ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration at the White House

On July 26, President Obama commemorated the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities with a celebration on the South Lawn of the White House.

More than ten Access Living staff and board members, as well as hundreds of others from the disability community around the country, attended the event.  Access Living’s President and CEO, Marca Bristo, delivered remarks prior to the President’s address. 

Beto and Jim of Access Living at the White House ADA Event

Speaking about the employment of people with disabilities, President Obama said, “We’re going to boost recruitment, we’re going to boost training, we’re going to boost retention.”  He followed up the statement by signing an Executive Order to Increase Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities.  President Obama said signing the ADA wasn’t the end.  “There was and is more to do.” 

Here is a video link to the 20th Anniversary Celebration.

President Obama approaching the podium on the South Lawn of the White House.

Public News Service story about Illinois Budget Cuts

On Saturday, at the 7th Annual Disbility Pride Parade, Public News Service reporter Mary Anne Meyers interviewed Gary Arnold and Rahnee Patrick of Access Living about  impact of recent budget cuts on the independence of people with disabilities in Illinois.  Here is the story.

Story on Illinois budget from Medill Reports

Earlier this week, journalism students with Medill Reports interviewed a few Access Living Staff about the impact of the Illinois budget on the independence of people with disabilities.  The story ran on Wednesday evening on the Northwestern News Report, an Evanston cable access station.  Here is a video link to the story .  The video is not captioned.  Below is a transcript.

 Medill Repots — DHS Budget Cuts Script, July 2010

Anchor

Monday will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but the Illinois budget for disability services is being slashed. Josh Lederman talks to some of those who will be affected.

***Roll Video***

KIMBERLY PETERS KNOWS JUST WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THE STATE CUTS BACK. THE FORTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF ELMWOOD PARK HAS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, AND RELIES ON IN-HOME ASSISTANCE FOR THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

Kimberly Peters

 “I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it.”

LAST OCTOBER, PETERS’ IN-HOME HELP WAS REDUCED FROM EIGHT HOURS A DAY TO FIVE.

Kimberly Peters

“That scared me to death. I thought, ‘That’s going to mean that I can get up out of bed in the morning, and I can go to bed at night, and not a whole lot in between.”

PETERS WAS LUCKY — SHE APPEALED AND WAS ABLE TO GET BACK MOST OF WHAT SHE LOST. BUT OTHERS IN HER POSITION MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE.

IN AN ATTEMPT TO NARROW A BUDGET GAP OF AROUND 13 BILLION DOLLARS, EARLIER THIS MONTH GOVERNOR QUINN CUT 1.4 BILLION FROM NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET. 312 MILLION OF THAT CAME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, 50 MILLION WILL BE CUT FROM OPERATIONS AND 262 MILLION FROM GRANTS. THOSE GRANT CUTS WILL TARGET NON-MEDICAID PROGRAMS THAT DON’T BRING FEDERAL DOLLARS INTO THE POT.

THEY’LL ALSO MEAN EXTENDED PAYMENT CYCLES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND REDUCED ELIGIBILITY FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.

Rachel Siler

“In order to survive, I need these hours. And it’s an injustice to take it away.”

BOTH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DECLINED TO GO ON CAMERA TO EXPLAIN HOW THE CUTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. BUT IN A STATEMENT THIS MORNING, THE DEPARTMENT WROTE…

“DHS is committed to keeping core services funded… The budget is not yet final.  DHS is working on a Budget Implementation Plan and the contracts and funding amounts are estimated.”

Rachel Siler

“The lawmakers, they have no idea what we do and how much it means to us.”

Josh Lederman\Northwestern News Report
“As state officials and interest groups struggle to divide up what’s left of the Human Services budget, disability advocates say they’re left competing with other valid community needs, like mental health.”

Amber Smock\Advocacy Director, Access Living

“That encourages the disability community to fight over their slices of the pie. That’s not ok. We cannot stand for a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy. We have to fight together.”

DISABILITY ADVOCATES ARGUE THE STATE WILL END UP SPENDING MORE MONEY ON THE DISABLED –NOT LESS — IF CUTS TO IN-HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED CARE FORCE DISABLED PEOPLE INTO COSTLY INSTITUTIONS. THEY SAY THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET CRUNCH: RAISE TAXES.

JOSH LEDERMAN, NORTHWESTERN NEWS NETWORK.

***End Video***

Anchor

THERE MAY BE EVEN MORE CUTS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IF THE STATE LOSES OUT ON 750 MILLION DOLLARS OF FEDERAL MEDICAID DOLLARS THEY’VE BEEN COUNTING ON.

July 19, 2010- Illinois Disability Community rallies to protect independence

                        Disability community rallies to protect independence

Calls for state leadership to preserve cost efficient programs and raise revenue

Amber Smock leading the budget cuts rally on July 19.

 (Chicago) — Facing budget cuts that could force people into costly institutions, disability advocates and organizations representing thousands of people with developmental, psychiatric and physical disabilities rallied outside the State of Illinois Building today.  While Illinois faces a massive financial crisis, more than 20% of the service cuts announced last month impact people with disabilities.  Funding for the Illinois Department of Human Services has been reduced by $312 million, the majority of which comes from community services, programs that support people with disabilities living in their own homes and neighborhoods rather than in institutions. 

Community based mental health services face a cut of $38 million, impacting tens of thousands of individuals.  According to a June 2010 report by the Illinois Human Services Commission, in FY 2010, Illinois spent $390 million on community mental health services for 175,000 people.  Meanwhile, the state spent more than $600 million on 15,000 nursing home beds for people with psychiatric disabilities who do not require daily nursing.  “People with disabilities have a right to pursue better opportunities and fulfilling lives in the community,” said Jessica Patrick, who receives community support through Thresholds.  “But instead of living in the community, the cuts will force more people with psychiatric disabilities back into nursing homes, hospitals and prisons.  If Illinois wants to cut spending, it doesn’t make sense to cut services that cost less money than institutions.”

In terms of supports for people with developmental disabilities, Illinois plans to cuts $98 million from community programs, impacting up to 15,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities.  “We are astounded by these cuts to community services that serve children and adults with developmental disabilities,” said Tony Paulauski, Executive Director of the Arc of Illinois. “In the meanwhile the state institutions get their increases and we in the community suffer. Illinois continues to support state institutions at the expense of more effective and efficient community services. This system is upside down!”

Within the Department of Human Services, changes to the Home Services program will also impact how many people receive services in their own homes.  Under Home Services, people with disabilities access personal assistants, individuals who help with day to day tasks like bathing, dressing and shopping, enabling people to live independently in their own homes.  Changes to the program reduce the asset limit from $17,500 to $2,000 and limit the number of service hours.  “Community-based programs and in-home assistance for people with disabilities save money for taxpayers. Cuts in these programs perpetuate wasteful spending on outmoded, expensive and inappropriate institutionalization,” said Rachel Siler, a disability advocate and member of the Home Services program.  “These cuts take away the hope of thousands of people for full participation in society.” 

Street Theater -- Life without a pa

To support the rights and independence of people with disabilities, rally participants urged Illinois to invest in programs that allow people to live in their own homes and save tax payers money, and to take necessary steps to generate new revenue.   “Legislative leaders of both parties have failed to deliver a viable solution to the state’s financial crisis,” said Zena Naiditch, President & CEO of Equip for Equality.  “We need leadership now — we have to pass a tax increase so that core services stay intact that enable people with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities.”

As the 20^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities act approaches, people with disabilities, and the rest of the population push for strong leadership to strengthen the state financially and empower people to live independently.   As part of the rally, disability leaders called for a meeting with Illinois leaders to explore solutions that will save money and empower the community. 

For more information, contact Gary Arnold at 312-640-2199 voice, 773-425-2536 (mobile),  garnold@accessliving.org.

Illinois budget cuts threaten independence of people with disabilities

A few weeks ago, Illinois announced millions of dollars in cuts to programs that support people with disabilities living independently in their own homes and communities. Statewide, the community is organizing to stop the cuts.  Community based programs support the independence of people with disabilities and make fiscal sense — community services cost less than institutional services.

Below is a letter published in the Chicago Tribune on July 12.

The Chicago Tribune Voice of the People ran the piece below on Monday, July 12, 2010

Common sense, people with disabilities, under attack in Illinois.

Illinois’ progress toward a more cost effective and just approach to serving people with disabilities and their families took a major blow last week when Governor Quinn announced more than $300 million in budget cuts to programs for the disabled. That’s a full 20 percent of the total reductions in the state budget. The Governor is faced with balancing many difficult budget demands, but this decision hurts both taxpayers and people with disabilities.

When is a budget cut not a budget cut? The answer is when the least costly and most effective services are cut, leaving only outmoded, expensive and politically entrenched approaches.

In this case, that means programs that serve people in their own homes and in  community settings are being slashed while the state continues to pour money into  expensive nursing homes and state-run institutions that keep people with disabilities trapped in a state of unwanted and unnecessary dependence. That defies common sense.

Community-living and support options work and are paying off for taxpayers. We know now that today everyone can be supported in his or her community.

And we know that programs that serve people in their community save money. A 2010 report by the Illinois Human Services Commission found that Illinois provided community-based mental health services to 175,000 people at a cost of $390 million in FY 2010, half the cost of $640 million for only 15,000 nursing home beds for people with disabilities who do not require daily nursing.

Illinois is one of the few states that waste money on state-operated institutions and nursing homes. Taxpayers spend a staggering $162,000 per person for the 2000 residents of eight large state-operated institutions.

We are your families, neighbors and friends. We want, and have a right, to remain in our communities. We do not want to be forced into nursing homes or state institutions. As we approach the 20^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this budget rolls back civil rights.

We need to keep programs that work and slash those that don’t. We ask the governor and the legislature to rescind these cuts and support:

1. Reforming the wasteful institutional bias in state spending for the disabled
2. No caps on home service hours, and adequate funding to meet demand.
3. Closing down the state operated institutions serving the developmentally disabled and investing those resources in community services.
4.   New revenue to be applied to cost-effective community and in home services.

 

Ann Ford, executive director, Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living, Springfield

Charlotte Cronin, executive director, Family Support Network, Peoria

Tony Zipple, CEO, Thresholds, Chicago