1) What’s Happening in the Nation’s Capital?
NCIL Submits Oral and Written Statement Concerning the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act
NCIL Executive Director to Meet with White House Staff
2) National News
Be a Part of Change – Meet with Members of Congress While They are Home on Break!
RSA Webinar for SILCs and State VR Directors on ARRA Funds for the IL Part B Program
Obama Sets Up Formal Office for Healthcare Reform
3) State News
Silicon Valley ILC Takes Lead on “Psycho Donuts”
4) Announcements and Additional Resources
2009 ADAPT FUN*RUN Update
KASA’s New Pocket Guide: How to be Involved in a Board or Council
NCIL Submits Oral and Written Statement Concerning the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act
On Tuesday, April 7, NCIL Policy Staff Jason Beloungy and Elizabeth Leef attended a listening session held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to discuss specific areas of the reauthorization of WIA.
The listening session addressed areas of Title I of WIA, including people with disabilities, low skill, limited English, ex-offender, older worker and other relevant “populations” and national programs. The purpose of the listening session was to hear stakeholder comments regarding adult populations served under Title I of WIA. Jason Beloungy presented an oral statement to the Subcommittee regarding the following areas:
- WIA One-Stop Centers must be physically and programmatically accessible;
- Transportation must be addressed for people with disabilities to access One-Stop Centers; and
- Increased participation of people with disabilities on Workforce Investment Boards at the state and local levels.
In addition to the oral statement, NCIL submitted a written statement of recommendations to the committee. For additional questions regarding the listening session or the submitted statement, contact Jason at the NCIL office or by e-mail at: jason@ncil.org.
NCIL Executive Director to Meet with White House Staff
On April 15th, NCIL’s Executive Director, John Lancaster, will meet with Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, and other White House staff for a meeting and briefing related to disability issues. The WhAM! will report to members about this meeting in next week’s edition.
Be a Part of Change – Meet with Members of Congress While They are Home on Break!
Members of Congress are back in their districts for the spring recess. As we noted in last week’sedition, we are strongly encouraging our members to get out and meet with members of Congress while they hold listening sessions, town-hall meetings, local office hours and other events to see what constituents are concerned about. NCIL has made it easier for you to talk to your members of Congress in the House and Senate by providing our updated Policy Booklet. The Community Choice Act and the CLASS Act are the two bills that are getting our attention. In addition to those bills, we are also bringing the issues that affect people with disabilities to the table in the healthcare reform talks.
If you have the opportunity to meet with a member of Congress, please talk about our issues! It is grassroots efforts like these that strengthen NCIL’s ability to be successful here in Washington. If you know of an event that you’d like to attend, but would like to be better prepared, feel free to call or e-mail the Policy Staff at NCIL. Jason and Elizabeth would be happy to help you with your message, talking points or to better understand the issues in the Policy Booklet.
Finally, if you do have the opportunity to meet with a member of Congress in your area, please call or e-mail NCIL to let us know what you talked about and if the member had additional questions or wanted follow up by NCIL. You can reach Jason and Elizabeth by phone at the NCIL office, or by e-mail at: jason@ncil.org and elizabeth@ncil.org.
RSA Webinar for SILCs and State VR Directors on ARRA Funds for the IL Part B Program
Source: RSA
Dear State Director, SILC Chair, SILC Member, and SILC Staff:
RSA will conduct two consecutive webinars for State Independent Living (SILC) Chairs, SILC members, SILC staff, and State VR Directors on Thursday, April 16th. The first session is scheduled from 1:00 - 2:30 (EST) and the second from 3:00 - 4:30 (EST). The purpose of the webinar is to:
- review the Department’s guidance for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for the State IL Services program (IL Part B) program;
- respond to questions; and
- provide an opportunity for webinar participants to share ideas about innovative uses for the ARRA funds consistent with the principles outlined in the Fact Sheets and Guidance at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html.
We strongly encourage you to submit your questions prior to the webinar at RSARecoveryActComments@ed.gov. If you are unable to participate in the webinar, you may still submit your questions and review responses on the archived session. In the event you cannot participate and your questions are not addressed in the archived session, we will provide additional opportunities to respond to your questions.
One of the important roles that RSA envisions for itself in the ARRA initiative is to promote the sharing of innovative ideas among recipients of ARRA funds. We hope that many webinar participants will be prepared to share any innovative uses for the ARRA funds that their state is considering.
Due to the high interest in obtaining information about ARRA funds for the VR and IL programs, and the fact that there is a 100 call-in line limit to participate in the webinars, we will be holding a number of webinars for partners and stakeholders, including State VR Directors, State Rehabilitation Councils, and Statewide Independent Living Councils, in order to provide adequate access to all.
We encourage you to register without delay, and we request that you join in on the same line in order to maximize participation. The webinar will be available in archive format the following day at the same link. Having the webinars in accessible archives will allow not only participants who are unable to participate to hear the discussion, but also allow all parties to hear other parties’ questions and suggestions.
To register for the TA seminar, please click on the link for the session that is most convenient for you and follow the registration instructions:
If you need assistance with registration for the webinar, please contact Terry Martin at terrence.martin@ed.gov or at (202) 245-7275. Thank you.
Sue Rankin-White, Chief,
Technical Assistance Unit
Obama Sets Up Formal Office for Healthcare Reform
Source: Reuters, by Maggie Fox
President Barack Obama set up an executive office for healthcare reform at the White House on Wednesday, saying the overhaul was one of the biggest priorities for the first year of his presidency. Obama issued an executive order that says the U.S. healthcare system "suffers from serious and pervasive problems."
The White House Office of Health Reform (Health Reform Office) will help the executive branch steer "the federal government's comprehensive effort to improve access to health care, the quality of such care, and the sustainability of the health care system," the order reads. It also says the Secretary of Health and Human Services will create an Office of Health Reform to work with the White House office.
Obama has nominated former Clinton administration health official Nancy-Ann DeParle to lead the White House office. His nominee for Health and Human Services secretary is Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. The new office will help ensure that policymakers across the executive branch work toward Obama's healthcare agenda, the order reads.
U.S. government economists predict that public and private health spending will hit $2.5 trillion this year, taking up a 17.6 percent share of gross domestic product. Yet studies suggest Americans get poorer care than people in other industrialized countries that have national healthcare plans, and 46 million Americans have no health insurance at all.
Silicon Valley ILC Takes Lead on “Psycho Donuts”
Sarah Triano is the executive director of the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center. In addition to the following letter, Ms. Triano testified at a recent hearing. Supporters of this letter include Parents Helping Parents, Council on Aging Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County IHSS Advisory Board, Sensory Access Foundation and Services for Brain Injury.
Source: Mercury News
“Nothing funny about donut shop's theme: The recent article by Chris Vongsarath ("Psycho Donuts is a wild and crazy place," March 13) describes the ambiance of a new donut shop as "somewhere between classic Americana and completely insane." The store capitalizes on the theme of a "fun mental institution," complete with a padded cell where kids can take photos while wearing a straitjacket, a "group therapy" area, employees dressed in medical garb, and donuts named after psychiatric disabilities, such as Massive Brain Trauma.
One might dismiss this donut shop as a harmless venture by young entrepreneurs trying to find a hook in a bad economy, but the ongoing discrimination and stigmatizing of people with mental disabilities in the U.S. and globally puts a much darker cast on this questionable enterprise.
People with psychiatric diagnoses and intellectual disabilities experience daily discrimination, unnecessary institutionalization and marginalization. Groups like Mental Disability Rights International have documented widespread human rights violations, such as the ongoing practice of painful and dangerous electroshock treatment, the large numbers of deaths in mental institutions and horrendous conditions in isolation cells. How can one justify making a profit at the expense of the dignity and human rights of other human beings?
We in the disability community recognize that great strides have been made, such as the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act in 2008; however, enforcement of the human rights and civil liberties of people with disabilities remains a pressing global concern, evidenced by the United Nation's recent adoption of the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the United States' failure to sign on to the treaty.
It might feel like a great leap from the United Nations to the Psycho Donut Shop, but consider if the donut shop mocked ethnic minorities, religious groups, the plight of people without homes or people with terminal illnesses. Wouldn't we all be outraged? Human rights are inherent to all human beings; we cannot afford to let the thoughtless actions of some erode the rights of others to live with respect and dignity.”
Sarah Triano, San Jose
2009 ADAPT FUN*RUN Update
Source: ADAPT
ADAPT is continuing its advocacy in 2009 to reverse the institutional bias in the Medicaid long term care system so no person is forced into nursing homes or institutions for people, young or old, with physical, developmental or mental disabilities. Though we are a grassroots organization this effort will take funding to sustain our actions and activities. We want your assistance in raising this money.
ADAPT will be hosting a FUN RUN for Disability Rights in Washington, DC on Sunday, April 26th. ADAPT frequently chants "FREE OUR PEOPLE!" at our Actions. With your help we can make that chant become a reality for thousands of people with disabilities throughout the US. All donations are tax deductible and will be used to advance the ADAPT disability rights agenda.
ADAPT is honored to announce that Lois Curtis, surviving plaintiff in the Olmstead Decision will be in Washington DC on April 26th, to celebrate the ten year anniversary of this landmark decision. Ms. Curtis will be participating in both the kick-off celebration, 2009 FUN*RUN, and the closing celebration in her home city, Atlanta, Georgia in mid-October.
We appreciate your support in helping to uphold the law that Lois and Elaine fought so hard to pass. To donate to Lois, the advocacy of ADAPT and the foundation of her choice click on the link below and making a tax-deductible pledge for every lap completed. Sponsor Lois now! View Lois's artist brochure (PDF).
Sign-up to be a FUN*RUNNER: www.adaptfunrun.org. For information: 512/442-0252. Ask a Question / Comment.
For an Institution Free America, The ADAPT Community
KASA’s New Pocket Guide: How to be Involved in a Board or Council
The pocket guide “How to be Involved in a Board or Council: Roles and Responsibilities” covers: why youth should get involved in their community, questions to ask the board/council, skills and/or attitudes needed to serve on a board/council, roles and responsibilities, how to be prepared, tips to deal with what might be hard, suggestions for working with adults, and many other resources.
Written by youth who have served on boards and councils successfully this 24 page pocket guide will give young people interested in getting more involved in their community the information they need! This pocket guide was developed as a result of direct feedback to our KASA Youth as Leaders manual; A "How-To" Manual on including youth as leaders in your organization, agency or project. Projects and agencies using this manual to include youth in their leadership bodies requested a companion guide for youth. So if you are using the KASA Youth as Leaders manual, this pocket guide is for you!
To order the pocket guide by mail, use the attached form or order online by visiting: http://www.familyvoices.org/catalog.php (scroll down to under “what’s new” to find the pocket guide).
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April 13, 2009