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What's New
Healthcare Barriers Survey for Kentuckians with Disabilities
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. If you are interested in giving us your comments, please take a minute to fill out this healthcare barriers survey. The Center encourages you to attend a healthcare forum in your area. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
This project funded by a grant from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. The Foundation's mission is to address the unmet health care needs of Kentucky, by developing and influencing health policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks and disparities and promoting health equality.
Survey of community participation for individuals who have a sensory impairment and/or mobility impairment
Take part in a Study of Community Participation. If you have a sensory impairment and/or mobility impairment, you may be eligible to participate in a new research project. This research aims to understand what people with sensory and/or mobility impairments do in their daily lives, how their environments affect their community participation and what, if any, help they need to complete activities.
Help TARC with long-range planning
TARC is distributing this survey as part of a long-range planning effort. Please take a minute to fill out this brief online survey and help TARC set a course for the 21st Century! Click here for the TARC survey.
Video podcast in American Sign Language
The Disability Law Lowdown ASL podcasts will bring a new level of service to the Deaf community by expanding traditional audio-only podcasts to include video that allows subscribers too see native Deaf speakers signing the show's content. The podcasts will deliver the latest in disability law information every other week via American Sign Language, captioning, voice-over, and transcripts to maximize accessibility. And for the fastest viewing, the ASL podcasts are available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/disabilitylawlowdown.
Autism Radio Show
Announcing a New Radio Talk Show on Autism “Remarkably Able”
Hosted by Jackie Marquette Ph.D.
Specialist in Autism and Life Transitions author, consultant, researcher, parent
Promoting Quality of Life and Creating Tangible Outcomes for All Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Related Disabilities.
Where to Listen:
KFNX News-Talk Radio AM 1100 on the dial, Phoenix, AZ
When:
Mondays 9-10 PM, Pacific Time First show June 9, or Listen via Internet Streaming, or download, or play back when posted to my web site,
www.drjackiemarquette.com.
Louisville Metro Police Department graduates first ever Deaf and Hard of Hearing Citizens Police Academy.
The Center would like to thank the Metro Police Department and the Deaf citizen advocates involved in this project for working with us to make this possible.
Center Receives a 2007 AT&T Excelerator Grant from the AT&T Foundation
The project will strengthen CAL’s ability to meet its mission by focusing on strengthening the Center’s technological infrastructure. New computers, conferencing technologies, and printers will help consumers more readily achieve their independent living goals. The Center’s role is to provide the technology, information, and resources available to the consumer. A strengthened backbone of technology will help CAL meet the needs of consumers.
Medicare Part D
Please call the center if you need help understanding or have questions about Medicare Part D. If you need to register or need help registering for Medicare part D Benefits, please call us as well.
Corporate Citizenship
The Center for Accessible Living would like to thank Jeremy Phillips and Pella Corporation for their very generous donation of money to the Murray office. This donation will allow our staff in Murray to receive brand new computers to replace the PCs that had been damaged in the flood. Staff will now be able to continue to deliver the same quality services to our consumers in the Western Kentucky region that they have in the past.
Make a call in ASL
The Center has a Sorenson Video Phone (VP) for the Deaf. Use is FREE and available during regular business hours 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday.
First Impressions Men's Suit Program
The Center For Accessible Living has started a collection of men's suits for low-income consumers to wear on interviews.
Informational page for First Impressions Men's Suit Program
Tax deductible donations can be given to:
Center for Accessible Living
305 W. Broadway, Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40202
Social Security offers many services online
As the Baby Boomer population "becomes of age" more and more people are choosing to use online services to conduct their Social Security business. However many people are not aware that online services are available to them. Thanks to Social Security's online services, you can take care of your Social Security business from the comfort and convenience of your home.
Here are some of the things you can do if you visit us online at our website at
www.socialsecurity.gov:
There are many other services available. To apply for benefits or access other online services, go to www.socialsecurity.gov.
Retirement Online: One Million and Counting
More than one million people have applied for Social Security retirement benefits online at www.socialsecurity.gov. Dewey Bales of West Chester, Ohio became the millionth person to successfully use Social Security's online services to apply for retirement benefits. Every day, more and more people make the choice to go online instead of standing in line to apply for benefits.
According to a recent survey, Social Security's online retirement benefit application once again ranked at the top of all Federal government web sites in customer satisfaction. Social Security's "Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs" finished second, with several other Social Security online services making the top 10.
To file for retirement online, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/applytoretire. Here, you can apply online not only for your own retirement benefits, but also for your spouse if they are also eligible.
Applying for Social Security disability online
Applying for disability benefits from Social Security is easier than it's ever been before. You can save time and file in the convenience of your home by completing your application online and sending it to us electronically. If you are applying for disability benefits on your own behalf, you can complete the online disability report at the following link: www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityreport
Healthcare Forums
Bowling Green
Monday November 13th, 10:30 am - 12 pm
BEST Center for Independent Living
624 Eastwood Ave
Bowling Green, KY 42103
Florence
Monday September 8th, 2 - 4 pm
One-Stop Career Alliance of N. KY
8020 Veterans Memorial Dr., Suite 100
Florence, KY 41042
Harlan
Tuesday September 16th, from 2 - 4 pm
Extension Depot
110 River St
Harlan, KY 40831
Lexington
Tuesday, August 26th, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Independence Place
824 E. Euclid Ave, Suite 103
Lexington, KY 40502
Louisville
Tuesday July 29th, 6 - 7:30 pm
Kosair Charities Centre, Community Room
982 Eastern Parkway
Louisville, KY 40217
Murray
Friday November 14th, 2 - 4 pm
Calloway County Public Library
710 Main Street
Murray, KY 42071-1996
Thelma
Wednesday October 8th, from 3 - 5 pm
Carl D. Perkins Vocational Training Center
5659 Main Street
Thelma, KY 41260
RSVP to
Mindy Seaman
305 W Broadway, Ste 200
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 589-6620 phone
(502) 589-6690 TDD
(502) 589-3980 fax
(888) 813 - 8497 toll free
Please indicate which forum you're attending and let us know if you need any accommodations.
Calendar of Events
July l August l September l October l November l Ongoing & Monthly
July 2008
Center Closed Fourth of July
The Center for Accessible Living will be closed Friday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.
Healthcare forum - Louisville
Tuesday July 29, 2008
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Kosair Charities Centre, Community Room.
982 Eastern Parkway
Louisville, KY 40217
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, 502) 589-6620 by 5 pm July 23.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
August 2008
Job Readiness Class
August 7, 2008
At the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
This Month's Topic: IT STARTS WITH CONFIDENCE
Kentucky Deaf Festival
August 30th, 10 AM - 6 PM, Louisville, Kentucky Center for the Arts and the Belvedere (For more info, contact Kelly Peace at 502-589-6620.)
First Impression Men's Suit Closet 101
Learn More About First Impression Suit Closet
August 13, 2008
At the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
In the Board Room
This brief informational session is designed for current referring agencies and prospective referring agencies. Please join us to meet the staff, see the Men’s suit closet and better understand our policies and procedures for suiting your clients. The session will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. and will end at 10:00 a.m.
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, at mseaman@calky.org or (502) 589-6620, if you plan on attending this event.
Healthcare forum - Lexington
Tuesday, August 26th, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Independence Place
824 E. Euclid Ave, Suite 103
Lexington, KY 40502
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm August 18.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
September 2008
Center Closed Labor Day
The Center for Accessible Living will be closed Monday, September 1st in observance of Labor Day.
Parent's Transition Workshop
Center for Accessible Living, 1-5 pm. Free to parents and guardians of individuals with disabilities. Learn about IEPs, self advocacy, and more.
Men's Peer Group
Murray Office, September 4 & 18, 1 pm.
"Celebrating the Beauty of the Human Spirit"
Center for Accessible Living Seventh Annual Juried Art Show
Deadline for Art Entries is September 2, 2008. To submit an entry, click here.
Date of Exhibition
September 19 to October 17, 2008 at the Center for Accessible Living, 305 W. Broadway, Suite 200, Louisville, KY 40202
Gallery Hours
Opening Day: September 19
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Artist Reception
All exhibiting artists and their guests are invited to the opening reception on September 19, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Center for Accessible Living.
Healthcare forum - Florence
Monday September 8th, 2 - 4 pm
One-Stop Career Alliance of N. KY
8020 Veterans Memorial Dr., Suite 100
Florence, KY 41042
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm September 1.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
Healthcare forum - Harlan
Tuesday September 16th, from 2 - 4 pm
Extension Depot
110 River St
Harlan, KY 40831
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm September 9.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
Job Readiness Class
September 4, 2008
At the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
This Month's Topic: BUSTING THE JOB SEARCH RUT
October 2008
"Celebrating the Beauty of the Human Spirit"
Center for Accessible Living Seventh Annual Juried Art Show
Date of Exhibition
September 19 to October 17, 2008 at the Center for Accessible Living, 305 W. Broadway, Suite 200, Louisville, KY 40202
Gallery Hours
Opening Day: September 19
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Disability Mentoring Day 2008
This October the Center for Accessible Living, along with many community partners, will be once again celebrating National Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) on October 15, 2008. This is just one of many events during the month of October, which marks Disability Employment Awareness month.
DMD is an event coordinated nationally by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the Center is the official Louisville Metro Area coordinator for city wide events.
We are currently making plans for this year’s DMD.
The Center for Accessible Living will be matching students and job seekers who have a disability (18 and older) with mentors for a morning of one-on-one shadowing in the mentors’ workplaces throughout the Metro Louisville area. Mentees must provide their own transportation to and from the worksite. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to job shadow someone in a professional field, please contact the Center for Accessible Living as soon as possible.
Healthcare forum - Thelma
Wednesday October 8th, from 3 - 5 pm
Carl D. Perkins Vocational Training Center
5659 Main Street
Thelma, KY 41260
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm September 29.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
Job Readiness Class
October 2, 2008
At the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
This Month's Topic: JOB INTERVIEWS SCARE ME TO DEATH
Employment Day
October 28, 2008
Center for Accessible Living
1 -5 pm.
Employment Day is a half day event designed to make the job seeker with a disability more job ready. Regular events
include a Resume workshop, mock interviewing with volunteer HR professionals, and seminar topics related to gaining
and maintaining employment. The event is followed by a mini job fair with
disability friendly employers and information from service providers.
Past topics have included:
Job Readiness, How to Dress, the ADA, FMLA,
Effective Networking, Your rights as an applicant, Effective Job Search Tips, and more.
November 2008
Healthcare forum - Bowling Green
Thursday November 13th, 10:30 am - 12 pm
BEST Center for Independent Living
624 Eastwood Ave
Bowling Green, KY 42103
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm November 3.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
Healthcare forum - Murray
Friday November 14th, 2 - 4 pm
Calloway County Public Library
710 Main Street
Murray, KY 42071-1996
Please RSVP to Mindy Seaman, administrative assistant, (502) 589-6620 by 5 pm November 5.
Kentuckians with disabilities have many barriers in accessing healthcare. The Center for Accessible Living will hold forums and conduct surveys across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to determine what your barriers and unmet needs are. The Center will compile that information for a report on the top five unmet health care needs of Kentuckians with disabilities. For more information, please contact Angela Casey at (502) 589-6620.
Job Readiness Class
November 6, 2008
At the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
This Month's Topic: RESOURCES FOR COPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT
Monthly & Ongoing
Peer Support Groups
Peer Support - Louisville
Center For Accessible Living (Louisville), Thursdays 12:30 - 2 pm.
Women's Peer Support Group - Louisville
Center For Accessible Living (Louisville), 2nd and 4th Thursday of the every month 2 - 3:30 pm.
Men's Peer Support Group - Murray
Center For Accessible Living (Murray), Every other Thursday at 1 pm.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Club - Louisville
To Be Announced in September.
Other Peer Support groups are available at the center, please call to find out more.
Job Hunt Club
Center For Accessible Living (Louisville), Thursdays* 9:30-11:30 am.
A Counselor from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation will be available on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
*Except the first Thursday of each month.
Job Readiness Classes
First Thursday of Each Month
9 am - 12 pm
at the Center for Accessible Living
305 W Broadway, Suite 200
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
Topics vary each month.
Metro Louisville Advocacy Council
The third Tuesday of each month, 2 pm at the Center for Accessible Living, the Metro Advocacy Council is a grass-roots advocacy group affecting change in our community. People with disabilities and non-disabled people welcome. no advocacy experience necessary.
"Highland’s Stage"
Coffee house
Douglass community center
2305 Douglass boulevard
Last Friday of the Month
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
$2 cover charge, 18 and over. Featuring live entertainment. Sponsored by Metro Parks Adapted Leisure and Center for Accessible Living.
For more information, call 456-8148 or 589-6620
Greater Louisville Metro ARC
Meets the second Tuesday of the month from 7 - 8:30 pm at Citi Cards, 12501 Lakefront Pl., Louisville, KY 40299. The Arc of Kentucky holds a Vision of a positive future for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a future of communities with services and supports that will promote lives of value for Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Alcoholics Anonymous for the Deaf
Alcoholics Anonymous for the Deaf with ASL Interpreter. Questions? Please contact: Marc J.; 502-298-5363, email: joos_marc@yahoo.com for more info on Alcoholics Anonymous for the Deaf.
Saffin Center (3938 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, KY 40213), Wednesdays 8 pm.
St Andrew's Episcopal Church (2233 Woodbourne Ave. Louisville, KY 40205), Tuesdays 8 pm.
Disability News
Disability Videos - Anything you can do, we can do too.
Kid with Autism Playing Basketball
Asbestos Exposure and Health Concerns
The serious health issues associated with asbestos are of great concern to many people. Asbestos is a dangerous toxin that is present in over 35 million residences in the U.S., and it has been linked conclusively to the eventual development of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer.
Contact with asbestos can happen to anyone, and many individuals are not even aware that they have been exposed. A variety of structural items contain a minimum of 1% asbestos, including insulation, cement, acoustical plaster, drywall, fire-proofing materials, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing tiles, and even duct tape. There are also many products that are found in the home that contain asbestos, such as hair dryers, popcorn poppers, and vinyl wallpaper. The use of asbestos-containing materials was far more prevalent prior to the 1980’s, when the dangers of asbestos were formally recognized, yet individuals who live or work in older structures may be exposed daily and do not even know it.
When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or damaged, they may become airborne. Asbestos fibers are exceptionally miniscule, and they have a claw-like composition. If they are inhaled, their structure allows them to cling to the pleural lining of the lungs for as many as fifty years before an individual will even begin to experience mesothelioma symptoms.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer, is a very frightening prospect. Upon initial diagnosis, mesothelioma patients will most likely surrender to this painful and contentious form of cancer in less than two years. Mesothelioma does not have a cure, and the survival rate associated with this disease is less than 1%. Those suffering from this disease essentially become disabled, and may rely on a loved one or health aide to care for them. They may undergo painful surgery and many are dependent on oxygen.
If you or a loved one suspect that you may have been exposed to asbestos, it is advisable to consult with your doctor immediately. Symptoms associated with mesothelioma include difficulty breathing, lingering cough, extreme fatigue, and the presence of fluid within the lung cavity. A doctor will be able to assess your symptoms and advise you as to what steps to take next. There are various mesothelioma treatment methods available, including chemotherapy and surgery.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s leading resource for information related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, treatment options, and more. For additional information, please visit the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center website at www.maacenter.org.
NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
ALL LEGALLY BLIND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ACCESS TARGET.COM SINCE FEBRUARY 7, 2003 MAY HAVE A CLAIM AS DESCRIBED BELOW:
A lawsuit has been brought against Target Corporation (“Target”) concerning the Target.com website. In the lawsuit, Plaintiffs allege that Target.com has, during the period of time covered by the lawsuit, failed to contain features needed by blind customers who use screen access software to access websites. Plaintiffs allege that U.S. and California law require websites such as Target.com to be accessible to the blind. Target disputes this and alleges that it has not violated any federal or state laws relating to its website.
The lawsuit, National Federation of the Blind v. Target Corp. (Case No. 06-01802 MHP), is proceeding as a class action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California before Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. The Court has certified the following two classes: (1) a nationwide class for claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”); and (2) a California class for claims under two California state civil rights laws – the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the Disabled Persons Act.
Plaintiffs allege that during the time period covered by the case, Target failed to make its website accessible to the blind by, among other things:
1.
Failing to provide labels for pictures and other images that can be read by screen access software (these labels are called “alt tags” by web designers);
2.
Failing to ensure that all functions can be performed with a keyboard and not just a mouse;
3.
Failing to ensure that forms for website visitors to fill-out on-line are labeled in ways the screen access software can recognize;
4.
Failing to include marked headings within each page that can be recognized by screen access software so that blind people can easily navigate the site.
Target contends that it has taken steps to make its goods and services accessible to the blind and visually impaired, and Target disputes Plaintiffs’ allegations that the website was inaccessible.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are seeking injunctive relief under federal and California law requiring Target to make and keep its website fully accessible to the blind. The federal ADA does not provide a damage remedy for cases such as this lawsuit. The California statutes, however, do provide for damage remedies including statutory minimum damages in the amount of $4,000 per offense (Unruh Act) or $1,000 per offense (Disabled Persons Act). The California statutes also allow for the award of actual damages instead of the statutory minimum damages, as well as punitive damages in appropriate cases for the purpose of punishing a defendant. Plaintiffs in this case are only seeking the statutory minimum damages for each member of the California class.
If you are a legally blind individual in the United States who has attempted to access Target.com since February 7, 2003 and as a result of access barriers on the website have been denied access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered in Target stores, then you may have a claim as part of the nationwide ADA class. As such, you have the following options:
1.
You may choose to do nothing in which case you will be bound by future orders and rulings in this lawsuit regarding access to Target.com;
2.
You may seek to intervene in the case directly on your own behalf or through an attorney that you hire to represent you.
If you are a legally blind individual in California who has attempted to access Target.com since February 7, 2003 and have experienced access barriers on the website, you may have a claim as part of the California class. As such, you may choose one of the two options listed above, or you may choose to opt out of the damages portion of the case. If you choose to opt out, you will not be awarded any statutory damages from this lawsuit. However, if you opt-out you will preserve any rights you would otherwise have to sue Target for damages.
If you wish to opt out of the damages portion of the case, you must either:
1.
Visit www.NFBtargetlawsuit.com and follow the instructions for completing and submitting an online Opt-Out Form; or
2.
Send a completed Opt-Out Form or other written request to opt-out of the damages portion of the case to the Opt-Out Administrator at: RG2 Claims Administration, LLC P.O. Box 59479, Philadelphia, PA. 19102-9479. You may call the Opt-Out Administrator at 1 (866)742-4955 to obtain an Opt-Out Form or to request assistance in completing and submitting an Opt-Out Form.
All requests to opt-out submitted by mail must be postmarked by May 2, 2008 to be effective. All requests to opt-out made through www.NFBtargetlawsuit.com or otherwise must be received by the Opt-Out Administrator by May 2, 2008 to be effective. The Court has appointed the following attorneys to represent the nationwide and California classes:
Laurence W. Paradis
Roger Heller
Disability Rights Advocates
2001 Center Street, Third Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510) 665-8644
Fax: (510) 665-8511
rheller@dralegal.org
U of L Greeks attempt to diversify
Heather White, The Louisville Crdinal
11/6/07
With one semester to go, Jeremy Watts, academic chair for Lambda Chi Alpha, hopes to raise awareness regarding the issue of disabled students' lack of involvement in Greek life. According to Watts, accessibility and stereotypes are the greatest factors altering their involvement.
"Ask me a year ago if I would've done this, and I would've told you no. I didn't think it was possible,"
said Watts, a senior communication major.
Between helping new recruits get accustomed to fraternity life and taking the time to have lunch with friends, it seems there's never a dull moment.
What makes things different for Watts? He does it all from an electric wheelchair.
At the age of seven, Watts was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
However, Watts does not let that stand in his way, especially when it comes to his commitment to Lambda Chi Alpha.
"[He] helps us improve our grades by publicizing academic resources on campus, pairing up new members with older
brothers who can offer advice on their courses and organizing study sessions for those that need extra help,"
said Lambda Chi
Alpha President Bill Norton Jr., a senior mechanical engineering major.
Currently, there are only three disabled students participating in Greek Life-all of which belong to the same fraternity.
"Before the new Phi Kappa Tau house on Community Park, Lambda Chi Alpha was the only accessible Greek building,"
said Watts.
With this in mind, the members of Lambda Chi Alpha had a game plan as to how they would handle events so that everyone could participate, something that Watts believes all fraternities and sororities should start doing.
For example, Lambda Chi's basement was inaccessible for disabled individuals. Due to this, events were held upstairs so that Watts could attend as well.
"Throughout the whole initiation, anything I did the people in my class did with me," said Watts. "If I
had to go across campus and do something, they made the whole class go as well, and they wouldn't let them get in a
car and go. It made me feel I was a part of it."
Planning such as this could enable fraternities and sororities to reach out to a wider, more diverse group of people.
"I think many [disabled students] may be discouraged by the intramural and social activity requirements some organizations have,"
said Norton.
"The way around this is understanding and planning for events that can incorporate the widest group of people possible.
"Disabled students may not realize that a lot of these same organizations would be willing to make exceptions to
accommodate another brother or sister that exemplifies their ideals,"
he said.
The stereotypical thoughts of both disabled and non-disabled students may also stand in the way.
"That's what I want, for people that are disabled to realize they can be apart of it and to not think of the typical stereotypes,"
said Watts.
Former vice president of external affairs in Lambda Chi Alpha, Matt Selm, said, "I really don't believe that
Greeks in general are apprehensive to disabled students, rather, it is the other way around."
"Disabled Students generally hold the same negative stereotypes that their non-disabled counterparts do,"
said Selm.
"When you compound that with self-isolation, such as not coming out to Rush, they don't present themselves with the opportunity to join,"
said Selm.
A senior psychology major who is visually impaired, Selm is another one of the three disabled students participating in Greek Life.
Whether disabled or not, a student seeking to participate in Greek Life shares some of the same principles with one another.
A disabled student "would want to participate for the same reason any student would. They would want to form social
networks with people of similar interests,"
said Cathy Patus, director of the Disability Resource Center.
"It's great when students seek involvement. That's when attitudinal barriers begin to dissolve,"
said Patus.
Norton said there are a number of ways one can benefit from taking part in Greek Life, especially the sense of camaraderie a student can gain.
"I've heard countless students tell me their fraternity or sorority becomes like a family they can lean on in
times of crisis. Bonds that close are hard to make in today's fast-paced society."
New Guidebook Filled with Wheelchair-Accessible Vacation Ideas
Ripon, CA December 2, 2007 -- Need help finding a wheelchair-accessible vacation destination? Then pick up a copy of 101 Accessible Vacations; Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, the first guidebook dedicated exclusively to wheelchair-accessible destinations, lodgings and recreational opportunities. Penned by Candy Harrington, the editor of Emerging Horizons, this new title focuses on the vacation planning needs of wheelchair-users and slow walkers.
Billed as an accessible vacation idea book with substance, 101 Accessible Vacations contains destination information on over 101 cities, lodging options, national parks, tourist attractions and recreational activities around the world.
As the editor of Emerging Horizons, Candy Harrington has spent the past 14 years traveling the world to cover accessible travel. Says Harrington,
"Readers are always asking me for vacation ideas, but to be honest it's hard to give somebody a suggestion if you don't know what they like to do.
For example, if you like museum hopping, my suggestion to visit the Everglades would be pretty useless to you."
To that end, 101 Accessible Vacations is organized so readers can search for a holiday based on their specific interests or travel styles. Unlike other guidebooks that are organized geographically, 101 Accessible Vacations includes sections ranging from Road Trips and The Great Outdoors to Historic Haunts and Cruisin'. The A Place to Rest Your Head section features some fun lodging choices, while the Active Holidays section includes choices for people who like specific recreational activities such as skiing, sailing or scuba. And last but not least, there is Candy's Picks, which includes a collection of some of the author's favorite trips, destinations and activities.
Says Harrington, "There's a world of travel choices out there for wheelers and slow walkers. And this book contains many of those choices; along with
updated resources, information and access details to make them a reality."
As is the case in Emerging Horizons, Candy describes the access of all attractions, lodging options and tourist sights, rather than just stating
that something is or isn't accessible. After all, accessibility is in the eye of the beholder; and what may be accessible to one person can be
filled with obstacles to someone else. "I certainly recognize there are a wide range of access preferences and needs,"
says Harrington. "That's why
describing the access is so important -- so people can make appropriate choices."
Published by Demos Publishing, 101 Accessible Vacations is the first book of its kind and it's a must-have resource for wheelchair- or scooter-users, slow walkers, travel agents, CILs and libraries. It's a great follow-up to Harrington's other accessible travel titles, Barrier-Free Travel; A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers and There is Room at the Inn; Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers.
101 Accessible Vacations is available at bookstores, through the publisher (800-532-8663) or on-line at www.101AccessibleVacations.com. Visit www.101AccessibleVacations.com to read a sample chapter, see the table of contents or for more information about 101 Accessible Vacations or Candy Harrington.
Court Ruling Says California Disabled Rights Law Applies to the Web
Federal Court Issues Landmark Decision Certifying Nationwide Class Action Against Target Corporation to Make its Web Site Accessible to the Blind
San Francisco, California (October 2, 2007): A federal district court judge issued two landmark decisions today in a nationwide class action against Target Corporation. First, the court certified the case as a class action on behalf of blind Internet users throughout the country under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Second, the court held that Web sites such as target.com are required by California law to be accessible.
The President of the National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Marc Maurer, commented on the court’s ruling: “This is a tremendous step
forward for blind people throughout the country who for too long have been denied equal access to the Internet economy. All e-commerce
businesses should take note of this decision and immediately take steps to open their doors to the blind.”
Larry Paradis of Disability Rights Advocates, one of the lead counsel for the class, commented on the court’s decision:
“Target Corporation has led a battle against blind consumers in a key area of modern life: the Internet economy. The court’s decision
today makes clear that people with disabilities no longer can be treated as second-class citizens in any sphere of mainstream life.
This ruling will benefit hundreds of thousands of Americans with disabilities.”
The ruling was issued in a case brought by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The suit charges that Target failed and refused to make its Web site (www.target.com) accessible to the blind and, therefore, violated the ADA as well as two California civil rights statutes: the California Unruh Civil Rights Act and the California Disabled Persons Act.
The court granted the plaintiffs’ motion to certify a nationwide class under the ADA for injunctive relief. The court also granted the plaintiffs’ motion to certify a California subclass for both injunctive relief and statutory minimum damages. The court denied Target’s motion for summary judgment.
The court certified, as counsel for the class, the following law firms: Disability Rights Advocates (www.dralegal.org), a Berkeley-based nonprofit law firm that specializes in high-impact cases on behalf of people with disabilities; Brown, Goldstein & Levy (www.browngold.com), a leading civil rights law firm in Baltimore, Maryland; Schneider & Wallace (www.schneiderwallace.com), a national plaintiffs’ class action and civil rights law firm based in San Francisco, California; and Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute and university professor at Syracuse University (www.bbi.syr.edu).
Dan Goldstein of Brown, Goldstein & Levy noted that: “The blind of America seek only the same rights and opportunities as others take
for granted. This case should be a wake-up call to all businesses that their services must be accessible to all.”
Josh Konecky of Schneider & Wallace also noted: “This has been a hard-fought case addressing fundamental issues of access and
equality. The judge’s decision today is a great step forward.”
Disability: A social construct
I believed that people with disabilities were pitiful because medicine could not fix their "broken" parts.
By Quynh Nguyen
No one ever calls himself or herself racist, bigoted, small-minded or ignorant. Those are titles you give to others
while looking into their narrow perspective and sighing at their lack of understanding and tolerance for other cultures.
As a woman, a member of a minority culture and an outspoken person, I have smacked those titles on unwitting people before.
It was not long until I found the opportunity to slap one of those labels on myself. Namely, "ableist."
Until recently, I was an "ableist,"
someone who used nondisabled people as a bar for what's normal. I had been raised
in a household where self-efficacy, hard work and independence were valued highly. Above all, my household perceived weakness as
a fault. It followed that disability was wholly undesirable and intolerable.
In my cruder moments, I thought about how "disabled people"
were a "burden"
to the nondisabled and "how sad it was
that they would not be able to live out lives as full as mine."
I assumed that persons with disabilities were sad souls who could
never reach self-actualization, self-sufficiency or independence. These thoughts were never conscious thoughts, but subconscious
beliefs that I quietly held for a long time.
The time came when I was made to confront my subconscious beliefs. I started work as a personal care assistant for a permanently seated guy named Lance. Lance has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which is a genetic disease that causes motor nerves to die, leaving sensory nerves behind. Lance can feel you poke his leg, but he cannot move it away.
When I started this job, all I knew was that Lance was in a wheelchair and needed help with cooking, toileting and bathing. With what little I knew about him, I made the assumption that he was living with family, had never been married, and never had a job or any achievements under his belt. I even thought that he might be cognitively impaired.
I had not anticipated that Lance was a college graduate with a bachelor's degree in mathematics (summa cum laude from St. Thomas University). I was surprised to find that he had created a consulting business, had been married before and was living by himself in a posh, upscale apartment. I did not think that we would get in intense, deep and philosophical discussions about life, disabilities and love. Everything I ever believed to be true about people with disabilities proved to be completely and utterly wrong.
Through Lance, I realized that my misgiving toward people with disabilities was out of pure ignorance. I had believed that people with disabilities were pitiful because medicine could not fix their "broken" parts. I couldn't have been further from the truth.
People with disabilities do not want cures, pity or special treatment. They want jobs, education, housing and the transportation to get to them. Disability is no problem to the disabled; how others perceive disabilities is the real problem. In short, people with disabilities want a world where ableism gives way to acceptance.
I use terms like "persons with disability" and "permanently seated" with love and profound respect. If politically
correct terms like "handicapable"
make you gag - as they should until you understand where they come from -
try providing personal care to a person with disabilities. It is bound to change your perspective.
Quynh Nguyen welcomes comments at qnguyen@mndaily.com.
Web Accessibility Survey
I'd like to ask for your help in finding people with disabilities to participate in a large study we are conducting to support the new Web accessibility standard - the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2. Here is some information about it, if you or anyone you know who might be interested, I would be very grateful if you could pass the message on. Study to support new Web Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) As some of you may know, there are a set of guidelines to help web developers produce web sites that are accessible to people with disabilities, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These are currently being revised and my university (the University of York in England) is helping to conduct a study of the draft of the new version. We need to check the many recommendations of the new guidelines (there are some hundreds of them), so we need many people with different disabilities to try out little bits of code with different combinations of web browsers, screen readers, assistive technologies etc.
Participants don't have to know anything about web accessibility, or be particularly technical to participate, just answer simple questions about very simple web pages.
We are particularly looking for people who are visually disabled (who might use screen readers, screen magnification programs, or enlarge the material on a webpage using the options in their browser or in the operating system), people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, people with dyslexic, and people with physical disabilities, but all disabilities are needed.
You do need to register, but that is simply to find out what combination of operating system, browser, screen reader, other devices etc you use, so you can be presented with appropriate questions and we can reimburse you with the appropriate number of gift vouchers. All information you provide is absolutely confidential and anonymous.
You can register by going to:
http://bentoweb.org/amfortas/register.html
You then do the questions by going to:
http://bentoweb.org/amfortas/sign-in.html
This is a small and easy way to have a say in improving the accessibility of
the web in the future!
Website about Healthcare and the Election
The new health08.org website - which will be free of charge and not include advertising - will serve as a hub of information about health and the election, including original content produced by Kaiser and easy access to health-related resources from the campaigns, other organizations, and news outlets. Elements of the site include:
New Autism Website
A powerful new website addressing the challenges of autism is now available at www.autism.com, developed by the Autism Research Institute (ARI) with the goal of convincing parents and caregivers that autism is a treatable condition.
"Not only does extensive research and our experience show that autism
is treatable,"
said ARI director Dr. Steve Edelson, "but we believe
recovery from autism is possible - and drugs are not our only option."
"This site encompasses the most comprehensive collection of autism
information, research - and real interviews - in the world,"
Edelson
said. "Today, less than 20 percent of parents go beyond the advice
from their local pediatrician to 'treat' their autistic children. We
intend to dramatically increase this percentage."
D.C. Notes: Disability claims from Iraq, Afghanistan vets top 176,000
Sunday, June 10, 2007
By Lisa Hoffman
WASHINGTON — Deep in a newly released 300-page report on the benefits system for the nation’s veterans lies a first look at the dimensions of the disabilities the Iraq- and Afghanistan-war injured are suffering.
Through March, more than 176,000 U.S. veterans of those ongoing conflicts had filed claims for disability compensation, according to a report released by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.
Some of the most common conditions were tinnitus, or ear ringing (36,000 claims granted); back strain (33,000); problems with ankle motion (16,000) and post-traumatic stress disorder (16,000).
More than 550 troops have become amputees. Almost one-fourth of
those suffered the loss of more than one limb. At least 1,100 “war on
terror”
vets have been treated for blindness or significant visual injuries.
The report also estimates that at least 300,000 U.S. veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom ultimately will be added to the nation’s disability-compensation rolls, which currently number 2.7 million veterans receiving a total of $27 billion a year.
Skip’s List: New Web Site for People with Disabilities
People with disabilities [PWD] have a new Web site: Skip's List (http://www.skipslist.org). Think of it as a “Craig’s List” for PWD, their families and friends, and rehab professionals. The List has been designed by Alfred H. “Skip” DeGraff, Ph.D., who, for over 40 years, has been a spinal cord injured quadriplegic using motorized wheelchair mobility. His advisory board includes people with sight, hearing, mobility, and other impairments.
“I created the List consequent of wanting to donate a spare wheelchair to a Katrina hurricane victim. I thought about my options in wanting to communicate with others who have disabilities. After unsuccessfully consulting the Red Cross, it occurred to me that we PWD lack an international community, network, and information exchange for easy and efficient communication. The benefits of establishing such a system seem endless: reviewing the target="_blank" alt="link to separate company in new window" title="new window for a separate company" day’s news, finding accessible housing, creating a blog, finding romance from personals, volunteering for research studies, reconnecting with rehab alumni, consulting a long list of Web resources, benefiting from consumer-to-consumer commerce, and joining discussion/support groups with a worldwide scope.”
The site currently hosts over 500 daily visitors and is attracting inquiries from a variety of advertisers. Dr. DeGraff’s mission for Skip's List is to provide a world-class, user-friendly, apolitical, and free information exchange that serves—and is accessible to—all people with disabilities as well as their families and friends.
Stay-at-home elderly spur new market for remodelers
By Tom Ramstack
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 15, 2007
A rising number of aging Americans is encouraging a home-makeover industry designed to help them "age in place."
Some remodelers are refocusing their services on older homeowners who find that walking up a flight of stairs on sore knees or turning a doorknob with arthritic hands is becoming a struggle.
As one client told me, I want to leave this house boots first," said Vince Butler, president of Butler Brothers Corp., a Clifton home-remodeling company.
In the five years since he became a "certified aging-in-place specialist," customizing homes for elderly clients has grown to about 20 percent of his company's business. It typically involves installation of wheelchair ramps, task lighting that illuminates specific work areas, and levers on faucets and door handles.
The National Association of Home Builders says aging in place is a growing part of the remodeling industry, generating $233 billion from American homeowners.
"I think the fact that the baby boomers are aging is going to fuel it," said Mike Nagel, chairman of NAHB Remodelers, a division of the trade group. "As people become more dependent on accessibility, the need is going to rise."
Only a few contractors are trained to know the special needs of the elderly, so the NAHB developed a certification program for aging-in-place specialists.
Since the program started in 2002, more than 1,000 architects, builders, home remodelers and others have taken the three-day course that describes the health problems of senior citizens and strategies for accommodating them.
"The main obstacle is people are not aware that the services exist," said Kate Tulenko, co-owner of Living Solutions, an Alexandria consulting firm on making residences accessible for aging in place.
Ms. Tulenko worked as a doctor in Washington for three years before starting Living Solutions in 2004.
"Our business has probably gone up by 20 to 50 percent each year," she said. "Part of it is demographics, the fact that the population is aging and people are living longer. The other factor is that our society itself is changing and people are no longer so interested in living with adult children."
About 82 percent of senior citizens expect to stay in their current homes for the rest of their lives, according to a 2003 survey by AARP, an advocacy group for older Americans.
They want to remain in familiar surroundings near friends and family and to avoid becoming a burden on other people.
"I love this house and I've been in it for 60 years," said Mary Ballenger, 87, a retired government secretary living in Forestville.
She suffers from macular degeneration, which means she is losing her eyesight.
"Being in your own surroundings, the refrigerator and stuff like that, I already know where they are and I haven't had any problems," she said.
Remodeling a home to accommodate special needs of the elderly can cost as little as a few thousand dollars for items such as extra lights, roll-out cabinets and grab bars in bathrooms.
By contrast, assisted living in the Washington area can take a large portion of an annual household income.
A private room in a Washington-area assisting-living facility costs an average $35,286 a year, according to a survey released last month by Genworth Financial, an investment advisory company.
The average household income for Washington families is $47,221 per year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Other accommodations, such as wider doorways for wheelchairs or elevators in multilevel homes, can be more expensive.
Diane and Dennis McCarthy estimate that $150,000 of their $324,000 remodeling bill last year was spent on aging-in-place features for their Vienna, Va., home.
The semi-retired astronomers added a master bedroom and bathroom on the first floor of their three-level home. They also replaced faucet knobs with levers, widened doorways, installed a sunken shower with wheelchair accessibility and set up lighting in cabinets.
"I know I have cataracts coming," Mrs. McCarthy said. "I may never need surgery, but I'm aware I may need more light to see things."
Neither of the 64-year-olds is disabled, but they are aware of the importance of special accommodations. Six years ago, Mr. McCarthy injured his foot in a fall from a stepladder, underwent three surgeries and was unable to walk for six months.
"That was one of the things that got us to thinking about this kind of thing," Mrs. McCarthy said.
Louisville Named in Top Cities in Disability Friendliness, Outreach
Berkeley, CA, and Chicago, IL, have been chosen as the winner and runner-up in the sixth annual Accessible America Contest, the National Organization on Disability (NOD) announced today. The cities are being heralded as national models for innovative programs to promote community inclusion of people with disabilities.
The Accessible America Contest, administered by NOD's Community Partnership Program, is sponsored by generous grants from UPS and Wal-Mart.
Other 2006 contest finalists were: Alexandria, VA; Bloomington, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; Miami Beach, FL; New Haven, CT; San Francisco, CA; and Sioux Falls, SD.
Berkeley will receive the top prize of $25,000 sponsored by UPS. Their best practices included the nation's first universally designed affordable housing development; a comprehensive transportation program, an outstanding emergency preparedness plan for people with disabilities, and a self-imposed tax to fund some of their disability services.
Chicago, as runner-up, will receive a Wal-Mart sponsored cash award of $10,000. Chicago was chosen for a variety of programs that help incorporate people with disabilities in community life, included rewriting of the city building code to mandate adaptable and visitable requirement in privately and governmentally owned and financed units; the creation of a Mayoral Task Force on Employment of People with Disabilities; a certification program for business enterprises owned and operated by people with disabilities.
The award money will be presented at forthcoming ceremonies to the Mayor in each of the winning cities and is intended to fund local disability-related efforts.
Previous Accessible America first-place winners include: Cambridge, MA, Venice, FL; Irvine, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Pasadena, CA. Honorable mentions have gone to Austin, TX, and West Hollywood, CA.
The finalists were judged by five leading national disability advocates and experts. Accessible America applicants demonstrate an exceptional commitment to offering their citizens with disabilities full and equal opportunities to participate in the life of their communities, including access to jobs, education, religious worship, voting, transportation, housing, emergency preparedness planning, and services. The Accessible America Contest promotes nationwide replication of these best practices.
For information about entering the 2007 Accessible America Competition, contact Mr. Rik Opstelten at 202/293-5960. The deadline is October 31, 2007. Additional information is available online at http://www.nod.org.
Emergency Preparedness for People with Special Needs and Disabilities: Important Questions
By John Cavanaugh and Anne Malia
Where can I find disability focused emergency information?
Emergencies can strike at any time. Many people find themselves asking the same question: Where can I find disability focused emergency information? The answer is Emergency Info Online, a free online service and printer-friendly directory produced by Bridge Multimedia. This preparedness tool can be accessed at EmergencyInfoOnline.org and offers a wealth of compiled digital information regarding emergency preparedness, response and recovery with a particular emphasis on individuals with special needs. The online resource provides in-depth information on a broad range of emergency preparedness and response issues.
What exactly is involved in creating an emergency plan that includes the needs of people with disabilities?
Emergencies often limit communication, transportation and emergency rescue services. A good emergency plan has several backup options that could be implemented in a number of different situations and considers the special needs of all individuals involved. Groups such as The National Organization on Disability (NOD) and Ready.gov, a website run by the Department of Homeland Security, provide steps that can assist in the creation of such a plan.
What do government agencies do to help ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in emergency plans?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), The Department of Homeland Security and The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are the three main government organizations that deal with emergency planning and emergency alerts. The FCC is committed to making sure that individuals with disabilities can access emergency information supplied by the media. The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA also have numerous resources available to assist in emergency planning.
How can I make sure that my school or office can accommodate the needs of people with disabilities in an emergency?
Find out whether your school or office already has an emergency plan. Make sure that the needs of people with disabilities are addressed. If not, suggest ways to improve their plan to that it includes everyone. Since it may not be evident that you would need additional help in an emergency, it is up to you to notify your school or office of your special requirements and work with them to create an appropriate emergency plan. The US Department of Education, The US Department of Labor and The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities all provide helpful guides that deal with emergency planning for schools and businesses.
What can I do to prepare my community to help people with disabilities in an emergency?
After first taking the necessary steps to prepare yourself and your family, you can help to prepare your community by receiving training in emergency response and first aid, then spreading awareness to local schools, businesses and other organizations. Join a local group that deals with emergency preparedness. If your community doesn¹t have such a group, form one yourself. Emergency Info Online¹s Community Link compiles various resources that can be of use to groups dedicated to disaster readiness, including up-to-date lists of upcoming emergency preparedness events across the country.
Questions such as these are extremely important. Answers are even more important! Emergency Info Online gathers information from useful online resources and compiles them into one convenient website in order to answer these and other questions both efficiently and effectively. Emergency Info Online is available on the web and in a printer-friendly version at http://www.EmergencyInfoOnline.org.
Blind woman named national employee of the year
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 Cincinnati Enquirer - Cincinnati, OH, USA
"To be successful takes courage and lots of willpower. And since I have these qualities, I'll climb that golden tower....."
That's a verse from a song written by a 14-year-old blind girl, Britt Lincoln, in 1992 while a student at Rowan County Middle School in Morehead, Ky.
Lincoln is now a Braille proofreader in the transcription department at the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in North College Hill.
"When I was in the eighth grade, I had a lot going on: homework, peer issues, stress about going to the Kentucky State School for the Blind. Some days I asked myself why I was pushing myself so hard," Lincoln said. "So to stay focused on my goals through all the hard stuff ... I wrote the song."
Lincoln read the song as she gave her acceptance speech for the National Industries for the Blind's Peter J. Salmon "Blind Employee of the Year" award, which she received last month at NIB's convention in Scottsdale, Ariz.
She was among three winners of the award from among 90 agencies across the country and more than 5,500 employees.
"I am thrilled the committee thought I was worthy, and I hope I can stand up to it," Lincoln said.
She was born blind, with a congenital face anomaly - missing both eyes and her nose and with a severe cleft palette. She has had more than 25 reconstructive surgeries.
She also has Asperger Syndrome, a neurological impairment on the autism spectrum.
Lincoln, a summa cum laude graduate from the University of Kentucky, started work at Clovernook in 2002 as a proofreader.
She brought a wide range of talents. She sings, plays the banjo, clogs, reads audio books and magazines each week and participates in the talent show at Clovernook holiday parties.
She has won the countywide "American Treasures" talent contest sponsored by Hamilton County's Board of Mental Retardation Developmental Disabilities.
At the convention, Lincoln participated in a panel discussion with the three other employee of the year honorees about blindness.
"I was so proud of Britt as she delivered her remarks and her song," said Jeffrey Brasie, president of Clovernook. "As she concluded her song, the 450 people in attendance all clapped their hands and sang along during the last three verses. There wasn't a dry eye in the house."
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/NEWS 0105/611210368/1061/NEWS01
The BlindNews list is archived at: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind/
Beyond Cognitive Disability Barriers: Employees Quickly Emerge as Assets
By Amy Joyce, Washington Post Staff Writer
October 29, 2006
When Kathryn Giordano, director of administration at Baker Botts LLP, suggested to Pat Berry that his daughter come work at his law firm for the summer, he shook his head in disbelief.
"I thought no, not a law firm,"
he said. "It was absolutely
scary."
That's because Berry's 19-year-old daughter who loves to ride
horses and types 45 words a minute has a cognitive disability. His
daughter's stint at the firm allayed
his initial fears.
"Professionals with cognitively disabled children think they can't do this,"
he said. "But they can."
Other organizations have had the same realization. A decade ago, the Cincinnati Children's Hospital opened a division called Project Search which helps place people with cognitive disabilities in jobs within the hospital and teaches other organizations how to do the same.
"We really have found that people with significant disabilities
are capable of doing incredibly complex work as long as it's
systematic,"
said Erin Riehle, director of the project. Most
people with developmental disabilities work in stereotypical jobs, she said,
like cleaning and
horticulture. "Our objective was to look beyond that. We found that we could
put people with Down
syndrome, Williams syndrome, and many other disabilities into roles that had
never been considered before."
People with cognitive disabilities have significant delays in
measured intelligence, adaptive functioning or academic
functioning. "A fair amount of hospital revenue comes from providing medical
care to kids with
disabilities. We kind of had an awareness that we needed to provide role
models in our workforce,"
Riehle said.
More companies are realizing the workforce opportunities in people with intellectual disabilities and are considering them not only for jobs, but careers. But the number is still anemic. Only about 31 percent of people with such disabilities are employed, said Jon Colman, chief operating officer of the National Down Syndrome Society.
Mason Berry has a genetic disorder known as Fragile X syndrome, which affects speech, motor skills, cognitive abilities and other characteristics.
Last summer at Baker Botts, she picked up books at book drops throughout the towering office at the Warner Building and reshelved them. She logged magazines into the computer and did some Internet research. After a few weeks, she learned how to ride the Metro so she didn't have to wait for her father, a partner there, to finish a conference call. This summer, she is a Labor Department contractor doing database work, closer to their home in Virginia.
"I loved it,"
she said while visiting her father's office on a
recent weekday. To bide her time, she was reorganizing library
slips. "They are not in order,"
she said, shuffling through them.
Companies like Baker Botts, working with local schools and organizations, have found that hiring employees with cognitive disabilities can fill a major gap in employment -- and it has been acting as a go-between to find other firms for employees with cognitive disabilities.
The firm started what is now an official practice several years ago when the managing partner brought his son with cognitive disabilities to the office in Dallas and paid him out of his own pocket. It went so well that the firm decided each office should hire one or more employees with cognitive disabilities.
Danny Ricchi, 22, sets up the conference centers at Baker Botts.
Ricchi, who has Down syndrome, likes going to the company gym and
walking around the office -- and eating. "My favorite place is my
mom's restaurant,"
he said, referring to I Ricchi.
Mir Azad, 18, who also has a cognitive disability, works at Baker Botts's library, shelving books, inputting information on the computers and making deliveries.
David Hughes, 43, works in the mail room, delivering boxes and
mail. Nancy Leap, human resources manager, said he recently
returned to her a document she meant to leave on her assistant's
desk, and she apologized for her mistake. Hughes, who has Down
syndrome, looked at her incredulously and said: "You made a
mistake?"
"It's eye-opening to come out of the office and you're a self-
centered lawyer and you bump in to someone so excited to be doing
what they're doing,"
Berry said. "It disarms you."
More companies are finding nothing but a loyal, diligent employee base.
"It's hard to get employers to imagine that people with
impairments actually can fit into a busy 24/7 workplace,"
said
Cathy Healy, director of workforce and education programs with the Institute
for a Competitive
Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "When you see it in
action, it's so amazing."
Only 32 percent of Americans with disabilities aged 18 to 64 are working, but two thirds of the 68 percent who are unemployed would rather be working, according to a study done by her group.
Healy is working to show employers that adults with disabilities
make up a large pool of workers. "Lots of research tells us that
people with disabilities, particularly intellectual disabilities,
have great staying power," she said. "These employees are loyal.
They are hard workers, people pleasers, and they want to stay
employed."
David Egan, 29, has been with Booz Allen Hamilton for 10 years. He works as
a distribution clerk and is
"proud to be a part of that team."
He likes working with different people
and enjoys
delivering packages to employees at Booz.
More than just being a loyal full-time employee, he is also an
advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. He has Down
syndrome. He is active in the Special Olympics, an organization
that Booz supports. "They like to have employees come together to
show team spirit. Here at Booz Allen, we also talk about core
values a lot,"
Egan said. "I try to fit what we do as a company
and what I do outside the company."
Heather Skeen, a senior recruiter and disability coordinator at
Booz, said the company believes hiring employees with cognitive
disabilities enriches the overall work experience. "When you have
someone with different learning experiences, it's an experience
for those who don't have a disability,"
Skeen said.
"I'm very fortunate to be with this company not just as a disabled person
but as a full citizen,"
Egan
said.
Disability is a civil rights issue
From the Seattle Post Intelligencer... Wednesday, October 25, 2006 TOBY OLSON, GUEST COLUMNIST
Each October we
celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness
Month, yet we have made little or no progress toward initiating the
open, mature public dialogue essential to improving public awareness
on disability. As a result, we continue to endure the human and
economic costs inflicted by attitudes and policies shaped by widely
held, but false assumptions and myths.
As things stand now, the general public is consistently, spectacularly
wrong in nearly every truth it holds dear about the experience of life
with a disability.
When I say that to someone, that person usually will look sad and
thoughtful and nod in agreement, and I'll know that person is
thinking, "He's right; I couldn't possibly imagine how horrible it
must be."
Let me tell you, every one of us has much more than enough experience
imagining how horrible it must be, and if our imaginations were ever
to fail us in this regard, we could always count on Hollywood to
shovel out yet another overblown, melodramatic, cliché-riddled
treatment to help us along. What the general public is unprepared to
imagine is just how wonderful, rewarding and full of accomplishment
life with a severe disability usually is.
There have been dozens of studies that have shown not just a
disconnect but rather an immense chasm -- we're talking the Grand
Canyon here -- between the popular assumptions and the actual
experiences of people with disabilities. One of the earlier studies
compared overall satisfaction and happiness rates for people with
paraplegia and people who had won the lottery, and found not much
difference. I buy lottery tickets, and I see this as very good news.
Since my odds of having a spinal cord injury are much better than they
are for picking those winning numbers, it's good to know that either
way, once I make it through the disruptive process of adjustment to
the dramatic changes in my life, I'll probably end up being about as
happy as I am right now.
The kinds of things that the popular perception of the experience of
significant disability consistently and spectacularly underestimates
include: what we can do; how happy we are; our level of self-esteem
and virtually every other measure of competence, productivity and
quality of life.
All of this plays well for telethons, personal injury suits and other
efforts to tug at heartstrings to loosen purse strings, but it's a
real disadvantage in any endeavor that requires being accepted as a
competent, functioning adult. Some examples include applying for a
job, trying to get a date, rent an apartment, preserve parental rights
or help someone else understand that disability is first and foremost
a civil rights issue.
We must develop a public dialogue that actively challenges the
preconceptions and stereotypes about people who have disabilities,
forces an examination of those beliefs and replaces them with beliefs
informed by the actual experiences of people with disabilities. In
other words, we need to talk.
We need to talk about the backlash currently directed against the
Americans with Disabilities Act. We need to talk about why the only
right of a person who has a disability that seems to be capable of
commanding the public's attention and inspiring the media is the right
to die.
We need to be talking about why there remains so much distance and
misunderstanding between the disability rights movement and its
progenitors, those earlier civil rights movements that by their
example taught people with disabilities how to understand the nature
of our predicament and provided us with the model for redressing it.
Because of the failure to develop this discourse, myths about
disability are so uncritically accepted as common knowledge that they
nearly crowd all serious discussion of the reality of the experience
of disability from the mainstream marketplace of ideas.
Most of us know people with disabilities who are going about their
lives, working, supporting themselves and their families and actively
contributing to the diversity and vitality of our communities. But
these examples can be before us on a daily basis and have surprisingly
little impact on our preconceptions. We accommodate our stereotypes by
perceiving such people to be something extraordinary. We need to
challenge that. We should not see people with significant disabilities
who have achieved some measure of satisfaction and success as brave,
heroic or inspirational. Such people should be the norm. Such people
should be exactly what we expect.
Instead, we should be looking at the lives of people with disabilities who have been denied those experiences and asking what went wrong. Toby Olson is executive secretary of the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment.
Value Market offers Grocery Delivery
Great news for Visually Impaired persons in the Louisville Area. Value Market is now offering Grocery Delivery in the Louisville Area. You can order your groceries online by going to: http://www.valumarket.com. The web site is totally accessible and you can order from more than one location. This service has been available in other cities, but this is the first time here. This is welcome and exciting news for those of us who have to face this dreaded challenge on a regular basis. It's great for anyone who doesn't have the time to shop or doesn't like it. Please share this exciting news with others who don't have email.
Disabled workers: The untapped work force
Abridged: Philadelphia Daily News
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Would you be surprised to learn that the broadcast color analyst for a major league baseball team is blind? Blind since birth, he's never seen a baseball game, but he knows it instinctively. His command of the stats and the players makes him one of the best! And he's not alone.
It's time to discover the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. The limits for people with disabilities are shrinking every day, and yet the need for good workers is growing. As these two facts collide, there is hope that the staggering unemployment rate for people with disabilities will finally begin to fall. The rate hovers between 65-70 percent. It's been that high for a long time, much too long!
This is insanity when you consider unemployment rates overall are near historic lows and the worker shortage is growing as baby boomers begin to retire. Society needs this largely untapped job pool. Hiring people with disabilities is not charity, it simply makes good business sense. Enable America, a national non-profit that promotes the benefits of hiring people with disabilities, and HireAbility, a Philadelphia-based non-profit that helps people with disabilities find jobs, are working together to shatter the myth that people with disabilities are not as good as able-bodied employees.
Accessibility Of Disability
From ADWEEK, March 27, 2006
By Joan Voight
A deaf teenager shopping with his dad gives a Wal-Mart ad a warm and fuzzy feel. A champion Alpine skier without a foot scores points for inspiration in a spot for Home Depot. Upscale professionals, in commercials for Bank of America and Kohler, turn out to be blind. Welcome to the hot new world of disability marketing.
Like African Americans, Hispanics and other once-marginalized minority groups, people with disabilities have become an increasingly visible fixture of mainstream advertising. At one time, companies looking to woo disabled consumers concentrated on publications, Web sites and events tailored to that community. But lately, AT&T, Target, Avis and Nordstrom are among the major marketers to reflect the lifestyles of disabled people in their national campaigns, in an effort to appeal to this growing—and deep-pocketed—constituency. Furthermore, by putting characters who are blind or use wheelchairs front and center, big brands have found an opportunity to tout their social conscience and generate goodwill among nondisabled consumers.
It's no wonder companies are advancing such images. About one in five adults in the US are disabled, according to 2000 Census data. Nearly one in three Americans will experience a disability between the ages of 35 and 65, predicts the American Council of Life Insurers. And it's a demo with deep pockets: The discretionary spending power of the disabled—at $220 billion in 2002, per the National Organization on Disability—outshines that of even the revered teen market, which laid out $170 billion in 2002, reports the market research firm Teenage Research Unlimited.
Disability marketing is "an idea that is catching fire now that
people with disabilities are not some small subgroup,"
says Jim
Tobias, president of Inclusive Technologies, a consultantcy
specializing in accessible products. "A large group of consumers have
some physical limitation or care about someone who does."
The issue of disability hits closer to home than many of us realize.
Tari Hartman-Squire—whose Los Angeles-based marketing firm, Ein Sof
Communications, focuses on disability issues—demonstrates the point
to clients, opening meetings by asking executives what font size they
use on their computers. Graying execs tend to sheepishly admit that,
yes, the typefaces they use are bigger than they used to be. Aging
eyes and failing eyesight are indeed disabilities, Hartman-Squire
says, and reading glasses and bigger typefaces "are what an
accommodation for a disability is all about."
It helps clients to
understand that the disabled world and that of the (supposedly)
nondisabled are one in the same. "The 'us and them' paradigm,"
she
says, "is obsolete."
Call it the accessibility of disability.
A common theme in much of the recent crop of mainstream ads, in fact,
is that the disability is virtually an afterthought. A recent New
York Marathon-themed print ad for car rental company Avis features an
image of a marathoner in a wheelchair, but the copy—"We honor
participants of the New York Marathon for spirit, courage and
unrelenting drive"
—addresses the racers at large.
AT&T's "Spread the Word"
spot, which broke in January, is composed of
a series of vignettes, one featuring an ordinary-looking office scene
with a business-attired deaf woman using sign language—a scene that
"reinforces the ad's message that communication is a fundamentally
human thing and people around the world communicate in many ways,"
explains Wendy Clark, AT&T's director of advertising. "The power
comes from people seeing themselves in the ads and how the brand will
help them do what they want to do."
(While the company will not
provide official numbers, a source says that some 15 percent to 20
percent of AT&T's customers have disabilities.) The AT&T ad has the
added advantage of creating a halo of goodwill among the nondisabled.
"The message to our nondisabled customers is that our brand … is
deliberately inclusive and recognizes that we are all human after
all,"
Clark says.
One marketer finds itself connected to the issue of disability in a
particularly personal way. In a spot that debuted in mid-January,
mass retailer Target spotlights not only its own wares but one of its
most recognizable product designers, as well as the subject of
disability. The ad features über-designer Michael Graves, who was
paralyzed by a spinal infection three years ago, seated in his
wheelchair. This is not new territory for the retailer. For 15 years,
Target's newspaper circulars have included images of adults and
children with disabilities as a way of letting customers "see
themselves in our advertising,"
says Tamika Curry, the company's
director of diversity. "We believe in showcasing their diverse
backgrounds and lifestyles, and we want to be known as an employer
committed to accessibility and acceptance."
It's been good business
for Target—ads featuring disabled models have led to positive
feedback as well as a spike in sales, insiders report.
Some marketers have gone so far as to make the inclusion of disabled
people in ads company policy. High-end retailer Nordstrom insists
that one-third of the models in its marketing pieces must be racial
minorities or have a disability. Its October 2005 catalog, for
example, included a shot of a hip young man who happens to be in a
wheelchair. "It's a business decision for us,"
explains Linda Finn,
Nordstrom's evp, marketing. "We want to reflect the people in the
community and to be inclusive and approachable in everything we do."
Disability certainly is a growth market for corporate America. Both
the size and spending habits of the disabled population will swell as
affluent baby boomers increasingly encounter age-related physical
changes, researchers concur. The American Association of Retired
Persons reports that as the over-50 set begins to experience such
infirmities, they will seek out businesses that accommodate them—
even if they themselves do not consider their limitations
"disabilities."
Again, it's a demo that spends—to the tune of $400
billion in 2003, reports AARP. The most recent Census data further
strengthens the evidence that the disabled are an increasingly
important constituency: The percentage of the population aged 16 to
64 defined as disabled grew to 18.6 percent by 2000, up from 12.7
percent in 1990.
Fierce brand loyalty and word-of-mouth further sweeten the potential for marketers. As consultant Tobias points out, those with disabilities and their families tend to be brand evangelists for products they love. Whereas consumers typically may tell 10 friends about a favorite product, people with disabilities might spread the word to 10 times that. "So hungry are they for products that work for them," Tobias says.
As the disabled community grows, some blue-chip marketers are digging
for more insight into the group. In 2004, Ein Sof teamed with New
York-based NRGi, a division of Nielsen Media Research, for an ongoing
disability market research study on behalf of financial, travel,
retail, pharmaceutical and telecom companies. What they are learning?
"This market is not fully ripe yet, but will be soon,"
says Ein Sof's
Hartman-Squire.
Wal-Mart most definitely understands what's at stake. Even though it
has included employees and customers with physical limitations in TV
and print ads since the '90s, the retail giant found itself having to
win back a disenchanted disabled market after a controversial
document about hiring practices was leaked late last year. In it, a
management committee suggested that Wal-Mart could curb rising health-
care costs by ensuring that "all jobs be made to include some
physical activity (e.g., cashiers to do some cart-gathering)."
The
goal, said the committee, would be to "dissuade unhealthy people from
coming to work at Wal-Mart."
Advocates for those with disabilities moved into action, calling the proposed policy an attempt at avoiding the hiring of people with physical limitations and mounting an unofficial boycott. For its part, Wal-Mart management rejected the committee's recommendation and reaffirmed its commitment to diversity.
"The truth is, we have thousands of our associates who have a diverse
array of disabilities. We need to tell that story in our advertising
and marketing,"
says Deidre Davis, Wal-Mart's newly hired Americans
with Disabilities Act services director. In March, Davis, who uses a
wheelchair and worked in the Clinton Administration, participated in
strategic sessions with Wal-Mart marketing execs. Their goal: to
generate straightforward, unsentimental ad concepts to help undo
damage done by the memo. "I'm here to push the issue of showing
disabilities as integrated, not separated,"
Davis says.
When it comes to disability marketing, the Americans with Disabilities Act is the elephant in the room. The 1990 law forbids public and private institutions from discriminating against physically and mentally disabled people in employment, public services, transportation, public accommodations and telecommunications. With its introduction, the ADA triggered public attention about disabilities and initially prompted a volley of disability-themed ads.
But a wave of ADA-related lawsuits, beginning in the mid-'90s, changed all that. In 2000, America Online settled a suit by the National Federation of the Blind over the accessibility of its online software. A year later, Wal-Mart paid $6.8 million to settle 13 suits brought by Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions in 11 states over an illegal questionnaire that asked job applicants for information about disabilities. Most recently, Kmart Corp. agreed this month to the $13 million settlement of a 1999 class-action suit over access for the disabled.
The idea of including images of people with disabilities in their ads suddenly began to make some marketers nervous. Fear of ADA-inspired lawsuits had them worried about associating themselves at all with the subject of disability. Commercial casting director Sheila Manning of Sheila Manning Casting in Beverly Hills, CA, saw the change firsthand. Whereas it had been a more common practice for some clients to ask for disabled actors for casting calls, those requests abruptly came to a halt, she says.
Now, the pendulum is swinging the other way, with ADA lawsuits in decline, corporations hiring disability-access managers, and images of disability popping up all over the place.
Using people with disabilities in campaigns can have its downside.
For some companies—notably in the technology sector—disabled
customers are welcome, but images of disabilities in ads certainly
are not. Explains consultant Tobias, "There is a sense that to show
your tech product being used by people with disabilities would
stigmatize it"
as a gadget made for the blind or deaf. Tech marketers
believe that a product identified by its accessibility is "death"
in
the general market, confirms a source. Rather, those advertisers
craft their messages with code words and imagery to attract those
with disabilities and their friends.
Take Microsoft's "Realizing Potential"
campaign. The ads, which
feature line drawings of everyday people fulfilling their dreams,
include language and ideas associated with empowerment, elements
"that resonate strongly among the disability consumer base,"
Tobias
explains—even though none of the ads actually features people with
disabilities. Mike Lucero, group ad manager at Microsoft, says while
he's "pleased"
to learn that the campaign resonates with consumers
who have disabilities, the company's outreach to the disabled
community is centered around "grassroots public relations and public
service activities."
Marketers can learn from TV shows like NBC's My Name Is Earl, Fox's
Malcolm in the Middle and Comedy Central's South Park, which have
done a much better job than advertisers of "including physically
disabled characters and treating them with the same irreverence and
wit as other characters,"
says Anthony Tusler, an author and
disability advocate who has worked with Microsoft, AOL and Bank of
America. The Oscar-nominated documentary Murderball, which detailed
the lives of rugby players in wheelchairs, "was great because
everyone seemed to get that it was a sports movie"
rather than a film
about disability, says Tusler, who himself uses a wheelchair.
And that's the key, according to Tusler. Forget the admiration.
Forget the pity. No more pulling at heartstrings or romanticizing the
disability. "Remember,"
he says, "we are not all super-gimps."
Legislative Information
Register & Vote!
You can register at the Center for Accessible Living and many other places. You must be registered at least 28 days before an election to vote.
It is important to register to vote and inform yourself on the issues. Elected officials make decisions that affect you on
an every day basis as a person with a disability or family member of a person with a disability. If you don't vote, you have no voice.
To learn more about the voting process, how to register, or to find out where you vote in Kentucky, visit the
Board of Elections voter information guide. To learn more
about the Candidates, visit the non-partisan, independent website, www.vote-smart.org.
Finding your Representatives
To Locate Your Congressional Representatives and Senators, enter your zip code below
To find out who your State and Local elected officials are:
Call your local Board of Election,
County Clerk's Office or League of Women Voters.
or visit: Kentucky Legislature, Find your legislator.
To Contact Legislators in Frankfort:
To Leave a Message for a Legislator: Call 1-800-372-7181
To Ask for a Legislator Directly: Call 1-502-564-8100 (LRC Switchboard)
To Send a Fax to a Legislator in Frankfort: Fax 1-502-564-6543
To Write a Legislator in Frankfort:
Senator/Representative
Legislative Offices, Capitol Annex
Frankfort, KY 40601
To Email a Legislator: firstname.lastname@ky.gov
(Check with you legislator; not all legislators like to receive messages via
email. If you do email a legislator, be sure to include your name, address and phone
number.)
To Contact the Governor:
1-502-564-2611
Fax: 1-502-564-2517
Governor Steve Beshear
State Capitol
Frankfort, KY 40601
Legislators' contact information can be found here or from LRC Public Information Office in the Capitol Annex (phone: 502-564-8100, ext. 517). Please note that leadership and committee assignments in the Senate have recently changed, so be sure your list is current!
To Contact Other Executive Branch Officials:
Visit the Kentucky
Government Website
(From this site, you can connect to the state phone directory and all cabinet home
pages.)
To Track Legislation
Legislative Calendar Line: 1-800-633-9650
(Daily recording of committee meeting schedules and bills on committee agendas.)
Bill Status Line: 1-800-809-0020
(Provides latest status of each bill as recorded in the Legislative Record for the
day; open 8-4:30)
Message Board of Lobbyists/Citizens: 1-800-592-4399
(To leave a message for a lobbyist or someone visiting the Annex; messages posted in
Annex Room 116)
Public Bill Room: 1-502-564-8100, ext. 323
(To order an official copy of a bill or amendments; subscribe to or purchase the
Legislative Record)
Kentucky Legislative Website
(This site has district maps, names and home addresses of all legislators; also,
proposed bills, bill status, reference materials, Kentucky Revised Statutes and Kentucky
Administrative Regulations.)
To Keep Up:
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Lexington Herald-Leader.
Newsletter
Taking Charge
Meeting the Challenge of
Independent Living
July 2008
The Center for Accessible Living is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide information, advocacy and services that create opportunities for people with disabilities to live independently.
The Center for Accessible Living is funded by the U.S. Department of Education (Grant #H132A30116-99). The opinions expressed in TAKING CHARGE are not necessarily those of the U.S. Dept. of Education.
DISABILITY 101
By Barbara Davis
On May 12, 2008, the Center for Accessible Living presented the first in a series of trainings on disability-related topics for human resource professionals. The training, which was hosted at Citi, featured information on the ADA, recruiting techniques, technology, Deaf culture, when and how to schedule ASL interpreters, workplace accommodations, and autism.
The event was attended by over 30 people. Companies represented included Caesars Indiana, UPS, Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Vocational Rehabilitation, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, TARC, Human Relations Commission, Citi, Goodwill, and others.
Kay Mathis of Citi provided the keynote speech about technology. Her message was that it starts with the ability to overlook the person’s disability to form a belief in the ability of the person. Once you do that, she said, technology is the easy part.
CAL’s Social Corner
2008 CAL Pegasus Parade Party
On May 1st, 2008, the Center For Accessible Living held its annual Pegasus Parade Party. Lots of friends came and everyone enjoyed
catching up with one another. This year, the theme of the parade was “A World Of Fun”
., so we themed our party that way too.
Flags from different countries along with the usual horses were displayed. We also enjoyed food from different cultures, such as
tacos which originate in Mexico. We watched the parade from our great view overlooking Broadway and saw floats, horses,
bands, celebrities, and clowns. Talented artists in the group made derby hats to celebrate the festivities.
It’s A Small World After All
On June 8th, 2008, a group from CAL traveled to the Mellwood Arts And Entertainment Center to see the Louisville
Chorus’ production of “It’s A Small World: Celebrating The Magical Music Of Disney”
. Due to the generosity of our friends at the
Louisville Chorus, our consumers got in free. The informal atmosphere of the venue was perfect for this show. The show included songs from
many different Disney movies, including It’s A Small World. The part at the end where the kids went up and put money in the container for
the Ronald McDonald House really captured the meaning of the show.
Speed Museum Trip
On April 4th, 2008, CAL went to the Speed Art Museum to see the Medieval And Renaissance Treasures from The Victoria And Albert Museum exhibit. This trip was made possible by a $500 Arts Access Forum Mini Grant from the Kentucky Center For The Arts. In addition to the Medieval and Renaissance exhibit, we saw paintings and artifacts from different time periods and cultures, including the African Art, Art of The Ancient World, American Painting And Sculpture, The Kentucky Collection, Modernism, and the Native American Gallery. collections. Headphones that told stories about the exhibits enhanced the experience. We also enjoyed delicious appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and deserts at the museum’s cafe.
Perfect Manners Workshop
On June 3rd, 2008, the Center For Accessible Living presented its first restaurant etiquette workshop. Consumers enjoyed a great variety of delicious food, and superb service and received helpful tips on dining etiquette, table setting, restaurant manners, introductions, and conversations.
This workshop was made possible for consumers thanks to the generous community sponsors, Mimi’s International Cafe and Picture Perfect Manners who provided their excellent services free of charge.
CAL’s Community Events
July 2008
3: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
3: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
4: CAL Closed
7: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
7: ASD Group 4PM-5PM
10: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
10: Women’s Group 2PM-3:30PM
14: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
15: Advocacy Council Meeting
17: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
17: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
18: CAL Social Event; Gattiland
6:30PM- 8PM
21: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
24: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
24: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
24: Women’s Group 2PM-3:30PM
28: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
31: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
31: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
* Dates and times subject to change. Call the Center For Accessible Living at (502)589-6620 for information on events.
August 2008
Belle Of Louisville Trip—date and time TBA.
4: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
4: ASD Group 4PM-5PM
7: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
7: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
11: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
14: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
14: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
14: Women’s Group 2PM-3:30PM
18: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
19: Advocacy Council Meeting 2PM-3PM
21: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
21: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
25: AA 3:30PM-4:30PM
28: Job Hunt Club 9:30AM-11:30AM
28: Peer Group 10:30AM-12PM
28: Women’s Group 2PM-3:30PM
30: Deaf Festival 10AM-6PM (For more info, contact Kelly Peace at 502-589-6620.)
AA—Alcoholics Anonymous group
ASD—Autism Spectrum Disorders group
Legislative Update
By David Allgood
Now that the General Session has ended, it is up to you, as individuals, to become vocal, active, and responsive advocates. As many of you may know, the General Assembly failed to raise any significant revenue. This created a deficit for a number of programs that help the elderly and disabled stay in the community in a setting of their choice. It is my hope that everyone who reads this newsletter will contact their State Representative and Senator as well as the Governor to stress to them the need for more funds for community based services. Our current funding process for long term care in Kentucky is severely flawed when 81% of Medicaid long term care money is spent for nursing homes and institutions and only 19% is spent for community based services. This inequality of funding prevents the elderly and disabled from staying in the community at a fraction of the cost of nursing home or institutional care. I strongly believe that anyone who is reading this newsletter does not want to be forced to live in a nursing home. It is now up to all the readers to contact your elected officials and have your family and friends contact them as well to stress the need for more funding for community based services. Stress in your message how you have either been positively affected by community supports or services or how you have been negatively affected by the lack of services or long waiting lists. The more personal the message the better.
To Contact Governor Steve Beshear:
Governor Steve Beshear
700 Capitol Avenue
Room 100
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 562-2611
To Contact House Speaker Jodie Richards:
Jodie Richards
Speaker of the House
700 Capitol Avenue
Room 309
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-2363
To Contact Senate President David Williams:
David Williams
President of the Senate
700 Capitol Avenue
Room 324
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-3120
You can also call toll free and leave a message for any legislator at 1-800-372-7181.
The Impact Of A Ramp
By John Leonard
On a ramp inspection at the Leffler’s home, there were for-sale signs in the front yard. It turned out that the Lefflers were going to have to sell their home to pay for Mr. Leffler to go to a nursing home. But now that there is a ramp, they can stay in their home and not struggle to get in and out of the home. They said what a blessing the ramp is, as it enables them to keep their family together and keep their home!
Annual Art Exhibit
By Beverly Alford
The Center is making plans for its annual art exhibit to be held September 19 - October 17. If you would like a brochure sent to you or
know of someone else who is interested, call Beverly at 502-589-6620. Last year’s exhibit included 95 art pieces by artists representing 6
not-for-profit agencies as well as individual artists across the state. The Ron Billing’s Award was received by Brenda Riggs for her
photograph taken in the Smoky Mountains. During the art show, plans are being made to host a Health Fair or Wellness Day to showcase community resources.
For more information, contact Beverly at above number.
E-mail: info@calky.org
CAL Serves As Tax Preparation Site
By Beverly Alford
The Center for Accessible Living served as a free tax preparation site during February, March and April. Returns were prepared on an appointment basis to more than 50 individuals with disabilities and/or low income individuals. Plans are being made for filing returns for next year. Also, if you had $3,000 in income or SSDI for 2007 you may be eligible for the Economic Stimulus Payment. If you have not filed for this payment, it’s not too late; give Beverly a call at 502-589-6620.
Center for Accessible Living Services
~ Information and Referral
~ Advocacy
~ Independent Living Skills
~ Peer Support
~ Housing Assistance
~ Personal Care Assistance
~ Rampbuilders
~ Work Incentives Planning
~ Employment
~ Technical Assistance
~ Kentucky ADA Outreach
~ Sign Language Interpreters
~ Equipment Loan
~ Presentations and Education
For More information please visit us online at: www.calky.org
Did you know you can make a tax deductible donation to the Center for Accessible Living?
To Make a donation please print this form and mail it to the Center for Accessible Living.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
For more information, or to donate through a different method please contact Michael Markiewicz at (502) 589-6620, mcm@calky.org
C.A.L. - Louisville
305 W. Broadway, Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40202
502-589-6620 (Voice)
502-589-3980 (Fax)
502-589-6690 (TTY)
E-mail: info@calky.org
C.A.L. - Murray
1051 N. 16th St., Suite C
Murray, KY 42071
270-753-7676 (Voice)
270-753-7729 (Fax)
270-767-0549 (TTY)
E-mail: calmur@calky.org</