert N. Reddix Jr., Robert A. Probe, Crush syndrome presenting three days after injury, Injury Extra, Volume 35, Issue 10, October 2004, Pages 73-75, ISSN 1572-3461, DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2004.05.027.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B7CRN-4CT5YWS-1/2/b0213b1dd1f037550884d0482ca99fb9)
[6] A. Hussain, H.C. Kwak, I. Pallister, Crush syndrome: A comprehensive surgical strategy improves outcomes, Injury Extra, Volume 38, Issue 4, April 2007, Pages 111-112, ISSN 1572-3461, DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2006.12.054. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B7CRN-4N4JNPB-12/2/1d74c6b122866766cf9b64a89900514e)

New SSA Campaign for Extra Help with Drug Costs

2010-01-13T11:28:00.000-06:00

On 08 January, Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, and Chubby Checker, Grammy Award winner, announced a new campaign about a “twist” in the law that makes it easier to qualify for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs.

Commissioner Astrue said, “The changes in the Medicare law that take effect this month will allow hundreds of thousands of Americans who are struggling to pay their prescription drug costs to get Extra Help during these tough economic times.” Rock and roll legend Checker’s promotion says, “Listen up, America! For 50 years, people of all ages and backgrounds have danced the Twist. “Now it’s important everyone learn about this new twist in the law…”

The Extra Help program provides assistance to more than 9 million seniors and people with disabilities, helping them save an average of about $4,000 a year on Medicare prescription drug plan costs.

To qualify , people must meet certain resource and income limits, but the new Medicare law eases those requirements in two ways: (1) It eliminates the cash value of life insurance from counting as a resource; (2) It eliminates the assistance people receive from others to pay for household expenses, such as food, rent, mortgage or utilities, from counting as income.

To learn more about the Extra Help program and to view the promotion featuring Chubby Checker, go to http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/ OR http://www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp

EEOC Jurisdiction for GINA Title II

2009-12-05T20:17:00.000-06:00

WASHINGTON, DC-- The recent US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission press release, “Historic Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Takes Effect”, explains the EEOC’s enforcement role and responsibilities under Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), marking the first legislative expansion of EEOC jurisdiction since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990.

GINA has critical implications for people with genetically-determined disabilities and people with family histories of genetic conditions. In particular, according to the EEOC, "an employer may never use genetic information to make an employment decision because genetic information doesn't tell the employer anything about someone's current ability to work."

The US EEOC website has a number of other disability-related features and information, too. For information on “Pandemic Preparedness (H1N1) in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act, please visit: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/pandemic_flu.html. For full text of The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 and the EEOC Notice of Proposed Rule Making, visit: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa_info.cfm. And, of particular interest to families and friends of people with significant disabilities who have care giving responsibilities, “Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities”, at http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiver-best-practices.html provides general and area-specific guidance and recommendations for employers.

Capitol Insider Announcements

2009-11-25T09:05:00.000-06:00

From the ARC/UCP Capitol Insider
Volume 14, Issue 46November 23, 2009

International Paralympics

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) voted on November 20 to reinstate eligibility for athletes who have intellectual disabilities (ID) to participate in the Paralympics. Since 2001, athletes with ID have been banned from participation in the Paralympics due to violations by a Spanish basketball squad which included players who did not have ID. The DPC wrote a letter to the U.S. Paralympic Division of the U.S. Olympic Committee urging that they vote "yes" for the reinstatement. (It is not known at this time how the US voted; but the USPC had been urging a "no" vote.) See the IPC's press release at:
http://www.paralympic.org/Media_Centre/News/General_News/2009_11_21_a.html

Immigration

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that it has established a streamlined, standardized process for receiving requests for accommodations from customers with disabilities. Customers in need of accommodations from field offices and Application Support Centers should now call the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283 (TDD: 1-800-767-1833).

One Step Closer to Eliminating the "R-Word"

2009-11-19T16:51:00.000-06:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On November 17, Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (Democrat- Maryland) and Michael B. Enzi (Republican-Wyoming) introduced Rosa’s Law, a bill designed to eliminate the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” from most federal usage. Rosa’s Law, named after one of Mikulski’s young constituents in Maryland who has Down’s syndrome, requires the use of the terms “intellectual disabilities” and “person with an intellectual disability” in place of the older, stigmatizing terms. The Maryland State Assembly recently passed a similar bill.

About 6 million adults and children have an intellectual disability. Several other laws still use “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded”, including No Child Left Behind, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the current health care reform legislation under consideration.

SOURCE:

Rosa's Law to End Term 'Mentally Retarded'

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rosas-law-asks-senate-kill-slur-mentally-retarded/story?id=9109319&page=2

What's in a name? Legislation would end use of the term 'mental retardation'

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/whats-in-a-name-legislation-would-end-use-of-the-term-mental-retardation.html

Senators Propose Replacing ‘Mental Retardation’ With ‘Intellectual Disability’

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/11/17/intellectual-disability-bill/6224/

SuperFreakonomics and Superficial Facts: A Defense of the ADA

2009-11-10T12:37:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone-- the post below is a bit longer than usual for DI, but it is important. It's a reprint of a guest blog post invited by the Center for Progressive Reform, a think tank in Washington, DC, for their own blog. Visit: http://www.progressivereform.org

The commentary is by Thomas Tolin, Assistant Professor of Economics at West Chester University, and Martin Patwell, Director of the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at WCU.

SuperFreakonomics and Superficial Facts: A Defense of the ADA

In the recently published SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance the authors, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, make the following claim: (p. 138-139)

As we wrote earlier, the law of unintended consequences is among the most potent laws in existence… Consider the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was intended to safeguard disabled workers from discrimination. A noble intention, yes? Absolutely--but the data convincingly show that the net result was fewer jobs for Americans with disabilities. Why? After the ADA became law, employers were so worried they wouldn’t be able to discipline or fire bad workers who had a disability that they avoided hiring such workers in the first place.

We reject this argument. It is a simplification of the literature that undermines civil rights legislation for individuals with disabilities.

The starting point for this narrative is an article by Tom DeLeire (Journal of Human Resources, 2000). DeLeire concludes that following passage of the ADA there was a 7.2% decrease in the employment rates of men with disabilities relative to that of men without disabilities. DeLeire cites unpublished research by Acemoglu and Angrist to support his opposition to the ADA. Acemoglu and Angrist (Journal of Political Economy, 2001) estimate statistically significant decreases in weeks worked for younger workers with disabilities following enforcement of the law.

We agree that employment for individuals with disabilities decreased during the 1990's relative to employment of individuals without disabilities, but we do not agree that the ADA was the primary cause of this decline. To begin, the ADA was not altogether a new innovation. Following the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, eighteen states had passed ADA-style laws prior to passage of the ADA in 1990. Another twenty-nine states had anti-discrimination laws protecting individuals with disabilities, though they did not require the 'reasonable accommodations' provision found in the ADA. Only three states had no legal protections for individuals with disabilities.

Jolls and Prescott (Harvard Law and Economics Discussion Paper No. 496, 2005) use these differences between state legal regimes to study the employment effects of the ADA. They conclude that the ADA had a negative effect on employment of individuals with disabilities in states that lacked a 'reasonable accommodations' provision, but that this effect lasted only two years. They write:

Our results clearly support a causal relationship between the ADA and declines in disabled employment in the years immediately following the law’s enactment, but beyond that period our findings—contrary to the existing work by DeLeire and by Acemoglu and Angrist—indicate that disabled employment declines do not appear to be causally linked to the ADA.

There are at least two alternative explanations for the downward trend in relative employment among individuals with disabilities during the 1990s. First, eligibility requirements were relaxed in the mid-1980s for Supplemental Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). More individuals with disabilities chose not to work, and this is "a much more plausible explanation ... for the decline in the relative employment of working-age men and women with disabilities since then." (Burkhauser, Houtenville, and Rovba, p 30).

Second, the 'reasonable accommodations' provision of the ADA lowered barriers to higher education. This may have increased enrollment in postsecondary institutions by students with disabilities while simultaneously decreasing employment for this group. Jolls (2004) tests this hypothesis with Current Population Survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and finds some evidence supporting it: The return-to-school effect is significant in the three states with no prior legal protections for individuals with disabilities.

The return-to-school theory is consistent with Acemoglu and Angrist’s finding that the negative employment effects of the ADA were more pronounced for the 21-39 age group. It also is supported by national data from the National Center for Education Statistics: "In 1994, approximately 45 percent of persons 16 or older who reported having a disability had either attended some college or had a bachelor’s degree or higher. In contrast, 29 percent had reported doing so in 1986…" To the degree that the ADA increased educational opportunities, it has been a success.

One of the most remarkable facts about the debate surrounding the employment effects of the ADA is that employment increased during the 1990's for individuals with disabilities who claimed to be employable. According to the 2000 Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities, there was “a significant increase in the percentage of people with disabilities who are able to work and are working, from 46% in 1986 to 56% today.” (p 28) Given that the ADA's employment provisions only protect workers who are able to work, on its own terms the law is a success.

In our opinion, a fair reading of the literature would conclude that the employment effects of the ADA are much more positive than the authors of SuperFreakonomics want readers to believe, but Levitt and Dubner ignore the complexities. They simply discredit government, even though that means rejecting legislative attempts to secure civil rights and protection from discrimination for individuals with disabilities.

Thankfully, this view certainly is not popular in the U.S. Congress. Last year, by a 420-17 vote, the Congress passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Posted at the Department of Labor's website, one finds the following:

The ADAAA, Pub. L. 110-325, is intended to overturn a series of Supreme Court decisions that interpreted the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in a way that made it difficult to prove that an impairment is a "disability." The ADAAA makes significant changes to the ADA's definition of "disability" that broadens the scope of coverage under both the ADA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

In effect, the 2008 Congress said that the preceding decades had proved the point that discrimination against people with disabilities was intentional, purposeful and wrong, and that even our most respected judicial body could err where elements of civil rights and market forces clash. It would be a travesty to leave the task of promoting inclusiveness and diversity to the ‘science’ of economic positivism and to long-run, ‘rational’ market forces. Ending discrimination now is a struggle that requires a clear government mandate such as the ADA.

Jordan Thomas- CNN Top 10 Hero

2009-11-05T20:38:00.000-06:00

Jordan Thomas was recently chosen as one of this year's "Top 10 CNN Heroes" for his work with the Jordan Thomas Foundation, which he founded at age 16 and has since raised more than $400,000 to provide prosthetics for children in need. Thomas, a double amputee himself, will be awarded $25,000 - and is eligible for the $100,000 award that will be bestowed upon the CNN Hero of the Year later this month at a star-studded gala in Hollywood. You can read more about Thomas' journey from his accident to his life's work at CNN.com/Heroes. On the CNN Heroes fan page, you can grab a voting widget (to vote for Jordan!). Voting is open until November 18th.

CNN Heroes: www.CNN.com/Heroes

Fan page: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/fan.page.html

President Signs Hate Crimes Bill

2009-11-02T11:36:00.000-06:00

CBS NEWS (10/28/09):

President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed and celebrated hate crime legislation that extends protection to people based on sexual orientation, sealing a long-fought victory to gay advocates. The new law expands federal hate crimes to include those committed against people because of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It also loosens limits on when federal law enforcement can intervene and prosecute crimes, amounting to the biggest expansion of the civil-rights era law in decades.

Obama said in East Room reception, surrounded by joyous supporters, "No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are, or because they live with a disability."

New Disability Studies Program

2009-10-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC-- Georgetown University is launching a new interdisciplinary disability studies (IDSP) program through the School of Continuing Studies and The Center for Child and Human Development, according to The Hoya, the University newspaper. The new program includes three tracks- developmental disabilities, early intervention, and mental health systems of care for children of youth. The new program is expected to begin in September 2010.

SOURCE:
GU to Launch Disability Studies Program in 2010
http://www.thehoya.com/news/gu-launch-disability-studies-program-2010/

Obama Proclamation on Awareness Month

2009-10-27T11:44:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC--

President Barack Obama made the following comments recently for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, encouraging the Federal government to take a more proactive leadership role in employing persons with disabilities:

"My Administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans have the chance to fulfill their potential and contribute to our nation. …Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work, and they should have access to the support and services they need to succeed. As the nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government and its contractors can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential. We must also rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees. That’s why I’ve asked the responsible agencies to develop new plans and policies to help increase employment across America for people with disabilities."

Full Text of President Obama’s Proclamation for NDEAM: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Disability-Employment-Awareness-Month/

T. Alan Hurwitz New Gallaudet President

2009-10-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

Gallaudet University has selected T. Alan Hurwitz as its 10th president. Hurwitz is currently President of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Hurwitz is a longtime state and national level leader. While president of the National Association of the Deaf, he formed the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance, the National Association of the Deaf Youth Leadership position, and established the International Week of the Deaf in conjunction with World Federation of the Deaf, among other achievements. Hurwitz will take his new office at Gallaudet in January 2010, follwoing Robert Davila, Gallaudet President since 2007.

Lynnae Ruttledge New RSA Commissioner

2009-10-19T11:14:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama has appointed Lynnae Ruttledge as the new RSA Commissioner. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Ms. Ruttledge has also worked in the public and non-profit sectors in Michigan, Oregon and Washington, working in critical areas including policy development, program management, independent living, workforce development, and business leadership networks.

Hate Crime Protection for People with Disabilities Closer

2009-10-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC— Hate crime protection for people with disabilities and others, including people who are gay or have a gender identity disorder, is one step closer to reality. In a highly controversial move, House and Senate negotiators agreed to attach the hate-crimes provision to the bill outlining the $680 billion Defense Department budget. The defense bill passed with 281 votes in favor and 131 Republicans and 15 Democrats in opposition. To see the exact results of the House vote, visit: http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/house/1/770.

A recent Department of Justice report indicated people with disabilities are 50% more likely to experience violent crime than people without disabilities. About 20% of people with disabilities who have been targets of crime thought their disability was the reason criminal targeted them.

SOURCES
House Adds Hate Crimes Protections for People with Disabilities
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/10/09/house-votes-hate-crimes/5734/
House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?hp
House Adds Hate Crimes Protections for People with Disabilitieshttp://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/10/09/house-votes-hate-crimes/5734/

Seclusion and Restraint Survey

2009-10-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

The Alliance to Prevent Restraint, Aversive Interventions and Seclusion (APRAIS), a coalition of 17 national disability advocacy organizations, is conducting a survey of parents and guardians. Responses must be entered by October 12.

The survey investigates the extent to which restraint, seclusion and aversive procedures have been used with students with disabilities and special needs in public or private schools or in residential facilities. Plan 5-10 minutes to complete the survey.

To participate, go to: http://www.lifewithoutlimits.org/site/R?i=85dfJ8h0Hg1tmk8EVATKtw..

Legislative Updates

2009-10-05T11:39:00.000-05:00

From the NRCA Capitol Insider:

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Last week, the EEOC released draft regulations to implement employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). A 60-day public comment period is open before the regulations become final. The draft regulations can be found at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-22840.pdf

MEDICARE-OUTPATIENT
The House approved the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, (H.R. 3631), a one year fix to avert a premium increase on Medicare Part B. Its $.2.8 billion cost will be offset by cuts to the Medicare Improvements Program.

SPECIAL EDUCATION-NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the start of development of legislation to replace the No Child Left Behind Act. The Secretary expects public and school officials will provide input, but Congress is unlikely to consider reauthorization until next year.

People with Disabilities on H1N1 Priority List

2009-09-22T17:12:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC-- Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced the H1N1 vaccine would likely be available for priority groups by October 5th and certainly no later than October 15th.

Priority vaccine recipients include:

People age 25-64 with underlying medical conditions such as cognitive disabilities, cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular disorders, respiratory conditions, diabetes, and more.

Paid and unpaid health care workers and direct support professionals and parents caring for individuals with underlying medical conditions.

Visit http://www.flu.gov/ for more information.

FY 2010 Appropriations Update- Housing, Transport

2009-09-22T16:59:00.000-05:00

WAHINGTON, DC-- On 17 September, the Senate passed H.R. 3288 , the FY 2010 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill. In housing, the bill provides a $15 million increase for Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. Section 811 provides affordable and accessible housing units for persons with disabilities who have extremely low incomes. In transportation, the New Freedom program expanding transportation options for people with disabilities was level-funded. However, Section 5310, serving people with disabilities and the elderly with their transportation needs, increased by $7.2 million.

Abuse Cited as Cause for Murder-Suicide

2009-09-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

OAKLAND— Diana Harden, age 64, fatally shot her daughter Yvette, age 43, and then herself Sunday night at Oakland Springs Health Center in Oakland, California. Yvette resided at the skilled nursing facility for 6 years, after being serious injured in a car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury and quadriplegia 15 years earlier. Prior to residing at Oakland Springs Health Center, Yvette had lived briefly at home and then in a series of nursing facilities.

According to a letter Diana Harden sent to the Oakland ABC news channel ABC 7 prior to the shootings, her daughter had begged her to end her life due to unremitting abuse she suffered at the facility. The local news channel checked state records and found 54 complaints against the nursing home last year, 29 of them substantiated. Pat McGinnis of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, said, "If nothing else, let's heed this mother's cry and say 'let's do something not just about the people that are in nursing homes, but let's do something about keeping people out of nursing homes in the first place.” Police continue to investigate.

SOURCES:
Mother’s Letter Explains Murder-Suicide
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=7014866
Murder Suicide at Oakland Nursing Home
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13333239
Mother kills disabled daughter, self in apparent murder-suicide at Oakland nursing home
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-nursing-home-murder-suicide,0,5577715.story

Recommended Blog!

2009-09-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

DI recommends "The Deal With Disability" at http://thedealwithdisability.wordpress.com/!

The blog is written by Eva, a woman with a signficant disability. She says, "I have Cerebral Palsy, which for me means I can’t walk, speak, or use muscles in traditional ways. I use a power wheelchair to get around and spell out what I want to say on a letterboard. This blog will be videos of people treating me bizarrely. My video camera is mounted to my wheelchair (very discreetly) and I basically just press record whenever I go out and then edit the good stuff for you! I will then write my comments on the event, which is usually what was playing in my inner monologue while these insensitive people were talking."

Eva's blog is a VERY powerful commentary on life with a significant disability and power of words and images in exploring her experience. DI will be adding "The Deal with Disability" to the "Links" section at the bottom of the page. Cheers, Eva!

Former Texas Rehab Provider Convicted, Sentenced

2009-09-08T13:50:00.000-05:00

(HOUSTON) - James Earl Dunn Jr., 39, former owner and operator of Rehab Specialist Inc. (RSI), has been sentenced to 33 months confinement in federal prison by United States District Judge Lee Rosenthal for submitting more than $300,000 in fraudulent claims against the government, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. The sentence was handed down late yesterday evening.

Dunn received contracts from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), formerly known as the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, from funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, to provide vocational rehabilitation training to individuals with mental and physical disabilities.
Indicted in May 2007, Dunn pleaded guilty Aug. 12, 2008, to one count of submitting fraudulent claims against the government acknowledging in his plea agreement that during the years 2001 to 2003 he had fraudulently obtained federal vocational rehabilitation funds through DARS by claiming that he was providing employment training and coaching to clients with disabilities when, in fact, the clients were not receiving such training.

"Dunn knowingly and willfully abused his position of trust to steal funds that were supposed to be used to provide needed education and vocational rehabilitation to disabled adults. That is unacceptable,” said Mary Mitchelson, acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education. “I’m proud of the work of Office of Inspector General Special Agents, the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and the U.S. Attorney's Office for holding this man accountable for his fraudulent actions.”
Dunn, who has been on bond, has been permitted to remain on bond pending the issuance by the court of an order to surrender to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.

The investigation was conducted by special agents with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the DARS Investigations Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Quincy L. Ollison.

SOURCE: USAO News Release: "FORMER VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROVIDER SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR FRAUDULENT CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT"

Schools Win Stay in Special Education Case

2009-08-31T09:44:00.000-05:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION--
NEA reports that 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has granted Milwaukee Public Schools a stay on US District Court Magistrate Judge Aaron Goodstein’s June 9th ruling requiring Milwaukee Public Schools to identify all students who may be eligible for special education services from September 2000 to June 2005. The schools had appealed the ruling as “too broad and too costly to implement”.
.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (8/28, Richards) says the most recent action is “hitting the pause button on the case." Now the schools and Disability Rights Wisconsin will argue their positions in front of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in a series of written briefs and, most likely, oral arguments.

RELATED:
Milwaukee Judge Orders Compensatory Special Education
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/speced/2009/06/milwaukee_judge_orders_compens.html
MPS Wins Reprieve in Special Education Lawsuit
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/55980517.html

Ted Kennedy- Congressional Champion for Persons with Disabilities

2009-08-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

NATIONAL REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION- From Patricia Leahy

On Tuesday, August 25, 2009, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the consummate Congressional champion of children and adults with disabilities, passed away. Known to many as the Liberal Lion of the Senate, no one was more sincere about crossing the political aisle in the spirit of bipartisanship than Senator Kennedy. President Obama called Senator Kennedy "Not only one of the greatest Senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans to ever serve democracy. " One of his closest friends, Senator Orrin Hatch (R.UT.) said of his Congressional colleague, "Today, America lost a great elder statesman, a committed public servant and a leader in the Senate, and I lost a treasured friend." Former First Lady Nancy Reagan called Senator Kennedy "a dear friend." Senator John McCain (R.AZ.) said of Senator Kennedy: "He always kept his word, and that is far less common around here than a lot of people think." "We just sat down together and worked out a proposal. He didn't start it; I didn't start it. We just sat down and said OK, here's what we want to achieve -- what do we have to do?"

Forever at the forefront of the discussion and debate on ensuring the civil rights of children and adults with disabilities, Senator Kennedy forged partnerships with everyone he could in the Capitol and in our great country to ensure those rights were appreciated, respected and resulted in policies and legislation that were both bipartisan and benefited those who most needed representation in Congress -- children and adults with disabilities.

When the Congress began discussions on the great civil rights law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Senator Kennedy and others, many of whom were inspired by the Senator, shepherded IDEA through the Senate. During the discussions on a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all, Senator Kennedy, once again, was at the forefront of the debate. During sometimes spirited discussions on whom should comprise the IEP team, including the general education teacher, Senator Kennedy was there providing gifted guidance on the importance of diverse membership in this singularly important process for determining a student's progression.

When some balked at the thought of an inclusive classroom for children and young adults with disabilities, Senator Kennedy and others made the case with and on behalf of parents and students with disabilities in both the Capitol and in our country that students with disabilities had the RIGHT to be educated with their non-disabled peers. When it became increasingly apparent that the greatest country in the world -- the United States of America -- did not have an infrastructure that was accessible to all Americans -- Senator Kennedy and many others began a bipartisan journey that was to result in one of the greatest pieces of legislation to ever emerge from the Congress: The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Senator Kennedy has always been there for children and adults with disabilities. While his presence will be missed, the spirit of his memorable mission of equality, dignity and respect for all individuals with disabilities will forever remain.

Patricia Leahy
Director of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy
National Rehabilitation Association
633 South Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
1-888-258-4295
NRA Office - 703-836-0850
NRA Fax - 703-836-0848
TDD - 703-836-0849
E-mail - patricia@nationalrehab.org
NRA Website - www.nationalrehab.org

Sailors with Disabilities Compete in Connecticut

2009-08-19T07:58:00.001-05:00

The Riverside Yacht Club in Riverside, Greenwich hosts the 2009 U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship September 10th through 13th. The event is part of US Sailing’s National Championship series, and a qualifying event for the Paralympic Games. The U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship regatta is the only national championship for sailors with disabilities and attracts the nation’s top sailors from around the United States and Canada.

Four classes compete this year-- the 2.4 meter, Skud 18, Ideal 18, and Sonars. The event attracts several national sponsors, including Rolex Watch U.S.A., Dry Creek Vineyard and PredictWind.com. More information on the event is available at: championships.ussailing.org/Adult/USDisabledChampionship. For information about US Sailing, visit http://www.ussailing.org

DI Wins TRA Wallace Bennett Journalism Award

2009-08-17T07:47:00.000-05:00

SAN ANTONIO, TX--

Today, Disability Intel won the Texas Rehabilitation Association's Wallace Bennett Award for Excellence in Journalism related to people with disabilities. Thank you readers and bloggers for supporting DI!

Disability "Fight Club" Perpetrator Convicted

2009-08-14T13:09:00.000-05:00

TEXAS-- This week, a jury found Jesse Salazar, age 25 of intentionally causing injury to person with disability for hi role in a “Fight Club” formed at a Corpus Christi, Texas state school. Salazar and others forced State school residents to fight each other while recording the fights on their cell phones. The “Fight Club” continued unreported for a year.

A total of six state school employees, all of whom have since been fired, are charged in the case. Two former employees, Vincent Johnson and D'Angelo Riley pled guilty to causing injury to persons with disabilities, and another employee goes on trial next week for failing to intervene.

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) is responsible for overseeing the Corpus Christi State School and other state run schools. DADS has been under fire and under investigation are number of instances of abuse and neglect in the state school system. Laura Albrecht, spokesperson DADS says, "We have taken the appropriate action to send a message to Corpus Christi and the other facilities that abuse and neglect of residents will not be tolerated."

SOURCES:
'Fight Club' Perpetrator Convicted of Injuring Mentally Disabled State Residents http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8323288&page=1
1st trial to start in Texas `fight club' case
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIewycyiHqBgHGCbHc-amSumwQfwD9A03TKO1

Special Olympics Founder Dies

2009-08-11T13:11:00.000-05:00

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, died today at age 88. The Special Olympics, today an organization that includes more than 2.5 million participants in 150 countries, began in 1961 as a summer day camp for children with intellectual disabilities at Shriver’s family farm in Maryland. Special Olympics held its first official event in 1968 in Chicago.

Shriver’s legacy in the area of advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities includes her creation of the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development and the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, both created during her brother John F. Kennedy’s presidency. The federal funds attached to these endeavors resulted in significant research and educational programming in the field.

President Obama released a statement saying Shriver was “an extraordinary woman who, as much as anyone, taught our nation -- and our world -- that no physical or mental barrier can restrain the power of the human spirit."

For a tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, please visit: http://www.specialolympics.org/ or
http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/
"It is my deepest hope that the world can begin to look at our friends with special needs and, for once, tell them, 'Yes, you do belong; yes, you are wonderful; yes, you can be a shining light of hope for the world!"— Eunice Kennedy Shriver

SOURCES:
“Remembering Eunice Shriver: Life and Times, Special Olympics” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/08/11/DI2009081101008.html
“Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics founder and sister of JFK, dies at 88”
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-eunice-kennedy-shriver12-2009aug12,0,4627914.story

Kids with Disabilities Disproportionately Punished

2009-08-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

Schools disproportionately use corporal punishment with students with disabilities, according to a joint report from Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union titled, "Impairing Education". According to the report, public schools used corporal punishment with about 19% of public school students with disabilities during the 2006-2007 academic year, although these students make up only 14% of the total population.

Although some instances of corporal punishment were unrelated to the child’s disability, the report found that some schools punished some students for “conduct related to their disabilities, including students with Tourette syndrome being punished for exhibiting involuntary tics and students with autism being punished for repetitive behaviors”, according to the ACLU website.

Although most states have laws prohibiting corporal punishment in schools, 20 states permit it, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. However, some school districts in these states do ban corporal punishment.

Community and individual reactions to proposed bans vary widely, from full support to support for continued use of physical punishment. It is likely that personal experiences and fears about school violence play a role in the varied perspectives. Clearly with or without bans, school personnel need more training in anger management, behavior modification, about disabilities, and the symptoms of various medical conditions.

SOURCE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/education/11punish.html?_r=1&ref=education

RELATED:
American Civil Liberties Union Children’s Rights Section:
http://www.aclu.org/intlhumanrights/childrensrights/40676prs20090810.html
Human Rights Watch, “Impairing Education”
http://www.hrw.org/en/node/84946/section/2

New Action on Seclusion and Restraint Abuses

2009-08-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

PRESS RELEASE REPRINT FROM THE EDUCATION & LABOR COMMITTEE
Congressman George Miller, Chairman:

Secretary Duncan Takes Critical Step to Keep Schoolchildren Safe
Chairman Miller is developing legislation to address seclusion and restraint in nation’s schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Late last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to state school chiefs asking them to formally submit their policies on seclusion and restraint in schools, as part of larger efforts to prevent abusive uses of these practices in the nation’s classrooms.

A recent Government Accountability Office [investigation], conducted at the request of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, uncovered hundreds of allegations of abusive uses of seclusion and restraint practices on schoolchildren over the past two decades. In several of those cases, this abuse resulted in the death of a child.

“Secretary Duncan is committed to ensuring all children, in every single school in this country, is safe and protected,” said Miller, who is working to develop legislation that would address seclusion and restraint in U.S. schools. “We need to do everything we can to protect schoolchildren from abusive, torturous, and – in some cases – deadly uses of seclusion and restraint and to stop these horrific abuses from going unchecked."

Unlike in hospitals, other health care facilities and non-medical community-based facilities that receive federal funding, there are currently no federal laws that restrict the use of seclusion and restraint in public or private schools. State regulation and oversight varies greatly. Nineteen states have no laws governing the appropriate use of seclusion or restraint in schools.

GAO REPORT: http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/05/gao-report-finds-hundreds-of-a.shtml

PRESS OFFICE CONTACT: 202-226-0853

RELATED:
http://edlabor.house.gov
http://www.twitter.com/edlabordems
http://www.facebook.com/EdLaborCommittee

Multiple Factors Increase SSA Disability Claims

2009-08-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC— Multiple factors, including the ongoing economic recession and the growing number of baby boomers who are aging and acquiring disabilities, drive a surge in Social Security disability claim applications. The Center for Active Seniors reports an up tick in inquiries from 50 to 60-year-old workers who are reaching retirement, been injured at work, and who have been laid off without health insurance.

SSA estimates it will receive 3.3 million new disability claims in the next 12 months. But will SSA be able to handle the new cases while still dealing with the unprecedented number of backlogged cases? Some officials and pundits think not, especially since California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Ohio, Oregon, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, and Wisconsin have initiated furloughs of employees responsible for processing initial disability claims.

In the last six months, the number of people waiting to have their claim processed rose to just under 750, 000. The trend “…isn’t good”, says SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue. According to the Associated Press, “The disability program has been the fastest rising part of Social Security, with spending on disability benefits growing at almost twice the rate of spending on retirement benefits.”

SOURCES:
Social Security Claims Surge during Recession
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5guw84_hAq02tLZCuigFPyIZg_rKwD99PIG780 Social Security Disability Claims on the Rise
http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=10828239&nav=menu83_2
Long Disability Backlog Getting Worse
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/I-Team-Long-Disability-Backlog-Getting-Worse/aQwDWUG8_0Wt6dZ2EhSBtw.cspx
Boomers Push up Disability Claims
http://www.examiner.com/x-654-Baby-Boomer-Examiner~y2009m7d31-Boomers-push-up-disability-claims
RELATED:
The Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov/

Milestones for Disability Intel

2009-08-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Disability Intel passed several important milestones recently-- DI is now ONE YEAR OLD, EXCEEDED 100 POSTS, and SHARED OVER 1000 USER COMMENTS! Thanks to all DI readers, fellow bloggers, and the rehab and disability communities!

US Signs UN Disability Rights Convention

2009-07-31T10:50:00.000-05:00

President Obama announced the US signing of the United Nation’s International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN, signed the treaty on July 30th at the United Nations as required under international legal arrangements. Upon signature, the U.S. must uphold the general purpose of the treaty, but is not legally bound under international law to any specific article until the Senate ratifies it by two-thirds majority vote. Read the President's related remarks at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-Proclamation-Signing/ 

US participation in the UN CRPD has been a long time coming, stalled for years under previous administrations. When ratified, the US will join numerous other nations who’ve signed and ratified the protocol. Here’s looking forward to the day the US is “in the red” on the map!

Legislative Updates

2009-07-31T10:31:00.000-05:00

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the two FY 2010 appropriations bills that are of major interest to the disability community. Funding for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) passed on July 23. Funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (L-HHS-ED) passed July 24. The Senate will hold committee mark ups on the bills shortly.

The T-HUD bill provides $10.5 billion for the Federal Transit Administration and $350 million for the HUD Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program, a $100 million increase above the current FY 2009 level. Also, the House passed the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1675) which will significantly reform the Section 811 program. The legislation was initially introduced by Representatives Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL). Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) introduced an identical companion version of the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009 (S. 1481).

President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the availability of about $9 billion in new grants to states, local school systems and other entities from funding available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Approximately $4.35 is in the "Race to the Top" fund, aimed at improving educational outcomes. All of the information about this funding, which includes competitive grant opportunities, can be found in the education section of the ARRA website, www.recovery.gov . UCP's Disability Policy Collaboration will provide some public comments on the Recovery website.

ARC and UCP Seek Lobbyist

2009-07-31T10:26:00.000-05:00

The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy's Disability Policy Collaboration is seeking a Senior Lobbyist to cover disability rights, technology, emergency management, and family related issues. The Application deadline is August 3, 2009. For more information, see:

http://www.idealist.org/jobs/7702-103/345426-163 or

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/npo/1284865475.html

Parade Mag Story on Seclusion and Restraint Abuse

2009-07-24T19:28:00.000-05:00

FROM THE AUTHOR-- Mike Kruger, Online Outreach Specialist for the House Committee on Education and Labor, sent me an email this morning about an important story running now in Parade Magazine on the use of seclusion and restraint on children with disabilities and others-- a previous blog topic here on DI (http://disabilityintel.blogspot.com/2009/01/school-seclusion-and-restraint-abuse.html)

Parade Magazine has a print circulation of 30 million readers, so about 10% of America will be exposed to the issue! After you read the article in print or online, you can comment online, and I encourage you to do so. Please see the story at: http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/090726-should-schools-use-restraints-on-students.html

The House Committee on Education and Labor has a blog post about the Parade story and some of the progress Committee Chairman Miller has made on the issue of seclusion and restraint. It's also a great article, please be sure to read it and respond, also: http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/07/news-of-the-day-should-schools.shtml

We can make a difference through our blog comments!

New Ethics Code for Rehab Counselors

2009-07-24T10:51:00.000-05:00

FROM CRCC-- The New Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors Available Online, Code is Effective as of January 1, 2010
CRCC has just completed the process of updating its Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors (Code). Items below reflect the 10 most important changes to the Code and are by no means all-inclusive. Rehabilitation Counselors certified by CRCC are bound to act in accordance with the new Code, effective January 1, 2010 and, as such, are encouraged to fully read the new Code.

The full Code is now available for viewing, downloading, and printing directly from the CRCC website, CRC/CCRC Code of Ethics page, or at www.crccertification.com/filebin/pdf/CRCC_COE_1-1-10.pdf

Top 10 New Code Changes
1. Professional Disclosure Statement:

Written statement is now required; informed consent is expanded and addressed separately.
2. Roles and Relationships with Clients:

Requirements are enhanced for both professional and non-professional client relationships.
3. Cultural Competence/Diversity:

New standards added requiring development of interventions and services to incorporate consideration of cultural perspectives and recognition of external barriers.
4. Disaster Preparedness:

New standard added establishing obligation to plan for continued services in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
5. Technology and Distance Counseling:

(formerly Electronic Communication and Emerging Applications)

Complete section overhaul establishing practices that address latest technology across all mediums.
6. Forensic and Indirect Services:

New section added specific to this role.
7. End-of-Life Care:

New standards added addressing end-of-life issues for terminally ill patients.
8. Teaching, Training, and Supervision:

Section enhanced to include concerns/scenarios found within the workplace.
9. Glossary of Terms:

New section to define key terminology used throughout the Code.
10. Preamble:

Section enhanced to identify values that serve as the foundation to the Code.

"We thank the many people - CRCs/CCRCs, industry professionals, educators, and all interested persons - who took the time and effort to participate in this important Code revision. Your input has been invaluable in helping us update many key areas of the Code, which enables our Certified Rehabilitation Counselors to continue to provide complete, caring service to persons with disabilities."
Cindy A. Chapman, Executive Director
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification

Wear Red for ADA Anniversary

2009-07-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

July 26th is the 19th anniverary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since many VR counselors and other rehabilitation professionals aren’t working on the actual anniversary day of the ADA, Sunday July 26, the Center for Consumer and External Affairs decided to commemorate the spirit of the ADA on Thursday, July 23. Wear something red on Thursday to show your support of independence for people with disabilities!

Disability Included Under Hate Crime Protections

2009-07-21T12:37:00.000-05:00

US-- S. 909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA), included in S. 1390, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 HAS PASSED THE SENATE. It will now head to President Obama for signature.

Under this measure, federal hate crime law is expanded to cover offenses based on a victim's gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, or on a disability.

Several controversial amendments proposed to S.1390 by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and John Thune (R-SD) also passed the Senate. Senator Sessions' amendments allow the death penalty in certain cases involving hate crimes and gives the Attorney General the ability to set the criteria that determines if a hate crime has been committed. Senator Thune's amendment allows state-to-state reciprocity for concealed weapon permits.

RELATED:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/hrc-matthew-shepard-act-passes---contact-your-senators.html
http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=4361
http://www.tips-q.com/news/msm/1160317-hrc-senate-adopts-unwelcomed-amendments-matthew-shepard-hate-crimes-prevention-act
http://www.queerty.com/shock-death-penalty-officially-on-the-table-for-hate-crimes-20090721/

Major Congressional Events Update

2009-07-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

FROM NRCA—
Update: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
The House Appropriations Committee adopted the FY 2010 Appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education on Friday. The bill contains funding for entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and SSI. The House bill appropriates $163 billion for discretionary programs such as IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation. No action has yet occurred on a Senate bill.

Update: Departments of Transportation and HUD
The House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies bill. It includes a $100 billion increase for the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program.

Update: Employment
Last Thursday, the Senate Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee held a hearing on reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act. WIA authorizes the workforce development program and Title IV is the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Officials from the Departments of Labor and Education provided testimony as well as other employment community stakeholders testified about ways to improve access and services for people with disabilities.

E-bility Adds Disability Intel to Blogroll

2009-07-17T21:11:00.000-05:00

Disability Intel is very pleased to announce that E-bility.com, a top website offering easy access to a wide range of information, resources, services and products of interest people with disability, their families and carers, health professionals and service providers in the disability sector, has added Disability Intel to its blog roll. I encourage you to visit E-bility.com for great information on such varied and important topics as disability news, travel, accessibility, advocacy, and classifieds! We support E-bility, and we thank them for their support of us.

NIDDR Webcast Announcement

2009-07-09T15:46:00.000-05:00

FROM NIDDR...

Please join us for a webcast hosted by the National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR) on Thursday, July 16, 2009: Jamaican Culture and Rehabilitation Issues. The featured presenter is Doreen M. Miller, RhD, CRC. The 90-minute webcast will begin at 3:00pm Eastern; 2:00pm Central; 1:00pm Mountain; 12:00pm Pacific; 11:00am Alaska; 9:00am Hawaii. The webcast is presented in collaboration with the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program at Memorial Herman|TIRR.

Webcast Registration (no fee to participate):
https://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/12291g3e38e

Sotomayor Enjoys Wide Support from Disability Groups

2009-07-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

US-- Disability Scoop reports that more than 24 disability rights and advocacy groups such as the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Autism Society of America, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the National Council on Independent Living, and others have asked the US Senate to support Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court appointment.

Sonia Sotomayor has adjudicated cases involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Social Security, and Medicaid while serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Robert Bernstein, executive director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, says “Judge Sotomayor has repeatedly demonstrated a thorough understanding and a deep respect for the laws that protect the rights of Americans with physical and mental disabilities…”

SOURCE:
Disability Groups Unite Behind Sotomayor Confirmation
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/07/08/sotomayor-support/4039/

State Budget Deficits Hit People with Disabilities

2009-07-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

USA-- In a recent report on the ten states with the most serious budget shortfalls, ABC News highlighted sharp cuts on a variety of states services many of which negatively affect people with disabilities. Following are brief summaries of cuts most likely to hurt people with disabilities and those who serve them:

Arizona
Arizona is eliminating its disability benefits program for people waiting for Social Security benefits. The state is also cutting $49 million from the Health Services Department.
California
California has increased co-pay amounts and reduced dental benefits in the state children's health program. The state has also eliminated dental and vision services for many Medicaid recipients.
Nevada
In Nevada, the Governor has ordered a number of cuts in education, including elimination of funds for a magnet program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Illinois
Illinois faces a $140 million cut in health insurance, a $175 million cut in education, and a $283 million cut in the Department of Human Services.
New York
New York Governor David Paterson proposes $3.5 billion cuts in healthcare services.
Oregon
The state will underfund the Department of Human Services by $387 million. The state is also cutting $41 million out of day care programming for low-income families.
Vermont
Vermont enacted a health care and related services provider rate cut that will affect contract healthcare services, mental health care providers, sign language interpreters, and children’s rehabilitation.
Washington

The state made a 70% cut in Medicaid for low-income seniors, resulting in elder care provider lay-offs.

RELATED

From around the country…
Kansas Budget Cuts Affect State's Most Vulnerable Groups
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/1306368.html
State Sued Over Cuts to Disabled Kids Care
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009390923_downlawsuit27m.html
Mental Health Program Facing Budget Cuts
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/815577.html
Disabilities Agency Takes Hard Line on Cuts
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/05/na-disabilities-agency-takes-hard-line-on-cuts/news-politics/
Budget Cuts for Services to Disabled
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/jul/01/budget-cuts-services-disabled/

Supreme Court Favors Students with Disabilities

2009-06-24T15:08:00.000-05:00

US SUPREME COURT-- On Monday, the US Supreme Court ruled parents of special education students can seek government reimbursement for private school tuition. In the 6-to-3 ruling, Justice John Paul Stevens who wrote the majority opinion said, “We conclude that IDEA authorizes reimbursement for the cost of private special education services when a school district fails to provide a FAPE (blog author note: free and appropriate education) and the private school placement is appropriate, regardless of whether the child previously received special education or related services through the public school.”

Increasingly, families turn to costly private schools specializing in serving students with emotional or learning disabilities when their children are unable to obtain services in the public school system or are ineligible for public school services. In the US, approximately 90,000 special needs students attend private schools.

SOURCES:
Court Affirms Reimbursement for Special Education
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/on-education/2009/06/24/court-ruling-helps-special-needs-students.html
Court Ruling Helps Special-Needs Students
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/on-education/2009/06/24/court-ruling-helps-special-needs-students.html

NRCA Announces New Medicare Draft

2009-06-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

From the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association:
The three House committees with jurisdiction over health care—the House Ways & Means Committee, the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and the House Education & Labor Committee—have released draft health care reform legislation, including provisions to update the Medicare program. Importantly, the draft legislation (known as the “Tri-Committee” draft) would establish Medicare coverage of licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists (blog author's note: CRC's are not mentioned). The legislation makes significant changes to the way the current health insurance marketplace works in the U.S., with the goal of building on our current system to broaden coverage and constrain health care cost increases.

Information on the legislation, including the bill text and a summary, is on the House Education & Labor Committee’s website at http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/06/health-care-reform-house-dems.shtml

New Report on Rehab Counselor Salaries

2009-06-15T12:11:00.001-05:00

CRCC, US-- The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification released the "CRCC Issues 2008 Salary Report: An Update on Salaries in the Rehabilitation Counseling Profession".In May 2007, CRCC conducted constituent research among 1,220 Certified Rehabilitation Counselors. The resulting 2008 Salary Report provides valuable insights and is a resource in helping to assess how individual compensation compares across fellow Certified Rehabilitation Counselors. Areas addressed include salary by demographics, disability, education, work setting, and length of time in the rehabilitation counseling profession.
The 2008 Salary Report is available on the CRCC website, News & Events page, or www.crccertification.com/pages/news_events/117.php or at http://www.crccertification.com/filebin/pdf/CRCC_2008SalaryReport_FINAL.pdf

GAO Finds Most Polling Places Inaccessible

2009-06-15T10:57:00.000-05:00

From AAPD, WASHINGTON, DC - June 11, 2009 - The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an interim report on voting accessibility Wednesday comparing last year's presidential election to the 2000 election and the good news, according to Dickson, is there has been progress. The bad news, he said, is we have a long way to go and for voters who use wheelchairs, the nation still gets a failing grade for polling place accessibility.

In the 2000 election, only 16 percent of polling places were accessible to wheelchair users, according to the GAO report. In 2008, 27 percent of polling places were accessible.

Numbers released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office this week show people with disabilities had fewer impediments at polling places during the 2008 presidential election, but not all people with disabilities are able to access polls and vote privately and independently. The GAO will release a more detailed final report on the Election Day polling place accessibility findings in September. To read the initial report in its entirety, visit http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-685.

EEOC Sues United Airlines for ADA Violations

2009-06-11T10:35:00.000-05:00

The EEOC recently filed suit against United Airlines for disability related employment discrimination. The EEOC alleges United failed to provide reasonable accommodations be transferring a workers with disabilities into available vacant positions for which they were qualified. The suit indicates that United terminated employees with disabilities or placed them involuntarily on leaves of absence even when willing, qualified and capable of working. A wide variety of workers report such discrimination, including mechanics, maintenance workers, flight attendants, and customer service employees.

EEOC Acting Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru says, "The EEOC is focused on eliminating widespread disability discrimination in employment wherever we find it… employers in every industry should know that their failure to comply with the ADA's reasonable accommodation requirement will have legal consequences."

SOURCES:
United Airlines Sued for Disability Discrimination
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2362711/
United Airlines to pay $850,000 settlement for disability bias
http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/articles/18584/1/United-Airlines-to-pay-850000-settlement-for-disability-bias-/Page1.html

Sotomayor Diabetes Debate Heats Up- For the Wrong Reasons

2009-06-01T12:55:00.000-05:00

President Obama’s pick for the US Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, has Type I (Insulin Dependent) Diabetes. Sotomayor’s health and medical fitness for the top court position, along with diabetes more generally, is now the topic of hot political debate. The debate is likely to continue for weeks if not months, as Sotomayor’s diabetes becomes a national dinner table topic. Ominously, Time Magazine notes, “the potential for a catastrophic complication—by no means unique to her situation—highlights a serious deficiency in the nation's oversight of Supreme Court justices”.

It is difficult to read the increasingly alarmist coverage of Sotomayor’s health without catching strong whiffs of existential angst—that free-floating (and prejudicial) feeling of “discomfort, anxiety, defensiveness… experienced because of the fear of acquiring a disability”—so well described by Smart & Smart (2007). Clearly and regrettably the medical model of disability is alive, well, and being advanced by politicians and pundits of all sorts! What a shame so few of our opinion leaders and public figures are taking Sotomayor’s nomination as an opportunity to positively reframe not only diabetes, but also disability.

Come on, pols and pundits! Sotomayor gives us a great opportunity to discuss what people with chronic illness CAN do. Accurately and fairly reported, her experiences may reduce some myths about diabetes and insulin, and put positive, hopeful, and realistic information about Type I diabetes in the public eye. Hmm... a discussion of job accommodations and the ADA would be appropriate right about now, too.

RELATED:
Sotomayor’s Medical History Sparks Wider Debate
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/13/sotomayors-medical-histor_n_203032.html
Sotomayor’s Diabetes: Will It Be a Handicap?
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1900962,00.html
Sweet Justice: Why Judge Sotomayor's diabetes shouldn't be ignored.
http://www.slate.com/id/2219373/
Don't Worry About Sonia Sotomayor's Diabetes
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/05/26/should-we-care-about-sonia-sotomayor-s-diabetes.aspx

Washington, DC-- Quick Health Care Update

2009-05-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

From the Center on Public Policy Priorities--

Capitol Hill Health Reform Update

The Senate Finance Committee has completed all of its open round table discussions on health reform, and has begun closed-door “walk-throughs” in the areas of health care delivery systems, expanding health coverage, and financing health reform.
The Committee projects that it will have draft legislation ready by mid-June and advocates will have another opportunity to weigh-in during the official mark-up period.
Both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives plan to have their respective health reform bills written and voted on before the August Congressional recess.

Action Alert

The Senate Finance Committee released a new policy proposal for expanding health care coverage based on the Committee’s second roundtable discussion on health reform, held May 5, on expanding health coverage. Visit the Action Alert for the full text of the proposal, a summary, talking points, and information on how to contact Senators.

NRA Call for Proposals is Open

2009-05-18T10:17:00.000-05:00

Beverlee Stafford, National Rehabiliation Association Executive Director, asks the membership and the public to respond to the “Call for Proposals” published in the February issue of Contemporary Rehab and on the NRA website-- click on the link for the Call for Proposals on the NRA homepage. Please help identify potential speakers and topics to make the 2009 conference a memorable one! Proposals are due to the NRA national office by June 1, 2009. Speakers will know by July 1, 2009 if selected.

This conference is a great opportunity to showcase academic, field-based, and studnet research!!

AAPD Ticket that Rocks!

2009-05-05T18:29:00.000-05:00

The American Association of People with Disabilties (AAPD) launches an online auction "The Ticket that Rocks!" Friday, May 8, 2009."The Ticket that Rocks!" online charitable auction gives theater connoisseurs and concert goers the opportunity to bid on tickets to their favorite shows while supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. The auction is live on May 8th, 2009 via eBay.

Seth Harris Confirmation Hearing for Deputy Secretary of Labor

2009-05-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

WAHINGTON, DC--
President Obama nominated Seth Harris for Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. His confirmation hearing is scheduled to go before the Senate on Thursday May 7, 2009 at 10:00am. Seth is a strong advocate for people with disabilities. He championed multiple employment and labor initiatives in and out of government to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He provided essential leadership to the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities. If you are in the DC Metro area or surrounding areas, Justice for All encourages you to get friends and family in the disability community to attend his confirmation hearing.

Disability in the Blogosphere

2009-05-04T13:59:00.001-05:00

Disability and rehabilitation are hot topics throughout the blogosphere! Following are just a few brief comments about a few of my favorite blogging platforms and some of the blogs you can find on them.

Blogger
According to the website at https://www.blogger.com/, Blogger started in 1999 as an independent company, although now Google now owns it. Blogger is currently available in 41 languages. “Disability Blogger” at http://www.disabilityblogger.blogspot.com/ has timely blog updates, and “My Big Noise” at http://mybignoise.blogspot.com/ has a great take on music videos and the health care crisis with “Boyfriend with Health Care”.

Type Pad
Typepad, located at http://www.typepad.com/, started in 2003. The service publicizes itself as the “best blogging tool for professionals and small businesses”. Like other hosted blog sites, Typepad is easy to use without much technical knowledge or skill. Disability activist group “Justice for All” and the American Association of People with Disabilities maintains a Typepad blog, the “JFActivist” as do many other individuals with disabilities and disability and rehabilitation related organizations.

WordPress
As with other hosted blogging platforms, WordPress offers a set of design templates, and its ease of use allows bloggers to have a functional site quickly. The disability and rehabilitation communities are well represented on the site, with more than 3000 results directly related to people with disabilities. In addition, more than 900 groups related to independent living maintain WordPress.com blogs, such as “The Independent Living Institute” and “Independent Living 101”.

Twitter
Twitter is free, real-time short messaging service (SMS) available at http://twitter.com/. Twitter, which launched in 2006, combines aspects of blogging and social networking. Numerous individuals and groups in disability and rehabilitation related fields use twitter. For example, “Disability Tips” sends tweets about social security and other programs, while “PeepsHelpsPeeps” offers adults with disabilities alerts on many issues, such as prescription drug benefits and healthcare.

Wikis as Disability Resources

2009-04-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

ORIGINAL-- Wikis can be a great way to build disability and rehabilitation resources. A wiki is a collection of interlinked web pages and documents using server software to allow users to create, share, and edit content in a collaborative format.[1] Wikis are information databases, where users can work collaboratively, authoring new content, editing each other’s content through common web browsers, and linking to internal and external resources and data, all while tracking all the changes.[2]

Several disability-specific wikis are available such as Disability Wikia, a wiki focusing on general issues. Disability 911 is organized around emergency preparation for people with disabilities. AbilityNet uses a wiki to build and disseminate content about assistive technology and related topics. Wikipedia has many wikis related to disability, rehabilitation, and related topics, such as rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation engineering.

[1] Bold, M. (2006). Use of wikis in graduate course work. Journal of Interactive Learning
Research, 17(1), 5-14.
[2] Coyle, J. E. Jr. (2007). Wikis in the college classroom: A comparative study of online and face- to-face group collaboration at a private liberal arts university. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 68(5-A), 1892. AND Cunningham, W. (n.d.) Why wiki works. Retrieved April 1, 2009 from http://c2.com/cgibin/wiki?WhyWikiWorks.

Girl who had Quadriplegia Died by Neglect

2009-04-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

MICHINGAN— Michigan police located Shylae Thomas, a 9-year-old girl with quadriplegia due to a brain injury in infancy, dead in a storage facility earlier this week. Shylae was the adopted (familial) daughter of Lorrie M. Thomas, now charged with second-degree murder, second-degree child abuse, tampering with evidence, welfare fraud and other charges. Evidence shows Shylae died about six weeks ago, and her death was ruled “homicide from neglect” by the local medical examiner.
** Articles and video do not use person-first language**

SOURCES:
“Disabled 9-year-old found dead in MI storage unit”http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=10232916&nav=menu54_2
“Shylae Thomas' mother to face second degree murder, other charges”
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/04/shylae_thomas_mother_to_faces.htm
RELATED:
Associated Press/You Tube Video: Quadriplegic Girl Found Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt4somInSVY

Disaboom.com Online Disability Community

2009-04-23T12:51:00.000-05:00

ORIGINAL--
Many thanks to Emily for commenting about Disaboom (www.disaboom.com) on my recent social networking post, which she describes as"an interactive community and online resource *specifically* for people with disabilities! It has articles, blogs, forums, videos, etc. Just another one that's worth checking out. Thanks!".

I agree! Here at DisabilityIntel, I have mentioned studies and other articles done by Disaboom (available in the archive), and can attest to the excellence of the website.

Disability Communities in Social Networking

2009-04-22T14:27:00.000-05:00

ORIGINAL-- Online social networking is an immensely popular activity, and people with disabilities and disability special interest groups are making the most of these networks. Following is a small sample of just a few of the hundreds of disability and rehabilitation-related communities on MySpace, Facebook, Tribe, and Care2.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/.
MySpace includes more than 10,000 nonprofit and philanthropic groups. Searching the site, you will find approximately 200 related groups and several hundred profiles for rehabilitation counselors. Check out “Disability Entertainment News”, the “Social Security Disability Coalition”, and the “disTHIS Film Series” , just to a name few.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
According to a recent New York Times article, Facebook expects to have 200 million members this year! Over 500 groups related to disability and rehabilitation are on Facebook, including groups such as “Reframing Disability”, “Disability Dignity”, and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). You must join Facebook to view.

Tribe: http://www.tribe.net/

Tribe organizes member connections around special interest “tribes” in particular cities. According to site statistics, 45,000 tribes of all types are active in the online community. Current tribes include “Disability Connection”, “Wheelchairs United” and “Insiders’ View of Disability”.

Care2: http://www.care2.com/

This site is designed for people interested in healthy and green living, activism, and human rights. Care2 has 400 nonprofit partners and only accepts advertisers who exhibit social responsibility. Numerous disability-related groups have a presence on Care 2, including groups such as “Disability Advocacy Group” and “ThisAbility: An Access, Awareness, and Inclusion Group”.