If you thought the students were trouble, wait for the disability movement

By John McTernan

Jody McIntyre has accused the police of premeditated violence (Photo: Jane Mingay)

My esteemed colleague Toby Young makes a brave attempt to stand up for Ben Brown’s interview of Jody McIntyre on BBC News 24. He really needn’t have bothered. The clip speaks for itself. To be honest, Brown looked like a police stooge when he repeated their claim that prior to the clip on YouTube McIntyre was rolling his wheelchair towards them. “Aw, diddums, did the man with with Cerebral Palsy scare you, and you in your riot gear and all” would have been the right response to whichever Metropolitan Police flak had the chutzpah to offer up that nonsense. But when McIntyre responded:

I can’t physically use my wheelchair myself. My brother was pushing me.

it was game, set and match to him. But the whole government should have shivered when McIntyre asked Brown:

Do you seriously think a person with Cerebral Palsy in a wheelchair can pose a threat to a police officer?

For this is the next wave of protest they face. There are high profile benefit cuts coming for people with disabilities – billions of pounds of cuts to Disability Living Allowance to start with. And, as I always remind Coalition ministers and their advisers, a billion pounds from welfare is £1,000 a year from a million people. But a particularly nasty one was sneaked out yesterday. The Independent Living Fund will be abolishedfrom 2015. This fund of nearly £300m a year pays an average of £300 a week to people to support them staying independently in their own homes. If it didn’t exist, it would be exactly the kind of thing that would be branded as a Big Society welfare reform – it helps individuals, and it saves the state millions since the alternative is expensive residential care. Instead, it’s being cut.

What I don’t think the Government – or the mainstream media – were aware of until Jody McIntyre’s interview is quite how articulate and media-savvy modern disability campaigners are. As the waves of cuts – to benefits, to the ILF, to social care provided by councils – impact on people we are going to see the Coalition with their immovable case that there must be cuts come face to face with people with disabilities and their irresistible case that the most vulnerable should not pay the price for a bankers’ crisis.

While Frank Field was asked to “think the unthinkable”, today Iain Duncan Smith is going one better – he is “doing the unthinkable”. I look forward to many more blogs from Toby Young explaining precisely why the protesting public have got the wrong end of the stick about a change to the system which is really in their own best interests.

Equal Rights Center (ERC)

With holiday shopping in full swing, the Equal Rights Center (ERC) wants to hear from people with disabilities about their shopping experiences! Have you had difficulty shopping because of accessibility problems? Narrow aisles? High counters? Entrances with stairs? Inaccessible point of sale machines? If you have experienced these or other access problems, please contact the ERC Disability Rights Program today at (202) 234-3062 or email Rpowell@equalrightscenter.org.

The Equal Rights Center is a national non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to promoting equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services. The ERC engages in cutting edge investigation techniques and is one of the few organizations in the United States which, when necessary, engages in comprehensive civil-rights enforcement for all protected classes under both federal and local law. Each year, the ERC advances civil rights and helps thousands of individuals through a comprehensive approach including counseling, civil rights testing and investigations, and education and outreach activities.

Are you a member of the ERC? If not, please consider joining today! Our members are our greatest source of input on important issues and we strive to keep our members educated about important issues in civil rights. While we have 4 levels of membership, general membership is free. To join, please visit our website.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

Yours truly,

Robyn Powell

Disability Rights Program Manager

Equal Rights Center
11 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 450
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 370-3210
rpowell@equalrightscenter.org
www.equalrightscenter.org

EQUAL RIGHTS CENTER AND CVS/PHARMACY ANNOUNCE INITIATIVES TO MAKE STORES MORE ACCESSIBLE

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 2, 2010 – Today, the Equal Rights Center (ERC), a national non-profit civil rights organization, and CVS/pharmacy announced their agreement and initiatives to help ensure that CVS/pharmacy’s stores across the country will be more accessible to people with disabilities.

“For the millions of people with disabilities in our country, the ability to easily access CVS/pharmacy’s products and services, is a critical part of their everyday lives,” said Don Kahl, Executive Director of the ERC. “With this monumental nationwide agreement, CVS/pharmacy will work with the ERC to adopt or improve accessibility practices and policies that will better serve all people with disabilities. We certainly hope that other pharmacies will recognize their unique importance and responsibilities to the disability community and follow CVS/pharmacy’s example.”

Among other initiatives, CVS/pharmacy, one of the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chains with more than 7,100 locations, will survey and remove barriers to accessibility at any stores it remodels or alters. It will remove any barriers at each of its MinuteClinic retail health clinics within eighteen months. New or revised procedures and training of employees will ensure that its store aisles are kept clear and accessible, and an independent survey company will monitor the accessibility of the aisles. Within one year of the agreement, every CVS/pharmacy will have at least one wheelchair accessible front checkout and pharmacy counters if they do not already have them. CVS/pharmacy will also hire an independent consultant to review and monitor its policies and procedures for design and construction, remodels and barrier removal in order to ensure that its stores remain compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). CVS/pharmacy has also agreed to provide reports to the ERC on its progress, and to consider ERC’s input on policies and training.

“CVS/pharmacy is committed to ensuring that our stores are accessible to all of our customers,” said Scott Baker, Executive Vice President, CVS/pharmacy. “We are pleased to enter this agreement with the ERC to help enhance access to our pharmacy and health care services for people with disabilities.”

In 2009 the ERC was approached by several individuals who use wheelchairs who all identified accessibility issues at CVS locations due to aisles being blocked with merchandise and displays, a lack of accessible routes to sales counters and the pharmacy, a lack of accessible spaces in parking lots, and other barriers. The ERC conducted its own survey of CVS stores and identified similar accessibility issues. The ERC then approached CVS. After reviewing CVS’ current policies and practices to comply with the ADA, and the ERC’s concerns, CVS agreed to work with the ERC to make CVS stores more accessible to its customers with disabilities.

“As the Americans with Disabilities Act celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, we are happy to see another national business leader demonstrate its commitment to providing quality and accessible services to all individuals,” said Elaine Gardner, Disability Rights Project Director at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs.

In reaching this agreement, the ERC was represented by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs and the Washington law firm of Gilbert LLP. CVS/pharmacy has agreed to pay the plaintiffs for their claimed damages and attorneys’ fees incurred in this matter.

For Immediate Release:

Leah Maddox, Equal Rights Center, 202.370.3227

lmaddox@equalrightscenter.org

What can YOU do to advance the employment of people with disabilities?

Share these videos!

Because myths and stereotypes about disability employment continue to create barriers to opportunities for qualified people with disabilities, the Campaign forDisability Employment launched “What can YOU do?” (WCYD) – an initiative to encourage everyone to elevate perceptions about what people with disabilities CAN do on the job and to emphasize the value and talent people with disabilities add to businesses and organizations. A key part of the WCYD initiative is the “I Can” public service announcement (PSA), a montage of seven people with disabilities – some apparent and some not – sharing what they CAN do on the job when given the opportunity. “I Can” reflects the diversity of skills people with disabilities offer, challenges common misconceptions about disability and employment and reminds everyone that at work, it’s what people CAN do that matters.

The CDE encourages everyone to share the “I Can” PSA and use it as a tool to start a conversation about the benefits of fostering a work environment that is flexible and open to the talents of all qualified individuals, including those with disabilities. Workplace and Youth “I Can” PSA Discussion Guides are available to facilitate such a conversation. Several versions of the “I Can” PSA are available for download here. The CDE invites YOU to share the PSA with others, feature it on your organization’s website, use it in workplace training, at events, in schools, etc. DVDs are available by request by contactingcampaignfordisabilityemployment@jan.wvu.edu.

	"I Can" PSA Audio Introduced (3:00) Open Captioned (:60) Closed Captioned (:60) Open Captioned (:30) Spanish Audio Introduced (1:13) Spanish Open Captioned (:30) Spanish Closed Captioned (:30) Forward Video to a Friend

* Nearly 50 million Americans have a disability. To learn about employment statistics and people with disabilities, click here.

http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/PSAAD2.wmv

Judy Heumann, Special Advisor on International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State

Judy Heumann spoke of her role as the Special Advisor on International
Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State, a new position created by the President in 2009, when he signed the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (“UNCRPD”, at http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=150 ). She stated that “the UNCRPD is a very important treaty that has now been ratified by more than 93 countries around the world and signed by 146 countries,” and that “the U.S. is a signatory to this Convention.” She stated that her purpose at the State Department “is to drive home the message that disabled people’s issues need to be part of every aspect of the agency’s work, such as within the international development area.” She mentioned three areas, such as in the U.S. AID program which has a policy on disability, and “to elevate the inclusion of disability into Foreign Service agenda.” Also, part of her job is to work on the ratification package for the UNCRPD, which is the next procedural step after signature. This involves the agencies across the federal government comparing U.S. law to what’s in the UNCRPD. This will result in a major review document or “package” that will then be widely circulated to various entities and then back to the White House for further action.

Advisor Heumann noted that the UNCRPD is very important as it raises up the U.S. community at the international level. While the ADA is seen by many around the world and copied by other countries, many of whom have adopted similar types of legislation, the UNCRPD can facilitate more meaningful adoption of the issues of people with disabilities in many countries. She said she was just back from a trip to Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria and Qatar where she had met with officials there to work collaboratively on UNCRPD topics. She said that the U.S. signing and ratification of the Convention had raised the topic of the education of children with disabilities to a higher level for such countries.

She noted that many if not most children with disabilities in developing countries are not attending school, or where attending, are in substandard or separate schools. Heumann also noted the importance of employment of people with disabilities as a critical issue raised by the UNCRPD and how discussions focus often on how to keep or return adults who become disabled in jobs. She also mentioned the connection between education and moving young people with disabilities into employment.

Heuman mentioned a December 3 conference being held at the State Department, “Keeping the Promise—Making Disability Rights Real,” on the anniversary of the International Day of Disability, which was started in 1991. The conference focuses on three issues with panels looking at the UNCRPD, at Violence against Disabled Girls and Women, and HIV-AIDS and disability. Heumann noted that “even though in the U.S. we have great laws, we are still working on implementation.” She stated, for instance, that “there is no meaningful discussion about problems of sexual abuse of people with disabilities [in the U.S.].”

Heumann also talked about the President’s commitment to bring more people with disabilities into the workforce, noting that the State department has a prominent program bringing interns into the organization, all year round, and that the agency is recruiting and hiring more people with disabilities. See State department website athttp://careers.state.gov/students/programs.html

The Teleconference Question and Answer period covered topics such as state independent living center advocacy, availability of attendants at gasoline pumps for drivers with disabilities, housing vouchers and further discussion on the UNCRPD.

AAPD encourages disability advocates to sign up for the notifications of these monthly phone calls as a way to know better who the federal appointees are, their roles and what their agencies do. It’s also a way to directly ask questions and see what is the federal government focus. To sign up, send email tosfeuerstein@who.eop.gov and in the email provide your name, the name of your organization, your title, your email address and phone number and then you will be added to distribution list.

Story by Jenifer Simpson, Senior Director of Government Affairs, AAPD.

Silent Shout NYC October 2010 from Signmark on Vimeo.

Silent Shout NYC

mysilentshout.com/​

DOJ wants to hear from you!

The Department of Justice is having a public hearing on our Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Makings (ANPRMs) next Thursday (12/16) from 9:30 – 4:00 at the Access Board – 1331 F St., NW Washington, DC. We want to make sure that we have good representation from the disability community. The ANPRMs are on:

1) Accessibility of Web Information

2) Movie Captioning

3) Next Generation 9-1-1 Systems and

4) Equipment and Furniture (including access to medical equipment)

An organization does not have to testify on all of the ANPRMs. Hearing about why these ANPRMs are important to the individuals you represent is important.

You can sign up to testify by calling Samantha Lewis at 202-307-6068. Walk-ins are also welcome but you won’t have to wait if you sign up for a slot. Testimony is limited to five minutes max. You can always submit a longer statement. Individuals as well as organizations can testify.

The entire hearing will be web cast (live – with captioning and video-description) – so you can publicize your participation to your members. It will be on the ada.gov web site after the hearing.

Here’s the link to the ANPRMs:

http://www.ada.gov/anprm2010/anprm2010.htm

Laura Hershey, 1962-2010

Disability rights activist, thinker, writer and poet Laura Hershey died Friday Nov. 26, 2010, after a short illness. Although perhaps best known to New Mobility readers as one of the primary organizers against the MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon’s use of pity as a fundraising tactic, she also was an organizer for Not Dead Yet and ADAPT from both groups’ earliest days. She was also involved in other social justice causes, such as gay and lesbian rights.

In addition to her work as an activist, Hershey, who had spinal muscular atrophy, was a renowned poet and writer. This year she was named as a 2010 Lambda Fellow in Poetry. Her poetry is anthologized in collections ranging from those focusing on social justice, such as Fire in the Soul: 100 Poems for Human Rights, to literary journals, such as Trillium Literary Journal. Additionally, she has published over 100 articles and essays in such diverse publications as New Mobility, Ms. Magazineand U.S. News & World Report. She held a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and an honorary doctorate from Colorado College.

"She was an intelligent, funny, active writer, activist and mother," Hershey's partner, Robin Stephens, said Saturday to the Denver Post."She was a genius who lived with disability and lived well."

Hershey and Stephens are the adoptive mothers of Shannon, 14, and they shared a home in Denver, Colo. There will be a tribute page to Hershey at www.LauraHershey.com beginning Tuesday, Nov. 30.

Disability groups unhappy at end of ILF fund

Stephen Naysmith

14 Dec 2010

Disability groups reacted with dismay yesterday to confirmation the Government is axing a fund that gave more than £60 million to help people live on their own.

The Independent Living Fund supports thousands of people in Scotland to help them live independently in the community.

As The Herald had predicted in September, the Government announced yesterday that the fund would remain closed to new applicants – as it has been since earlier this year – with existing claimants protected only until the end of the current parliament.

After that, funds will be transferred to local authorities, with consultations in the New Year to determine how the money is used.

Ian Hood, co-ordinator of the Learning Disability Alliance Scotland, said: “This confirms our worst fears. We have already seen some of the most vulnerable people having their planned levels of service reduced.

“Now it looks like the fund is going to be wrapped up for good.”

While existing claimants would be protected, that would be for four years at best, said Mr Hood.

Richard Hamer, director of external affairs at Capability Scotland said 3654 people benefited from ILF in this country.

He said: “ Given the economic climate it is likely local authorities will be hard-pressed to meet these costs, putting independent living in jeopardy.”

AARP Thanksgiving Message to Congress: Don't Drive Idaho Docs Out of Medicare - Assoc. Calls on 180,000 Idaho Members to Contact State Congressional D

Idaho's Members of Congress are home for Thanksgiving and AARP is taking the opportunity to make sure they get a strong message from their constituents: Don't drive Idaho doctors out of Medicare! In the coming weeks, doctors across the nation face a 25% pay cut under Medicare, if Congress allows it to take effect, many doctors would stop accepting patients under the program. AARP is urging Congress to tackle the issue immediately, and is encouraging its 180,000 Idaho members to contact their Members of Congress during the Thanksgiving recess.

As part of the effort, AARP has set up a toll-free 800 number to connect constituents directly to their Members of Congress: 1-800-944-6723 and a website: www.aarp.org/keepmydoctor, so members and the public can email their lawmakers on the issue.

The looming cuts would be devastating in Idaho – where the state already suffers from one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the nation (ranking 49th). AARP has heard from members across the state that many are already finding their doctors closing doors to new Medicare patients because reimbursement rates are already too low. The 25% cut under the program, would see even more Idaho doctors leave Medicare in a state where 15% of the population relies on the program.

"While Idaho's Members of Congress are home for Thanksgiving, we're reminding them of Idaho's existing doctor shortage, and urging them not to make it any worse for Medicare beneficiaries by driving doctors out of the program," said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho. "Thanksgiving shouldn't be a time older Idahoans are forced to worry about whether or not their doctor will continue to see them."

"When our Congressional Delegation returns to Washington, D.C. after the Thanksgiving recess, we're calling on them to tackle this issue, passing a one year fix while they work on a permanent solution," added Wordelman.

Last week the Senate voted to delay the cuts, which are set to hit December 1st, by one month – it's anticipated the House will echo the move after Thanksgiving. If the House does not act, the cuts will go into effect, if they do pass a one month fix, the cuts won't go into effect until Jan 1st. AARP is urging the House to pass the one month patch fix, and for Congress to then pass a one year fix for 2011, while a permanent solution can be addressed.

The reason for the looming pay cut - a flawed Medicare physician payment formula which Congress has been forced to address every year for the last 10 years. Over the next year, AARP will work with Members of Congress to permanently address the issue.

AARP is Idaho's largest membership organization with 180,000 members.

Read more: http://www.disabled-world.com/news/america/idaho/medicare-id.php#ixzz186ntnSvB