Incitement
Volume 21 No. 1 A Publication of
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(512) 442‑0522 fax
Incitement is produced from the offices of
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Neither Wind, nor Rain, nor Sleet...
Unusual would be the watchword for the action in DC this
“spring.” ADAPT moved the spring action to February 26th through March 2nd, in order to follow up with the National Governor’s
Association, NGA, on the resolution supporting community services which was
introduced in Seattle last summer. Icy temperatures, snow and rain were in the
cards, but so be it!
Makes a House Call
We began with a meeting with the Director of Medicaid and
Medicare, Dr. Mark McClellan, who came to our hotel. First he met with a small
group of representatives who talked with him about their experiences getting
out of nursing homes and other institutional settings and about what it’s now
like living free in the community. He said that getting Money Follows the
Person (MFP) through was a high priority of his administration.
From that smaller meeting, Dr. McClellan met with all of the
ADAPT folks there for the action. He spoke about how we had definitely
convinced him of the importance of ensuring that people have real choice to
live in the community, and that was one of his goals. He also said that he
understood the importance of the safety net provided by the federal side of the
Medicaid program
After speaking for a while, he took questions from the
group. It was clear folks were very concerned about threats to long term care
funding and block grants, etc. But while people remained wary of the proposed
Medicaid cuts and the lurking threat of block granting, they were impressed by
his straightforward approach and non-paternalistic attitude and respect for our
desire for real choice. Notwithstanding his words, people felt the pressure is
needed to hold the administration and Congress to their word.
Taking It to the Streets
After our big meeting we lined up and headed off to our main
focus of the action, the Governors. We marched through the chilly streets in
the late afternoon light. Everyone was focused and determined that the NGA know
our purpose. Literally hundreds of people with all types of disabilities from
all over the nation were there to see that the NGA did the right thing. As we
got about half way to their fancy hotel, the JW Marriott, NGA Executive
Director Ray Scheppach, called on the phone: Could we
meet? We said we would be right over.
Scheppach and several of his staff
came out to greet us in front of the hotel. ADAPT leaders and NGA staff held
their meeting on the front steps of the hotel, while the other four hundred of
us waited. As that meeting was taking place Governor Rendell, the sponsor of
the resolution, called to say he was away at a meeting but would be coming back
very soon and also wanted to meet with us. Scheppach
and staff were telling our leadership that they were trying to get through as
strong a resolution as possible. They thought what they had done was the
strongest they could get through, and that they wanted our help on the Medicaid
cuts.
Tapping into New Technology for the Direct Message
Bumping up the tension a bit, people began to call the hotel
and ask for their Governors. Several got through, and the Governor of Montana
came out to meet with his constituents. The Governor of Michigan came out to
look over the crowd with a concerned expression. In addition to our visit and
our calls, people from all over the nation were faxing the Governors with the
resolution that had originally been introduced, requesting they support the
original version. Over 500 messages were faxed before the fax machines were
shut down!
Governor Rendell arrived and spoke with the group. He said
that although the resolution had been watered down some in committee, he was
going to keep working to make it as close to the original as possible.
The next morning we were up and out on the street before the
sun, a neat trick when hundreds of you are sharing the services of a limited
number of attendants and a limited number of elevators. It was freezing cold
and a huge snowstorm was predicted, but all were out and rolling with the crowd
as we took off. The Governors were scheduled to go over to the White House for
a meeting at
Blocking the JW
Arriving at the hotel, two groups headed straight to the
front doors and driveway while four others took the main intersection. The
groups at the door blocked it solid and closed down the driveway so business as
usual was far from usual. The other groups blocked the four streets and then
wrapped the intersection in yellow caution tape. No one would be using that
major intersection. Both of these actions had led to quick arrests in the past,
but today the protest gods were watching – or so it seemed.
Once in place our occupation began. We spotted the paratransit type vans that were to take the Governors to
the White House and a commando group went to block their exit out the back way.
We held them in for 45 minutes past their intended departure time and then
suddenly a large group of Secret Service and other security types came out in a
football Flying V formation. Descending on the folks blocking the back exit,
they literally lifted power wheelchairs off the group like pole bearers
carrying some rajah. Moving folks to the side, others block tackled those of us
not in wheelchairs, and the Governors made a mad dash for the vans. The van
drivers, once loaded up, gunned their engines and shot out over the curb and
sidewalk. Steve Verriden said it looked like “popcorn
Governors” inside as the vans whisked them away from the people and off to the
White House meeting, which just happened to be on Medicaid reform.
Freezing Butts to Free Our People!
Once the Governors were gone, we formed up again and marched
off to the White House to continue our vigil. By now the snow was coming down
and as we reached the White House a strange mist mingled with the snow. We
lined up in front of the sacred fence at the
Those who were willing to get arrested to show their
commitment to having the Governors and the President make a stronger stand for
freedom and Real Choice moved to the gates and chained themselves there.
Touching the gates is a major offense. The police said that they were getting
the paddy wagons, but another hour passed and they did nothing. We later
learned there were orders from somewhere – no arrests.
Kick Off MiCASSA
Our last day in DC was our time to visit legislators and
remind them to sign on to the newly introduced Senate and House versions of MiCASSA (S. 401 and HR 910) and Money Follows the Person
(S. 528). Breaking into our groups again
we went to every office in the Capitol to share our message.
The Governors, who voted on the resolution that morning, had
definitely heard us. However, in the end they passed a resolution that did move
more toward the goals of the action and of ADAPT but left out important
elements of the solution including any mention of the Olmstead decision.
This battle is far from over, but state strategies will be essential.
Senator Harkin Pays a Visit
Returning back in the evening, we had one more major event.
One of our members, Skip Smith from Kansas ADAPT, had made a painting for
Senator Harkin, who has been such a long time supporter of disability rights, MiCASSA, Money Follows the Person and more. We invited
Senator Harkin to come and receive the painting, and he came to speak to us. He
was eloquent in his dedication to disability rights, to freedom and justice for
our people. He talked about the long hard struggle, and how now we must find
the strength to renew our push for justice because of the many dangerous
proposals being floated around the Capitol, proposals for Medicaid, Medicare,
Social Security and more. These radical reforms might drive right over people
with disabilities if we don’t recommit to the struggle.
Spitfire presented the Senator with an ADAPT T-shirt and a
set of the chains we had used at the White House the day before. Even as the
ADAPT party that now culminates every ADAPT action began, the Senator was seen
visiting with folks in the crowd.
Highlighting this action were the many new people from new
places who joined us, including several representatives from SABE (Self
Advocates Becoming Empowered). Their energy and enthusiasm for the action was a
delight to those of us who have been plugging away for some time now.
With the federal
government moving rapidly with its states rights agenda and turning services
and supports back on the states alone, we must look toward home for our next
steps. Each Governor, along with our state legislatures and state bureaucrats
will be crafting their plans and budgets and our attention must focus with this
now. What is happening in your state? What will you do to make the issues real
in your area?
MiCASSA and
Money Follows the Person Introduced!
MiCASSA (the Medicaid Community
Attendant Services and Supports Act) and Money Follows the Person have been
re-introduced and have new bill numbers. MiCASSA is
now S 401 and HR 910. The main cosponsors remain Senators Harkin of
IA and Specter of PA, and Representatives Danny Davis and Shimkus of IL.
MiCASSA gives individuals who are
eligible for institutional services like nursing home services and ICF-MR
services equal access to community-based attendant services and supports. The
services are based on functional need and are consumer controlled; in fact,
they provide a choice of ways to have consumer control. MiCASSA
also creates a demonstration project to evaluate service coordination and cost
sharing approaches for those eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. Also
included are funding and direction to the states to reform their long term care
to level the playing field and increase home and community based services.
The Federal Money Follows the Person bill S 528 is
co-sponsored by Senators Harkin and Gordon Smith of OR. This bill sets up
demonstration programs in the states to allow people in nursing homes and other
institutions to move into the community on existing community service programs,
instead of having to go on long waiting lists, etc. However, this bill allows
the funds that were paying for their institutional service to be moved over to
pay for the services in the community. This bill also allows the participating
states to get 100% federal funds to cover the first year of community services
for those who move out, and at the end of the year the funding returns to that
states regular match (60% federal funds – 40% state funds – or whatever the
state’s regular match rate is.)
We need more co-sponsors. Unfortunately, when
a Congressional Session ends (every 2 years) all the bills that haven’t passed
die and that is why they need to be reintroduced; also, all the co-sponsors
need to sign back on again. If your Senators and/or
Representative has signed on, thank them. If not, ask them to sign on again. To
find out who is co-sponsoring the bill you can contact us at adapt@adapt.org
(or 512/442-0252) or you can go to the Thomas website www.thomas.gov and
type in the bill number.
If you would like to get on the ADAPT update e-mail list for
MiCASSA and related issues, here is a guide on how to
get on it.
Send an e-mail to: Majordomo@adapt.org
Make the subject: subscribe micasa-list
In the message
itself, write: subscribe micasa-list
You must maintain an
e-mail account at a stable address for receipt of e-mail. If you move your
e-mail mailbox (change e-mail addresses) you will need to subscribe again to
the list server. Addresses that do not work will be removed.
Also our web page: http://www.adapt.org has MiCASSA information too.
If Not Now, When?
Join ADAPT in DC
It appears that advancing political agendas in DC by
knocking the disability community around has become an equal opportunity sport,
with both major political parties taking their best shot. Even people who say
they are our friends, or who we thought were our friends, are engaging in one
action after another that threatens our freedom, risks our lives, and removes
our civil rights. We will not let these actions go unopposed.
The Republicans, while adopting an
independence oriented vocabulary and philosophy, are slashing at the
very safety nets that allow our independence and freedom. Their
anti-government, states rights approach is a direct threat to many of our
existences.
The Democrats embrace many of our enemies (like the nursing
home industry) taking their counsel and supporting their continued entitlement
at our cost. The democrats’ love of paternalism and sticking to the status quo
without question, have also set us back badly.
Add this to the cuts of the Republicans and you know we have
our work cut out for us.
People with disabilities of all ages are being threatened
daily by actions taking place inside and outside the
If you ever wondered why or if you should come to an
ADAPT action, this is it! Join ADAPT in DC September 17 – 21. Let the disability
voice be heard! For rooms call Tisha at 303/733-9324.
For more information call 512/442-0252.
Talking and Walking at the Same Time
~Quote from Mark B. McClellan,
Subcommittee
on Health of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
(All Medicaid issues go
through this committee.)
...“If we believe that
every American - young and old - has the right to live in the community, if we
have really learned that this can be achieved, the time is now to go farther
down the ‘road to independence.’ It is time for action by Congress to give
individuals the choice and control over their future that they deserve.”...
Nice words, but...
We need to
take Administrator McClellan’s words and challenge every
Republican in Congress to
co-sponsor MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person.
We need to
take Administrator McClellan’s words and challenge every
Democrat in Congress to
co-sponsor MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person.
We
don’t need block grants.
We
don’t need caps.
We
need an “End the Institutional Bias!”
Send
that message to your Senators and Representatives.
Challenge
them to “End the Institutional Bias!”
Why Now is the Time to Renew Our
Push for
MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person
Many people with significant disabilities cannot live
without supports, like attendant services.
Terri Schiavo’s story brought into
focus, in an extreme way, the reality of this need. It pointed a huge spotlight
on this issue. Though it has quieted down for now, this issue is simmering in
the background.
The visceral/gut reaction of many in the disability
community to Terri’s story was a feeling of being deeply threatened. The fear
comes from their current need for this support, or anticipation that they will
need such supports in the future, combined with a sense that the general mood
is to diminish just these types of supports. As one past
leader of our nation has said: the cheapest way to serve is euthanasia.
Many politicians who spoke in support for Terri’s life have
not shown the same support for the services that would allow people with
disabilities to live with dignity in their communities.
Others who failed to see the importance of the value of
Terri’s life, sometimes even life with a disability in general, have also not
shown strong support for legislation supporting us in the community.
The lack of understanding on both sides is chilling, to say
the least. Congress is back in session but will be back in their home districts
for July 4th and
for the whole month of August. With Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security up
for perhaps radical reform, we cannot just hope for the best. We must continue
to push our agenda forward.
Let’s make some good come from all this. Let’s get our
Senators and Representatives to support disability by passing legislation. We
need community attendant services and supports. If they support people with
disabilities they need to support MiCASSA (S. 401 and
HR 910) and Money Follows the Person (S. 528).
Continue Your Advocacy by Contacting Your Senator and Representative.
MiCASSA - S 401 and HR 910
Money
Follows the Person - S 528
Congressional Proposal for Basic Access in All New Federally
Assisted Homes
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has re-introduced the Inclusive
Home Design Act (HR 2353), the national Visitability
bill.
Visitability is the most basic
level of access. In this and most local and state bills there are three main
requirements:
at least one
no-step entrance;
doors and
hallways wider than usual;
and at least a
half-bathroom on the first floor big
enough to accommodate a person in a wheelchair and allow that person to close
the door.
You can think of it like a stair step, with Visitability being the most basic, adaptability (as in the
Fair Housing Standards for new multifamily housing) being the lower middle
level, accessibility (as required by Section 504 and UFAS) being the upper
middle level and individually customized access being the top level of access.
According to Schakowsky 95% of federally supported homes are
not required to meet any standard of accessibility. Yet, architecture and
design experts estimate the total average cost per dwelling is $98 (on a
concrete slab) and $573 (for a dwelling with a basement or crawl space).
Several of the communities that already have Visitability
laws have found it even less expensive than these estimates.
The concept of Visitability has
been catching on in pockets around the country for the past decade or so. The
first place to require Visitability features in
single-family housing paid for with public money was
Visitability improves livability
for homeowners as well as their guests. It lasts the lifetime of the house, so
even if the first occupants don’t need it, it is there for future residents and
guests. It supports lifetime living, so as people age and their needs change
the house can change with them. It promotes integration through visiting. It
makes housing safer as everyone can get in and out. It allows people who
develop a disability to continue to enjoy basic access to their homes. In
short, it really improves housing.
Schakowsky’s bill has been referred to the House
Committee on Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Benefits. Supports of the bill
want more co-sponsors. For more information on this and other Visitability initiatives check out Concrete Change’s
website www.concretechange.org .
Medicare Wheelchair Rules
Still Keep Us Homebound
When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (
immediately, adopt a function-based determination of medical
necessity. This determination looks at the ability of the beneficiary to safely
accomplish mobility-related activities of daily living, such as toileting,
grooming, and eating, with and without the use of mobility equipment — from simple
canes and walkers to sophisticated power wheelchairs. Their idea is to make the
process more straightforward.
However, on the downside, the new criteria still do not get
rid of the homebound requirement that is the source of much stress for many
Medicare recipients. Many people must live a lie to get the supports they
cannot live without, having to claim they are homebound, or not get a
wheelchair or similar essential device. The bizarre reality is that without the
chair they are homebound, perhaps “bed-bound”, but with it they could help take
care of daily living activities and become functional members of their
community.
More information about the
The ADAPT Community Vision 2005
ADAPT is the largest national grassroots activist
organization in the country. This has come about because of the tireless
commitment of thousands of activists who believe that taking aggressive
non-violent direct action is a critical piece of bringing about lasting social
change. The involvement of people directly affected by the issues is vital to
keeping the message real.
To continue this vision into 2005 and through the next
decade will require a renewed commitment from those of us that have been in the
trenches for years, But More Importantly will be our efforts to
develop the grassroots ADAPT leadership that will continue the battles for the
rights and services we need to live independently in the community.
Specifically we will work to:
1. Continue the advocacy to get MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person passed;
2. Assure Medicaid is not block granted so we
won’t lose national protections that result in waiting lists at the state
level;
3. Implement the Olmstead decision at the state
level to assure that no person is forced into or remains in a nursing home or
other institution because of the lack of community attendant services;
4. Continue our advocacy for Accessible,
Affordable, and Integrated Housing.
ADAPT will work with other groups to protect the rights
guaranteed in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the benefits
afforded by the Social Security Act.
Our philosophy is simple:
Don’t Mourn...ORGANIZE!
Around the Nation…
Social Insecurity
By Gordie
Haug
Fargo,
ND — ADAPT of Minnesota, Options and Freedom Resource Centers for Independent
Living along with SAS (Self-Advocacy Supports) group and other disability
organizations and individuals from eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota,
held a protest rally in Fargo, on February 3rd. President Bush was in Fargo to
enlist support for his privatization plan for social security. The protesters
were in
Their
message was “There Are More Than ‘Retirees’ Who
Receive Social Security Benefits. Disability advocates asked the administration
for a Benefit Impact Statement regarding how the various proposals will affect
persons with disabilities. No change without analysis. Know the facts before
one makes changes. What the President and the Administration has failed to
recognize is the impact on the 11 million Americans who receive Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) or the federally funded Supplemental Security
Income (SSI). There are others who are dual-eligibles
and those who receive Social Security Survivors Insurance benefits based upon
parental earnings who will also be impacted. How these programs will be affected by
current proposals has not been addressed or answered.”
We Will Ride
Using
a tactic that many states have tried with mixed success, the attorney for
INDOT, Thomas Fisher, argued that the state organization was protected from
lawsuits through ‘sovereign immunity’ and wrapped Indiana in the 11th
Amendment, which protects states in some cases from being liable. “There’s no
history of irrational discrimination here” Fisher told the judge. But the folks
with disabilities were there to bear witness that many would disagree with that
assessment.
We Will Ride
By Trecia
Benefield
In
April the Center for Independent Living in Jasper
When
my turn came I told the committee members “every time I talk about the need for
funding for Public Transportation the answer usually is ‘we will get around
to it.’ So I thought that I would
get you a round tuitt. And get that over with.” We
passed a box around decorated in red white and blue stars filled with the Tuitts and explained the colors and shapes represented the
many different needs for Public Transportation in the
As
they were picking out their Round Tuitts, the whole
mood of the committee members changed from formal to easy going, actually laughing
and joking with me. For 10 years we the disability community have been trying
to get public transportation bills in and out of committee and on to the floor
for a vote. The Finance committee voted and HB235 passed out of committee and
forwarded on to the House for a vote.
Governor Rendell –
Friend or Foe?
By Cassie James Holdsworth
Hey,
these are confusing times, even for us activists! At the winter ADAPT Action,
Governor Rendell who was attending the National Governor’s Association
conference came out from his hotel in
Washington to assure 400 ADAPT activists that he meant business in creating an
even playing field for a community first approach to long-term care and
support services. Boldly, Governor Rendell seemed to be the only governor ready
and willing to say ADAPT’s community-based long term
care policies are the right thing to do. If people were given a true choice,
they would want to remain in their own homes with long-term care services,
rather than go into expensive nursing homes. He claimed to believe in the U.S.
Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead which protects our rights under the
However,
in his home state of
I
still believe that people should stand up for what’s right in hard times –
politicians as well as everyday people. Let’s show we have the guts to raise
taxes to maintain Medicaid coverage. The poor can’t be the ones who always
carry the weight of hard times. Let us be a united and diverse
ADAPT
of PA visited Governor’s Rendell’s office on
American Disabled for
Accessible Public Toilets?
Restroom Access the
Issue at
By
The
night of Saturday December 11, eleven Maryland ADAPTers
took on the historic Senator Theatre, one of
We
don’t like it so much. The bathroom stalls are too narrow for wheelchair
access, so disabled folks don’t go to the movies there. The Senator has had
many complaints — just found out they are being sued — but this is the first
time they’ve faced direct action.
We
had great posters and chants (“Potty Parity!”), but our centerpiece was Linda Merkle, a NH escapee who was sitting on a potty chair
reading the
By Chris Hilderbrant
On
the cold, wet morning of
Although
Social Security was on the President’s mind, ADAPT wanted him to know what was
on our mind. Bush’s cuts in funding for HUD and his push for cuts and caps on
Medicaid will force people out of their homes and into institutions - not
acceptable!
After
gathering at McDonald’s (what would an ADAPT action be without McDonald’s?!),
we marched down to the school where he was speaking. Eventually, we were able
to position ourselves along the curbs directly across the street from the
school where he was to speak, taking over both corners of an intersection.
Traffic continued to flow through, and we were very clearly visible to anyone traveling
past the school.
As
signs were passed out to everyone the chanting began.... “No more Medicaid
cuts”, “Housing cuts = Nowhere left to live!” and “Our Homes, Not Nursing
Homes”. The rain drizzled down and we kept our voices and spirits up. We had many
first time ADAPTers on hand. Some members wore
heart-shaped pins with the message “If you can read this you must be a
sharpshooter”- a little comedy for the men in trees and on the buildings.
Because
Bush’s domestic agenda basically amounts to Medicaid cuts, housing cuts and
Social Security cuts - we had designed two large foam core scissors that read
“The Only Tool in Bush’s Belt”. Norita Darling stood on one corner cutting away at Anthony
Griggs while Teresa VanGrol wielded her giant
scissors on the other corner. Media from
Among
the many protestors there that day, our group was the loudest and most
cohesive. Our chanting was powerful enough that other groups approached us to
negotiate which chants could be done by the entire crowd of people with a
variety of agendas. Chants of “Money for health care, not for warfare” and
“People are dying, shame on Bush” unified the entire crowd of protestors.
Throughout
the morning, we got word from people in the press about the movements of the
President. Finally the motorcade arrived and, in a blink of an eye, zipped into
the school. We had plenty of time to wait while the President made his
speech.
Two
anti-war protestors walked politely across the street and toward the school and
were met promptly by police officers. One kneeled to the ground while the
officers tried to figure out how to deal with peaceful resistance. During this
exchange, our ADAPT group furiously rethought our plans to NOT get arrested
this day. Despite all the many reasons we had to not get arrested on this day,
watching the two protestors be arrested created a serious fire inside us to be
handcuffed and taken away. But calmer thoughts prevailed and the crowd fired up
loud chants in support of the two arrestees.
After
about an hour, the police began to spread out and we knew the President was
preparing to leave. The motorcade zipped out of the school almost as fast as it
arrived and Bush was off to the airport to return to DC.
We
marched together, along the street, back to the McDonald’s for our debriefing
meeting. Rallying in the parking lot, we reviewed the day’s accomplishments: it
was a great action because we got more of our message out to the public and the
media, and also because we were joined by many new ADAPTers
and ADAPTers from
Georgians Take the Long
Road Home II
(Excerpted from
longer piece by Zen Garcia)
Government
should reflect the wishes of the people, and the wishes of the people are to
live in their/our own homes. We are guaranteed equal stature and protection by
the very documents our country was founded upon. We cannot allow the very
institutions put into place to protect citizens, to devalue and dehumanize a
certain part of the populace. We want our governor and all governors to
expedite their Olmstead mandates and help move people out of the
institution and back into the community. We want the Waiting Lists for
community supports to be unlocked - many for years have been waiting for
assistance. Join
Georgians Hold MiCASSA & Money Follows the Person Forums
By Samuel Mitchell
Hello
Fellow Advocates. Atlanta ADAPT will do statewide forums on MiCASSA
and Money Follows the Person. I have run into so many people who either don’t
know or have the wrong idea about what it is and what it does. There is a
desperate need for widespread knowledge of such an important piece of
legislation to the disability community and the community at large. With so many
people with disabilities and elderly wanting to live in the community and
choosing to do so when given the chance there must be a viable support
structure with adequate funding set up or we are courting disaster. MiCASSA helps provides this funding and the blueprint and
initiatives for the support structure. We are contacting other groups and
individuals to join with us in spreading the word and supporting this
legislation. Why not try it in your state?
Laguna Honda Bungles On
By the ADAPT LHH
Fan-Club
The
stories keep seeping in, even years later. Financial shortfalls threaten the
Laguna Honda Hospital replacement project and the City of
According
to the San Francisco Chronicle: Supervisor Elsbernd
told the Board of Supervisors in March “We are $84 million short.”
The
Chronicle story reported: “Voters six years ago approved a $299 million
project for 1,200 beds near the site of the existing, aging long-term care
hospital in Elsbernd’s district. But since then, the
costs have shot up way beyond what The City’s tobacco-settlement money
dedicated to the mega project can cover and talk of postponing part of the
project or scaling it back by hundreds of beds has drawn fierce opposition from
some labor and community groups.
Now,
City Controller Ed Harrington has been asked to take a look at options, with
recommendations due in the next 30 days, according to Elsbernd.
He maintains that there is no “done deal” as to how the problem will be solved.
Mayor Gavin Newsom, with whom Elsbernd
is working on the issue, said earlier Tuesday that The City “didn’t do its
homework” on this and other major capital projects such as the new Jail No. 3
in San Bruno, whose budgets have ballooned along the way.
Sadly
the cradle of independent living continues to clutch at this travesty. Back in 2001 ADAPT went to
Imagine
living in a 1200 bed nursing facility, over half those beds in wards with 30
people in the same room.
Imagine
being told that they will be tearing the building down - ONLY to be told they
are going to rebuild it.
Imagine
the wealthiest areas in the country being willing to spend almost $300 per day
to keep
Imagine
that community not even bothering to apply for all the housing subsidies
available that could give some of these individuals a choice to live in the
community.
Imagine
EVERY progressive politician, union, church group and others supporting a $299
million bond package to assist in the rebuilding. With interest, this bond
package will end up costing over $600 million. And the city and state are
putting in even more money, beyond financing the bond package!
Imagine
EVERY disability group in the area being opposed to that bond package BUT being
ignored by these same politicians, unions, church groups and the voting public.
Unfortunately
this is not just a bad dream. It is the reality of what is today going on in
The Riot! is Born!
By Jaime Johnston
The
Self-Advocate Leadership Network at the Human Services Research Institute
announces the arrival of The Riot! an e-newsletter for self-advocates.
Written by HSRI staff with guidance from our Editor, Teresa Moore, a
self-advocate from Arizona, it has contributions from a committee of
self-advocates from Alabama, California, Idaho, New Hampshire, New York,
Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
The
Riot!, is published on-line every July, October, January, and April. The
newsletter features regular articles from Chester Finn of SABE (Self-Advocates
Becoming Empowered). Our horoscope forecasts love, romance advice from
Cubby. Craig travels the country
gathering irksome material to generate discussion! Every issue provides useful
information and explores issues that are important to self-advocates like:
self-determination, accessibility, living in the community, relationships, and
the powers that be. Our readers are additionally delighted by Jazmyne Johnston’s satirical cartoons.
Visit
our website, www.hsri.org/leaders/theriot click on
“subscribe,” and enter an e-mail address. Once subscribed, readers receive
quarterly e-mail notices with an invitation to read the latest issue of The
Riot! by following links to our website. The Riot! can be downloaded
in PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat) and text file formats.
Ruthie Beckwith writes:
This evening I had the honor of being one of three poets who
took part in a reading of works written by people involved in the self-advocacy
movement at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. An an
awesome exhibit on the history of the disability rights movement is there until
April 24th.
One of the poets, Gail Bottoms, who is the past president of
People First of Georgia, read the following poem from her recently published
collection called “From the Inside Out” after she had been to the legislature
to talk about Georgia’s lack of progress on responding to Olmstead. She gave me
permission to share this with you.
My Alligator
My
alligator got away yesterday,
Just got
out of his pen and slipped away.
The last
time I spotted him, he was
Going toward
I ran
behind him, I ran up and down.
The last
time I saw, he was on the capitol steps,
With
people jumping with screams and yelps.
Up the
steps and in the door, I couldn't see him anymore,
So I went
back home and closed my door.
He ate
all the nursing home lobbyists on the fourth floor,
Then he
went searching for more.
A little
later I heard something outside,
I looked
out and there laid
I ran to
him and stood by his side,
He was so
full of money; he laid down and died.
(c) Gail
Bottoms, 2004
Poet
Passages
Tony Cordoba
Long term ADAPT warrior, Tony Cordoba has passed, Formerly
active in GA ADAPT and then CO ADAPT, he died of a heart attack
Nancy Moulton
Though she had not been to a national action in a while,
long time ADAPTers will remember Nancy Moulton and
the passion she brought to the disability rights issues and movement. She will
be missed.
Nancy Moulton, a longtime activist in Atlanta ADAPT and
founder of Life Worthy of Life (an early organization with goals similar to
NDY), died
Her husband Larry has kept a detailed blog
of his and
~Diane Coleman & Eleanor Smith
Alfredo Juarez
Alfredo Juarez has passed on. Alfredo had not been well for
many years but he kept with us, kept with the fight and in the end liver cancer
took him quickly.
A master organizer with Desert ADAPT, Alfredo spent a
lifetime working on disability rights, luckily for us for the past many, many
years with ADAPT.
His quiet but deep passion burned within and sparked many of
us to do more, to do better. His creativity gave a flair to our stuff, just one
example: when “Mr. Curb Cuts”, a skeleton in a wheelchair (based on the UT
ADAPT figure) went to testify at El Paso City Council with Desert ADAPT.
Alfredo cannot be replaced, but he will remain within us.
Mark Jacobs
Mark Jacobs, a member of Philly ADAPT, passed away
Mark had been in a Philadelphia Nursing Home for 22 years
before coming out in 1995. He had called the nursing home a “subliminal
seduction” as they had told him for a long time that he would never be able to
live outside of a nursing home and that freedom was not a possibility. Finally,
after meeting ADAPT Members inside Philadelphia Nursing Home over the Christmas
Holidays; he became convinced that he could live on his own.
Since moving out of the nursing home, Mark had inspired and
helped his sisters and brothers as a Community Advocate. He got them to see
that not only was it possible to live in the community, it was wonderful. “I
eat when I want to, my own food. I can have a beer without permission. It is
good to just be able to get out, travel and participate with ADAPT and other
disabled people.”
Mark died after complications of a heart attack while on the
Winter ADAPT Action in
A man of few words most of the time, he was there when and
where he was needed to free our people, and he will be greatly missed.
Leonard Roscoe
Leonard Roscoe, 35 of
In addition to ADAPT, Leonard was a leader in People First
of Georgia, and in Disability Link of the Institute on Human Development and
Disability at the
The loves of Leonard’s life were his family and his music.
He and Renee adopted a son, Nigel who also has OI, and of whom he was very
proud. We will miss his passion, his humor and his unique energy.
Happy News!
Maitri Campbell of Delaware ADAPT
is free! She moved out of the nursing
home and held a housewarming open house Saturday, June 4th.
Wedding Bells!
GA ADAPT’s Samuel Mitchell and
Cheri Johnson got married in February. They were going to announce this at the
People First Dance and Buffet but word got out early. Their honeymoon? The DC
ADAPT action. Talk about a union in the movement!
BE A PART OF THE ADAPT COMMUNITY
ADAPT
NEEDS YOUR HELP!!
Incitement costs $15,000 to produce and mail
out.
In order for us to be able to
continue to send you
Incitement we are asking you to donate to its
costs and to the campaign to Free Our People!
$10 would
cover the costs to send you Incitement for a year.
$20 would
cover the costs for yourself and someone who can’t afford it.
More than $20
would mean that you would be directly contributing to the grass roots campaign
to get our people out of institutions.
Please
support ADAPT and send your donations
Ways to donate:
The easiest
way for many is to go to our web page www.adapt.org and use the donate button
with a credit or debit card.
Alternatively
you can send cash or a check made payable to: ADAPT/Incitement
All
donations are tax deductible.
Thanks for your continued support.
Join ADAPT in DC
(See story page inside)