ANA forced to meet with ADAPT
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Stacy
Ritter leaves her wheelchair to block a door at the
Gallery Mall |
Today ADAPT visited the national offices of the American Nursing Association (ANA) to ensure that the nurse practice acts in each US state will not be a barrier to people with disabilities living in the community. ADAPT shut down the building housing the ANA and negotiated a presentation before the ANA Board of Directors tomorrow night.
The action by ADAPT to secure the ANA’s support for MiCASSA should have taken 20 minutes; yet, because of the ANA’s strong belief in the “religion of bureaucracy” the Nursing Association could not act reasonably. The ANA was embarrassed by having to invite ADAPT members back to negotiate for control of the building. Tenants in the building and visitors could not get in for over two hours because the ANA refused to meet with ADAPT. Ultimately, the ANA will meet with ADAPT and because of their original refusal to accept a meeting within a month, the ANA Board of Directors will meet tomorrow night with ADAPT.
ADAPT wants the ANA to endorse the Medicaid Community-based Attendant Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA, S 971 and H.R. 2032), legislation that will provide Americans choice in where they receive their long-term care services. Currently, all US states are required by Medicaid policy to offer long-term care in facilities while home and community-based long-term care is optional under Medicaid policy. Institutions are expensive and undesirable. Do you want to live in a nursing home?
"We've been trying to work with the ANA for about a year," said Linda Anthony, an ADAPT Organizer from Pennsylvania. "We want to get an endorsement from the national group and the individual state members for both MiCASSA, and for delegation/assignment amendments to the various state Nurse Practice Acts. Last year the ANA committed to have us present at their annual conference on community services and independent living, and then they just basically blew us off. So we came here today determined not to be blown off again."
In each state, the Nurse Practice Act defines which activities typically performed by nursing staff in a hospital setting, can be delegated or assigned to personal care attendants in a person’s own home. ADAPT wants the ANA and its state members to endorse delegation and assignment of the majority of activities necessary for a person to live in their own home.
I felt like I was in the twilight zone today. I simply can’t understand why the ANA would have any problem with people being able to stay in their own homes and communities instead of being forced into institutions,” said former nurse Barb Toomer, Utah ADAPT Organizer. “But their disrespect for us today, and their recent broken promises have made me feel almost ashamed to admit to having been a nurse.”
ADAPT blocked the doors with immediate access to the ANA, but general access to the building housing the ANA was open. ADAPT originally delivered a letter to the ANA asking simply for time in front of the ANA Board. Five ADAPT representatives went in the office, but were quickly rejected.
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Activist
block all the entrance to the offices of the ANA |
“They are cold as ice,” said Cassie James as she emerged from the first meeting with the ANA staff.
“Arrogant Bastards,” said Barb Toomer.
By 1:30 the office building was closed for business. After the ANA reneged on their promise to meet with ADAPT, the group shut down all access to the Gallery Mall.
The ANA had to invite Barbara and other ADAPT representatives back into the building to negotiate public access to the building.
On the side of the building away from the ANA offices, people were angry that the building was shut down. People parked in the Gallery Mall garage were visibly upset that they could not drive out of the parking garage, but the Metro Police and ADAPT members blocked the entrance for about four hours.
The pressure inside the building grew until a fire alarm was pulled and some patrons pushed open an exit door knocking over ADAPT activists. The huge building stretches from 6th to 7th Street near the Capitol in Washington DC.
At around 4:00 pm ADAPT got the word that the ANA had conceded to the demands, but activists remained in place until a letter was in hand. Metro Police forcibly removed demonstrators from the garage ramp and several ADAPT members were shoved at the various entrance to the gigantic building, but ADAPT remained in control of the Gallery Mall until a commitment letter was signed and delivered.
ADAPT successfully brought the US Department of Justice into compliance with their demands for vigilant enforcement of the ADA yesterday by shutting down Constitution Avenue in downtown Washington DC. Earlier, one-hundred ADAPT members were arrested at the White House demanding President George W. Bush apologize for federal Medicaid policy that devalues citizens with disabilities. ADAPT’s STOLEN LIVES Campaign depicts people who have been inappropriately institutionalized and lost part of their life because the unfair and corrupt long-term care policy in America.
ADAPT is working to end the bias of long-term care with Medicaid reform legislation: MiCASSA. Introduced in the Senate by Tom Harkin and Arlen Specter, the bi-partisan legislation will give Americans the option to live in their own home rather than be placed in an expensive institution.
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