AAPDNews VOLUME 6, ISSUE 4 • FALL 2004 IN THIS ISSUE Netscape ISP Benefit Increase in Membership Fees Political Conventions Pledge Your Support Housing Crisis AAPD Membership Reaches 100,000 From an initial small group of disability rights advocates who gathered together in 1995, AAPD has grown to be an organization with 100,000 members as of November 1. And, whereas much of AAPD's recent spurt in membership growth can be attributed to an increase in member benefits, no one can overlook the programs and advocacy efforts that have positioned AAPD as the authority on disability issues and, therefore, an organization truly representing and protecting its members. Since the beginning, AAPD has been a leader in civil rights advocacy and, in the past few years, has formed important coalitions with other organizations to become an even stronger voice in the fight for human rights. AAPD has made it a priority to champion an individual's right to vote, in privacy and with dignity. AAPD has and continues to work vigorously to establish and enforce national standards for all federal elections. For the past three years, AAPD's Disability Vote Project (DVP) has challenged counties and states in local and federal courts to make their polls accessible to all people with all kinds of disabilities. DVP has also formed and collaborated with coalitions at the state level to register people with disabilities and get out the disability vote. AAPD has also prioritized employment of people with disabilities. AAPD recognizes that one cannot be fully empowered if one is unable to find employment. AAPD's internship programs and Disability Mentoring Day have been "win, win" projects because they have increased the self- confidence and job opportunity awareness of young people with disabilities and, at the same time, have helped erase long held prejudices and ignorance in the minds of employers. The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards Program and the Justice For All (JFA) Awards (to name only two) help bring the organization, its mission, and the disability population to the attention of business leaders and members of Congress who are either attending an award program or receiving an award. This translates into elected officials working for legislation that will benefit people with disabilities and businesses placing a higher priority on incorporating disability into their diversity efforts. AAPD is always advocating for its members. For example, AAPD joined a coalition of organizations opposed to the recent major federal tax cuts knowing that these cuts would translate into program cuts that would effect many AAPD members. AAPD also took a sometimes unpopular position in opposing the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program because of concerns that the new benefit would not be adequate to meet the needs of our members. APD does and will continue to keep a watch on our judicial system. AAPD has led the way many times to try to stop the appointments of federal judges who have a history of not supporting disability rights issues. During the next four years, AAPD will pay special attention to the Supreme Court and the replacement of any justices. APD has advocated for strengthening IDEA and for full funding for No Child Left Behind. These are only a sample of the many ways AAPD is advocating for people with disabilities. Representing the interests and protecting the rights of our members is AAPD's most important mission. We are your voice in the courtroom, the boardroom, at the White House, and in Congress. In 2005 look for AAPD to be even a stronger voice in employment, voting, and other civil rights issues. AAPD recognizes and thanks America Online (AOL) for sponsoring this issue of AAPDNews. Dear AAPD Members Andrew J. Imparato President and CEO A Model Employer? Dear Members: On July 26, 2000, President Clinton used the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to issue an executive order calling on the federal government to hire 100,000 people with disabilities into the Executive Branch over a five-year period. Each federal agency and department was required by this 2000 order to submit a blueprint detailing a "comprehensive strategy for recruiting and hiring people with disabilities." All of this was with the goal of ensuring that the federal government was living up to its obligation to be a "model employer" for workers with disabilities. In an era where people with significant disabilities continue to be disproportionately outside the labor force, many of us hoped that federal efforts could help lead the way toward greater employment opportunities for qualified workers with a variety of disabilities. We have also been encouraged by the leadership of people in the Bush Administration like Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who has actively promoted affirmative recruiting of qualified employees with disabilities for his new cabinet agency. That is why it was particularly disappointing to learn in a report on the State of Equal Employment Opportunity in the federal government issued earlier this year by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that the number of federal employees with "targeted disabilities" (a term that refers to people with more significant disabilities like blindness, deafness, paralysis, intellectual disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, etc.) has been steadily declining for the ten years from fiscal year 1994 to fiscal year 2003, resulting in a net loss of about 20 percent during that ten- year period. The EEOC noted that by 2003, individuals with targeted disabilities were only one percent of the total federal workforce. The overall decline in federal employment during that same ten year period was about 7.7 percent, so people with targeted disabilities have been leaving the federal government at a rate almost three times that of federal workers overall. The report also noted that this problem has been getting worse in recent years. Between 1999 and 2003, according to the EEOC, "the rate of decline for employees with targeted disabilities was more than eight and a half times greater than the rate of decline for the federal workforce as a whole." This disturbing trend is something that deserves high level attention from the next Congress and White House. The federal government is the largest employer in the country, and has many advantages in providing accommodations for employees with significant disabilities. Federal officials have consistently encouraged private sector employers to do more in providing opportunities for qualified workers with disabilities, but these efforts will have much more credibility when the federal government demonstrates by example how to recruit and retain these workers. If the federal government looked like America, about 20 percent of the workforce would be people with disabilities, and about 10 percent would be people with significant disabilities. For years, EEOC and the Office of Personnel Management promoted a government-wide goal of 5.95 percent employment for workers with targeted disabilities. Evidently, in its most recent management directive on affirmative programs of equal employment opportunity, the EEOC has backed away from that goal because of difficulties in obtaining reliable statistics on labor force participation for individuals with targeted disabilities in the private sector. Whatever these difficulties may be, we can certainly agree that one percent employment is way too low and the recent trends need to be addressed with a proactive strategy led by the President and implemented across the entire executive branch. Revisiting President Clinton's executive order might be a good place to start. I encourage all AAPD members to be in touch with your members of Congress (www.senate.gov, www.house.gov) about the serious problem reflected in these most recent federal statistics. We must redouble our efforts to create pipelines to federal employment for qualified students and job seekers with disabilities, and we must demand Presidential leadership to reverse this trend so that the federal government can truly lead the way as a model in providing equal employment opportunity for the more than 35 million working-age people with disabilities in the U.S. Andrew J. Imparato AAPD President and CEO ImparatoA@aol.com MEMBER CHAT AAPD Membership 2004 By Diane DeAngelis, Director of Marketing and Member Services, e-mail dianedeangelis@earthlink.net As we approach the year-end, we'd like to highlight some of the most notable achievements and growth in the AAPD membership program. An exciting update is that, since mid- 2002, the number of AAPD members has increased by more than 271 percent to 100,000 members. 2004 has also been an exceptional year of growth for AAPD's member benefits program. One of the strongest benefits, AAPD's partnership with the Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), has afforded countless AAPD members the opportunity to access a broad range of financial opportunities not generally available to people with disabilities. The AAPD/DCU partnership represents the first time a major financial institution has committed resources to directly serving the financial needs of the disability community. In just the first eight months of 2004, AAPD members were approved for loans exceeding $20 million for the purchase of adapted vehicles. Notably, a large percentage of those loans went to individuals with less-than-prefect credit profiles, many of whom had been previously turned down for loans by traditional lenders. For further information, call DCU at 1- 800-328-8797(1-800-395-5146 TTY) or go to www.aapd- dc.org/dcu/dculoans. AAPD's partnership with DCU also links AAPD members to Access Loans for any product, device or building modification designed to assist someone with a disability, such as wheelchairs, adaptive computer and communications equipment, durable medical, and rehabilitative equipment, etc. In 2004, AAPD introduced a new prescription savings plan from Victory+*, which offers: access to savings on prescriptions, vision and hearing services, and diabetic medications. This exciting pharmacy benefits plan covers an entire family for only $7.99 per month. AAPD members get the first month for just $2.99 and with a 30-day money back guarantee. Benefits include: • up to 25 percent off wholesale prices for U.S. mail-order prescriptions and a $25 quarterly credit per family member; • a savings of up to 30 percent on prescriptions at the time of purchase from 53,000 participating pharmacies; • a free annual eye exam for every family member, along with up to 45 percent off retail prices on eyeglass frames and a $100 credit on prescription eye wear after six months; • 30 percent off the average wholesale price on diabetic medications and testing supplies; • and a 30 percent discount on hearing exams and services plus a55 percent savings on hearing aids at HearPO. * This is not an insurance plan and is not available in all states. For more information or to join Victory+, call 1-800-505-8742 (V/TTY) and mention that you are an AAPD member. Or visit www.victoryplus.com/rx, click on "Join" and then choose "AAPD" from the drop-down menu. In 2004, AAPD's website, www.aapd-dc.org, and this newsletter, AAPDNews, continued to be the places to find current news and updates about legislative and disability policies and issues, the latest information about AAPD programs, new member benefits, announcements, and an extensive list of website links to disability resources. We posted responses on the website and in AAPDNews from the Democratic candidates on critical disability-related issues, and then when Senator Kerry was confirmed as the Democratic nominee, we invited updated responses from both the Democratic and Republican campaigns and posted those too. The AAPD website continues to grow and now gets as many as 115,000 unique page visits per month. AAPD members continue to sign-on to the Justice For All (JFA) listserv from AAPD's website, to receive e-mail action alerts regarding legislation and articles of interest to the disability community. Some 2004 JFA e-mails included information on the 2004 presidential candidates' positions on disability issues and healthcare, as well as action alerts relative to MICASSA (Medicaid Community-based Attendant Services & Supports Act), Money Follows the Person, the importance of registering voters with disabilities, and the Medicare prescription plan. AAPD continually strives to build its member benefits program, to provide access to much-needed benefits and services. 2004 represented a significant year of growth in the membership and member benefits programs – members' feedback is always welcomed. Netscape ISP a New AAPD Member Benefit As shown in the Member Chat column, AAPD continually strives to find and secure new benefits for AAPD members, especially when specific requests are made by the members themselves. Many AAPD members have recently expressed frustration in trying to find a dependable, accessible Internet Service Provider (ISP) at a reasonable monthly fee. There are countless ISP's out there, and numerous directories of ISP's – to sort through all of the options and information is incredibly time-consuming. AAPD is delighted to announce another member benefit for AAPD members. Beginning immediately, AAPD members seeking an accessible ISP can sign up for America Online (AOL) Netscape ISP service. At $9.95 per month, the subscription includes unlimited dial-up access and e-mail. And AAPD members also get the first month free-of-charge! AAPD and AOL have partnered on several programs over the past few years. Additionally, AAPD President and CEO, Andrew J. Imparato, serves on AOL's Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), whose members represent a dozen nationally renowned disability organizations. They advise AOL on the accessibility of its products and services to assure that the products are convenient and easy-to-use for everyone, including people with disabilities. AAPD applauds AOL for making significant strides in making the Internet easier to use for people with disabilities. AOL's clearly-defined vision for delivering an accessible Internet experience for all is outlined in its Accessibility Policy, which was founded on three fundamental principles: awareness, responsibility, and collaboration. To learn more about AOL's accessibility initiatives, go to http://corp.aol.com/accessibility. AAPD is pleased to now offer its members the opportunity to have a reliable ISP provided by a company that reaches out to and works with the disability community and makes every effort to make its products accessible to all people with all disabilities. "AOL is pleased to make a low-cost option for Internet access available to AAPD members," said Tom Wlodkowski, Director of Accessibility at AOL. "This partnership is a good example of our company's commitment to continually strive to provide consumers with disabilities with the highest quality, easiest, and most convenient services and products. The Netscape ISP's use of web-friendly technology and support for standard pop three e-mail software should add particular value to the disability community." To register for Netscape ISP and to be sure you receive the first month free, just follow the link provided on AAPD's home page at www.aapd-dc.org. AAPD Adjusts Membership Fees – A Message From AAPD's Membership Committee By Helen Roth, Chair, AAPD Membership Committee and Vice Chair, AAPD Board of Directors AAPD programs, services, and advocacy efforts are expanding and this is very positive for everyone associated with AAPD, most particularly the members. All of us on the AAPD Membership Committee are proud of the significant growth in membership (a more than 51 percent increase in members in the last year!), which addresses a need for AAPD services and member benefits. So far, operating with an annual membership fee of just $8, AAPD has continued to grow the member benefits program and expand its outreach to people with disabilities around the country, as well as their assistants, family members, friends, and advocates. However, the growth in the AAPD membership program has now necessitated this committee to review and evaluate the fees structure. It currently costs AAPD more than $15 to administer every AAPD membership. Some direct costs included in this figure are: printing, producing and mailing four issues of AAPDNews each year, printing and providing alternate formats for the newsletter and all AAPD member materials, maintaining and updating daily the critical information on the AAPD website, maintaining the membership database, and continuing to mail information to AAPD members (per their request) instead of by e-mail. To continue to provide strong benefits to AAPD members and find new benefits, this committee recently concluded the time has come for an increase in membership fees. As of January 1, 2005, the fees structure approved by the AAPD board will be: • One-year membership - $15 • Two-year membership - $25 • Student membership - $10 • Limited Income membership - $10 • Supporting membership - $50 (This AAPD member receives a two-year membership plus a $25 contribution will be allocated to supporting Limited Income memberships). Because your continued involvement is very important to us, the AAPD Membership Committee wants current members to be given the chance to renew their memberships at the current rates: $8/one year; $15/two years; or $20/three years. Even if your membership is not due to immediately expire, you have the chance to renew now at the current rate. AAPD will work with your current dues schedule, which means you'll lose absolutely no time on your current membership. For example, if your membership expires in July of 2005, you can renew now for three years at the old rate of $20/three years, and your membership will be active until July 2008. If you want to renew your AAPD membership now at the current fees structure, just use the form in this newsletter and be sure it is received before January 1, 2005. AAPD is grateful to all members for their support and participation, and pledges to never cease looking for additional member benefits. The AAPD Membership Committee is proud of what it has accomplished with annual dues of just $8. In an effort to keep dues as affordable as possible, we are implementing a few new categories of membership that will help to make it possible for students and individuals with limited income to continue their participation as active members in AAPD without incurring a significant increase. We also strongly encourage those members who have a more comfortable income to give their utmost consideration to increasing their payments to the Supporting Membership rate, so members who have lower incomes can continue to participate in AAPD activities and reap the benefits of membership without financial hardship. Discrimination on Election Day 2004: DVP Wants to Know If your polling place is inaccessible, if you experienced any difficulty voting for any reason, if you were denied your right to vote or if the voting process was not accommodating to your disability, AAPD's Disability Vote Project wants to know. The Disability Vote Project wants to forward your complaints and comments to the appropriate officials so that voting is more accessible to every person with a disability. Send an e- mail to aapdvote@earthlink.net with the time and the polling place location, your complete name, address and phone number, and tell us what happened. Thank you for your participation. AAPD Co-Sponsors Events in Conjunction with the Democratic and Republican National Conventions AAPD Calls on Both Parties to Incorporate Disability Rights Issues into Their Platforms and Outreach. July 26, 2004 marked the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To celebrate, AAPD and 16 additional national organizations held events in conjunction with the two major parties national conventions to honor public officials who have demonstrated, with legislation and actions, they are disability rights champions. These two events were opportunities for AAPD and the co- sponsors to thank public servants and elected figures, past and present, for their dedication to the needs and concerns of people with disabilities, and to present them with "Lead On!" Awards. The ADA Award Ceremony and Celebration was held in Boston at WGBH's studios on July 26. Honorees were: The Honorable Tony Coelho Senator Mark Dayton (MN) Senator Christopher Dodd (CT) Representative Lane Evans (IL) Senator Tom Harkin (IA) Representative Steny H. Hoyer (MD) Senator Edward Kennedy (MA) State Representative Thomas P. Kennedy (MA) Representative Jim Langevin (RI) Representative Ed Markey (MA) Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA) Representative Earl Pomeroy (ND) Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL) Representative Bobby Scott (VA) Representative John Tierney (MA) The "Lead On!" Award Ceremony and Celebration of Progress in Disability Rights was held on September 1 at Time Warner Corporation in New York City. Honorees were: New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Senator Thad Cochran (MS) Senator Susan Collins (ME) Senator Bob Dole (KS) Senator Chuck Grassley (IA) Senator John McCain (AZ) New York Governor George Pataki Representative Jim Ryun (KS) Representative Pete Sessions (TX) Representative John Shimkus (IL) Senator Robert Simmons (CT) Senator Arlen Specter (PA) New York State Senator Nick Spano Senator John Sununu (NH) Representative James Walsh (NY) Representative C. W. Bill Young (FL) AAPD extends its most sincere gratitude to Time Warner and WGBH for hosting these two events. "I will keep this award as a reminder to me that we in the Attorney General's office can do better, and we will do better. And, if we work together, we can take this whole effort and this whole movement to the next level. I'm absolutely committed to doing that with you!" Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly upon accepting a "Lead On!" award from AAPD The Events' Co-Sponsors: AAPD American Council of the Blind American Foundation for the Blind Association of University Centers on Disabilities The Arc of the United States Easter Seals Enable America National Association of the Deaf National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems National Organization on Disability National Spinal Cord Injury Assoc. Paralyzed Veterans of America Self Help for Hard of Hearing People United Cerebral Palsy United Spinal Association VSA Arts WGBH Announcements AAPD v. Jacksonville, Florida Accessible Voting Update The city/government of Jacksonville asked the Eleventh Circuit Federal Appeals Court to overturn the order compelling Jacksonville and Duval County to have accessible voting machines for November's election. AAPD's legal team from Howrey Simon Arnold and White used every legal procedure available to make voting accessible for the presidential election. The city's strategy from the very beginning has been to run the clock out. The Federal Appeals Court in Atlanta has scheduled the initial hearing for January, 2005. Landmark Decision Issued in Nationwide Class Action by Deaf Workers Against United Parcel Service (UPS) On October 22, 2004, a class of more than 1,000 Deaf workers across the country announced a decision issued by the federal district court in San Francisco which represents a landmark victory in the employees' class action lawsuit against UPS. The lawsuit, titled Bates v. UPS, alleged that UPS – the nation's fourth largest employer systematically discriminated against Deaf employees by refusing to consider them for driving positions on the basis of their disability. The lawsuit was brought under the ADA by five Deaf UPS workers on behalf of Deaf employees and applicants throughout the country. IDEA Reauthorization Still Out on a Limb IDEA is now being discussed in a conference committee with members from the House and Senate. The Senate approved its IDEA bill on May 13, 2004 and the House passed its bill on April 30, 2003. Because the bills contain significant substantive differences, they must be reconciled in conference. There are several possibilities then – the bill goes to the floor individually; it goes as part of a large omnibus bill, something that often occurs at the end of a session; or it doesn't emerge in reconciled form from conference. Should Congress fail to present an agreed upon bill to the President or should President Bush not sign the bill, the IDEA reauthorization process must begin all over again in the 109th Congress in 2005. 2005 Internship Application Deadlines Rapidly Approaching Deadlines for 2005 summer internship applications are as follows: 2005 Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation – AAPD Congressional Internship Program The application deadline is December 15, 2004. 2005 Microsoft – AAPD Federal Internship Program The application deadline is December 15, 2004. For more information visit www.aapd-dc.org or call 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY). Social Security Publishes Cost of Living Increases for 2005 According to Capitol Insider, the Social Security Administration published the cost of living (COLA) increases for 2005. There will be a 2.7 percent COLA in Social Security benefits including those benefits that come from the disability, retirement, and survivor programs (the programs in Title II of the Social Security Act). In the Supplemental Security Income program, the maximum monthly federal benefit will increase to $579 for individuals and to $869 for couples. The substantial gainful activity (SGA) level will increase to $830 per month for people with disabilities and to $1380 for people who are blind. The earnings threshold that will trigger a trial work period (TWP) month in the Title II disability programs will increase to $590 for 2005. The amount of earnings required for a quarter of coverage (work credit) will be $920 in 2005. For those who receive Medicare benefits, the COLA will be reduced somewhat by the 17 percent increase in Medicare premiums for 2005 announced in September. AAPD to Co-Sponsor National Inclusive Schools Week December 6-10, AAPD will join with the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative to co-sponsor National Inclusive Schools Week. The event fosters the development of schools and communities that are welcoming of all students, including those with disabilities. How to Stretch Your Health Budget By Angela Katsakis The costs of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications are staggering, aren't they? And when health starts to slip, the skyrocketing costs can break a budget. As both of my parents are disabled, on fixed budgets, with simultaneously declining health, I've learned quite a bit about stretching the health and prescription budget. Cultivate Relationships Wherever possible, cultivate relationships with service providers. For convenience, we schedule appointments back to back when my parents see the same doctor. Part of developing a team relationship is mastering the basics. Arrive on time and be organized. Write questions in the order of priority. The staff knows I'm involved, informed and that I care. When I can't attend the appointment, I ask for an e- mail address or a fax number to send questions to the doctor in advance — it shows respect for time — and I give my parents a copy to take with them for backup. I always let the doctor know how much I appreciate his courteous staff. My parents' physicians also have an income statement from Social Security in each of their files to make it simpler to explain prescription cost concerns. It's easy to request (https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6/isss/bp-7004home.jsp) and make at least 20 copies to have on hand at all times. When medication is prescribed, ask if the office has samples to provide for a 30 day supply, or until the next appointment, to determine if the medication is beneficial before making the purchase. Also ask if there is a less expensive medication that will work as well for that condition. Remember that the art of saying thank you is often neglected. Write a thank you note to the doctor and occasionally bring in healthy treats for the office staff. The desire to help others is the reason why people wanted to become health professionals. Your recognition of their skills and efforts is something that makes a difference for them, too. Use Resources Wisely The quantity of information is staggering and separating the wheat from the chaff sometimes requires the expertise of a specialist. Your local office of aging can offer resources as long as you are willing to put in the effort to find out what's applicable. Dig a little bit on the Internet. There's a website, www.benefitscheckup.org, that offers a plethora of resources. Review the questions before you start, make sure you have everything at your fingertips, and then answer the questions. Once the questions are submitted, the website will give you a list of state and federal resources, pharmaceutical company applications for lower cost programs, and other resources that may not be readily available. Where possible, print out all the applications in advance – I recommend having the information ready for the social worker to review – so you can get the input from a professional and get started on the spot. There's nothing worse than investing effort on something that's not quite applicable. Since my parents were sick at the same time and had different needs, I started to get overwhelmed. Medicare covers in home services and includes social services. I asked their primary physician for a referral and made an appointment for a private social worker right away. A preliminary phone call allowed us to prepare for our meeting and get a feel for each another. My goal was to have everything she might need so we could be as productive as possible, down to envelopes and stamps. This little bit of preparation made our meeting very productive and went a long way to making me feel less pressured. From the social worker, I learned about state pharmacy discount programs and filled the applications out as soon as possible since they take time to activate. In the meantime, I found resources to other social services that offered emergency funding, much of it very limited. These programs are administered on a county or statewide basis and a good social worker will have the knowledge to efficiently guide you. She also helped me navigate the applications for curb to curb transportation so my parents could be more independent. I was pleasantly surprised that there were so many resources and started a special file to keep my notes and information in a central record. Smart Prescription Shopping Shop around! Find out which pharmacies have the best pricing on medications. Make a list of medications, to include dosages, and call for pricing information. Check with the pharmacist for ideas to make your prescription dollars stretch further. Ask the doctor to write the prescriptions in quantities of 90-100 doses and get them filled in that volume. Ask about dosages. If it's a tablet, ask if the medication can be cut in half with a pill splitter. The cost difference for 90 days of a 50mg or a 100mg of the same medication is negligible. If it's possible, that's another layer of cost savings. When we combined all the factors of using a less expensive pharmacy, the state pharmacy discount program, a 90 dosage prescription, and the pill splitting when we could, it meant a savings of about 75 percent. Making your health budget stretch requires ingenuity, teamwork, and charm. Cultivate caring relationships and give back, use resources well, implement suggestions, and shop smart. Angela Katsakis is the Disability Vote Project Coordinator at AAPD and can be reached at aapdvote@earthlink.net or 1- 800-840-8844 x25. AAPD is Your Organization – Please Pledge Your Support Founded in 1995 on the fifth anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), AAPD works to promote public policies that advance the ADA goals: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. Since the beginning, AAPD has been making significant inroads through its national programs, its advocacy efforts, and the steady growth in its critical member benefits program. How AAPD is making a difference: • Do you utilize critical information from AAPDNews? • Have you secured a loan or financial services through the DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union) member benefit? • Have you learned more about your voting rights through the Disability Vote Project? • Are you one of the 20,000+ job seekers who have participated in Disability Mentoring Day around the country? • Have you purchased life insurance through the AAPD member benefits program? • Have you participated in AAPD's paid internship programs? • Have you been the recipient of an AAPD award? • Do you receive Justice for All (JFA) listserve alerts? Anyone who responds affirmatively to any of the above is benefiting from AAPD. As AAPD plans for the upcoming year and the continuation and enhancement of programs and benefits, we ask you to consider making a year-end donation. Only eight percent of AAPD's annual revenues come from member dues. The rest comes from gifts and grants from corporations, foundations, and individuals. This is your organization, and your participation is critical to our growth and evolution. Please make a tax-deductible gift of any size. No gift is too small. This is also a great time to consider expressing special appreciation by making a gift in honor of someone who is an advocate for disability rights. Please make your gift today. Thank you. Many companies offer employees a matching gift benefit that doubles the employee's gift to a charitable organization. Does your company? If so, when making your own AAPD contribution please also send a matching gift form to: Attn: Development Department AAPD 1629 K Street NW, Suite 503 Washington, DC 20006 Name Address City State Zip Gift Amount: $ Gift Type: General Contribution Honor Gift Memorial Gift In memory or in honor of: If you make a memorial gift or a gift to honor someone, AAPD will send notification to that person's family. Please provide the name and address of the person to whom that notification should be mailed: Name Address City State Zip Payment Information: Check enclosed payable to AAPD VISA MasterCard Discover AmEx Credit Card Number Expiration Date (Month/Year) Name on Credit Card Signature Credit card donations can also be made by calling 1-800- 840-8844 (V/TTY) Return this form and contribution to: AAPD • 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 503 • Washington, DC 20006 A Conversation with Joyce Bender For Joyce Bender, CEO/President of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. and Bender Consulting Services of Canada, Inc., people with disabilities will not have freedom and independence until they have employment. And, this should be the most important issue among today's disability advocates. According to Bender, people with disabilities are not only the largest minority group in America (more than 50 million of us), they also want to work. Further, she adds, many people with disabilities are well educated, some because when they could not find a job they remained at universities and continued to get advanced degrees. So why is there such a high unemployment rate among people with disabilities? Ignorance and misconceptions on the part of the business community and its leaders is the main problem. Too often, Bender says, the business community views hiring people with disabilities as a "charitable decision" and not a smart business decision or they see people with disabilities as a group of "sick people." Too few businesses, she adds, include people with disabilities in their diversity planning even though we are the largest group out there and we cross all other boundaries. People with disabilities are the largest diverse group in America themselves. Bender points out that because of the retirement of baby boomers coupled with the fact that more women in the workforce has led to fewer children at home, America faces a large deficit of workers in the very near future. Businesses need to start doing something now and that something is to include people with disabilities in their employment planning and recruiting. "Employment must be a top priority for all of us in 2005 and that means educating the business community about people with disabilities. Until this happens, people with disabilities can't live the way the rest of the country does. People with disabilities don't want pity, they want a paycheck. Then they can take vacations, go to the movies, send their kids to school, etc.," Bender says. Joyce Bender is the 2003 recipient of the Bush Administration's New Freedom Initiative Award, and the 1999 President's Award, received from President Clinton at the White House, for her efforts in furthering the employment and empowerment of people with disabilities. In 1985, Joyce survived a life-threatening accident caused by a misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Due to her personal experience living with both epilepsy and a hearing disability, she founded Bender Consulting Services, Inc. in 1995 and Bender Consulting Services of Canada, Inc. in 2001. Both work to create competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Bender serves on the board of the national Epilepsy Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pennsylvania, the Central Blood Bank, the Pittsburgh Disability Employment Project for Freedom, and Tech-Link. She has been featured in various periodicals including Reader's Digest, Investors Business Daily, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Chicago Tribune. Bender holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Geneva College, and hosts the radio show, Disability Matters with Joyce Bender at www.voiceamerica.com. An Interview with Richard Baer 2004 IT Intern Richard Baer came to Washington DC as a Microsoft – AAPD Federal Intern and he found the experience so enlightening and encouraging he decided to stay. Baer, who at the time was pursing a degree in Computer Information Systems at Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, Washington, describes his experience with AAPD as eye opening. "Living with and interacting with other interns with disabilities opened my eyes to how much we can all contribute to the workforce and life in general. I have built life-long ties. I also was fortunate enough to meet many influential people through my work." Baer's internship was at the Department of Homeland Security in Springfield, Virginia. He worked in the IT Division for Land for the Customs area. Approximately 3/4 of the way through his internship, they offered him the opportunity to work full-time. He jumped at it! At Homeland Security, Baer is now a contractor whose responsibility is to ensure the user's (computer users in four of five large facilities) hardware and software is functioning correctly. Additionally, it is his job to make sure the users only have access to the information for which they are cleared or supposed to have. Baer's official title is Assistant Systems Administrator. Baer says he was able to move into full-time employment quickly because he had already completed his background investigation and clearance prior to the internship. "It only took them 35 days to clear me." Where does Baer see himself in ten years? Baer wants to continue in national security work but is open to any opportunities that might "expand his horizons." What advice does Baer have for future AAPD interns? He sums it up in two sentences. "You have nothing to lose so don't say no. Fear is just fear. You won't know what you can do until you try." Save the Date! 2005 AAPD Leadership Gala Wednesday, March 9, 2005 Washington, DC Contact AAPD for additional information: 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY) President Signs Assistive Technology Act October 26, President Bush signed the Assistive Technology Act of 2004, which will help to ensure that individuals with disabilities throughout the U.S. and its territories have access to the technology they need to help them be independent in school, at home, the workplace, and in the community. This legislation represents an important commitment to people with disabilities from the President and Congress. Millions of people with disabilities rely on assistive technology to help them gain and maintain independence. Every state and U.S. territory has an Assistive Technology Act Program (AT Program) funded under the provisions of the Technology-Related Assistance Act of 1988. Legislation supporting the State AT Programs was scheduled to sunset on September 30, 2004. The AT Act of 2004 supports the continuance of State AT Programs and eliminates the sunset provision. By eliminating the sunset provision, the government sent a clear signal that it supports a federal investment for people with disabilities, which will hopefully pay off for communities, the economy, businesses, and people with disabilities. DMD 2004 Job Shadowing Opportunities Result in Internships, Job Offers, and Long-Term Relationship Building AAPD's Disability Mentoring Day Held October 20th Just weeks ago, in regions in every state around the country and in more than 14 international locations, thousands of students and job seekers with disabilities (of all ages) job shadowed people who are in careers that interest them, thanks to Disability Mentoring Day program (DMD). AAPD is DMD National Host, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). From activities that lasted a few hours on the "officially commemorated" DMD date of October 20th, to activities in some locales that were held over a period of several weeks or even several months, both the mentees and the mentors they spent time with tell AAPD that they benefited significantly from participation in this important mentoring program. AAPD has already learned of instances where mentees around the country were offered internships, part- time jobs, or full-time jobs by the individuals who mentored them. AAPD has also received positive feedback from many mentors, who indicate that their participation gave them a much greater understanding of the disability community and of how to reach out to people with disabilities for recruiting and hiring purposes. AAPD extends its most sincere gratitude to the more than 200 volunteers around the country who served as DMD local coordinators in their communities. With guidance from the DMD national coordinator at AAPD headquarters, it is these individuals who truly make DMD happen. They reach out to the local disability community to find out who wants to participate as mentees, and connect with local business, media outlets, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to identify host mentors. Just a few highlights of the different types of activities that occur on and around DMD 2004: • DMD 2004 was officially launched from New York City, through a partnership with the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD). MOPD Executive Director Matt Sapolin was Chair of the DMD Local Organizing Committee. With Mayor Bloomberg's lead and strong coordination from MOPD, more than 250 young people and job seekers with disabilities participated as mentees throughout the city at major international corporations. The day culminated with a private reception hosted by Mayor Bloomberg for all mentees and mentors, at which the Mayor spoke and also posed for individual photos with each attendee. • In the nation's capital, 170 students and job seekers with disabilities, from 40 area schools and agencies, job shadowed mentors at almost 30 federal agencies throughout the city. This was in addition to the job shadowing done at DC-based corporations. • More than 1,000 mentees participated in DMD 2004 in Kosovo, with activities coordinated by Little People of Kosovo. Host mentors included the Kosovo government, media, and many private businesses. • In West Virginia, area students with disabilities participated in a job fair organized by the USDA Forest Service's Northeastern Research Station Princeton Forestry Sciences Laboratory. More than a dozen area businesses participated, and as part of the Fair, students arranged for follow-up mentoring at those companies/businesses. • In Midland, Michigan students and job-seekers with disabilities were mentored at major Michigan-based corporations, and some mentees were given multiple mentoring opportunities at several companies, which afforded them exposure to different jobs and company cultures. Also in Midland, local coordinator Kathy McCreedy of Diverse Ability LLC worked with Ford to extend mentoring beyond just one day. Collaboratively, they've developed a year-round program to support the career development of students with disabilities. They offer career development workshops for college students with disabilities, to assist them in developing skills to compete and succeed in jobs that have the potential of providing them with future corporate leadership roles, and Ford recruiters give the students honest and constructive feedback on their resumes and performance during mock interview processes. A wide array of activities were planned for DMD 2004, all of which afforded students and job seekers with disabilities unique and critical insights into the careers available to them and the skills, training, and education they needed to acquire in order to pursue those careers. Reports continue to come in to AAPD from local coordinators around the country and internationally, and it looks like DMD 2004 saw a significant increase in participants over the 2003 event. Please visit the official DMD website www.dmd-aapd.org to keep apprised of DMD 2004 reporting as it is received, read media accounts of the program, and view additions to the DMD 2004 photo gallery. "Unemployment and under-employment of college graduates with disabilities are still significant. The Michigan companies that participate in DMD are creating mentoring opportunities that can make the difference between having a career and being under or unemployed." Kathy McCreedy, Local Coordinator, Midland, Michigan "Merrill Lynch offered six students and job seekers with disabilities the unique chance to spend the day 'behind the scenes' at Merrill Lynch world headquarters in the New York City's financial district. The mentees had six very different experiences in six different areas of the company, based upon what they'd conveyed to us as their career aspirations. They were well prepared for and enjoyed the experience, but without a doubt, all of us at Merrill Lynch who worked directly with them benefited, too. I look forward to keeping in touch with these very talented individuals and providing them additional career guidance." Charles Hammermann Director, Private Wealth Advisor, Private Client Group, Merrill Lynch, New York City In addition to its critical partnership with ODEP, AAPD would like to recognize and once again thank the national corporate sponsors, who truly make it possible for AAPD to administer this critical national program: American Airlines America Online Inc. BellSouth Cingular Wireless Darden Restaurants Honeywell HP Independence Technology Microsoft Oracle Pitney Bowes SAP SunTrust U.S. Cellular Verizon Housing Crisis or Opportunity, the Ripple Effect By Maggie Dee, Disability Rights Advocate The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently handed down a new policy to Public Housing Authorities regarding "Section 8" Housing Choice Voucher Program created in the 1970s which, if left alone, will create the biggest shakeup in the history of HUD. It is estimated that by 2009, 650,000 people will lose their subsidized housing. Low-income families use vouchers to help defray the cost of housing. 2,600 state, regional, and local housing authorities distribute the vouchers. A strict criterion is used to assess each family's need for housing assistance, with annual reviews determining the level of subsidy required to keep people safely housed. Housing standards determine the "fair market value" in the area from which rents are determined. People with disabilities have adapted their homes to meet their specific needs to live independently. Losing this modified unit or house means one resource for those facing homelessness: shelters. And, few shelters are accessible for people with disabilities. The chance of finding appropriate affordable accessible housing is highly unlikely. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the outcomes for subsidies have been carefully researched. They include, better quality housing for children, reduced welfare receipt, and success for low-income adults in the workplace. At risk are those recipients who have a better quality of life and safer neighborhoods in which to live. HUD does not view these policy changes as being a move to end assistance. "I don't see any significant impact these changes will bring," Bennie Howard, the HUD spokesperson on disability issues in the Office of the Secretary, said. "The Secretary's intent is home ownership for people with disabilities." ADAPT's Bob Kafka said, "The rule changes by HUD that have resulted in cutbacks and freezes on the Section 8 Voucher Program that assists low income Americans to get assistance in paying for housing is a continuation of the institutional bias that permeates all programs serving disabled Americans. Since our delivery system is so fragmented, cutbacks in any one area, such as accessible affordable integrated housing, has the ripple effects of keeping or forcing people into nursing homes and other institutions." The Ripple Effect Nationwide, the ripple of change from HUD offices in Washington is felt in tidal wave proportions at the local levels. A number of Public Housing Authorities have issued letters to hundreds of their Section 8 Voucher recipients stating they will no longer be subsidized due to recent policy changes at HUD. Thousand across the nation are scrambling to find cheap housing, which is at a premium in every community across the land. The homeless are now using garages and abandoned buildings. Community shelters are filled to capacity during winter months. State and Federal parks have time limits imposed to keep out the homeless population. More people are found squatting on private property when owners cannot monitor vast sections of land. People with disabilities and families live on the street in abandoned cars today as they wait for their name to surface to the top of the waiting lists. Many cannot find housing within the 60-day time frame given to all new voucher holders, losing their only chance to secure a safe place to live. Thousands of people are on waiting lists across the nation. Any hope of getting a voucher has been dashed if the new policy stays in place. Thousands of new people will face homelessness in the next few months unless there is a stay on the new policy. A Housing Authority executive director, Robert McEwan, Contra Costa County in California said when asked what his first impressions were regarding the new policies, "Panic Mode." He said, "These body blows from HUD make it difficult to read the tea leaves." California Housing Partnership Corporation executive director, Matt Schwartz, said of the divisive HUD policy changes, "It effectively is breaking the Federal commitment to fully fund the last remaining program for the low income population." HUD's new policy changes have rippled further than expected, Wall Street is abuzz, bond traders have warned their clients that the new HUD policy might create problems and to take a wait-and-see approach before investing in affordable housing. A New England bank withdrew a home mortgage program which was to promote home ownership through the Section 8‚ Housing Choice Voucher Program. The attempt to control HUD subsidy costs by pushing the program into a block grant program has serious consequences. First and foremost, no one understands how HUD has calculated the formula. A rash of Housing Authorities regional meetings have been held across the nation. Statements based on the meetings have been issued to HUD. HUD has said that it is willing to take another look at how they calculated their formula for the new policy. However, there is little hope that the formula will change. HUD allocations during the Clinton Administration dropped from 15 years down to 1.5 years. The sudden shift was the first major change. Under the existing Administration, President Bush made an effort to block grant the program. However, those efforts failed. The Bush Administration favors block granting because it is easier to cut funding during each year's budget process. In addition, it is more difficult to identify specific consequences of reducing Federal funding. Tight caps are easier to control on non-entitlement programs that Congress chooses to fund. Is There a Way Out of This Mess? Reverses in policy for a stated period of time while details are worked out at all levels. Consumer involvement at all levels, community, regionally, and at HUD. Build a consensus from all players, offering opportunities and options to developers of affordable housing and to those who are interested in home ownership and all programs that fall in-between the two. Options, instead of mandates bring people to the table sharing creative ways to meet the need for housing assistance thereby, turning a crisis into an opportunity for all those facing an otherwise bleak housing outcome. AAPD Welcomes New Board Members AAPD congratulates the following newly elected and re- elected Board members: Kathleen Behan (new) James Billy The Honorable Judith Heumann Vail Horton (new) Ted Kennedy, Jr. Wendy Elliott-Vandivier (new) Fred Weiner Search for Fashion 'Roll Models' A nationwide search for women in wheelchairs who are remarkable 'roll models' is being launched by Discovery Through Design. Top fashion designers will partner with wheelchair manufacturer, Quickie Inc. of Sunrise Medical, to design wheelchairs for the three winners. On May 17, these one-of-a-kind wheelchairs will be unveiled at a fashion show in NYC. The fashion show will celebrate the winning 'roll models' and raise money for spinal cord injury research. For more information visit www.discoverythroughdesign.org. Are You Receiving JFA E-mail Alerts? If not, would you like to receive these critical alerts distributed by AAPD? Subscribe by sending an e-mail to: majordomo@jfanow.org. Have You Visited the AAPD Website Lately? Find the latest listings of available scholarships and employment opportunities information at www.aapd-dc.org . . Recently, AAPD has added a new website feature that explores AAPD members' personal experiences. AAPD invites you to write a personal story sharing your own thoughts and feelings about how you coped with the onset of a disability or health condition. Stories will appear on AAPD's website. E-mail your story to dianedeangelis@earthlink.net. From an AAPD Member ... "I had given up trying to get a wheelchair-accessible van for my 18-year old son. Then I joined AAPD. Not only did we get help with access sites on the Internet and information, but they connected us with Access Mobility & Finance, Inc. (AMF) and the Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU). After being turned down by many auto dealerships, our access to AMF and DCU through our membership in AAPD allowed us to purchase a new van with wheelchair ramp and adjustable seats. The whole process was completed in just two weeks! We are excited and grateful to AAPD for helping us get a long-term affordable loan so I no longer need to lift my son and his wheelchair into our old van. Thanks to everyone!" AAPD Member Chris Peters, Pennsylvania AAPD MEMBERSHIP/RENEWAL APPLICATION ____ NEW AAPD MEMBERSHIP ____ RENEWAL AAPD MEMBERSHIP (MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: _____________) I NEED AN ALTERNATE FORMAT FOR MEMBERSHIP MATERIALS: ____ BRAILLE ____ LARGE PRINT ____ AUDIO CASSETTE ____ COMPUTER DISK ____ SEND TO EMAIL ________________________________ NAME: ______________________________________________ STREET: ______________________________________________ CITY: ______________________________________________ STATE: _______________________ ZIP: _____________________ PHONE/TTY: ________________________________________ EMAIL: _____________________________________________ ENCLOSED IS MY MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT FOR: ____ $20 (THREE YEARS) ____ $15 (TWO YEARS) ____ $8 (ONE YEAR) I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TO AAPD IN THE AMOUNT OF: ____ $10 ____ $20 ____ $50 ____ OTHER $ ________ TOTAL PAYMENT: $ _________ METHOD OF PAYMENT: ____ CHECK ENCLOSED ____ VISA ____ MASTERCARD ____ DISCOVER ____ AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD NUMBER: _____________________________________________ EXPIRATION DATE: _____________________________________________ NAME ON CREDIT CARD: _____________________________________________ SIGNATURE: _____________________________________________ MAIL ENROLLMENT FORM TO: AAPD MEMBERSHIP SERVICES P.O. BOX 97045 WASHINGTON, DC 20090-7045 TOLL-FREE: 1-866-241-3200 (V/TTY) PLEASE CALL OR MAIL NOTIFICATION OF ANY ADDRESS CHANGES. DISABILITIES IN THE U.S. ------------------------- TO REQUEST AN ALTERNATE FORMAT CALL 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY). FOR AAPD MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES: TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE 1-866-241-3200 (V/TTY) WRITTEN AAPD MEMBER SERVICES OFFICE 258 MAIN STREET, SUITE 203 MILFORD, MA 01757 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.AAPD-DC.ORG