2016 Advocacy Guide from National Low Income Housing Coalition

Great Resource from the National Low Income Housing Coalition!

NLIHC’s Advocacy Guide for the
Election Season

Over the next few months, affordable housing and community development organizations have an opportunity to influence a number of critical issues before Congress and to help break through the noise of the Presidential campaigns to make affordable housing an election issue.

This summer and fall, Congress will be in their home districts and states between August 1 and September 6 and again between October 10 and November 11.

To help advocates make full use of this time, NLIHC has created a Summer/Fall 2016 Advocacy Guide, outlining the five key ways organizations can take action between now and the November elections to advocate for the issues that are most important to their mission, the people they serve, and their community.

The Advocacy Guide covers ways organizations can help:

• Increase federal spending on key federal housing programs;
• Expand and improve the Low Income Housing Tax Credit;
• Ensure that housing needs are addressed in criminal justice reform;
• Support the Make Room campaign—an initiative to demand that Congress make affordable housing a top priority; and
• Use NLIHC Voterization resources to engage voters and candidates.

For more information and best practices on how nonprofit organizations and individuals can lobby their elected officials, see Lobbying: Individual and 501(c)(3) Organizations in NLIHC’s 2016 Advocates’ Guide. 

Together, these resources can help advocates make their voices heard and build strong relationships with their Members of Congress.

Become an NLIHC Member!

NLIHC is a membership organization open to individuals, organizations, corporations and government agencies.

“Me Before You” Protesters Call For Public Service Announcement to Prevent Copycat Suicides

Editor’s note. The following was distributed by the disability rights organization “Not Dead Yet.” 

Disability rights advocates who protested the film “Me Before You” in cities across the United States are calling on Warner Brothers to add a public service announcement to further releases of the film to help prevent copycat suicides.

In a letter sent Monday to Kevin Tsujihara, CEO of Warner Brothers, 19 national and 25 state, local and regional disability organizations stated:

“The public’s primary frame of reference can be shaped by what people see in movies and television. Storylines like this perpetuate stigma and discrimination based on disability. We are especially concerned that audiences will believe the desire to kill oneself is normal for those who need a high level of care. This inaccurate belief has been perpetuated by Warner Brothers track record of distributing other films, such as ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and ‘The Sea Inside,’ both of which emphasized the same dangerous message.

“. . . Therefore, to reduce the risk of a “copycat” suicide effect, as well as negative impacts on individuals and families in the midst of critical health care decisions, the responsible thing to do is add a public service announcement to online and home entertainment releases at the beginning of the film.”

The public service announcement recommended by the disability organizations is “Live On. Disabled Lives Are Worth Living,” produced by the Center for Disability Rights in Rochester, New York.

Disability protests of “Me Before You” received substantial press coverage in late May and June. Members of Not Dead Yet UK protested at the London premier on May 24th, which garnered significant coverage (Guardian, Buzzfeed) during the protest and in the days following.

The last big example of this tired theme [better dead than disabled] was “Million Dollar Baby,” which “came out before the major growth of social media but still resulted in protests covered in the New York Times,” said Stephen Drake, research analyst for Not Dead Yet (USA).

Disability rights writers and bloggers also blasted the film for its oppressive portrayal of living with significant disabilities like quadriplegia. Examples include articles by disability studies scholar Bill Peace and activist and filmmaker Dominick Evans. Some have been featured in mainstream outlets like Emily Ladau’s article in Salon, Lauren West’s in Huffington Post, and Ben Mattlin’s in the Chicago Tribune.

Not Dead Yet’s New England regional director John Kelly has the same level of spinal cord injury as Will Traynor, the lead male character in “Me Before You.”

“Book and screenplay author JoJo Moyes admits she knows nothing about quadriplegics,” said Kelly, “yet her ignorance is allowed to promote the idea that people like me are better off dead. No one’s suicide should be treated noble and inspirational. Our suicides should be viewed as tragedies like anyone else’s.”

Webinar August 11: Emergency Management & Preparedness-Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

 "ADA National Network Learning Session: Disaster Behavioral Health and People With Access and Functional Needs: Resources from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)"

August 11th, 2016

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities, including throughout all phases of the disaster cycle. When natural and human-caused disasters occur, including incidents of mass violence such as terrorism and shootings, survivors, loved ones of victims, and responders are all at risk for emotional distress or other mental health concerns. Persons with physical and mental health disabilities, the deaf and hard of hearing, those with visual impairments and many others have unique access and functional needs that must be addressed as a part of a 'whole community' approach to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and this includes incorporating available and accessible behavioral health resources into emergency management operations. This session will provide an introduction to disaster behavioral health and overview of resources from SAMHSA that emergency managers, providers, and the public at large can utilize year-round, during and immediately following disaster events, and during long term recovery.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

Presenters:

CDR Jamie Seligman, LMSW-C, BCD, is a project officer with Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in the Emergency Mental Health and Traumatic Stress Services Branch (EMHTSSB). In his current role, he monitors crisis counseling grants to states with presidentially-declared disasters and provides technical assistance to grantees and applicants. He is also the project officer for the Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS), an online virtual disaster resource center with downloadable publications. CDR Seligman spearheaded the development and creation of the SAMHSA Disaster Kit; he also provided oversight and subject matter expertise in the development and launch of SAMHSA's Disaster App. CDR Seligman oversees the Disaster Distress Helpline, which is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. He has been deployed to numerous disaster settings, serving as a federal responder (mental health professional) with United States Public Health Service (USPHS). His deployments include: Ft. Myers, FL (Hurricane Charley), New Orleans (Hurricane Katrina), Asia (tsunami), South Dakota (suicide cluster), American Samoa (tsunami), Gulf Coast (Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill) and Liberia (Ebola).

Christian Burgess, MSW, is Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration administered by Link2Health Solutions (L2HS), a subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mental Health Association of New York City. L2HS also administers the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for SAMHSA, of which the DDH is considered a sub-network. Christian serves on the National VOAD Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee (ESCC) and Health Committee, and co-chaired the NYC VOAD ESCC from 2013-2014. Christian served as Training Coordinator for the Oil Spill Distress Helpline from 2010-2011, also administered by L2HS for SAMHSA, before becoming the DDH Director in 2012 when that program was launched. Prior to L2HS, Christian worked for over 10 years in youth violence prevention and trauma intervention, including as Director of School Programs at Safe Horizon, one of the nation's largest service providers for victims of crime.

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

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

State of Illinois Ends Overtime Restriction Rules For Home Care Workers For Disabled and Seniors

CHICAGO (WLS7 News) - wonderful report by Karen Jordan | Aug. 3, 2016
The state of Illinois has rescinded rules that restricted overtime for people who provide in-home care for the disabled.

When the no-overtime policy went into effect in May, Governor Bruce Rauner's administration said the state could not afford the extra money to comply with a federal government ruling requiring overtime be paid at time-and-a-half.

Workers like Alberta Walker had to cut back the hours she cared for her son. The change in policy is considered a victory for disability advocates.

"My son's service plan calls for 57 hours per week. Under Bruce Rauner's unfair policy, I was told that I could no longer work those hours," Walker said.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the union that represents home care workers, was prepared to file a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against the Illinois Dept. of Human Services seeking an injunction to stop the no-overtime policy.

"We are calling on him to permanently rescind overtime caps on personal assistants to ensure they can continue to do the job that people with disabilities have hired them to do," said Terri Harkin, SEIU.

But the lawsuit was not filed because the Illinois Dept. of Human Services announced it had rescinded the policy. But the secretary of the department said his agency will seek an overtime policy through a process with the state legislature's consent.

"We believe it's the right policy. It protects our most vulnerable residents, but it also creates jobs and saves taxpayer dollars," said James Dimas, Illinois Dept. of Human Services.

Under the no-overtime policy, which took effect May 1, workers were limited to 40 hours a week. Violating the policy three times could result in the loss of a license, which has outraged home care recipients.

"Why should my personal assistant get penalized by receiving a warning letter?" Larry Biondi said.

The SEIU said more than 2,200 home care workers were disciplined the past few months for working more than 40 hours a week. They said had the policy not been rescinded, workers could have been terminated.

They also said they are still prepared to fight the state's efforts to enact an overtime policy.

http://abc7chicago.com/news/state-rescinds-overtime-restriction-rules-for-home-care-workers/1455984/

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Ability Chicago Info does not normally post articles and reports from news agencies on the same day of publication. But with many questions by so many, and the effect of the quality of life for many in Illinois disability community, we are sharing the above article on the same day. As this continues to got forward we will continue to post relevant information.

Washington state Disabilities Advocates Sues State Over State Institutions

A lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to force Washington state to speed up the transition of adults with developmental disabilities from institutional settings to homes in the community.

report by Susannah Frame, for KING5 News | Aug. 2, 2016  
Disability Rights Washington (DRW), a nonprofit with the mission of supporting persons with disabilities, filed the suit in U.S. District court. It asks the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the state’s Health Care Authority to develop plans and procedures to move people out of institutions who have been identified as able to do so and have expressed that they would like to move into regular neighborhoods with appropriate support and care.

“Defendants have no effectively working plan to ensure that Plaintiffs….will avoid institutionalization. This failure violates their rights under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” wrote attorneys for DRW in the complaint.

DRW attorneys said they filed the suit after conducting an eight-month investigation. They also cited the public awareness of the issue brought about by the KING 5 series "Last of the Institutions," an investigative series that explored why Washington has failed to follow the lead of many other states in closing its state-run institutions for disabled adults.

“We know that living in an institution is not the same as living in the community and people have a right to live in the community when they want to. So this is about people’s choice of where they want to be, how they want to spend their days,” said Sarah Eaton, lead attorney on the case for DRW.

According to the suit, 91 people have been identified in the state as either wanting to leave an institutional setting or they are at great risk of becoming institutionalized because of the state’s inability to support their transition to the community. DSHS contracts with vendors that operate supported living housing, set up specifically for people with high needs, such as those waiting to move out. Currently, the state does not have enough staffing or resources to meet the demand.

FOR A VIDEO REPORT, VISIT:http://www.king.com/news/local/investigations/disabilities-group-sues-state-over-institutions/286359243

A spokesperson for DSHS said the agency is doing everything it can to help people transition into the community but a current lack of staffing is challenging.
“We want what our clients want. Unfortunately at times there are not supports in the community to accommodate every individual,” said DSHS spokesperson Kelly Stowe. “We want people to live in the community if they want to, however the supports necessary to make sure they are successful need to be in place.”

Johanna Pratt, 32, is one of those people. She has intellectual and emotional disabilities, but she doesn’t want that to keep her from living in the community.

Pratt has been living at the Rainier School for four years while waiting for a community placement with enough staff to meet her needs. She is one of the named plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit.

“I get frustrated every day because I want to leave. I want to live close to Tacoma so my family can see me more often,” said Pratt. “I want to live in the community and meet new friends. I have friends here but I want to leave and do things with my own staff.”

Washington's four institutions are: the Rainier School in Buckley, Lakeland Village in Spokane, Fircrest in Shoreline and the Yakima Valley School in Selah. Approximately 800 people reside in them. Only a handful of states operate more than four institutions, including Texas, New York, Arkansas, Mississippi and Illinois.

Washington's practice bucks a decades-long trend to stop the segregation of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

In all, 16 states have closed all of their large facilities for the developmentally disabled, including Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, New Mexico and Oklahoma. These states are serving this entire population in community settings. Many live in homes with two to three residents and full time staff to meet their needs. Several agencies in the Northwest offer an array of support services, such as assisting with medical needs, transportation and job coaching. Two more states, California and Georgia, have announced concrete plans to close the remainder of their institutions.

DRW in its complaint asks a federal judge to declare that the defendants have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“(We ask that the court) Declare that the Defendants’ failure to implement an adequate system of ensuring the choice of integrated community based services results in unnecessary segregation and institutionalization of Plaintiffs and the class, or places them at risk of unnecessary institutionalization, and violated the Title II of the ADA,” wrote the attorneys.

DRW also requests relief for the class in new “policies, practices, and procedures” to make sure their clients are “provided with appropriate community-based residential services with reasonable promptness.”

The filing of the complaint came after an exchange of correspondence between DRW and the two state agencies. On July 20, DRW wrote a letter to DSHS and the Health Care Authority that laid out their findings and requested a meeting to “engage in structured negotiation to reach an agreement to…actually ensure …services are reliably available to all individuals who need supported living to avoid segregation and institutionalization”. On Monday, top officials from DSHS and the Health Care Authority responded by offering to meet for “discussion purposes”…but not to engage in “settlement discussions”. The agency directors said they disagreed with DRW’s allegations.

“We also find the legal conclusions contained in your letter and your request for settlement discussions concerning and premature given we have not been engaged in a discussion about your concerns,” wrote Patricia Lashway, Acting Secretary of DSHS, and Dorothy Teeter, Director of the Health Care Authority.

Johanna Pratt hopes the lawsuit will help her to move into the community and pursue her dreams that include swimming, playing softball, getting trained to work at a job with animals, and visiting her friends when she wants to.

“I’m trying every day to think positive. Every day I wake up and (think) ‘Oh, no I won’t be able to get out of here’. I don’t want to be here anymore, it’s frustrating,” said Pratt.

The state has 21 days to respond to the complaint. The agencies could state their defenses, move to dismiss the lawsuit, or engage in settlement discussions.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/investigations/disabilities-group-sues-state-over-institutions/286359243
Copyright 2016 KING

Human Services and the Disability Community -Town Hall Meeting in Chicago August 5, 2016

Human Services

Independent Voices, an Access Living Community Organizing Group, is for people who have escaped from nursing homes or who advocate for the right of people with disabilities to live in the community. At the monthly meeting on August 5, Independent Voices will host the "Defending Human Services" Town Hall Meeting. Through panels (consumer, allie, provider, State Legislator) and break out discussion groups, the Town Hall will address issues from mental health and budget cuts, to employment and food security. The goal of the Town Hall is to develop action items designed to protect and build the network of community supports for people across Illinois.  

The Town Hall is Friday, August 5, 2016 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Fourth Floor Event Space at Access Living. For questions and more information, contact Tom Wilson at twilson@accessliving.org

Access Living of Metro Chicago

Address: 115 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Phone: (312) 640-2100

Also on the subject of community living, check out this story from Mike Ervin in the Progressive Magazine. Ervin, a disability advocate and writers, shares the story of Norma Robertson. Robertson acquired a disability, was forced into a nursing home, then eventually transitioned into the community, and now helps other people escape from nursing homes through her work with a Center for Independent Living in Pennsylvania.

President Obama at the 95th National Convention of Disabled American Veterans, the heartbreak of veteran homelessness

August 1, 2016 -- In remarks to the 95th National Convention of Disabled American Veterans, President Obama paid tribute to Gold Star families. His comments come in the wake of Donald Trump’s criticism of a Gold Star father at the Democratic National Convention the previous week. He also talked about a recently released statistic that showed the number of homeless veterans had dropped by nearly 50 percent since 2010.



as reported by C-SPAN.

Devices 4 the Disabled collects, redistributes used Durable Medical Equipment in the Chicago area

Devices 4 the Disabled (D4D) provides pickup, refurbishing, and delivery of durable medical equipment to those in need. A wonderful service helps solve one of the biggest problems with medical equipment delivery as it currently stands: forcing consumers to purchase equipment for a high price, and then leaving it to patients or their families to resell or donate when there is no longer a need for that device.

Current LocationsD4D supplies lending closets that are managed by their partners–churches, charitable organizations, and social service and community organizations. Contact the facility nearest you to pick up equipment.

• The Father Gary Graf Center, 510 10th Street, Waukegan, IL. Call 847-775-0858 for more information.
• Casa Puebla, 2014 S. Racine, Chicago, IL. Open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. Call 312-388-5476 to set up an appointment.
• St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 2132 E. 72nd St., Chicago, IL. Open Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. Walk in or call 773-596-8489 for more information.

For more information on Devices 4 the Disabled (D4D), visit their website at: http://supportd4d.org/wordpress/

White House West Wing video tour in American Sign Language

White House West Wing Receptionist Leah Katz-Hernandez narrates a tour of the West Wing in American Sign Language (ASL), visiting the West Wing Lobby, the West Colonnade, the Rose Garden, the White House Press Briefing Room, the Cabinet Room, the Oval Office, and more. 

YouTube published by The White House on July, 31, 2016.

When a version with full audio description becomes available as is being developed, we will be post!

ADA 25 Chicago Advancing Leadership Development Retreat 2017 - Apply by Aug 31, 2016

ADA 25 CHICAGO is accepting applications for our leadership development retreat to be held in early 2017. Applications for the retreat are due August 31, 2016.  

Who Should Apply?

The Leadership Institute seeks emerging leaders with disabilities who meet the following criteria:

• 5 -10 years of management and/or leadership experience demonstrated in one or a combination of professional, civic or community service contexts.*
• Self-identifies as a person with a disability (both apparent and non-apparent disabilities, defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities).
• Is a resident of the Chicago region (this includes six counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry Counties).
• Is committed to becoming engaged, or expand current engagement, in the civic life of metropolitan Chicago, and is seeking the possibility of voluntary participation on a board, commission, or other leadership position in public, private or non-profit sectors.

With personal leadership characteristics such as:

• Self-Awareness
• Strategic thinking
• Gets results
• Brings different groups together and has a commitment to collaboration
• Wants to learn from others
• Is comfortable engaging with people across cultures and across disabilities
• Willing to self-disclose and be a visible and vulnerable learner/leader in an intensive group learning setting
• Has a vision for leveraging participation in the Leadership Institute for longer term leadership in the Chicago region

Eligible candidates will commit to the full time of the leadership development retreat. This includes two sessions of varying lengths that will take place in the first months of 2017. These sessions will run: 3 days (Thursday – Saturday), 2 days (Friday & Saturday) with a break of 4-6 weeks between each session. More details will be posted soon, but a basic commitment to this timeline is essential to eligibility.

Tuition for the program is $1500 per person. Included in tuition: accommodations services, training, meals for the duration of the training including some dinners, any lodging and transportation required and coordinated by our program. Scholarships will be available to accepted Fellows for whom financing tuition presents a barrier to participation.

*Note: Those with recently acquired disabilities who have more management experience and are interested in exploring the intersection of their disability identity with leadership are encouraged to apply.

For questions regarding the information above or assistance with the application in general, please contact Robin Burnett, rburnett@cct.org.

             FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:

• APPLY HERE
• NOMINATORS TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS HERE

# the information within this post is shared from ADA 25 Chicago website.