For Christmas, Many with Disabilities Ask for Basics
Date: Wednesday December 3, 2008Posted in: Fund Raisers
Tagged: Alamance County (North Carolina), Call to Action, Donation, North Carolina
The ArChristmas Fund which is a charity that distributes gifts during the holiday season is holding its annual fund raiser with a goal of $50,000 this year. The fund is extraordinary in the way that most of the recipients of its proceeds aren’t asking for presents in the traditional sense, rather clothes and basic toiletry items.
The ArChristmas Fund receives funding from an umbrella fund which distributes every penny donated to six local Alamance County, NC charities (including ArChristmas Fund):
- Residential Treatment Services of Alamance’s Santa’s Helper program
- the Foster Children’s Christmas Fund
- Operation Santa Claus, a project of the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
- The Salvation Army Shoes with Love program
- Christmas Cheer
For further info including donation information: For Christmas, many with disabilities ask for basics
Premature Birth Report Awards California a “C”, United States Receives “D”
Date: Thursday November 13, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Funding, Health
Tagged: Alabama, California, Call to Action, United States, Vermont
A recent report conducted by the March of Dimes and Sutter Health concludes that California is ranked 9th in the nation for premature births due to issues like: unnecessary cesarean sections, smoking while pregnant or lack of insurance. While I’m not sure what lack of insurance has to do with premature births…
In its sixth annual “Prematurity Awareness” report, any births prior to 37 weeks (a little more than 9 months) would be considered premature. The report also says that premature births are also the leading causes of death and disabilities. California ranked 9th on the report with 10.7% premature, while Alabama ranked 50th with 16.7% premature; not a single state in the union received an “A.” The only state to receive a “B” was Vermont.
The March of Dimes is asking all Americans to sign a petition titled “Petition for Preemies” which is aimed at increasing Federal funding for prematurity related and data collection of births. This funding would help determine the causes of premature births, test for strategies/prevention, and ultimately better track and define the problems of premature birth.
You can read different version of this story at:
Epilepsy Foundation: Sign the Petition
Date: Sunday November 9, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Funding, Health
Tagged: Barack Obama, Call to Action, Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Foundation is running a petition to get increased funding under the Obama administration and to stop discrimination and improve the lives of three million Americans living with epilepsy. The Foundation also cites that about 200,000 new cases are diagnosed on a yearly basis and should be cause for concern.
Aside from the provision to electronically sign the petition on the main page of their site, they also have petition sheets that can be printed and mailed in to the foundation after being signed by the allotted number of people.
AAPD Calls on Florida to Allow Federal Inspectors into Polls on Election Day to Survey Accessibility
Date: Friday October 24, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Civil Liberties, Legal
Tagged: Accessibility, American Association of People with Disabilities, Call to Action, Florida, Help America Vote Act, Vote
The AAPD is calling for action to force investigations into the accessibility of Florida’s polling places. The Secretary of State and Governor are refusing federal investigators access to the polling places. Of 30 randomly selected states in the union, Florida is the only one refusing to participate in the accessibility survey.
The survey, designed around three objectives, is to measure accessibility of polling places for wheelchairs, get objective data on voting machines, testing polling place workers knowledge of the voting machines, and training people to assist senior citizens and people with disabilities when voting.
“In a state with such a high senior citizen population and high population of people with disabilities, it’s outrageous that the Secretary of State refuses to let people in to measure accessibility. What’s he got to hide?” said Jim Dickson, Vice President for Government Affairs at AAPD.
The AAPD also wishes to commend many other state representatives for initiating the survey and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) for calling Governor Crist to allow federal inspectors into the polling places. Read Senator Nelson’s letter to Charlie Crist here: Florida Senator Bill Nelson’s Letter to Governor Charlie Crist
While not stated in the article on the AAPD website, this goes directly against the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which requires accessibility (or alternatives) of all polling places and voting machines.
Call Legislators Urging No More Cuts to SSI/SSP and Other Health & Human Services
Date: Wednesday August 13, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Funding
Tagged: Budget, California, California Disability Community Action Network, Call to Action, Darrell Steinberg, Department of Health and Human Services, Don Perata, Karen Bass, State Supplemental Payment, Supplemental Security Income
While no actual budget deal or floor votes on the State budget have been announced, there are rumors and reports that the Legislature is considering agreeing to the Governor’s proposals that call for cutting the federal cost of living money due January 1, 2009 for people receiving SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment) or other cuts to that program.
There are rumors and reports of other major cuts to health and human services being considered that impact hundreds of thousands of children and adults with disabilities (including developmental), mental health needs, seniors, low income families.
Urge continuation of the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program and restoration of Medi-Cal provider rate cuts.
A budget for California need not harm its own people to balance it. We are one community - let’s stand and act like one with unified action opposing further cuts that harm all of California.
DOJ Proposes Changes in ADA Titles II and III: Comments Needed
Date: Tuesday August 5, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Business, Civil Liberties, Education, Employment, Legislation, Media
Tagged: Americans with Disabilities Act, Call to Action, Department of Justice, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
From the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
and other disability rights attorneys and advocates
Department of Justice Proposes Vast Changes in ADA Regulations
YOUR COMMENTS URGENTLY NEEDED!
Please forward this alert widely
The deadline for comments is August 18, 2008.
TO SEE DRAFT COMMENTS, visit http://www.dredf.org/DOJ_NPRM
The Cost Reasons Why AB 851 Needs a “Yes” Vote
Date: Wednesday July 23, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Employment, Funding, Health
Tagged: Assembly Bill 851 (Brownley) (California), Bob Dutton, Budget, California, California Senate Appropriations Committee, Call to Action, Dave Cox, Dean Florez, Ellen Corbett, Employment, GAPS Task Force, George Runner, Gil Cedillo, Jenny Oropeza, Joseph Simitian, Leland Yee, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Mark Wyland, Roy Ashburn, Sam Aanestad, Sheila Kuehl, Tom Torlakson
Time is of the essence.
- Please cut and paste the email note below, then…
- Email it to the Republican and Democratic Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee with the Cost Study included.
This is separate from the letter of support you have sent or may be sending to your Senator.
We welcome all GAPS and CWG participants to help us get the message across that work pays for the government and for people with disabilities.
Click here for your California State Legislators and Districts
California Senate Appropriations Committee:
Torlakson (Chair), Cox (Vice Chair), Aanestad, Ashburn, Cedillo, Corbett, Dutton, Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Ridley-Thomas, Runner, Simitian, Wyland and Yee.
GAPS: We Deserve Independence Day Every Day!
Date: Thursday July 3, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Employment, Funding, Health, Legislation
Tagged: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assembly Bill 851 (Brownley) (California), California, California Department of Health Care Services, California Senate Appropriations Committee, California Senate Health Committee, California Working Disabled, Call to Action, Employment Benefits, GAPS Task Force, Julia Brownley, Medi-Cal
July 3, 2008
GAPS Participants:
AB 851 was sent to the suspense file by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 30, 2008. We need to continue to gather new individual and organizational support to move it to a vote. Over the long weekend please take the time to send this to your colleagues, board members, networks, and family members!
Help get AB 851 out of the CA Senate Appropriations Committee “Suspense File!”
AB 851 to Senate Appropriations Committee for Hearing and Vote June 30th
Date: Friday June 27, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Employment, Health, Legislation
Tagged: Assembly Bill 851 (Brownley) (California), California, California Department of Health Care Services, California Senate Appropriations Committee, California Working Disabled, Call to Action, GAPS Task Force, Julia Brownley, Seeking Employment, World Institute on Disability
Medi-Cal’s 250% Working Disabled Program allows workers with a disability to buy into Medi-Cal health care services by paying an affordable monthly premium. The program took effect in 2000. Applicants and those enrolled can be earning up to $53,000 a year and keep full scope Medi-Cal including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). An applicant does NOT need to be on SSI or SSDI to access this Medi-Cal program for workers.
AB 851 improves & makes the Medi-Cal 250% Working Disabled Program permanent.
AB 851 can relieve the state from larger financial burdens by increasing employment rates for people with disabilities. Make sure to ASK your Senator to vote for this very important employment bill!
Avoid Federal Narrowing of Class Action Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities
Date: Monday June 9, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Civil Liberties, Legal
Tagged: Administration on Developmental Disabilities, California, California State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Call to Action, Developmental Disabilities Act, Patricia Morrissey, Protection and Advocacy
REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE to Avoid Federal Narrowing of Class Action Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities and Other Issues - Comments need to be Filed by June 9, 2008.
New rules could create barriers for Protection and Advocacy’s ability to represent people with Developmental Disabilities and distract from meaningful advocacy work.
The federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Developmental Disabilities Act of 2000. There are issues raised in this proposed rule that could have an extremely negative impact on the ability of the three DD entities - State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Protection and Advocacy programs, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities - to carry out their statutorily mandated roles. In addition, ADD requests comments on the issues of 1) class actions and 2) educating policy makers and may base further regulations on these comments.
Send your letter to ADD by June 9th (electronic submission is possible) in order to help us ward off any negative regulations. It is important that ADD receive as many comments as possible from advocates and organizations who collaborate with community collaborators to assure that negative implications are not enshrined in Federal regulations.
Electronically via the Internet at: http://www.regulations.acf.hhs.gov. Electronic comments must include the full name, address, and organizational affiliation (if any) of the commenter.
Note: Once clicking on the above link, you must then click on Comment on a Regulation.
