ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- The State of Illinois is taking a major step forward when it comes to giving people with developmental disabilities more living options and helping them live more comfortable lives.
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A recent Consent Decree approved by a northern district court judge, allows those residents to get out of nursing-home-type institutions and into smaller settings in the community.
Liz John's intellectual disability isn't stopping her from living on her own, in her own apartment.
"I like to be on my own, be my own guardian," says John.
But that wasn't the case for many others with developmental disabilities, until now. A state disability rights case has paved the way for residents in large, state-supported facilities known as Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DDs) to move into small community-based settings if they choose, and have the necessary support.
"They want a life just like we want; they want to be able to have some control over where they live, they want to be able to control who they live with," says Jacki Neil Boss, executive director of The Arc in Rockford.
Neil Boss helps provide resources for John and others with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She says not only do they benefit from the ruling, but so does the state.
"It costs far less for somebody to be supported in the community, so it's going to be a savings for the state and a better quality of living for the individuals," says Neil Boss.
John says, "I'm very happy I don't have to go there."
Neil Boss says in many cases individuals are shipped to facilities far from home so they lose contact with family and friends.
Illinois ranks last out of all 50 states in serving people with developmental disabilities in small settings. It's actually one of the last states that still has such institutions.
# As reported by WIFR.COM; Reporter: Lauren Kravets. Rockford, Illinois
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
School Anxiety Is A Common Issue for Children with Autism : article July 26 2011
The start to a new school year can be riddled with anxiety for any child. When you think of your first days at school, I am sure your memories are mixed with some years having a better start to the school year then others.
Going to a new school or having a new teacher in the same building can be cause for worry even among the most confident of kids. But when you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder their concerns are usually bigger than this. Be it a fear that the teacher will not understand them and their unique way of relating to the world or a sensory sensitivity to noise and a fear of crowds in the hallway or an apprehension about the bus ride, there are many things about school that can have a negative impact on a child with Autism.
And don’t forget the social scene. Some children on the Autism spectrum do enjoy being in their own little world and need to be drawn out to be social. Many long to be socially accepted yet need to be taught the social skills necessary to develop friendships. “Will I fit in and make a friend this year or will I be bullied?” is often a question that looms in the minds of autistic children as they begin a new school year.
And then there is the well known fact that children with Autism do not like any kind of change and resist transitions if they are not presented in the best manner possible. Unfortunately, all these anxieties can cause many parents to end up spending valuable time battling with their child about school related issues but it does not have to be that way. The best approach is to address any possible anxiety before it begins in order to easily manage your child’s actions and behaviors.
On the other hand, there are a few autistic children who actually look forward to going back to school and transition well despite having to adjust to another new schedule. Regardless of the category your child falls into, planning ahead, being prepared and knowing your child will help guarantee a smooth start to the year.
Understanding how your child adjusts to change will help you decide how soon you need to begin the process. As that time approaches, here are some tips to keep in mind:
• Know your child. Take time to create a realistic picture in your mind of what your child is facing and how he or she might be feeling. Entering into and understanding your child’s world helps you plan, prepare and respond more effectively thus making it easier on everyone.
• Communicate as a family. Hold a family meeting weeks before school starts to discuss and plan for the transition. If you’ve never held a family meeting before this is a great time to start.
• Avoid sudden changes. Make scheduling adjustments to daily routines, such as bedtime, well in advance. Ease into any new adjustment by starting with small increments of time until you arrive at the desired place.
• Go on a screen machine diet. Begin to curtail screen machine privileges at least two weeks prior to the start of school. Establish TV, video and computer use rules and stick to them.
• If your child is anxious about the new school year contact the school and make an appointment to visit and meet with the new teacher. The opportunity to go over schedules and expectations as well as the chance to ask questions without other students around can provide any child a great sense of relief.
• Involve your child in the planning and purchasing of school supplies, with their own money if possible. Make a list of school supplies together; estimate a budget and shop within it.
• Increase trips to the library or start now if you haven’t been yet. Reading is key to any child’s school success and extremely important to maintain. Daily reading with your child will give him/her a boost.
Parents of children with Autism who are showing signs of anxiety about returning to school can receive extra support and ideas for making the transition more manageable by visiting here http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com/back-to-school-course
## As Posted by Parent Coaching for Autism, By Connie. July 26 2011.
Going to a new school or having a new teacher in the same building can be cause for worry even among the most confident of kids. But when you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder their concerns are usually bigger than this. Be it a fear that the teacher will not understand them and their unique way of relating to the world or a sensory sensitivity to noise and a fear of crowds in the hallway or an apprehension about the bus ride, there are many things about school that can have a negative impact on a child with Autism.
And don’t forget the social scene. Some children on the Autism spectrum do enjoy being in their own little world and need to be drawn out to be social. Many long to be socially accepted yet need to be taught the social skills necessary to develop friendships. “Will I fit in and make a friend this year or will I be bullied?” is often a question that looms in the minds of autistic children as they begin a new school year.
And then there is the well known fact that children with Autism do not like any kind of change and resist transitions if they are not presented in the best manner possible. Unfortunately, all these anxieties can cause many parents to end up spending valuable time battling with their child about school related issues but it does not have to be that way. The best approach is to address any possible anxiety before it begins in order to easily manage your child’s actions and behaviors.
On the other hand, there are a few autistic children who actually look forward to going back to school and transition well despite having to adjust to another new schedule. Regardless of the category your child falls into, planning ahead, being prepared and knowing your child will help guarantee a smooth start to the year.
Understanding how your child adjusts to change will help you decide how soon you need to begin the process. As that time approaches, here are some tips to keep in mind:
• Know your child. Take time to create a realistic picture in your mind of what your child is facing and how he or she might be feeling. Entering into and understanding your child’s world helps you plan, prepare and respond more effectively thus making it easier on everyone.
• Communicate as a family. Hold a family meeting weeks before school starts to discuss and plan for the transition. If you’ve never held a family meeting before this is a great time to start.
• Avoid sudden changes. Make scheduling adjustments to daily routines, such as bedtime, well in advance. Ease into any new adjustment by starting with small increments of time until you arrive at the desired place.
• Go on a screen machine diet. Begin to curtail screen machine privileges at least two weeks prior to the start of school. Establish TV, video and computer use rules and stick to them.
• If your child is anxious about the new school year contact the school and make an appointment to visit and meet with the new teacher. The opportunity to go over schedules and expectations as well as the chance to ask questions without other students around can provide any child a great sense of relief.
• Involve your child in the planning and purchasing of school supplies, with their own money if possible. Make a list of school supplies together; estimate a budget and shop within it.
• Increase trips to the library or start now if you haven’t been yet. Reading is key to any child’s school success and extremely important to maintain. Daily reading with your child will give him/her a boost.
Parents of children with Autism who are showing signs of anxiety about returning to school can receive extra support and ideas for making the transition more manageable by visiting here http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com/back-to-school-course
## As Posted by Parent Coaching for Autism, By Connie. July 26 2011.
Public Transportation as a Civil Rights Issue
Article By Jason Kambitsis on July 26 2011
Many things come to mind when you think about transportation: Traffic, congestion, mass transit and the cost of fuel, to name a few. You might also think about the economy, urban planning and the environment. Yet one thing often is left out of the discussion: civil rights.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights lays out the case for transportation as a civil right in a report, Where We Need to Go: A Civil Rights Roadmap for Transportation Equity.
The way the conference sees it, access to transportation is key to connecting the poor, seniors and those with disabilities to jobs, schools, health care and other resources. It is essential to widening opportunities for all. Many of us take our mobility for granted, but getting around can be a real challenge for millions of Americans.
This is a key issue as Congress considers the surface transportation reauthorization bill, which essentially maps out federal transportation spending and priorities for the next six years.
“Smart and equitable transportation systems connect us to jobs, schools, housing, health care services — and even to grocery stores and nutritious food,” Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the conference, said in testimony presented to the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee. “But millions of low-income and working-class people, people of color and people with disabilities live in communities where quality transportation options are unaffordable, unreliable, or nonexistent.”
According to the report, the average cost of owning a car is just shy of $9,500. That may not sound like much until you realize the federal poverty level is $22,350 for a family of four. One-third of low-income African-American households do not have access to an automobile. That figure is 25 percent among low-income Latino families and 12.1 percent for whites. Racial minorities are four times more likely than whites to use public transit to get to work.
Yet the federal government allocates 80 percent of its transportation funding to highways.
“This is the civil rights dilemma: Our laws purport to level the playing field, but our transportation choices have effectively barred millions of people from accessing it,” the report states. “Traditional nondiscrimination protections cannot protect people for whom opportunities are literally out of reach.”
Americans in the lowest 20 percent income bracket — many of whom live in rural communities — spend roughly 42 percent of their annual income on transportation, according to the report. That figure is 22 percent for middle-income Americans.
Land use patterns contribute to the transportation divide. By focusing so much spending on highways, we’ve created decentralized communities. This is not, by itself, a problem. No one’s arguing everyone should live in cities. But we’ve underfunded mass transit and built minimal infrastructure for the 107 million people who walk or ride bikes to work each day.
(That’s a whole ‘nother issue: Americans make about 10.5 percent of all trips on foot, and only 1.5 percent of federal transportation funds are allocated to retrofitting roads with sidewalks and crosswalks even though pedestrians account for nearly 13 percent of all traffic fatalities, according to a study by Transportation for America.)
The report argues that inadequate mass transit creates barriers to employment. It notes that three out of five jobs that are suitable for welfare-to-work participants are not accessible by public transportation. It also cites a Brookings Institute study that found 45 percent of jobs in the nation’s 98 largest metro areas lie 10 miles or more beyond the urban core.
To combat these issues, the Leadership Conference outlines a plan similar to that offered by other transportation advocacy groups, including Transportation For America. In a nutshell, the conference calls for greater spending on mass transit and multimodal systems that foster comprehensive transportation networks that include pedestrians, bicycles, mass transit and automobiles.
The conference also says its ‘s time to give those directly impacted by transportation policy a voice in the debate.
“When decisions are made about transportation resources and funding, those decisions are rarely made in consultation with or in consideration of low-income people who tend to rely heavily on public transportation as their main access to services,” Henderson says in the report.
We are at a pivotal time in transportation funding. The transportation reauthorization bill will decide how we spend our dollars for the next six years. As lawmakers hash out what will be spent where, they will do well to remember that transportation is about more than reaching destinations. It’s also about reaching opportunities.
Photo: elrentaplats/Flickr
# As posted at AUTOPIA ONE SMART SENIOR CITIZEN!! sticks it to an imperious bank : letter to the bank 2011
The letter to the bank, shown below, is an actual letter that was sent to a bank by a 96 year old woman. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the New York Times.
---------------------
Dear Sir:
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my check with which I endeavored to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the check and the arrival in my
account of the funds needed to honor it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my entire salary, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years.
You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account $30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways.
I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, prerecorded, faceless entity which your bank has
become.
From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check,
addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.
Be aware that it is an offense under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry
it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Notary Public, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.
In due course, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modeled it on the number of button
presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.
As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer, a password to access my computer is required. Password will be communicated to you at
a later date to the Authorized Contact.
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 7.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry.
The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous New Year?
Your Humble Client
---
# As appeared in the New York Times
---------------------
Dear Sir:
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my check with which I endeavored to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the check and the arrival in my
account of the funds needed to honor it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my entire salary, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years.
You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account $30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways.
I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, prerecorded, faceless entity which your bank has
become.
From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check,
addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.
Be aware that it is an offense under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry
it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Notary Public, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.
In due course, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modeled it on the number of button
presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.
As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer, a password to access my computer is required. Password will be communicated to you at
a later date to the Authorized Contact.
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 7.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry.
The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous New Year?
Your Humble Client
---
# As appeared in the New York Times
Camp Courage offers opportunities for children with disabilities : article July 27 2011
“At first I was nervous — very nervous,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d fit in.”
By day two of Camp Courage, all doubts had vanished, because she was having so much fun.
Ask anybody — counselor, volunteer, camper or visitor — and they’ll say the same thing: The people at Camp Courage become extended family.
The camp is an opportunity for 6- to 18-year-olds with physical disabilities to come to Western Illinois Youth Camp, participate in different activities and all be on equal ground.
New children attended this year, including 13-year-old Mercedes, daughter of John Miller and Kahla Schwalb. Mercedes’ best friend, Kayte Knous, the daughter of J.C. and Loree Coats, has attended for 11 years.
Mercede’s favorite part is the arts and crafts and swimming.
“You have people around all the time helping you,” she said. “It’s nice to know there’s someone there to help you.”
Being away from home for a week isn’t a problem for either of the girls.
“When I was little, sometimes I’d miss my Mom a lot, but I’ve gotten over it,” said Knous, who is 18.
Brandy Foiles, 27, a resident of the Mary Bryant Home for the Blind in Springfield, had her bags packed a week early and was up by 3 a.m. the day of camp.
“We haven’t seen each other for a year,” she said. “I count down the days.”
Foiles isn’t alone, either.
Katy Clark is a fourth-year counselor who made signs for the cabin doors with the children’s names and pictures to correlate with the Enchantment Under the Sea theme this year.
“It’s good to see all the kids and how much they’ve changed and grown,” she said. “I look forward to it every year.”
This year’s camp was dedicated to the memory of Dean Henneberg, 37, of Jerseyville, who died earlier in the year, volunteer Vicky Dover said. He attended Camp Courage since he was 7.
“The kids are dealing with it very well,” Dover said. “They definitely miss him. We know his absence is here.”
A small group met about three weeks ago to hold a ceremony in remembrance of him, Foiles said. It culminated with a dance, because the camp dance was Henneberg’s favorite part of camp.
The camp is entirely dependent on donations from the community, Dover said.
It doesn’t take long to see how important it is for the children, especially when it ends on Friday evening and everybody “goes through a box of Kleenex,” Dover said.
“You come out to this camp as a whole person, but you leave something behind,” she said.“That’s your heart. You love everybody and need that from everybody. These kids need this camp.”
Volunteer David White agreed.
“I’ll definitely be back next year and the year following,” he said. “Spend 20 minutes with them and you’ll find out. You’ll laugh with them and they’ll tease the heck out of you."
# As posted by the Journal-Courier, reporter JAKE RUSSELL, July 27 2011
Aetna Joins Effort to Increase Disability Awareness, Planning and Prevention : press release July 27 2011
press release
July 27, 2011, 9:26 a.m. EDT
Aetna Joins Effort to Increase Disability Awareness, Planning and Prevention
Leading Health Insurer Becomes Newest Member of the CDA
PORTLAND, Maine, Jul 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) announced that Aetna /quotes/zigman/272706/quotes/nls/aet AET -0.77% has joined the CDA in its mission to help raise awareness about the importance of disability planning and prevention.
As a CDA member company, Aetna joins 16 leading disability insurance providers in a collaborative industry effort to educate the American workforce about the risks of disability and how wage earners can protect themselves and their families should the unexpected occur.
"Aetna fully supports CDA's work to raise disability awareness, prevent disabilities, and to educate consumers, employers and benefit advisors about the importance of income protection," said Katharine Begley, Aetna's vice president of sales for dental, disability, life and vision. "Our collaboration with the CDA will provide people with the tools and information they need to protect themselves and their families."
As part of if its work with CDA, Aetna will leverage its member engagement tools to expand education and awareness activities.
Barry Lundquist, president of the CDA, is pleased that Aetna has committed to helping the CDA in its mission to inform and educate the American public.
"More leading companies are recognizing the critical importance of educating wage earners, employers and advisors about the risk and consequence of disability and the steps people can take to protect their financial health and way of life," said Lundquist. "By joining CDA, Aetna has displayed industry leadership, good corporate citizenship and demonstrated a commitment to helping America's wage earners make sound choices to secure their financial futures."
Begley will join other top disability insurance industry leaders on the CDA board of directors.
Aetna will disseminate CDA messages and tools, and help position CDA as the leading resource for information relating to the need for proper disability planning, according to Begley.
CDA member companies include Aetna, Assurant Employee Benefits, Guardian, The Hartford, Illinois Mutual, Lincoln Financial Group, MassMutual, MetLife, OneAmerica, Principal, Prudential, The Standard, Sun Life Financial, Union Central, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits and Unum.
While income loss due to disabling illness or injury is a growing problem, many workers are unaware of their risk. The CDA offers tools on its website, http://www.disabilitycanhappen.org/ , to help employees assess their risk of disability and protect themselves from the possible outcomes.
About the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA)
The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) is a nonprofit group dedicated to helping the American workforce become aware of the growing likelihood of disability and its financial consequences. The CDA engages in communications, research and educational activities that provide information and helpful resources to wage earners, their families, employers, members of the media and others who are concerned about disability and the impact it can have on wage earners and their families.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 33.8 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com .
SOURCE: Council for Disability Awareness
For Council for Disability Awareness
Gary Griffin, 860-676-2300 x131
gary.griffin@adamsknight.com
July 27, 2011, 9:26 a.m. EDT
Aetna Joins Effort to Increase Disability Awareness, Planning and Prevention
Leading Health Insurer Becomes Newest Member of the CDA
PORTLAND, Maine, Jul 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) announced that Aetna /quotes/zigman/272706/quotes/nls/aet AET -0.77% has joined the CDA in its mission to help raise awareness about the importance of disability planning and prevention.
As a CDA member company, Aetna joins 16 leading disability insurance providers in a collaborative industry effort to educate the American workforce about the risks of disability and how wage earners can protect themselves and their families should the unexpected occur.
"Aetna fully supports CDA's work to raise disability awareness, prevent disabilities, and to educate consumers, employers and benefit advisors about the importance of income protection," said Katharine Begley, Aetna's vice president of sales for dental, disability, life and vision. "Our collaboration with the CDA will provide people with the tools and information they need to protect themselves and their families."
As part of if its work with CDA, Aetna will leverage its member engagement tools to expand education and awareness activities.
Barry Lundquist, president of the CDA, is pleased that Aetna has committed to helping the CDA in its mission to inform and educate the American public.
"More leading companies are recognizing the critical importance of educating wage earners, employers and advisors about the risk and consequence of disability and the steps people can take to protect their financial health and way of life," said Lundquist. "By joining CDA, Aetna has displayed industry leadership, good corporate citizenship and demonstrated a commitment to helping America's wage earners make sound choices to secure their financial futures."
Begley will join other top disability insurance industry leaders on the CDA board of directors.
Aetna will disseminate CDA messages and tools, and help position CDA as the leading resource for information relating to the need for proper disability planning, according to Begley.
CDA member companies include Aetna, Assurant Employee Benefits, Guardian, The Hartford, Illinois Mutual, Lincoln Financial Group, MassMutual, MetLife, OneAmerica, Principal, Prudential, The Standard, Sun Life Financial, Union Central, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits and Unum.
While income loss due to disabling illness or injury is a growing problem, many workers are unaware of their risk. The CDA offers tools on its website, http://www.disabilitycanhappen.org/ , to help employees assess their risk of disability and protect themselves from the possible outcomes.
About the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA)
The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) is a nonprofit group dedicated to helping the American workforce become aware of the growing likelihood of disability and its financial consequences. The CDA engages in communications, research and educational activities that provide information and helpful resources to wage earners, their families, employers, members of the media and others who are concerned about disability and the impact it can have on wage earners and their families.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 33.8 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com .
SOURCE: Council for Disability Awareness
For Council for Disability Awareness
Gary Griffin, 860-676-2300 x131
gary.griffin@adamsknight.com
Disability Rights California : Advance the rights of Californians with disabilities.
Disability Rights California is a nonprofit disability rights organization, working since 1978 to advance human and legal rights of Californians with disabilities. We strive to create a barrier-free, inclusive society that values diversity and each individual. Our services are available throughout the state and we assist tens of thousands of people with disabilities each year. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of Californians with disabilities and their families benefit from our legislative advocacy, class-action court suits and collaboration with other groups.
We have more than 200 staff and Board members with a wide array of legal and advocacy expertise. They have developed innovative programs for Californians with developmental, psychiatric, sensory, learning and physical disabilities. We collaborate on the state and federal levels with other advocacy groups throughout the U.S.
What we do
10 critical services that Disability Rights California provides free of charge:
1.telling people with disabilities about their many legal, civil and service rights;
2.technical assistance, training, publications and advocacy support for Californians with disabilities, their families and representatives;
3.legislative advocacy to ensure that laws benefit Californians with disabilities;
4.investigating complaints about serious physical and sexual abuse and neglect-related deaths in institutions;
5.outreach to traditionally underserved ethnic and disability communities;
6.peer self-advocacy services for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities;
7.patients' rights advocacy for state psychiatric hospital residents, technical assistance and training for county advocates;
8.rights advocacy for clients with developmental disabilities who are receiving services at regional centers;
9.bringing impact litigation and acting as amicus curiae in disability-related cases; and
10.representing individuals based on our priorities and case selection criteria
Examples of problems we can help with
We help people with disabilities solve disability-related problems. If you have a disability and qualify for services, we can help you with problems like:
•Rights to basic support, personal care, therapy and health care - like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Medi-Cal, and California Children's Services (CCS).
•Discrimination in housing, transportation, employment, and access to public and private programs and services.
•Abuse, neglect, and rights violations in an institution.
•Least restrictive environment, dignity, privacy, choice, and other basic rights.
•Special education rights.
•Mental health and support services that provide individualized treatment.
•Regional center eligibility and services that promote independence -- such as supported living and family supports.
•Voting registration, vote casting and accessible polling places
•Access to technology -- like communication devices and power wheelchairs.
If we can't be of direct assistance, we refer people to other sources of help.
Disability Rights California also takes its services into the community, wherever children, youth and adults with disabilities live or go to school or obtain services.
OFFICES
Administration
100 Howe Ave., Suite 185-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-9955
Fax (916) 488-2635
Sacramento Regional
100 Howe Ave., Suite 235-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-9950
Fax (916) 488-9960
Bay Area Regional
1330 Broadway, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 267-1200
Fax (510) 267-1201
Fresno Office
567 West Shaw, Suite C-3
Fresno, CA 93704
(559) 476-2000
Fax (559) 476-2001
Los Angeles Regional
3580 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 902
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2512
(213) 427-8747
Fax (213) 427-8767
San Diego Regional
1111 Sixth Ave., Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-7861
Fax (619) 239-7906
Legislation & Public Information
1029 J Street, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 497-0331
TTY (916) 497-0835
Fax (916) 497-0813
Peer/ Self Advocacy,
Developmental Disabilities Peer/ Self Advocacy,
& Collaborative Projects
100 Howe Ave., Suite 200-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-7787
Fax (916) 488-7717
Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy
100 Howe Ave., Suite 240-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 575-1615
(800) 390-7032
TTY (877) 669-6023
Fax (916) 575-1623
Office of Patients’ Rights
100 Howe Ave., Suite 210-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 575-1610
Fax (916) 575-1613
# For Disability Rights California click headline or visit: http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/index.htm
We have more than 200 staff and Board members with a wide array of legal and advocacy expertise. They have developed innovative programs for Californians with developmental, psychiatric, sensory, learning and physical disabilities. We collaborate on the state and federal levels with other advocacy groups throughout the U.S.
What we do
10 critical services that Disability Rights California provides free of charge:
1.telling people with disabilities about their many legal, civil and service rights;
2.technical assistance, training, publications and advocacy support for Californians with disabilities, their families and representatives;
3.legislative advocacy to ensure that laws benefit Californians with disabilities;
4.investigating complaints about serious physical and sexual abuse and neglect-related deaths in institutions;
5.outreach to traditionally underserved ethnic and disability communities;
6.peer self-advocacy services for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities;
7.patients' rights advocacy for state psychiatric hospital residents, technical assistance and training for county advocates;
8.rights advocacy for clients with developmental disabilities who are receiving services at regional centers;
9.bringing impact litigation and acting as amicus curiae in disability-related cases; and
10.representing individuals based on our priorities and case selection criteria
Examples of problems we can help with
We help people with disabilities solve disability-related problems. If you have a disability and qualify for services, we can help you with problems like:
•Rights to basic support, personal care, therapy and health care - like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Medi-Cal, and California Children's Services (CCS).
•Discrimination in housing, transportation, employment, and access to public and private programs and services.
•Abuse, neglect, and rights violations in an institution.
•Least restrictive environment, dignity, privacy, choice, and other basic rights.
•Special education rights.
•Mental health and support services that provide individualized treatment.
•Regional center eligibility and services that promote independence -- such as supported living and family supports.
•Voting registration, vote casting and accessible polling places
•Access to technology -- like communication devices and power wheelchairs.
If we can't be of direct assistance, we refer people to other sources of help.
Disability Rights California also takes its services into the community, wherever children, youth and adults with disabilities live or go to school or obtain services.
OFFICES
Administration
100 Howe Ave., Suite 185-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-9955
Fax (916) 488-2635
Sacramento Regional
100 Howe Ave., Suite 235-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-9950
Fax (916) 488-9960
Bay Area Regional
1330 Broadway, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 267-1200
Fax (510) 267-1201
Fresno Office
567 West Shaw, Suite C-3
Fresno, CA 93704
(559) 476-2000
Fax (559) 476-2001
Los Angeles Regional
3580 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 902
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2512
(213) 427-8747
Fax (213) 427-8767
San Diego Regional
1111 Sixth Ave., Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-7861
Fax (619) 239-7906
Legislation & Public Information
1029 J Street, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 497-0331
TTY (916) 497-0835
Fax (916) 497-0813
Peer/ Self Advocacy,
Developmental Disabilities Peer/ Self Advocacy,
& Collaborative Projects
100 Howe Ave., Suite 200-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-7787
Fax (916) 488-7717
Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy
100 Howe Ave., Suite 240-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 575-1615
(800) 390-7032
TTY (877) 669-6023
Fax (916) 575-1623
Office of Patients’ Rights
100 Howe Ave., Suite 210-N
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 575-1610
Fax (916) 575-1613
# For Disability Rights California click headline or visit: http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/index.htm
Bipolar Disorder : Info on Symtoms, Health Information, Causes, Treatments, Resources
Definition
Bipolar disorder — sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — causes mood swings that range from of the lows of depression to the highs of mania. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts in the other direction, you may feel euphoric and full of energy. Mood shifts may only occur only a few times a year, or as often as several times a day. In some cases, bipolar disorder causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.
Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, you can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
Symptoms
Bipolar disorder is divided into several subtypes. Each has a different pattern of symptoms. Types of bipolar disorder include:
Bipolar I disorder. Mood swings with bipolar I cause significant difficulty in your job, school or relationships. Manic episodes can be severe and dangerous.Bipolar II disorder. Bipolar II is less severe than bipolar I. You may have an elevated mood, irritability and some changes in your functioning, but generally you can carry on with your normal daily routine. Instead of full-blown mania, you have hypomania — a less severe form of mania. In bipolar II, periods of depression typically last longer than periods of hypomania.Cyclothymia. Cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder. With cyclothymia, hypomania and depression can be disruptive, but the highs and lows are not as severe as they are with other types of bipolar disorder.
The exact symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from person to person. For some people, depression causes the most problems; for other people manic symptoms are the main concern. Symptoms of depression and symptoms of mania or hypomania may also occur together. This is known as a mixed episode.
Manic phase of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of the manic or hypomanic phase of bipolar disorder can include:
Euphoria
Extreme optimism
Inflated self-esteem
Poor judgment
Rapid speech
Racing thoughts
Aggressive behavior
Agitation or irritation
Increased physical activity
Risky behavior
Spending sprees or unwise financial choices
Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
Increased sex drive
Decreased need for sleep
Inability to concentrate
Careless or dangerous use of drugs or alcohol
Frequent absences from work or school
Delusions or a break from reality (psychosis)
Poor performance at work or school
Depressive phase of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder can include:
Sadness
Hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Anxiety
Guilt
Sleep problems
Low appetite or increased appetite
Fatigue
Loss of interest in daily activities
Problems concentrating
Irritability
Chronic pain without a known cause
Frequent absences from work or school
Poor performance at work or school
Other signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder can also include:
Seasonal changes in mood. As with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), some people with bipolar disorder have moods that change with the seasons. Some people become manic or hypomanic in the spring or summer and then become depressed in the fall or winter. For other people, this cycle is reversed — they become depressed in the spring or summer and manic or hypomanic in the fall or winter.Rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Some people with bipolar disorder have rapid mood shifts. This is defined as having four or more mood swings within a single year. However, in some people moods shifts occur much more quickly, sometimes within just hours.Psychosis. Severe episodes of either mania or depression may result in psychosis, a detachment from reality. Symptoms of psychosis may include false but strongly held beliefs (delusions) and hearing or seeing things that aren't there (hallucinations). In some people, sudden psychosis (a psychotic break) is the first sign of bipolar disorder.Symptoms in children and adolescents
Instead of clear-cut depression and mania or hypomania, the most prominent signs of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents can include explosive temper, rapid mood shifts, reckless behavior and aggression. In some cases, these shifts occur within hours or less — for example, a child may have intense periods of giddiness and silliness, long bouts of crying and outbursts of explosive anger all in one day. Changing sleep patterns are also a common indicator of childhood bipolar disorder.
When to see a doctor
If you have any symptoms of depression or mania, see your doctor or mental health provider. Bipolar disorder doesn't get better on its own. Getting treatment from a mental health provider with experience in bipolar disorder can help you get your symptoms under control.
Many people with bipolar disorder don't get the treatment they need. Despite the mood extremes, people with bipolar disorder often don't recognize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones. And if you're like some people with bipolar disorder, you may enjoy the feelings of euphoria and cycles of being more productive. However, this euphoria is always followed by an emotional crash that can leave you depressed, worn out — and perhaps in financial, legal or relationship trouble.
If you're reluctant to seek treatment, confide in a friend or loved one, a health care professional, a faith leader or someone else you trust. They can help you take the first steps to successful treatment.
If you have suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among people with bipolar disorder. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away. Here are some steps you can take:
Contact a family member or friend.
Seek help from your doctor, a mental health provider or other health care professional.
Call a suicide hot line number — in the United States, you can reach the toll-free, 24-hour hot line of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to talk to a trained counselor.
Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
When to get emergency help
If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If you have a loved one who has harmed himself or herself, or is seriously considering doing so, make sure someone stays with that person. Take him or her to the hospital or call for emergency help.
* All above information from the Mayo Clinic.
### For Much more Information visit Mayo Clinic at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356
Bipolar disorder — sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — causes mood swings that range from of the lows of depression to the highs of mania. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts in the other direction, you may feel euphoric and full of energy. Mood shifts may only occur only a few times a year, or as often as several times a day. In some cases, bipolar disorder causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.
Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, you can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
Symptoms
Bipolar disorder is divided into several subtypes. Each has a different pattern of symptoms. Types of bipolar disorder include:
Bipolar I disorder. Mood swings with bipolar I cause significant difficulty in your job, school or relationships. Manic episodes can be severe and dangerous.Bipolar II disorder. Bipolar II is less severe than bipolar I. You may have an elevated mood, irritability and some changes in your functioning, but generally you can carry on with your normal daily routine. Instead of full-blown mania, you have hypomania — a less severe form of mania. In bipolar II, periods of depression typically last longer than periods of hypomania.Cyclothymia. Cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder. With cyclothymia, hypomania and depression can be disruptive, but the highs and lows are not as severe as they are with other types of bipolar disorder.
The exact symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from person to person. For some people, depression causes the most problems; for other people manic symptoms are the main concern. Symptoms of depression and symptoms of mania or hypomania may also occur together. This is known as a mixed episode.
Manic phase of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of the manic or hypomanic phase of bipolar disorder can include:
Euphoria
Extreme optimism
Inflated self-esteem
Poor judgment
Rapid speech
Racing thoughts
Aggressive behavior
Agitation or irritation
Increased physical activity
Risky behavior
Spending sprees or unwise financial choices
Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
Increased sex drive
Decreased need for sleep
Inability to concentrate
Careless or dangerous use of drugs or alcohol
Frequent absences from work or school
Delusions or a break from reality (psychosis)
Poor performance at work or school
Depressive phase of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder can include:
Sadness
Hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Anxiety
Guilt
Sleep problems
Low appetite or increased appetite
Fatigue
Loss of interest in daily activities
Problems concentrating
Irritability
Chronic pain without a known cause
Frequent absences from work or school
Poor performance at work or school
Other signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder can also include:
Seasonal changes in mood. As with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), some people with bipolar disorder have moods that change with the seasons. Some people become manic or hypomanic in the spring or summer and then become depressed in the fall or winter. For other people, this cycle is reversed — they become depressed in the spring or summer and manic or hypomanic in the fall or winter.Rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Some people with bipolar disorder have rapid mood shifts. This is defined as having four or more mood swings within a single year. However, in some people moods shifts occur much more quickly, sometimes within just hours.Psychosis. Severe episodes of either mania or depression may result in psychosis, a detachment from reality. Symptoms of psychosis may include false but strongly held beliefs (delusions) and hearing or seeing things that aren't there (hallucinations). In some people, sudden psychosis (a psychotic break) is the first sign of bipolar disorder.Symptoms in children and adolescents
Instead of clear-cut depression and mania or hypomania, the most prominent signs of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents can include explosive temper, rapid mood shifts, reckless behavior and aggression. In some cases, these shifts occur within hours or less — for example, a child may have intense periods of giddiness and silliness, long bouts of crying and outbursts of explosive anger all in one day. Changing sleep patterns are also a common indicator of childhood bipolar disorder.
When to see a doctor
If you have any symptoms of depression or mania, see your doctor or mental health provider. Bipolar disorder doesn't get better on its own. Getting treatment from a mental health provider with experience in bipolar disorder can help you get your symptoms under control.
Many people with bipolar disorder don't get the treatment they need. Despite the mood extremes, people with bipolar disorder often don't recognize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones. And if you're like some people with bipolar disorder, you may enjoy the feelings of euphoria and cycles of being more productive. However, this euphoria is always followed by an emotional crash that can leave you depressed, worn out — and perhaps in financial, legal or relationship trouble.
If you're reluctant to seek treatment, confide in a friend or loved one, a health care professional, a faith leader or someone else you trust. They can help you take the first steps to successful treatment.
If you have suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among people with bipolar disorder. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away. Here are some steps you can take:
Contact a family member or friend.
Seek help from your doctor, a mental health provider or other health care professional.
Call a suicide hot line number — in the United States, you can reach the toll-free, 24-hour hot line of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to talk to a trained counselor.
Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
When to get emergency help
If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If you have a loved one who has harmed himself or herself, or is seriously considering doing so, make sure someone stays with that person. Take him or her to the hospital or call for emergency help.
* All above information from the Mayo Clinic.
### For Much more Information visit Mayo Clinic at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356
ADA fosters accessibility, erodes segregation : Barb Pritchard, Illinois July 27 2011
Stone-Hayes Center for Independent Living, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, hosted the event at the Knights of Columbus Hall on East Fremont Street.
“We all represent something and for something here,” Stone-Hayes Director Dale Parsons said, introducing Barb Pritchard as the keynote speaker.
Both Lester and Barb Pritchard were diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of 2. Barb Pritchard said Lester’s parents were told he had no brain function and they should find a “nice” home for him, which she said was the politically correct way of saying in the early 1950s that he should be institutionalized,
Unable to attend grade school in Galesburg, at age 6 Lester attended a residential grade school in Springfield. Although he was able to eventually spend some of his grade school years in Galesburg, thanks to the efforts of his mother to have to accessible rooms built onto a local school, he had to attend a residential high school in Jamestown, N.D.
Barb, who was also diagnosed with visual impairment when she was 2, said the school in Jamestown was run by a woman with a disability.
“She had people on her staff with disabilities,” she said.
Those days before ADA were an even greater challenge for disabled individuals.
“I remember even trying to go for an interview, I’d have to call and find out if the place was accessible,” Barb Pritchard said, adding that she usually called late in the day, hoping to reach a janitor so as not to tip her hand that she was disabled.
“I know Lester hoped to make many of the businesses and buildings in Galesburg more accessible,” she said.
Barb recalled Lester telling her of the evening he got the director of a local nursing home to bring 35 to 40 people to a City Council meeting at the old, non-handicapped-accessible City Hall on South Cherry Street.
“Because of that, they had to change the location of the meeting,” she said, adding that it began a dialogue that eventually resulted in the current, accessible City Hall on West Tompkins Street.
Working with the local center for independent living in Urbana, the city where they lived, Barb and Lester were able, with others, to get Urbana to adopt the third “visitability” ordinance in the country. The ordinance required a non-step entrance into the house, 32-inch hallways, so that someone in a wheelchair could turn around, as well as a bathroom where a disabled person could close the door. Other requirements made it possible for them to visit friends.
As a member of the Illinois Council for Developmentally Disabled, Lester Pritchard and others were able to stop the reopening of the Lincoln Developmental Center and, in 2007, to begin a drive to have the Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park closed. The center, where 10 percent of the population died suspicious deaths in a 5-year period, was officially closed in June 2010.
Barb said the experiences she and her husband went through in their youth exposed them to years of segregation “and made us more sensitive as to what it is to be isolated.”
She said the big push now is to get developmentally disabled people out of institutions and into the community. A major blow for that effort was struck by a 1999 Supreme Court decision. Elaine Wilson and Lois Curtis, who doctors said were able to live in the community, had to fight the state of Georgia, which did not want them to be allowed to leave the state institution because of the revenue the state would lose.
“They are two of my personal heroes,” Barb Pritchard said. “They didn’t let anyone else decide for them. Lois and Elaine didn’t want to live segregated lives.”
She said that many people in Illinois, which ranks 51st in the U.S., behind all other states and Washington, D.C. — in services and support in the community for disabled people — have “decided to numb themselves from the innate pain that comes from segregation.
“Recently, I witnessed a change,” Barb said. “A change in thinking and acting among the people in the disability community, especially among the young people. I’ve seen change and instead of quietly accepting our plight, we are beginning to stand up and demand our equality. People with disabilities are beginning to assert our real equality. You good folks in Galesburg, I want you to honor Lester’s legacy by participating in this movement for something new in our state.
“Now, I ask you, will you join me and continue to change Illinois?”
The crowd applauded, giving her her answer.
A number of government leaders attended Tuesday’s event, including Galesburg Mayor Sal Garza and state Reps. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, and Norine Hammond, R-Macomb.
# As posted by The Register-Mail : By JOHN PULLIAM July 27 2011
jpulliam@register-mail.com
Read more of The Register-Mail at: http://www.galesburg.com/
Vision Quest features visually-impaired musicians : article & video report June 2011
[refresh if no video or play full screen]
June 30, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Almost anything that can be written in standard print music notation can be written in Braille as well, but it is not so easy to do or to read.
Braille music notation has a completely independent and well-developed notation system with its own conversions and syntax. Most blind musicians cannot read it but they still make beautiful music.
Members of Chicago's Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired group Vision Quest are rehearsing for upcoming concerts. Nobody in the roup reads Braille music except for Director Victoria Johnson-Gore.
"Braille music takes time to learn. It's very, very difficult to learn because it's not similar to the Braille that you read every day," Johnson-Gore said. "You have to understand that in Braille music there's no base clef -- there's only treble clef that mostly deals with melody. At the top you got while notes then you have eighth notes then you have quarter notes then you have half notes at the bottom."
Vision Quest has been performing since the 1980s, says Director of Adult Day Services Robert Mantsh.
"Music from the 50s, 60s and 70s generally -- we do some theme music we've written some of our own music," Mantsh said.
To qualify for the group, members must have talent.
"We kind of mold and shape the talent into a group that can work together and a group that can present itself as professional musicians delivering professional performances," Mantsh said.
"We all learn by ear. We don't necessarily use the Braille music in this particular setting because of the facets of the material we learn and each band member is required to bring songs and materials to the ban to present for rehearsals," Johnson-Gore said.
Johnson-Gore says most performers who are blind don't always read Braille music.
"They don't really use Braille music until they've written something out of their head and they've put it on put it in adaptive Braille music or they may put it on a tape or a disk to remember the songs. So it depends on each person is different," Johnson-Gore said.
"Another facet of Braille music is that it's not dynamic in the sense that you can't sight read and play at the same time because you need one had free to read Braille," Mantsh said.
There is a computer program that transposes Braille music into the computer system but Johnson-Gore says it's only used for visually-impaired people.
# As Posted by ABC 7 Chicago : report by Karen Meyer
(Copyright ©2011 WLS-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Will Social Security checks go out on August 3 : President Obama says he cannot guarantee
President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.
{For Video Interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7373061n }
The Obama administration and many economists have warned of economic catastrophe if the United States does not raise the amount it is legally allowed to borrow by August 2.
Lawmakers from both parties want to use the threat of that deadline to work out a broader package on long-term deficit reduction, with Republicans looking to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending, while Democrats are pushing for a more "balanced approach," which would include both spending cuts and increased revenue through taxes.
The Debt Limit fight: A primer
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are expected to hold another round of negotiations with Mr. Obama at the White House Tuesday afternoon on long-term deficit reduction, though talks have yielded little results to date.
Mr. Obama told Pelley "this is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out."
More from the interview:
Obama: Boehner "would like to do the right thing"
Mr. Obama's comments followed remarks from the Senate's top Republican, who said Tuesday that he did not see a way for Republicans and Democrats to come to agreement on meaningful deficit reduction as long as Mr. Obama remains in office.
"After years of discussions and months of negotiations, I have little question that as long as this president is in the Oval Office, a real solution is probably unattainable," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor.
Still, McConnell said Republicans would "do the responsible thing" to avoid default, suggesting that a deal on the debt ceiling could be reached without a "real" deficit reduction package.
"The president has presented us with three choices: smoke and mirrors, tax hikes, or default. Republicans choose none of the above. I had hoped to do good, but I refuse to do harm. So Republicans will choose a path that actually reflects the will of the people, which is to do the responsible thing and ensure that the government doesn't default on its obligations," he said.
Mr. Obama has repeatedly said he wants a deal that would allow the U.S. to avoid confronting the issue again until after the 2012 elections and vowed on Monday that he would "not sign a 30-day or a 60-day or a 90-day extension."
"This the United States of America and, you know, we don't manage our affairs in three-month increments. You know, we don't risk U.S. default on our obligations because we can't put politics aside," Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House yesterday.
# As Posted by CBS News, report by Corbett B. Daly
For CBS News visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7373061n
{For Video Interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7373061n }
Lawmakers from both parties want to use the threat of that deadline to work out a broader package on long-term deficit reduction, with Republicans looking to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending, while Democrats are pushing for a more "balanced approach," which would include both spending cuts and increased revenue through taxes.
The Debt Limit fight: A primer
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are expected to hold another round of negotiations with Mr. Obama at the White House Tuesday afternoon on long-term deficit reduction, though talks have yielded little results to date.
Mr. Obama told Pelley "this is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out."
More from the interview:
Obama: Boehner "would like to do the right thing"
Mr. Obama's comments followed remarks from the Senate's top Republican, who said Tuesday that he did not see a way for Republicans and Democrats to come to agreement on meaningful deficit reduction as long as Mr. Obama remains in office.
"After years of discussions and months of negotiations, I have little question that as long as this president is in the Oval Office, a real solution is probably unattainable," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor.
Still, McConnell said Republicans would "do the responsible thing" to avoid default, suggesting that a deal on the debt ceiling could be reached without a "real" deficit reduction package.
"The president has presented us with three choices: smoke and mirrors, tax hikes, or default. Republicans choose none of the above. I had hoped to do good, but I refuse to do harm. So Republicans will choose a path that actually reflects the will of the people, which is to do the responsible thing and ensure that the government doesn't default on its obligations," he said.
Mr. Obama has repeatedly said he wants a deal that would allow the U.S. to avoid confronting the issue again until after the 2012 elections and vowed on Monday that he would "not sign a 30-day or a 60-day or a 90-day extension."
"This the United States of America and, you know, we don't manage our affairs in three-month increments. You know, we don't risk U.S. default on our obligations because we can't put politics aside," Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House yesterday.
# As Posted by CBS News, report by Corbett B. Daly
For CBS News visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7373061n
Open for Questions: Disability Policy : Video from The White House virtual Disability town-hall meeting July 14, 2011
[refresh if no video]
Uploaded by whitehouse on Jul 14, 2011
Members of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Office of Public Engagement and Office of Presidential Personnel answer your questions on
disability policy including employment, education, health care, transportation, housing, and other disability related areas. July 14, 2011.
Join the White House Disability Group Monthly Call on July 27 2011; White House virtual town meeting
In order to keep the public more informed, the White House Disability Group hosts monthly calls to provide updates on various disability issues, as well as to introduce individuals who work on these issues in the federal government. The next call will take place on Wednesday, July 27th at 1:00 PM Eastern.
This call is open to everyone, but is off the record and not for press purposes.
Dial in number: (866) 298-7926. Please call in five minutes early due to the large volume of callers expected.
Topics: Technology, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, independent agencies, emergency preparedness, employment, budgetary issues and other topics.
Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)
For live captioning, visit http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1796804&CustomerID=321 at the start of the event. Please be respectful and only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "Contact the Disabilities Issues Outreach Team" online form, or send an email to disability@who.eop.gov with your full name, city, state and organization.
Posted by Diana Z. on Jul 22, 2011 4:12:14 PM in Emergency Preparedness, Employment, Technology
For Disability.gov Blog visit: http://blog.govdelivery.com/usodep/
This call is open to everyone, but is off the record and not for press purposes.
Dial in number: (866) 298-7926. Please call in five minutes early due to the large volume of callers expected.
Topics: Technology, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, independent agencies, emergency preparedness, employment, budgetary issues and other topics.
Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)
For live captioning, visit http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1796804&CustomerID=321 at the start of the event. Please be respectful and only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "Contact the Disabilities Issues Outreach Team" online form, or send an email to disability@who.eop.gov with your full name, city, state and organization.
Posted by Diana Z. on Jul 22, 2011 4:12:14 PM in Emergency Preparedness, Employment, Technology
For Disability.gov Blog visit: http://blog.govdelivery.com/usodep/
Commentary: Funding to Southern Wisconsin Center is outrageous : institution for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities : July 2011
In June, the state biennial budget significantly increased allocations for Southern Wisconsin Center, a state-run institution for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With this move, Wisconsin takes a step back to the shameful days of institutionalization. The decision jeopardizes the rights of people with disabilities to access quality community-based services guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C.
The new state budget punitively positions SWC in Dover against private providers. Inconsistent with Gov. Scott Walker's promise of "frugality and moderation," SWC is set to receive nearly an additional $18 million in funding, as well as 104 new staff positions.
In the past biennium state budget, SWC allocations were reduced to meet the state's directive to downsize the facility. However, SWC, with a current population of more than 260 residents, did not downsize. This failure to comply with the state's mandate has been overlooked and SWC is now receiving additional funding and staff positions. I believe this is a waste of taxpayer money and a flagrant disregard for the available capacity that exists with private providers dedicated to community-based service delivery.
In preparing the 2011-13 budget, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services sought input for "cost savings and other ways to improve Wisconsin's Medicaid program." Bethesda Lutheran Communities, a national provider of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities headquartered in Watertown, presented viable ways services could be delivered at both its Watertown campus and in community-based settings. This plan, honoring the choices of people and families for services they desire, would save taxpayers in excess of $22 million and help reduce the SWC population.
Unfortunately, this proposal was dismissed and multiple attempts to speak with state legislators about supportive efforts to downsize SWC were ignored.
SWC is paid about $650 per day, per person by the state. To illustrate how this high cost affects private providers, Bethesda allocates approximately $375 per day for delivering the same services with greater efficiency. Of that figure, the state pays Bethesda about $220. The remainder of the bill is covered by the generosity of donors, accounting for a $1.5 million annual shortfall.
This is catastrophic for Bethesda and other private providers who for years have been forced to successfully operate with integrity and quality despite restrictive and challenging reimbursement rates.
The funding to SWC is outrageous. For Wisconsin to continue this institutional model and funding flies in the face of best practice, financial reality and sensibility. Eleven states, including our neighboring states of Minnesota and Michigan, have completely eliminated state-run institutions. Several other states, including Illinois are currently being targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for violations related to their institutional bias.
I support Medicaid reform and acknowledge the current system is not sustainable. However, I cannot understand how the State of Wisconsin can continue to exacerbate the current budget situation by maintaining these large, unnecessary and expensive institutions. This action contradicts Gov. Walker's claim to reduce state allocations where services can be met by private sector entities.
Founded in 1904, Bethesda has a long history and exemplarily record of achievement in the field of serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are ready and committed to help Wisconsin achieve greater control, flexibility, innovation and effectiveness over the use of scarce financial resources for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
To deny access to services and supports for individuals who choose to live in the community, opting instead to add nearly $18 million to SWC, is a clear bias towards an outdated and segregated support setting, and something dangerously close to violating federal law.
John E. Bauer is president and CEO of Bethesda Lutheran Communities, headquartered in Watertown. Established in 1904, Bethesda Lutheran Communities provides services and supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 13 states and seven countries. Bethesda serves nearly 2,000 people in residential settings, as well as thousands of people with disabilities through supported-living programs, employment assistance, camps and outreach services.
# AS posted by JournalTimes.com; July 26 2011
Read more: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_7734b1a4-b719-11e0-b01c-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1TGTpP0nn
The new state budget punitively positions SWC in Dover against private providers. Inconsistent with Gov. Scott Walker's promise of "frugality and moderation," SWC is set to receive nearly an additional $18 million in funding, as well as 104 new staff positions.
In the past biennium state budget, SWC allocations were reduced to meet the state's directive to downsize the facility. However, SWC, with a current population of more than 260 residents, did not downsize. This failure to comply with the state's mandate has been overlooked and SWC is now receiving additional funding and staff positions. I believe this is a waste of taxpayer money and a flagrant disregard for the available capacity that exists with private providers dedicated to community-based service delivery.
In preparing the 2011-13 budget, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services sought input for "cost savings and other ways to improve Wisconsin's Medicaid program." Bethesda Lutheran Communities, a national provider of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities headquartered in Watertown, presented viable ways services could be delivered at both its Watertown campus and in community-based settings. This plan, honoring the choices of people and families for services they desire, would save taxpayers in excess of $22 million and help reduce the SWC population.
Unfortunately, this proposal was dismissed and multiple attempts to speak with state legislators about supportive efforts to downsize SWC were ignored.
SWC is paid about $650 per day, per person by the state. To illustrate how this high cost affects private providers, Bethesda allocates approximately $375 per day for delivering the same services with greater efficiency. Of that figure, the state pays Bethesda about $220. The remainder of the bill is covered by the generosity of donors, accounting for a $1.5 million annual shortfall.
This is catastrophic for Bethesda and other private providers who for years have been forced to successfully operate with integrity and quality despite restrictive and challenging reimbursement rates.
The funding to SWC is outrageous. For Wisconsin to continue this institutional model and funding flies in the face of best practice, financial reality and sensibility. Eleven states, including our neighboring states of Minnesota and Michigan, have completely eliminated state-run institutions. Several other states, including Illinois are currently being targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for violations related to their institutional bias.
I support Medicaid reform and acknowledge the current system is not sustainable. However, I cannot understand how the State of Wisconsin can continue to exacerbate the current budget situation by maintaining these large, unnecessary and expensive institutions. This action contradicts Gov. Walker's claim to reduce state allocations where services can be met by private sector entities.
Founded in 1904, Bethesda has a long history and exemplarily record of achievement in the field of serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are ready and committed to help Wisconsin achieve greater control, flexibility, innovation and effectiveness over the use of scarce financial resources for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
To deny access to services and supports for individuals who choose to live in the community, opting instead to add nearly $18 million to SWC, is a clear bias towards an outdated and segregated support setting, and something dangerously close to violating federal law.
John E. Bauer is president and CEO of Bethesda Lutheran Communities, headquartered in Watertown. Established in 1904, Bethesda Lutheran Communities provides services and supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 13 states and seven countries. Bethesda serves nearly 2,000 people in residential settings, as well as thousands of people with disabilities through supported-living programs, employment assistance, camps and outreach services.
# AS posted by JournalTimes.com; July 26 2011
Read more: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_7734b1a4-b719-11e0-b01c-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1TGTpP0nn
Costs of not raising the Debt Ceiling : article July 26 2011
What started as hot air has now become a thunder cloud. Should Congress fail to reach a compromise to raise the debt ceiling, a multitude of economic sectors could take a hit—if not come to a screeching halt. We review the effects as forecasted by economists and ask "Should you worry?" The answer, in short: Yes, probably so.
1. Global economy: Asian and European stocks "shuddered," on Monday, as William Alden of the Huffington Post put it, after Congress failed to reach a compromise by the end of last week. The tumble was slight for now, but Alden suggests that the fall was just the first tremors of a greater catastrophe waiting when the stalemate in Washington triggers panic on Wall Street.
2. Government programs: If the Treasury loses its authority to borrow, economist Nigel Gault of IHS Global Insight predicts that the government would have to cut its spending by 40 to 45 percent. Highway projects, federal courts, Pell Grants, and food stamps are all on the line.
3. The recovery: Gains made since the bottom fell out in late 2008 could slip away and "would no doubt have a very adverse effect very quickly on the recovery," said Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.
(ANALYSIS: Obama stays mum on veto threat)
4. Your retirement: This one's still up in the air. President Obama said recently that Social Security payments are on the line, should the country not be able to borrow. But budget analysts say that the administration could ensure that the checks are paid.
5. America's credit: Standard & Poor's said last week that there is a 50 percent chance it would cut the nation's credit rating within the next three months. If no deal is reached, Standard &Poor's said that the United States' credit would be reduced from AAA to D.
6. Businesses: In a no-deal scenario, businesses could squeak by without paying increased taxes. But when they see a 10 percent decrease in the gross domestic product, loss of confidence from foreign investors, and a consumer base slipping back into a recession, that tax freeze may look less appealing.
As posted by The National Journal : By Julia Edwards July 26 2011
Visit National Journal for more political news at: http://www.nationaljournal.com/
1. Global economy: Asian and European stocks "shuddered," on Monday, as William Alden of the Huffington Post put it, after Congress failed to reach a compromise by the end of last week. The tumble was slight for now, but Alden suggests that the fall was just the first tremors of a greater catastrophe waiting when the stalemate in Washington triggers panic on Wall Street.
2. Government programs: If the Treasury loses its authority to borrow, economist Nigel Gault of IHS Global Insight predicts that the government would have to cut its spending by 40 to 45 percent. Highway projects, federal courts, Pell Grants, and food stamps are all on the line.
3. The recovery: Gains made since the bottom fell out in late 2008 could slip away and "would no doubt have a very adverse effect very quickly on the recovery," said Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.
(ANALYSIS: Obama stays mum on veto threat)
4. Your retirement: This one's still up in the air. President Obama said recently that Social Security payments are on the line, should the country not be able to borrow. But budget analysts say that the administration could ensure that the checks are paid.
5. America's credit: Standard & Poor's said last week that there is a 50 percent chance it would cut the nation's credit rating within the next three months. If no deal is reached, Standard &Poor's said that the United States' credit would be reduced from AAA to D.
6. Businesses: In a no-deal scenario, businesses could squeak by without paying increased taxes. But when they see a 10 percent decrease in the gross domestic product, loss of confidence from foreign investors, and a consumer base slipping back into a recession, that tax freeze may look less appealing.
As posted by The National Journal : By Julia Edwards July 26 2011
Visit National Journal for more political news at: http://www.nationaljournal.com/
On the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, to protest sub-minimum wage jobs : Chicago July 26th, 2011
Disability Groups To Rally Against Sen. Kirk Today
On the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a coalition of disability groups is pulling together to protest sub-minimum wage jobs for those with disabilities, which they say U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk supports. Disabled Americans Want Work Now (DAWWN) and the National Federation of the Blind will team up at 1 p.m. this afternoon to protest legislation being considered by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions that would permit sub-minimum wage payments to people with disabilities. Sen. Kirk is part of the committee considering the legislation.
"We are extremely pleased that these organizations are joining us to advocate for equal pay for equal work and an end to the outrageous practice of paying subminimum wages to workers with disabilities," said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. "We hope that other members of the disability rights community will join us in speaking out against this unfair, discriminatory, and immoral practice and opposing any legislation that authorizes and perpetuates it."
The rally will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Federal Building in Chicago at 77 W. Jackson, Blvd.
"We’re pleased to join the NFB and other disability rights organizations to stop the exploitation of workers with disabilities," Earl Smith, a DAWWN organizer, said. "It is time for our political leaders to take a stand against exploitation and to fight for true equality for American workers with disabilities."
# Posted in Progress Illinois at: http://progressillinois.com/news/content/2011/07/26/disability-groups-rally-against-sen-kirk-today
----
On the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a coalition of disability groups is pulling together to protest sub-minimum wage jobs for those with disabilities, which they say U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk supports. Disabled Americans Want Work Now (DAWWN) and the National Federation of the Blind will team up at 1 p.m. this afternoon to protest legislation being considered by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions that would permit sub-minimum wage payments to people with disabilities. Sen. Kirk is part of the committee considering the legislation.
"We are extremely pleased that these organizations are joining us to advocate for equal pay for equal work and an end to the outrageous practice of paying subminimum wages to workers with disabilities," said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. "We hope that other members of the disability rights community will join us in speaking out against this unfair, discriminatory, and immoral practice and opposing any legislation that authorizes and perpetuates it."
The rally will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Federal Building in Chicago at 77 W. Jackson, Blvd.
"We’re pleased to join the NFB and other disability rights organizations to stop the exploitation of workers with disabilities," Earl Smith, a DAWWN organizer, said. "It is time for our political leaders to take a stand against exploitation and to fight for true equality for American workers with disabilities."
# Posted in Progress Illinois at: http://progressillinois.com/news/content/2011/07/26/disability-groups-rally-against-sen-kirk-today
----
As The ADA Turns 21: Still Much Left To Do: July 26‚ 2011 article
ADA Turns 21: Still Much Left To Do
by Lainey Feingold‚ July 26‚ 2011
July 26 marks the 21st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act - the comprehensive civil rights law designed to ensure the full integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of American life. Has the law fulfilled its promise to this country’s disabled citizens? Yes and No.
Thanks to Advocacy, the ADA has Changed Lives
In 2011 an architect wouldn’t think of building a public building without a wheelchair accessible entrance. And it’s rare to see a commercial parking lot without disabled spaces. New stadiums really do have seats from which wheelchair riders can see the action. Accessible bathrooms are no longer scarce and curb cuts are not a rarity. For this and more, we can thank the ADA and the people with disabilities and their organizations who daily work to make its promise a reality.
There are other examples too:
• Thanks to the ADA — and the on-going and effective advocacy that gives it life — more and more hospitals offer interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing patients and family members. Successful ADA lawsuits have shown that the inability to hear does not mean a person is not well qualified for a host of previously unavailable jobs. The rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the criminal justice system are more often - though sadly not always - respected and understood.
• For the blind community, the ADA’s promise of “effective communication” coupled with strategic advocacy efforts, has brought about significant quality of life enhancements. ATMs talk. Pedestrian signals provide audible information. Websites – though far far from enough – are designed with accessibility in mind. Financial information is available in Braille and Large Print. Blind workers have the law on their side when fighting for accessible tools to do their jobs. Blind students can (when the law is followed) can compete with their peers on a level playing field, and service animals are (mostly but not always) accepted in business establishments.
• The ADA gave Illinois advocates and their lawyers the tools to expand community living options for people with developmental disabilities in their state. And the law, with its integration mandate, gives advocates across the country the tools to protect individuals with disabilities against forced institutionalization.
Fortunately, this list could go on and on. In the twenty-one years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted, in thousands of ways both large and small, the United States has become a more welcoming place for people with disabilities. Yet despite so many success stories, there are far too many tales of exclusion. Despite significant instances of integration, there are still examples of isolation. The ADA has been around for twenty-one years, but its job is far from over.
Despite Advocacy, Much Left to Do
Unfortunately, there are still many ways in which the promise of the ADA remains unfulfilled. Many of us will be writing ADA anniversary pieces today, and most of those pieces will have list of things — too many things — that are still left to do. Here is mine.
Unemployment of People with Disabilities is Unacceptably High
In June, 2011 the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 16.9 — the highest rate in 2 years. And like all unemployment statistics - that figure only reflects people looking for work - not the tens of thousands of people with disabilities who have given up or are under-employed. The true unemployment rate for blind people in the United States is commonly put at 70-80%.
I know many people with visual impairments who are the talented individuals behind those statistics. The Americans with Disabilities Act was supposed to tear down the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from finding meaningful work. It has not succeeded.
Too Many “Do Not Enter” Signs on the Information Highway
Today, virtually every ADA covered entity (commercial establishments, state and local governments, schools, universities, hospitals and more) provides services on websites available to the public. Classes are held on-line. Stores sell on-line. Financial, insurance, and healthcare information is on-line. Government services and more are on-line.
In 1990, when the ADA was enacted, the Internet as we know it today was in its nascent stages. Yet the ADA’s broad and flexible language easily requires accessible websites. After all, a public website provides services, programs, benefits and information to the public, and the ADA is supposed to ensure that such services and information are available to people with disabilities. We would not tolerate “do not enter signs” in front of a public building. Why are they tolerated on the information highway?
Despite the ADA’s potential, in 2011 far too many websites are not designed or maintained according to internationally recognized standards that ensure accessibility and inclusion. Too many web designers ply their trade without considering accessibility standards. Far too many entities both large and small, public and private, fail to give web accessibility — also known as web inclusion — the attention (and resources) the law mandates. While kudos are due to entities who have taken web accessibility seriously, the millions of inaccessible web pages in the internet are a clarion call for further ADA action.
Technology Gives … and Takes Away
In the twenty-one years since the ADA was enacted, the availability of personal technology has exploded, raining both blessings and curses on the disability community. The Apple iPhone comes with speech output and accessible controls, providing a stellar example of a truly accessible mainstream product. Yet at the same time, more and more services are being delivered by ADA covered entities through inaccessible technology. Flat screen kiosks, for example, now proliferate in retail, healthcare, and education.
Twenty-one years after passage of the ADA, how can engineers still be designing products that are not usable by people with disabilities? How can focus and usability groups not include people who are blind, deaf, or have mobility impairments? And how can public and private entities covered by the ADA provide technology without thinking of the impact on disabled customers, students, patients, and members of the public? The ADA prevents discrimination, and what could be a more flagrant example of discrimination than providing services and programs that people with disabilities cannot take advantage of because of inaccessible technology. Another area where the ADA is not living up to its potential.
The Federal Government Takes too Long to Implement Regulations
While the ADA is a far-reaching and flexible law, it depends on federal agencies — primarily the Department of Justice — to issue regulations that provide consistency and a way to measure compliance. Unfortunately, 21 years after passage of the ADA, there is still far too much delay in getting regulations out. State and local governments have been covered by the ADA since 1990, yet proposed (not final) regulations on public rights-of-way are just now being issued. Beginning in 1999, advocacy efforts have resulted in tends of thousands of Talking ATMs being installed across the United States, yet Talking ATM regulations were not finalized until September of 2010, and are not fully operational until March, 2012.
And most recently — and perhaps most disappointingly — the Department of Justice quietly announced that it was delaying its web accessibility regulations until 2013 at the earliest.
The Americans with Disabilities Act has had a strong non-discrimination mandate since its inception. Equality of services and effective communication have been required from the outset. That means that the ADA, and the details in the law and original regulations, already mandate Talking ATMs, accessible websites, audio description and captioning for movies, and public rights of way with curb ramps, audible pedestrian signals and other accessibility features. If the Department of Justice, the Access Board and other federal agencies are going to issue regulations, give the ADA a birthday present and start doing so in a timely manner.
The recent pattern of delay by federal agencies issuing regulations is unfair to advocates and to industry and undermines the strength of a truly amazing law. Happy Birthday ADA.
Lainey Feingold is a disability rights lawyer in Berkeley California. She can be reached through her website at http://lflegal.com or can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lflegal
# Article from Beyond Chron.org at: http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/ADA_Turns_21_Still_Much_Left_To_Do_9374.html
by Lainey Feingold‚ July 26‚ 2011
July 26 marks the 21st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act - the comprehensive civil rights law designed to ensure the full integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of American life. Has the law fulfilled its promise to this country’s disabled citizens? Yes and No.
Thanks to Advocacy, the ADA has Changed Lives
In 2011 an architect wouldn’t think of building a public building without a wheelchair accessible entrance. And it’s rare to see a commercial parking lot without disabled spaces. New stadiums really do have seats from which wheelchair riders can see the action. Accessible bathrooms are no longer scarce and curb cuts are not a rarity. For this and more, we can thank the ADA and the people with disabilities and their organizations who daily work to make its promise a reality.
There are other examples too:
• Thanks to the ADA — and the on-going and effective advocacy that gives it life — more and more hospitals offer interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing patients and family members. Successful ADA lawsuits have shown that the inability to hear does not mean a person is not well qualified for a host of previously unavailable jobs. The rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the criminal justice system are more often - though sadly not always - respected and understood.
• For the blind community, the ADA’s promise of “effective communication” coupled with strategic advocacy efforts, has brought about significant quality of life enhancements. ATMs talk. Pedestrian signals provide audible information. Websites – though far far from enough – are designed with accessibility in mind. Financial information is available in Braille and Large Print. Blind workers have the law on their side when fighting for accessible tools to do their jobs. Blind students can (when the law is followed) can compete with their peers on a level playing field, and service animals are (mostly but not always) accepted in business establishments.
• The ADA gave Illinois advocates and their lawyers the tools to expand community living options for people with developmental disabilities in their state. And the law, with its integration mandate, gives advocates across the country the tools to protect individuals with disabilities against forced institutionalization.
Fortunately, this list could go on and on. In the twenty-one years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted, in thousands of ways both large and small, the United States has become a more welcoming place for people with disabilities. Yet despite so many success stories, there are far too many tales of exclusion. Despite significant instances of integration, there are still examples of isolation. The ADA has been around for twenty-one years, but its job is far from over.
Despite Advocacy, Much Left to Do
Unfortunately, there are still many ways in which the promise of the ADA remains unfulfilled. Many of us will be writing ADA anniversary pieces today, and most of those pieces will have list of things — too many things — that are still left to do. Here is mine.
Unemployment of People with Disabilities is Unacceptably High
In June, 2011 the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 16.9 — the highest rate in 2 years. And like all unemployment statistics - that figure only reflects people looking for work - not the tens of thousands of people with disabilities who have given up or are under-employed. The true unemployment rate for blind people in the United States is commonly put at 70-80%.
I know many people with visual impairments who are the talented individuals behind those statistics. The Americans with Disabilities Act was supposed to tear down the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from finding meaningful work. It has not succeeded.
Too Many “Do Not Enter” Signs on the Information Highway
Today, virtually every ADA covered entity (commercial establishments, state and local governments, schools, universities, hospitals and more) provides services on websites available to the public. Classes are held on-line. Stores sell on-line. Financial, insurance, and healthcare information is on-line. Government services and more are on-line.
In 1990, when the ADA was enacted, the Internet as we know it today was in its nascent stages. Yet the ADA’s broad and flexible language easily requires accessible websites. After all, a public website provides services, programs, benefits and information to the public, and the ADA is supposed to ensure that such services and information are available to people with disabilities. We would not tolerate “do not enter signs” in front of a public building. Why are they tolerated on the information highway?
Despite the ADA’s potential, in 2011 far too many websites are not designed or maintained according to internationally recognized standards that ensure accessibility and inclusion. Too many web designers ply their trade without considering accessibility standards. Far too many entities both large and small, public and private, fail to give web accessibility — also known as web inclusion — the attention (and resources) the law mandates. While kudos are due to entities who have taken web accessibility seriously, the millions of inaccessible web pages in the internet are a clarion call for further ADA action.
Technology Gives … and Takes Away
In the twenty-one years since the ADA was enacted, the availability of personal technology has exploded, raining both blessings and curses on the disability community. The Apple iPhone comes with speech output and accessible controls, providing a stellar example of a truly accessible mainstream product. Yet at the same time, more and more services are being delivered by ADA covered entities through inaccessible technology. Flat screen kiosks, for example, now proliferate in retail, healthcare, and education.
Twenty-one years after passage of the ADA, how can engineers still be designing products that are not usable by people with disabilities? How can focus and usability groups not include people who are blind, deaf, or have mobility impairments? And how can public and private entities covered by the ADA provide technology without thinking of the impact on disabled customers, students, patients, and members of the public? The ADA prevents discrimination, and what could be a more flagrant example of discrimination than providing services and programs that people with disabilities cannot take advantage of because of inaccessible technology. Another area where the ADA is not living up to its potential.
The Federal Government Takes too Long to Implement Regulations
While the ADA is a far-reaching and flexible law, it depends on federal agencies — primarily the Department of Justice — to issue regulations that provide consistency and a way to measure compliance. Unfortunately, 21 years after passage of the ADA, there is still far too much delay in getting regulations out. State and local governments have been covered by the ADA since 1990, yet proposed (not final) regulations on public rights-of-way are just now being issued. Beginning in 1999, advocacy efforts have resulted in tends of thousands of Talking ATMs being installed across the United States, yet Talking ATM regulations were not finalized until September of 2010, and are not fully operational until March, 2012.
And most recently — and perhaps most disappointingly — the Department of Justice quietly announced that it was delaying its web accessibility regulations until 2013 at the earliest.
The Americans with Disabilities Act has had a strong non-discrimination mandate since its inception. Equality of services and effective communication have been required from the outset. That means that the ADA, and the details in the law and original regulations, already mandate Talking ATMs, accessible websites, audio description and captioning for movies, and public rights of way with curb ramps, audible pedestrian signals and other accessibility features. If the Department of Justice, the Access Board and other federal agencies are going to issue regulations, give the ADA a birthday present and start doing so in a timely manner.
The recent pattern of delay by federal agencies issuing regulations is unfair to advocates and to industry and undermines the strength of a truly amazing law. Happy Birthday ADA.
Lainey Feingold is a disability rights lawyer in Berkeley California. She can be reached through her website at http://lflegal.com or can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lflegal
# Article from Beyond Chron.org at: http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/ADA_Turns_21_Still_Much_Left_To_Do_9374.html
Program Helps Students with ADHD and Learning Disabilities with College Success : July 25 2011
Deliberate Living's College Success Program Helps Students with ADHD and Learning Disabilities
Deliberate Living's College Success Program is a new program that helps students nationwide gain the executive functioning skills needed to achieve success in college.
Chapel Hill, NC
Jennifer Viemont, President of Deliberate Living, is now offering a College Success Program. The program provides consulting and coaching services for college students who have ADHD or learning disabilities. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Life Coach, Viemont has developed the program was to bolster college success skills on all levels for students nationwide.
“Many students who have ADHD or learning disabilities got through high school with a number of resources in place. My services are an extension of those resources and supplement the help they may receive at college learning centers,” said Viemont. “In addition to teaching time management skills and study strategies, I help students create their own college success plan that acts as a guide as they navigate their way through the challenges and opportunities they encounter in college.”
The College Success Program is conducted by phone, email, text and online and works with students from around the country looking to develop college success strategies. It helps students implement effective time management and study strategies that can boost their grades – without sacrificing their social life or sleep. Viemont uses an online calendar to provide consistent feedback to students on their implementation of time management strategies. Weekly calls and regular emails are used to help students surmount any college-related challenges and create lasting college success skills.
About Deliberate Living
Founded in 2004, Deliberate Living is a coaching and consulting company based in Chapel Hill, N.C. Jennifer Viemont is the president of the Deliberate Living. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and also studied with the Institute for Life Coach Training. Viemont has been quoted in the Raleigh News and Observer, on msn.com and in Women’s Health and Fitness. For more information, please contact Jennifer at 919-932-4548, jennifer(at)deliberateliving(dot)org, or visit http://www.deliberateliving.org.
### As appeared article at PRWeb: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/7/prweb8632022.htm
Deliberate Living's College Success Program is a new program that helps students nationwide gain the executive functioning skills needed to achieve success in college.
Chapel Hill, NC
Jennifer Viemont, President of Deliberate Living, is now offering a College Success Program. The program provides consulting and coaching services for college students who have ADHD or learning disabilities. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Life Coach, Viemont has developed the program was to bolster college success skills on all levels for students nationwide.
“Many students who have ADHD or learning disabilities got through high school with a number of resources in place. My services are an extension of those resources and supplement the help they may receive at college learning centers,” said Viemont. “In addition to teaching time management skills and study strategies, I help students create their own college success plan that acts as a guide as they navigate their way through the challenges and opportunities they encounter in college.”
The College Success Program is conducted by phone, email, text and online and works with students from around the country looking to develop college success strategies. It helps students implement effective time management and study strategies that can boost their grades – without sacrificing their social life or sleep. Viemont uses an online calendar to provide consistent feedback to students on their implementation of time management strategies. Weekly calls and regular emails are used to help students surmount any college-related challenges and create lasting college success skills.
About Deliberate Living
Founded in 2004, Deliberate Living is a coaching and consulting company based in Chapel Hill, N.C. Jennifer Viemont is the president of the Deliberate Living. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and also studied with the Institute for Life Coach Training. Viemont has been quoted in the Raleigh News and Observer, on msn.com and in Women’s Health and Fitness. For more information, please contact Jennifer at 919-932-4548, jennifer(at)deliberateliving(dot)org, or visit http://www.deliberateliving.org.
### As appeared article at PRWeb: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/7/prweb8632022.htm
Illinois ADA Project : educate, enrich, and enlighten regarding The ADA
Welcome to the Illinois ADA Project Homepage
(updated July 2013)
Our goal is to educate, enrich, and enlighten the people, businesses, and organizations of Illinois regarding the ADA. Read about what we do in the Our Services Section.
The Illinois ADA Project is funded by the DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center to provide ADA information to individuals and private and public organizations throughout Illinois.
The Illinois ADA Project would like to thank our collaborative partners: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; disaiblityworks; the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network (CBLN); and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce for their support of the Illinois ADA Project. Please see our Resource Page for more information on these organizations.
The work of the Illinois ADA Project is guided by a Steering Committee that includes individuals with disabilities, advocates, service providers, government agencies, and businesses. The Illinois ADA Project Steering Committee consists of representatives from the following organizations:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA is the 1990 Civil Rights Law designed to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities in the United States of America. The ADA seeks to ensure that people with disabilities are fully integrated into the fabric of society. The Act prohibits discrimination, requires that businesses provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and provides that facilities and services be made accessible. The five parts of the ADA are:
Increasing ADA awareness will lead to a society where America's goals of freedom, equality, justice, and fairness can be attained and each individual’s uniqueness is fully appreciated and their potential realized.
## For The Illinois ADA Project: CLICK HERE
(updated July 2013)
Our goal is to educate, enrich, and enlighten the people, businesses, and organizations of Illinois regarding the ADA. Read about what we do in the Our Services Section.
The Illinois ADA Project is funded by the DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center to provide ADA information to individuals and private and public organizations throughout Illinois.
The Illinois ADA Project would like to thank our collaborative partners: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; disaiblityworks; the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network (CBLN); and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce for their support of the Illinois ADA Project. Please see our Resource Page for more information on these organizations.
I. About the Illinois ADA ProjectAbout the Illinois ADA Project
II. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
A. Goals of the ADA
B. Benefits of ADA Awareness
The work of the Illinois ADA Project is guided by a Steering Committee that includes individuals with disabilities, advocates, service providers, government agencies, and businesses. The Illinois ADA Project Steering Committee consists of representatives from the following organizations:
Access Living
Accessibility Consultation & Training Services
Chicagoland Business Leadership Network
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
City of Naperville
Cook County Housing Authority
disabilityworks
Equip for Equality
Great Lakes ADA Center
Illinois Attorney General’s Office
Illinois Department of Human Rights
Illinois Department of Human Services
Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services
Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
JJ’s List
LifeCare Design Studio
Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)
More Access Solutions
Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)
Southern Illinois University
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA is the 1990 Civil Rights Law designed to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities in the United States of America. The ADA seeks to ensure that people with disabilities are fully integrated into the fabric of society. The Act prohibits discrimination, requires that businesses provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and provides that facilities and services be made accessible. The five parts of the ADA are:
Title I: EmploymentGoals of the ADA
Title II: State and Local Governments
Title III: Public Accommodations and Commerical Facilities
Title IV: Telecommunications
Title V: Miscellaneous
Equal treatment under the lawBenefits of Increased ADA Awareness
Fairness to individuals, businesses, and the government
Independence
Access to facilities and services
A diverse, integrated, and welcoming society for people with disabilities
Clear, enforceable standards
Increasing ADA awareness will lead to a society where America's goals of freedom, equality, justice, and fairness can be attained and each individual’s uniqueness is fully appreciated and their potential realized.
## For The Illinois ADA Project: CLICK HERE
Monday, July 25, 2011
Disability Related Statistics From the Great Lakes Region You Can Use : 2011
The Information below is from DBTAC - Great Lakes ADA Center.
Population Distribution*•In Illinois, 5.6% or 108,923 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported a disability.
•In Indiana, 7.1% or 68,260 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported a disability.
•In Michigan, 7.6% or 116,493 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 5.8% or 44,078 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 7.6% or 129,283 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 6.6% or 53,307 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, 10.4% or 828,262 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Indiana, 12.8% or 521,285 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, 13.5% or 884,707 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 10.0% or 338,197 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 13.4% or 991,893 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 10.8% or 392,574 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, 38.6% or 561,739 people between the ages of 65 years and older reported a disability.
•In Indiana, 41.2% or 304,722 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, 40.5% or 494,147 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 35.2% or 209,667 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 39.7% or 578,057 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 35.7% or 247,398 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, over 1.4 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Indiana, about 900,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, over 2.6 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, over 500,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, over 1.6 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, over 600,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 6.8 million people who are 5 years or age and older reported having a disability. The Great Lakes Region consists of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
•In the United States, 15% of females compared to 14% of males reported having a disability.
Distribution of People with Disabilities*•In Illinois, during 2007, 9.8% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Indiana, during 2007, 12.9% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Michigan, during 2007, 13.7% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Minnesota, during 2007, 10% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Ohio, during 2007, 13.5% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Wisconsin, during 2007, 10.8% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 40 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have no disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 3 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have one disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 2 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have two or more disabilities.
Employment*•38.7% of people in the Midwest are employed with a disability. The Midwest consists of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
•In Illinois, 38.1% or 315,568 people in the age range of 16 to 64 years are employed with a disability.
•In Indiana, 38.1% or 198,609 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Michigan, 32.7% or 289,299 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Minnesota, 46.7% or 157,938 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Ohio, 36.4% or 361,049 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 43.5% or 170,769 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, 1, 493,232 million people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
Income and Poverty*•In Illinois, 20.1% or 301,105 people 5 years and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Indiana, 20.3% or 180,381 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Michigan, 22.2% or 330,419 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Minnesota, 19.2% or 112,416 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Ohio, 22.3% or 376,845 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 19.4% or 133,518 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region over 1.4 million people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
Links to Access These Statistics and MoreThese statistics were obtained from:
Disability Statistics
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org
The following resources provide more information:
Access to Disability Data
http://www.infouse.com/disabilitydata/home/
U.S. Census Bureau Facts for Features
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/011953.html
U.S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
U.S. Census Bureau Disability Statistics Home Page
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/disability.html
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ADA Charges
http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/ada.html
U.S. Department of Labor: Finding Facts and Figures: Disability Data Resources
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/finding.htm
Department of Justice Status Reports
http://www.ada.gov/statrpt.htmPress Release
Disability Related Statistics From the Great Lakes Region You Can Use
ADA Developments in the Great Lakes Region Over the Last Year
ADA Celebration Events
Online Learning
Audio Conference
ADA Document Portal
Trainings
Contact Us
For DBTAC - Great Lakes ADA Center visit: http://www.adagreatlakes.org/#
Population Distribution*•In Illinois, 5.6% or 108,923 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported a disability.
•In Indiana, 7.1% or 68,260 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported a disability.
•In Michigan, 7.6% or 116,493 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 5.8% or 44,078 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 7.6% or 129,283 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 6.6% or 53,307 people between the ages of 5 to 15 years reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, 10.4% or 828,262 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Indiana, 12.8% or 521,285 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, 13.5% or 884,707 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 10.0% or 338,197 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 13.4% or 991,893 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 10.8% or 392,574 people between the ages of 16 to 64 years reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, 38.6% or 561,739 people between the ages of 65 years and older reported a disability.
•In Indiana, 41.2% or 304,722 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, 40.5% or 494,147 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, 35.2% or 209,667 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, 39.7% or 578,057 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 35.7% or 247,398 people between the ages of 65 and over reported having a disability.
•In Illinois, over 1.4 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Indiana, about 900,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Michigan, over 2.6 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Minnesota, over 500,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Ohio, over 1.6 million people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In Wisconsin, over 600,000 people who are 5 years of age and older reported having a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 6.8 million people who are 5 years or age and older reported having a disability. The Great Lakes Region consists of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
•In the United States, 15% of females compared to 14% of males reported having a disability.
Distribution of People with Disabilities*•In Illinois, during 2007, 9.8% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Indiana, during 2007, 12.9% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Michigan, during 2007, 13.7% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Minnesota, during 2007, 10% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Ohio, during 2007, 13.5% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In Wisconsin, during 2007, 10.8% non-institutionalized men and women of all races, with all education levels between ages 16 to 64 years reported a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 40 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have no disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 3 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have one disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, over 2 million people in the age range of 5 years and older have two or more disabilities.
Employment*•38.7% of people in the Midwest are employed with a disability. The Midwest consists of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
•In Illinois, 38.1% or 315,568 people in the age range of 16 to 64 years are employed with a disability.
•In Indiana, 38.1% or 198,609 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Michigan, 32.7% or 289,299 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Minnesota, 46.7% or 157,938 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Ohio, 36.4% or 361,049 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 43.5% or 170,769 people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region, 1, 493,232 million people in the age range of 16 to 64 are employed with a disability.
Income and Poverty*•In Illinois, 20.1% or 301,105 people 5 years and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Indiana, 20.3% or 180,381 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Michigan, 22.2% or 330,419 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Minnesota, 19.2% or 112,416 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Ohio, 22.3% or 376,845 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In Wisconsin, 19.4% or 133,518 people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
•In the Great Lakes Region over 1.4 million people 5 years of age and over are below poverty level and have a disability.
Links to Access These Statistics and MoreThese statistics were obtained from:
Disability Statistics
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org
The following resources provide more information:
Access to Disability Data
http://www.infouse.com/disabilitydata/home/
U.S. Census Bureau Facts for Features
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/011953.html
U.S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
U.S. Census Bureau Disability Statistics Home Page
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/disability.html
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ADA Charges
http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/ada.html
U.S. Department of Labor: Finding Facts and Figures: Disability Data Resources
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/finding.htm
Department of Justice Status Reports
http://www.ada.gov/statrpt.htmPress Release
Disability Related Statistics From the Great Lakes Region You Can Use
ADA Developments in the Great Lakes Region Over the Last Year
ADA Celebration Events
Online Learning
Audio Conference
ADA Document Portal
Trainings
Contact Us
For DBTAC - Great Lakes ADA Center visit: http://www.adagreatlakes.org/#
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