May 15, 2001
For more information, contact:
Bob Kafka (512) 442-0252
Marsha Katz (406) 239-7490 (cell)
(202) 479-4000 hotel, until 5/18/01

Bush Administration Commits to Signed Olmstead Executive Order Within 30 Days

(WASHINGTON DC) May 15, 2001 was declared ADAPT Day in Washington, D.C. Less than an hour after 500 ADAPT activists lined the White House fence and displayed ADAPT's Report Card on President Bush's First 100 Days, 16 ADAPT representatives were escorted in the gate for a meeting with John Bridgeland, Director of the President's Domestic Policy Council. 

Two hours later, the 16 emerged victorious, accompanied by Diane Schacht, Special Assistant to the President for Justice Policy, who announced to the assembled crowd that within 30 days the Executive Order would be completed and signed. Bridgeland punctuated the Administration's commitment by giving ADAPT his phone number and encouraging calls to check on the status of the order. In addition to Bridgeland and Schacht, the President's Special Assistant to the Director of the National Economic Council also participated in the meeting as an Administration representative.

In February, 2001, President Bush issued his New Freedom Initiative, which stated, in part, "President Bush has Committed to Sign an Order Supporting Swift Implementation of the Olmstead Decision. The order will support the most integrated community-based settings for individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Olmstead decision."

"The ADAPT Report Card had to give the President failing grades on disability issues for his first 100 days," said Barbara Toomer, ADAPT Utah State Organizer. "Not only has he been in office over 100 days, but it's been over 100 days since he committed to issue the Olmstead Executive Order. Without the order and some funding to help the states achieve the swift implementation he wrote about, President Bush's New Freedom Initiative remains a NO Freedom Initiative."

Administration staff also committed to attend the meeting ADAPT will be having with Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, in order to co-ordinate the Olmstead implementation efforts. ADAPT is asking that the Executive Order direct Secretary Thompson to assist the states to swiftly implement Olmstead, provide technical assistance to the states, fully enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act in regard to long term care services, and to submit a budget which supports these activities.

Finally, ADAPT is demanding assurances in the Executive Order that persons with disabilities and consumers of long term care services, along with family members and advocates, are meaningfully involved in educating the public about their rights under Olmstead, as well as educating persons who are in, or at risk of entering, a nursing home or other institution. "ADAPT has always worked on the principle of Nothing About Us Without Us," said Linda Anthony, an ADAPT Organizer from Pennsylvania. "We expect to be involved in all aspects of Olmstead implementation in the states -from education, to writing the state plan to evaluating the outcomes for individual people- and we are cautiously optimistic that President Bush and his staff are acting in good faith."

ADAPT is in Washington until Thursday, May 17, targeting people and agencies that can help prevent people from being forced into nursing homes and other institutions, and assist others to move out.

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