Ice Bucket Challenge turned into sick joke against 15 yr old boy with Autism; Teens 'Sentenced' in Ice Bucket Challenge Attack

this post contains multiple posts of the ordeal of this young man has endured, in order... 

Nov 24th, 2014

Teens 'Sentenced' to Community Service, and must Apologize in Ice Bucket Challenge Attack

Three teens from Bay Village, Ohio who were accused in an Ice Bucket Challenge attack back in August have been sentenced to community service and must apologize for the attack, FOX8 in Cleveland reports.

In the attack, which was recorded, the teens poured a bucket of urine and tobacco spit on a 15-year-old boy with autism. The teens used the Ice Bucket Challenge, the  social media trend of pouring ice or cold water over one’s head to raise money and awareness for ALS, to trick the victim.

One of the teens was sentenced to 200 hours community service and six months probation. 50 of those hours are for a previous possession of marijuana case, while the other 150 are for assault and disorderly conduct surrounding the attack. The teen must  also write a letter of apology to the victim.

Another teen received  six months probation and 100 hours of community service. 20 of those hours were for a previous arson case. He also is required to give a letter of apology.

The third teen was sentenced to 100 hours of community service. Like the other two teens, he must write a letter of apology to the victim. He must also show improvement in his grades in English class, FOX8 reports.

Two other teens were involved in the case, but FOX8 reports they face less serious charges.

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Five teens charged in Ice Bucket Challenge attack on teen with autism

 OCTOBER 14, 2014
 BY KARA SUTYAK | FOX8 Cleveland

CLEVELAND- Five juveniles have been charged in the Ice Bucket Challenge attack on a 15-year-old with autism.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty announced Tuesday afternoon that based on evidence gathered during a thorough investigation by the Bay Village Police Department, three of the juveniles were charged with two counts of delinquency, assault and disorderly conduct; the other two juveniles were each charged with a single count of disorderly conduct.

The teens– who range in age from 14-16– are accused of dumping a bucket of human waste and tobacco spit over the teen’s head on Aug. 18; it was captured on video (see below post).

A team of prosecutors from the Juvenile Division of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the evidence in consultation with Bay Village police and recommended charges.

The prosecutor’s office said the evidence indicates the five teens who are charged were friends with the victim and regularly did things together; the victim was invited to one of the other boy’s homes to take part in the ALS Challenge.

In a press release, First Assistant County Prosecutor Duane Deskins, who heads the office’s Juvenile Division, said, “The victim and the five charged juveniles were and are friends and classmates. They regularly associate with one another and, at times, engage in distasteful and sophomoric pranks. However, this incident is clearly different. It crossed a moral and legal line, and even the five alleged perpetrators understand that and have expressed regret.”

Bay Village police will ask the three juveniles facing more serious charges to come to the police station with their parents to surrender and be booked. They will then be released pending an appearance in Juvenile Court; the other two juveniles  will be summoned to appear before the Juvenile Court Intake and Diversion Office.

The victim’s family has been consulted and agrees with the charges.

The attack caused outrage across the nation. Celebrities like Cleveland’s Drew Carey and Jenny McCarthy offered money to aid in the investigation.

Stay with FOX 8 News and FOX8.com for more details as rhey develop CLICK HERE 
http://fox8.com/2014/10/14/five-teens-charged-in-ice-bucket-challenge-attack-on-teen-with-autism/

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as reported on FOX8 Cleveland, BY MARK ZINNI | Sept 3, 2014
UPDATE POSTED

**Important note: The family asked that we show the video to make other parents aware of bullying.**

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio – Police are investigating an alleged case of bullying involving a teenager with autism who took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

“Once we found out about it, we were just horrified,” said Diane, the mother of the Bay High School student.  She claimed her youngest son was videotaped as feces, urine, spit and cigarette butts were dumped on his head by a group of juveniles.

“I want these kids held accountable for what they did to him and they targeted somebody who just didn’t really understand what was going on,” she said.

FOX 8 News is not identifying the family by last name to help protect their son.

According to the victim’s mom, Diane, the video was discovered on her 15-year-old son’s cell phone. She, along with her husband and other son, Jacob, wants it to be made public.

“I mean, the first thing that popped into my mind was like, why could someone – how could someone do this?” said Jacob. “How could someone really be this cruel to someone?”

In the video, the boy with autism is seen standing in the driveway of a home off school grounds. He’s wearing only his underwear as a bucket of fluid is poured from the roof of the garage. The bucket allegedly contained a mix of bodily fluids instead of ice water.

“He was embarrassed because he did not know what the contents were until afterwards and then he didn’t want anybody to know,” said his mom. “They used his phone to tape it and they put it up on Instagram.”

“This is just too far. It’s really bad,” said his brother, Jacob.

The Bay Village Police Department was made aware of the alleged incident on Wednesday. According to Det. Kevin Krolkosky, criminal charges could be filed.

“It’s disturbing to watch, you can obviously tell that somebody has been taking advantage of there,” said the detective.

Det. Krolkosky met with the parents and said it’s not a prank; it’s possibly a crime committed on the boy with autism by a group of juveniles who could face delinquency charges.

A spokesperson for Bay High School, where the victim is a student, said they’re now working hand-in-hand with police as they investigate.

“Obviously, if possible, we do want to hold those individuals accountable for their actions,” said Det. Krolkosky.

The police are just beginning their investigation and we’re told it could take a few weeks to file charges but they have a good idea who was involved.

“The bucket challenge is supposed to be raising awareness for this disease and now they’ve turned it into a sick joke,” said the victim’s mom. “I just can’t understand why kids would do something this cruel.”

The boy’s mom and dad wanted the video released to make other parents aware of bullying so they’ll have a conversation with their kids on how to treat people.

http://fox8.com/2014/09/03/mom-ice-bucket-challenge-turned-into-sick-joke-against-son-with-autism/

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Drew Carey Offers $10,000 Reward to Catch Teens Responsible for ‘Horrendous’ Ice Bucket Challenge Prank

“Price Is Right” host Drew Carey wants to catch a group of Ohio teenagers responsible for a “horrendous” ALS Ice Bucket Challenge prank on an autistic boy, and is willing to chip in a $10,000 toward a reward fund.

“WTF? Just saw this. Horrendous. These kids should be arrested and expelled,” Carey tweeted after reading a Cleveland.com report about a group of Bay Village High School students who tricked a 14-year-old special needs student into dumping a bucket full of urine, spit and feces on his head.

“If the Bay Village PD wants to start a reward fund to find who did this, contact me. I'll donate $10k,” Carey added.

Both the police department and Bay Village school district are eager to discipline the teens responsible for filming the prank Police Chief Mark Spaetzel called “reprehensible.”

Investigators are reviewing a copy of the video, which the attackers recorded on the victim's phone and then posted to social media.

Carey, a comedian and former sitcom star, grew up in the Cleveland area, and is willing to offer his $10,000 to an autism charity if the teenagers responsible for the prank are found without any monetary incentive.

"Drew Carey @DrewFromTV"
If they find them w/out reward $, then done :) RT @sonicslifer:@DrewFromTV They'll find them no problem. Give the ten k to Autism Speaks!
2:08 AM - 6 Sep 2014

URGENT ACTION ALERT: Demand Vigorous Prosecution for the Murder of Autistic 6-Year Old boy

wanted to share this info from Autistic Self Advocacy Network

On November 3rd, six-year-old London McCabe was thrown from a bridge by his mother. His body was found hours later. London was autistic. His murder is a tragedy, and we mourn and call for justice.   London, and not his mother, is the victim of a terrible crime. Frequently, the murders of people like London are made out to be due to the “stress” they allegedly put on their caregivers, and sympathy is extended to their murderers. We must remember how reprehensible it is for a parent or caregiver to kill a child, and to avoid framing murdered children as burdens on their family. London was six years old. His family reports that he loved hats, loved his parents, and was “all smiles.”     Sign our petition and tell the Lincoln County District Attorney that we demand #JusticeForLondon. London’s mother has been arrested and charged with aggravated murder, murder, and 1st degree manslaughter: tell the district attorney that this crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, in accordance with the standard of justice we see for children without disabilities who are killed by their parents. Take a stand against filicide. Click here to sign the petition and demand that London's mother be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for the murder of her autistic son.

Donate to ASAN »   Become an ASAN member »

Chicago CTA 2014 Holiday Train and Bus schedule

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has announced the 2014 schedule for their Holiday Train, and this year the first Holiday Bus as well. The CTA is Accessible for people with disabilities (but with a few ignored issues- my opinion).
The CTA and the CTA employees have always done a wonderful effort into bringing Holiday cheer to all of Chicago, and suburbs CTA serves.

The six-car CTA train adorned with holiday lights and decorations that stops at rail stations as part of a two-decade tradition.



The 2014 Holiday Train schedule:

• Green Line: Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 2
• Orange and Brown Line: Dec. 3-6
• Pink Line: Dec. 9-10
• Blue Line: Dec. 11-13
• Red Line: Dec. 16, 18, 20, 22
• Purple Line: Dec. 17, 19, 20
• Yellow Line: Dec. 23

This year the CTA will operate a Holiday Bus, a 60-foot bus adorned with festive decorations that features a picture of "Ralphie the Reindeer," until Dec. 23. The bus will operate generally from 1 to 8 p.m. on nine regular CTA routes that serve downtown, the CTA announced. The CTA Bus Tracker will denote the holiday bus with a candy cane. Normal CTA bus fares apply to ride the bus.

The Holiday Bus schedule:

• Dec. 2 and 3: No. J14-Jeffery Jump
• Dec. 4 and 5: No. 62-Archer
• Dec. 6 and 9: No. 3-King Drive
• Dec. 10 and 11: No. 12-Roosevelt
• Dec. 12 and 13: No. 66-Chicago
• Dec. 17 and 18: No. 56-Milwaukee
• Dec. 19 and 20: No. 22-Clark
• Dec. 22: No. 124-Navy Pier
• Dec. 23: No. 49-Western

For the CTA, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/

For CTA Accessibility information, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/

Service Dogs Welcome? Opinion By Guest Blogger Ann Chiappetta, M.S.

as posted by Disability.gov.

By Guest Blogger Ann Chiappetta, M.S.

There is trouble out there in service dog land. The nationwide publicity about pet owners passing off their dogs as service animals has become a current event. To be more specific, there is an epidemic of pet owners trying to pass their dogs off as working dogs. Did you know that, with just a minimum of information, you can go online and purchase a vest and fake ID for your pet stating it is an assistance animal?

Legitimate service and guide dog handlers are at risk of being turned away from public places because of this epidemic. As a guide dog handler, I know this problem firsthand. For example, businesses are caught in-between following the laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities and their service dogs, while also not having a clear way of identifying illegitimate service animals.

One organization that is spearheading a campaign to increase public awareness about this issue is Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI). As the nation’s leading consumer and advocacy organization of people with visual impairments working with guide dogs as their primary means of mobility, GDUI hopes to educate the general public about this problem.

As a dog guide user, I am concerned about how the growing number of pet owners who misrepresent their pet dogs as service animals in order to gain access to public places, or to avoid pet fees, will adversely affect me. Currently, business owners are faced with trying to identify pets posing as service animals, a problem which is only mounting.

These kind of clashes have increased exponentially, and dog guide teams feel it each time we are barred from legitimately entering a place that accommodates the public because of a pet owner who doesn't want to leave their dog at home.  

Likewise, many people do not understand that dogs and other types of domestic animals, known as Emotional Support Animals, are not qualified service animals.The sole function of these animals is to provide comfort, emotional support or well-being, and therapeutic benefits or companionship. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), only service animals that perform physical tasks or work to mitigate a disability are given the right to accompany their partners with disabilities in all public places.

Moreover, GDUI supports businesses and transportation services that allow people with legitimate disabilities to be accompanied by guide dogs and other types of service animals. They also support pet owners who maintain good control over their dogs and obey applicable local, state and federal laws regarding access for people with disabilities who use service animals.

GDUI also supports state laws that penalize individuals who knowingly misrepresent a dog as a guide dog, or other type of service animal, in order to gain the same treatment or benefits as a person with disabilities.

As a result, GDUI and other service dog organizations are struggling to find positive ways to inform the public that posing as a person with a disability with a service dog is harmful to the people who depend on genuine service dogs to assist them, and that it constitutes a form of fraud.

The United States is the most accessible country in the world. The guide dog movement has been established for 50 years; many of those early years we spent fighting for our civil rights as people with disabilities who are blind. Our dogs are indeed the quiet, masterful companions we depend upon. If someone you know is passing off a pet as a service animal, we hope you will share this blog with them and let them know they are hurting other legitimate guide dog teams.

Ann Chiappetta, M.S. is a writer, advocate  and guide dog user living in New York State. Ann works as a trauma and family therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs. To view Ann’s blog, please visit www.thought-wheel.com.

For more of Disability.gov, visit: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/

For all posts related on the 'Fake' Service Animal epidemic: CLICK HERE

Disney Hit With New Autistic Kids Lawsuits! Many More Expected for Violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act

DEADLINE | article by Dominic Patten | Nov 20, 2014

EXCLUSIVE: Fourteen new individual lawsuits were filed this week against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act. “The systems, policies and procedures associated with the Disability Access Service which Disney rolled out in October of 2013 were certain to create discrimination against Plaintiffs, and it was obvious that the community of persons with cognitive impairments would be harmed by the DAS,” said the filings in federal court in Florida (read one of them here). Representing 26 families with children with autism and other developmental disorders who visited Disney World, these latest complaints come out of an order late last month by a judge breaking up the group discrimination case against the House of Mouse first filed in April. The filings this week were one per family, as designated by U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conaway.

And there will be many more to come soon. With Judge Conaway allowing the amended complaint of August 27 to go forward,  over two dozen new cases from 69 more plaintiffs are expected within days. In her October 30 order, the Judge gave plaintiffs until November 21 to make their filings. As the original 57-claim complaint lays out, the plaintiffs in the filing earlier this week say that Disney’s change over to its DAS system in an effort to stop abuse of the system left the children and their families suddenly treated harshly by employees at DisneyLand and Disney World, stuck in long lines to which their conditions are unsuited, and caused unsettling “meltdown behaviors.”

All of which is to say Disney now is about to be fighting a lot of families on a lot of fronts in the Sunshine State. Disney has said in past and in motions before the court that it is anything less than accommodating and sensitive to the needs and requirements of patrons such as the plaintiffs. And Disney is not only accused of violating the ADA, but also promoting information that the filings say “blame the autistic person” for being unable to “appreciate Disney Parks” via videos posted online.

“Disney knows that viewers of these messages who are part of the disabled community or who have any true understanding of cognitive impairments will be insulted and disgusted, because Disney is too smart to be delivering such inane messages in good faith, just as Disney is too smart to genuinely believe autistic persons can go all the way to a ride and calmly and peaceably accept an instruction to come back later,” says the complaint filed by A.L. and his mother D.L.

As with the other complaints, the filing by A.L. and D.L. details very specific instances of the “horrible experiences” they had at the company’s parks under the new DAS system. Needless to say, Disney and its employees really do not come out well. Neither does the contested existence of a so-called “Magic List,” which allows park patrons five immediate-entry, no-appointment ride passes. The plaintiffs say such a List or something like it could solve a lot of their issues. Disney says no such list exists.

At this point, it looks like that’s a debate for a lot of people to be having before the courts.

Like in the previous group action, attorneys Andy Dogali of Tampa, Florida and Eugene Feldman of Hermosa Beach, CA represent the individual plaintiffs.

https://deadline.com/2014/11/disney-new-lawsuit-autistic-kids-more-expected-1201289687/

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For previous posts of Disney: CLICK HERE

"ADA National Network Learning Session: Inclusive Emergency Planning – Lessons from the City of Los Angeles Lawsuit" - Webinar Dec.11th

as shared by ADA National Network and Pacific ADA Center

                            

Announcing a new webinar - "ADA National Network Learning Session: Inclusive Emergency Planning – Lessons from the City of Los Angeles Lawsuit" December 11th, 2014 Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii. Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php This webinar provides an overview of major lessons observed as The City of Los Angeles works to strengthen its inclusion of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs in Executive Directives, Emergency Operations Plan, departmental standard operating procedures and training. Focus will include planning processes, roles and responsibilities, resource management, agreements, community stakeholder integration, other tools for success. Examples will be provided regarding communication, mass care and sheltering, evacuation, and maintaining health. Presenter: Kari Tatro. Kari Tatro is the Executive Vice President of Emergency Management Operations for BCFS HHS, an international system of nonprofit corporations. Ms. Tatro manages a comprehensive emergency management program for all hazards planning, preparedness, response and recovery operations, with specific emphasis on Emergency Support Functions 6 and 8, including mass care, medical needs operations, and functional needs support services. She has functioned as command staff for multiple catastrophic incident responses including Hurricanes Dolly, Gustav and Ike, served as the executive manager and subject matter expert responsible for developing the FEMA document and curriculum on integrating Functional Need Support Services (FNSS) into general population sheltering, published in 2010. Ms. Tatro started her career as a wild land fire fighter for the United States Forest Service before moving into a position working for the State of Texas coordinating emergency management activities for 16 counties. These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files. To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

Copyright © 2014 Pacific ADA Center, All rights reserved.

Mental-health needs should be high-priority for VA and U.S. Lawmakers

By Jacqueline Klimas - The Washington Times | Nov 19, 2014

Lawmakers talked Wednesday about the challenges facing the VA in treating mental-health issues, including not enough money, not enough doctors, and not enough time left in the legislative year.

But Valerie Pallotta, testifying to those lawmakers at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said she faces the challenges that come with suicide in a different way: getting out of bed in the morning, making a meal for herself and her husband, and thinking back to the night two police officers knocked on her door at 3 a.m. saying that her 25-year-old son was dead.

Joshua Pallotta, who served with the Vermont National Guard, killed himself just six weeks ago after a 2010 deployment to Afghanistan where he saw several close friends die in combat.

“We struggle to get through a shower without breaking down,” Ms. Pallotta told the Senate committee. “We just go through the motions.”

As Congress grapples with trying to cure the VA of a bureaucracy that created secret wait lists to deny veterans care without seeming to do so, and that put the department over the interests of patients, senators said Ms. Pallotta’s struggle underscored how urgent some of the problems are.

“There is a benefit to telling these stories because the reminder is that, while we hear this stuff about the bureaucracy at the VA, the consequences are something that we’re not so readily aware of that we’ve heard from you today,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, Kansas Republican. “There can be no excuse.”

The average wait time for a mental-health appointment at the VA is 36 days — unchanged from June 9, despite an influx of money that came when Congress passed the Veterans Choice Act over the summer.

Dr. Harold Kudler, chief consultant for mental health services at the VA, said the wait times don’t account for same-day appointments when a veteran calls with an urgent mental health problem. They are seen immediately — the goal for every veteran with an emergency, he said.

He also said the few months of increased funding and awareness hasn’t been enough to hire enough new staff.

“Getting more people onboard does take time and that’s a slow process,” he said.

To try to avoid these long wait times, lawmakers included a Choice Card in this summer’s reform bill, which will allow veterans who experience long waits or live too far from a facility to seek help in their community. Dr. Kudler, however, said private mental health doctors may not be prepared or qualified to help veterans. Private doctors often don’t even ask if someone served in the military when taking down a medical history, he said.

Dr. Kudler said that even though Congress dedicated $5 billion to hire new providers, it remains to be seen how much would go to mental health staff. Sen. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat, said it’s up to the VA to make sure the money goes there, even if it’s not spelled out in the law.

“The injuries coming out of these wars have a lot to do with unseen problems,” Mr. Tester said. “$5 billion is a lot of dough and you guys should use that to help take care of this mental health problem we have in the VA.”

The VA touted statistics that showed middle-aged veterans who got mental healthcare at the VA had lower rates of suicide. But Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, questioned why the youngest veterans, even those who get care at the VA, are committing suicide at such a high rate.

The VA promised to do more outreach, but Mr. Blumenthal said that’s not a solution, since veterans are already aware of the services the VA offers.

“They’re in your door, they use your services and they’re committing suicide at a higher rate,” he said. “People are dying at a higher rate who use your services.”

The VA was unable to provide an exact rate of suicide for this population, but said they were aware of the problem.

“We are trying to understand why they are doing this,” said Caitlin Thompson, the deputy director of suicide prevention at the VA.

Susan Selke, the mother of a Marine who committed suicide, said her son’s unit lost 20 Marines in 2008 while deployed in combat. Since coming home, the unit has lost another 20 to suicide as of earlier this week, she said.

Ms. Selke told reporters ahead of the hearing that VA Secretary Bob McDonald promised his support of the suicide prevention bill named after her son, Clay Hunt.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/19/senate-mental-health-needs-should-top-priority-va/?page=all#pagebreak

Hasbro Helps Kids With Disabilities Learn To Play

Mr. Potato Head arrives at the world premiere of Toy Story 3 on Sunday June 13, 2010 at The El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Katy Winn) | ASSOCIATED PRESS

 | By Jennifer McDermott | Nov 19, 2014

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Toymakers at Hasbro don't want Mr. Potato Head to end up at the bottom of toy boxes, simply because children with developmental disabilities don't know how to play with him.

Hasbro Inc. has partnered with The Autism Project, a group of parents and professionals that help people with autism to create instructional videos and tools to help children with developmental disabilities learn how to play with their toys.

The Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based toy company will launch the "ToyBox Tools" initiative on Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio at a national conference on autism and disabilities, OCALICON 2014.

Parents and caregivers can access the tools for eight of Hasbro's classic toys for free online at the ToyBox Tools website. The series of Mr. Potato Head videos introduce children to the toy, explain how to assemble him in creative ways and show how to play with him with other children.

Karen Davis, the senior vice president of global philanthropy and social impact at Hasbro, said that knowing how to play with these toys may not be intuitive for children with developmental disabilities, including autism. Three engineers at the company thought of the idea, she said, so every child can "experience the joy of play."

About 15 percent of children in the United States have a developmental disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"To be able to help this group of kids means an awful lot to us," Davis said Tuesday. "We're really looking forward to seeing where this goes."

Joanne Quinn, executive director of The Autism Project, said ToyBox Tools will have a "huge impact" because parents will feel more empowered to play with their children, and children will learn how to play at their own pace and learn important life skills.

Parents and teachers sometimes write out instructional materials for toys or show videos of other kids playing, but no one has collected everything in one place for everyone to use, she added.

"Hasbro has given us such a platform to help so many families, it's fantastic," Quinn said.

Davis said Hasbro hopes to get suggestions from the experts at the conference to improve the online resources. Hasbro may develop similar videos and printed instructions for more toys in the future, she added.

Easter Seals Mentorship Program for Young Women with Disabilities available for Digital Audiences

as shared by Easter Seals | Nov 2014

"Thrive" program facilitates personal growth and empowerment for young women during life transitions

Easter Seals is bringing young women with disabilities together through the national expansion of the Thrive program.  Women across the country will now have digital access to the Massachusetts-based program, Easter Seals announced today.

Thrive empowers young women to achieve their goals and independence through one-on-one mentoring. In 2012, a group of women created the program to address a growing need for support of youth with disabilities as they transition into adulthood—a time when they are expected to gain more independence. Thrive provides young women with personalized support as they navigate through these life changes. Each member of Thrive is paired with an older, adult mentor based on a variety of factors including location, availability, life experiences, interests and disability.

"Thrive challenges my idea of what successes are possible," said Sandy Ho, Thrive Program Coordinator. "As a young woman with a disability I continuously find myself trying to measure up to my peers, colleagues, or family members—very few of whom are women with disabilities. Thrive helped me realize that my own life experiences were not necessarily unique, but a lifestyle that had patterns many other women with disabilities were familiar with. Thrive is empowering a community from those life experiences!"

The national launch of Thrive's digital community gives millions of women an opportunity to utilize life experiences and advocacy from one another. Digital mentor interaction is coordinated through email, video-chat and phone. In addition to mentoring, Thrive is encouraging young women to interact with one another through their active social media community, book club and a series of Google Hangout chats. Thrive continues to operate their on-site mentorship program at Easter Seals Massachusetts. Easter Seals affiliates will begin adapting Thrive's on-site services in the coming years.

"We are pleased to announce the expansion of Thrive, a program that has been instrumental in helping young women reach their full potential," said Jim Williams, Easter Seals president. "Easter Seals is proud to support youth of all abilities as they enter a new chapter in life. The Thrive digital community will help millions of women realize they're not alone in whatever challenges they may face." 

CIO, CTO & Developer Resources

"Working as part of a team at Easter Seals to develop Thrive has been a rewarding experience not only as a professional, but also personally as a woman with a disability," said Colleen Flanagan, Easter Seals Massachusetts Youth Services Coordinator. "I still remember the struggles of being an adolescent girl growing up with a disability. I hoped to find a community to share my fears and frustrations of being a teenage girl with a disability. I wanted to meet mentors and peers who had disabilities like mine, and who also like me, had the ability to thrive.  I am proud to contribute to the work Easter Seals is doing to empower the next generation of young women with disabilities."

About Easter Seals:

Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs.  For more nearly 100 years, we have been offering help, hope, and answers to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play in their communities.  For more information visit www.easterseals.com.

About Thrive:

The Easter Seals Thrive program facilitates personal growth and empowerment for women with disabilities during life transitions. Thrive's mission is to provide young women with disabilities support to achieve their goals and independence. Thrive was established at Easter Seals Massachusetts by a group of women to meet a need for support of youth with disabilities as they transition into adulthood. For more information visit www.easterseals.com/thrive/

HUD SETTLES CLAIMS ALLEGING DEKALB, ILLINOIS APARTMENT COMPLEX DISCRIMINATED AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

PRESS RELEASE | Nov 3, 2014
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) with University Village, the owner and operator of a 500-unit HUD-subsidized apartment complex in DeKalb, Illinois. As part of the agreement, University Village has agreed to pay $255,000 to settle allegations that it violated fair housing laws when it failed to meet the needs of persons with disabilities and retaliated against a resident with disabilities for requesting a reasonable accommodation.

The VCA is the result of complaints that were filed by HOPE Fair Housing Center, the RAMP Center for Independent Living and two residents with disabilities, which alleged that University Village made housing unavailable when it assigned a mobility impaired resident to a third-floor unit in a building with no elevator, and threatened her with eviction for having her adult daughter, who was serving as her caregiver, in the unit, even though she had documentation verifying her disability and need for the accommodation. University Village receives federal financial assistance from HUD in the form of project-based vouchers.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of a dwelling because of disability, including refusing to make reasonable accommodations in policies or practices when a person with a disability requires such an accommodation. In addition, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance be readily accessible to persons with disabilities and that they be granted the reasonable accommodations they need, including being allowed to have a live-in caregiver in a unit when it is necessary.

"No one with a disability should be denied the accommodations they need to fully enjoy their home," said Gustavo Velasquez, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This agreement reflects HUD's commitment to working with housing providers, including owners of HUD funded housing, to meet their obligation to comply with the nation's fair housing laws."

Under the terms of the agreement, University Village will pay $255,000, which includes attorney fees, to the two individuals who filed complaints and work with HOPE Fair Housing Center to develop a new reasonable accommodation policy. The complex will also conduct a needs assessment of current tenants and applicants who require assessable units to determine if their needs are being met and ensure that five percent of its units are fully accessible, either by constructing new units or converting existing units.

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