AAPDnews A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR AAPD MEMBERS Spring 2006 INSIDE: Medicaid Commission Update 2006 AAPD Leadership Gala Highlights and Sponsors Preparing for 2006 Primaries AAPD, UCP, The Arc Co-Host Historic Disability Vote Summit in May New Disability Vote Alliance Forms in Response (Photo – EAC’s Paul DeGregorio) There is strength in numbers. This simple axiom drives the AAPD’s Disability Vote Project’s mission and structure. We seek a powerful voice for people with disabilities in the political process while recognizing that the realization of this goal requires a very broad, collaborative national effort. To that end, AAPD joined United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and The Arc of the United States in co-hosting an historic disability vote conference, Closing the Political Participation Gap: National Disability Strategy Summit 2006, on May 18 to May 19 in Washington, DC. Held at Gallaudet University, the world’s only university where all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate Deaf and hard of hearing students, the second- annual Summit brought together a diverse coalition of disability vote advocates from 17 different states and more than 10 national disability groups for two days of best practices education and long-term planning discussions. Day one of the Summit provided an impressive collection of expert speakers and peer panelists who offered valuable, field tested lessons for advocates to implement into their existing disability vote programs, while day two yielded the foundation and momentum for a new national disability vote coalition, the Disability Vote Alliance. Day one opened with welcoming remarks from Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of AAPD, and Stephen Bennett, President and CEO of UCP, that highlighted the importance of building a disability voting bloc and set the tone for the conference. Other day one highlights included a panel discussion on building and sustaining a state-level disability vote coalition, a candid voter registration presentation from the executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, and an informative, interactive presentation from two leading list management experts. Day one was all about the nuts and bolts of successful disability vote efforts – straight talk about what infrastructure (voter lists, a coalition, volunteers, etc.) and knowledge (laws, regulations and implementation strategies) are required to empower more people with disabilities to engage in the political process. The day ended with a lively networking reception sponsored by Cingular Wireless. Among the attendees was Paul DeGregorio, Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and serves as a national clearinghouse and resource for information and review of procedures related to the administration of Federal elections. Mr. DeGregorio spoke briefly about the EAC’s disability-specific activities and lingered for a series of one-on-one discussions. Day two began with presentations on disability vote funding options and get-out-the-vote (voter mobilization) techniques, but the emphasis was on action steps – what can we collectively do to build a meaningful disability voting bloc. The seeds for the action discussion had been planted at an AAPD-organized May 17 pre-Summit meeting, which had convened a cross-section of state and national groups for a candid, revealing discussion about disability vote initiatives to date – what has worked, what has not, and what should be done differently going forward – and created a platform for action. The resulting action steps primarily focused on establishing regular communication and sharing resources, making the formation of a disability vote coalition, the Disability Vote Alliance, a natural progression. The Disability Vote Alliance has already created a logo and mission statement and its activities going forward are beginning to take shape. While officially formed after the Summit, the Disability Vote Alliance and its resulting momentum are undoubtedly Summit outcomes and AAPD is proud that its Disability Vote Project’s leadership has helped bring the coalition to fruition. On behalf of all people with disabilities, AAPD extends a debt of gratitude to its Summit co-hosts, UCP and The Arc, all of the Summit sponsors – American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), National Spinal Cord Industry Association, National Disability Rights Network, NISH, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) – as well as all Summit attendees. None of us can realize our shared goal of a powerful disability voting bloc alone, and while AAPD is proud of its continued leadership on this issue, we are more proud to be part of a growing coalition. (Photo - U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Cari Dominguez presented a Paul G. Hearne Award to Anisha Imhoff-Kerr. Disability Mentoring Day™ 2006 Save the Date! 2006 Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) will be officially commemorated on October 18. AAPD is looking for individuals who would like to serve as local or statewide Disability Mentoring Day coordinators. AAPD will provide volunteers all of the necessary information and tools. The goal is to have a coordinator in every county in every state. For information on how to participate as a mentee, employer mentor, or local coordinator, please visit the AAPD website at www.dmd-aapd.org, contact AAPD at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY), or contact the DMD national coordinator by email at dmdaapd@aol.com. National Sponsors AAPD extends its gratitude to its 2006 DMD partners and sponsors, without whom the program could not happen. The lead sponsor of this year’s DMD program is Darden Restaurants; the lead public sponsor is the Social Security Administration. Additionally, SAP sponsors Disability MentorNet, and Verizon is lead national corporate sponsor. Please visit the DMD website (www.dmd-aapd.org) to learn about these and other 2006 national corporate sponsors. AAPD MEMBERS Unity for Gallaudet (Photo – Andrew J. Imparato, AAPD President and CEO) Dear Members: On May 1, the Board of Trustees of Gallaudet University announced their selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes to be the Ninth President of Gallaudet University when AAPD co- founder Dr. I. King Jordan retires at the end of this calendar year. Dr. Jordan, who became president after Gallaudet students and alumni demanded a Deaf president as part of the Deaf President Now (DPN) protest in 1988, quickly announced his strong support for Dr. Fernandes, a Deaf woman whom Dr. Jordan selected for Gallaudet Provost in 2000. After the Board of Trustees announced their decision, a group of students, staff, faculty and alumni reacted negatively and shut down the main entrance to the campus, created a tent city near the entrance as a visible expression of their dissent, and banded together as the “Faculty, Students, Staff and Alumni (FSSA) Coalition.” Why did the selection of Dr. Fernandes spur such a strong reaction from many diverse segments of the Gallaudet community? According to Dr. Fernandes and Dr. Jordan, the protestors are upset because Dr. Fernandes was not raised in a culturally Deaf environment with Deaf parents. Some people are angry because they don’t believe Dr. Fernandes is “Deaf enough,” they explained. The national media quickly accepted that explanation, and the sound bite became that the protest was a culture war about what it means to be Deaf in the 21st century. After going to the campus and spending several hours meeting with the protestors and the Board of Trustees to try to facilitate a resolution to the conflict, I am convinced that the reasons for the ongoing protest are much more complicated than the mainstream media explanation would have us believe. The protestors have demanded that the Board of Trustees reopen the search process because they believe the process that produced Dr. Fernandes was fundamentally unfair. The protestors note that one of the three white finalists presented to the Board of Trustees by the search committee did not have a Ph.D., whereas an African-American semi-finalist (Dr. Glenn Anderson) did have a Ph.D. and had served successfully as Chair of the Board of Trustees up until 2005. Perhaps more significantly, the protestors note that the overwhelming majority of students and faculty have indicated to the Board of Trustees that they do not favor Dr. Fernandes, and they do not have confidence in her ability to bring the diverse campus together, increase academic excellence at the university, and/or inspire the international Deaf community in the way that Dr. Jordan has in his 18 years as the university’s eighth president. Having worked with her for six years as Provost and five years before that as the head of the pre-college program at Gallaudet, some of the protestors see Dr. Fernandes as divisive, autocratic, and lacking in leadership qualities. They are concerned that her demonstrated shortcomings, accompanied with the increased power that would accompany her new role, will result in serious harm to the campus climate and standing of the university among alumni and donors. It is difficult to discern what path the Gallaudet Board of Trustees should take over the Summer and into the Fall to try to reassure thousands of angry alumni, faculty, staff and students. On May 12, the day of commencement, the Board announced that Dr. Fernandes would be stepping down from her current duties as Provost so that she can lead a search to find a replacement for that position, and so that she can have more time to address some of the diversity and justice issues that the protestors had been raising since May 1. The protestors, many of whom are risking their jobs and their careers, have issued statements since May 12 expressing their resolve to keep the protest going until the Board reopens the search process. So why should all of this matter to AAPD members? First, the Deaf President Now (DPN) protest at Gallaudet in 1988 was a critical victory for the concept that disabled people are able to lead large institutions that were created for our benefit. Inspired by the national consciousness-raising that accompanied DPN, many disability advocates were able to leverage that success into broader support in Congress for the Americans with Disabilities Act (which passed two years later in 1990). By portraying the protest as part of a larger culture war in the Deaf community, the mainstream media have tainted the image of Gallaudet and the Deaf community in the public consciousness. The largely Deaf protestors have been branded as militant, somewhat petty, and unwilling to accept 21st century realities that more and more Deaf and hard of hearing people are getting cochlear implants. Having spent several hours with the protestors and the Board of Trustees, I believe that everyone involved loves the university, appreciates and values the diverse constituencies that work and study there, and has a compelling vision for the future of the university. Although the protestors are resolute in their demands, I have not experienced them to be militant, petty, or out of touch. If anything, I have found them to be magnanimous, loving, and remarkably unified in their message and strategy. Their slogan, “Unity for Gallaudet,” certainly communicates their core desire and belief. I encourage AAPD members to visit the protestors’ website at www.gallyfssa.org and visit the official university website at www.gallaudet.edu to see both sides of this issue. I stand ready to work with the Board of Trustees and the broader campus community to seek an equitable resolution of this ongoing leadership crisis, and I ask for the support of AAPD members around the country for Dr. Jordan, Dr. Fernandes, the FSSA, and the broader Gallaudet community as they struggle to resolve a difficult situation. Andrew J. Imparato AAPD President and CEO Low-Income Beneficiaries Given Flexibility on Medicare Part D Deadline Neither Congress nor the Administration was willing to extend the deadline for most people who were eligible for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan. That deadline was May 15 and anyone who had not signed up for the Part D Plan was barred from receiving coverage until 2007 and then will be hit with a lifetime late enrollment penalty equal to one percent of the monthly premium for each month after the deadline. However, on May 9, 2006, the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) announced low-income beneficiaries have until December 31, 2006, to enroll in the Part D program without penalty. To qualify for low-income subsidies, single beneficiaries must have an income under $14,700 and total assets under $11,500. Couples must have an annual income under $19,800 and total assets under $23,000. Approximately half of the nearly six million senior citizens and people with disabilities who had not registered for the Part D Prescription Drug Plan prior to May 15 are eligible for the low-income subsidies. For more information go to www.cms.hhs.gov, and you’ll find the Medicare Part D information link listed on the right side of the website under CMS Highlights. Meet AAPD Volunteer and Disability Advocate Diane Johnson Jones (Photo – Diane Johnson Jones) Diane Johnson Jones is a lifelong advocate for individuals with disabilities. As the wife of a lifetime military professional, she has brought her disability advocacy and passion to other military families, benefiting countless children and adults with disabilities. AAPD is also honored to have Diane as a wonderful new friend – she served as a co-chair of the 2006 AAPD Leadership Gala. Jones’ disability activities are extensive. She worked in special education as a teacher and administrator of programs and placements for students with learning disabilities and with multiple disabilities. She is a member and past board member of The Arc, an honorary member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and has served on the Board of Directors for Gabriel Homes, a non-profit organization in Virginia that provides community residential programs for those with disabilities. Jones also served as the Director of the Parent Resource Center in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is on the Board of Directors of E.P. Global Communications, Inc. and Exceptional Parent Magazine. But, perhaps Jones never did more for the disability community then when she was “First Lady of the Marine Corps.” Jones’ husband, Jim, was the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps before serving as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) and the Commander of the United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM). As “First Lady” Jones brought all of her commitment and compassion to Marine families who had members with disabilities. “As soon as Jim became Commandant, I became involved in the Exceptional Family Member Program. It did not take long for me to see the families needed more of a support system.” Jones did just that. She made the Marine Corps Exceptional Family Member Program a model project support system for the military. Under her direction and guidance, the Exceptional Family Member Program grew into a partnership between families, base personnel and community resources. On every major Marine Corps base she established and fostered a Committee for Persons with Disabilities with membership open to families and representatives of the military and community. Jones helped Marine families understand that they were their best advocates and showed them how to advocate for their family member who had a disability, be it a child or an adult. For many families it was the first time they could access help from the community as well as from the base. The support services and private partnerships created by Jones resulted in improved accessibility, childcare, respite care and recreation options. Additionally, a private fund was established to assist families in affording equipment and services otherwise not available to them. Through this fund, families were able to get things that were not easily obtained through insurance. Prior to her departure from Washington DC in 2003, she was again recognized for her visible role in championing military family readiness and quality of life issues when she was awarded the Secretary of Defense Outstanding Public Service Medal and the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. Jones’ greatest wish is that this important program she helped establish will be standardized throughout the military. Medicaid Commission Works Towards Final Report by Gwen Gillenwater, a Medicaid Commission Member and AAPD Senior Director for Public Policy and Outreach (Photo – Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt was the keynote speaker at the 2006 AAPD Leadership Gala) The Medicaid Commission met in Dallas, Texas May 17 and 18 to continue discussions and presentations aimed at helping the commission write its final report this December, 2006. The report will be submitted to Health and Human Services Secretary, Michael Leavitt, and will make recommendations about the future of Medicaid for 2007 and beyond. Criteria for the Final Report’s Recommendations Include: • all recommendations must have a major impact on the Medicaid program, • all recommendations must address the long-term sustainability of the Medicaid program, • recommendations must not increase aggregate Medicaid costs, • recommendations must not increase the number of uninsured, and • all long-term care recommendations should honor Secretary Leavitt’s direction. The Dallas meeting continued the commission’s focus on long-term care. Panel sessions covered such topics as serving the elderly and people with long-term disabilities, with special attention given to people who are dually eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. Individuals participating in the meeting included Bob Kafka, national organizer for ADAPT; representatives from United Health Care and from the Commonwealth Care Alliance; officials from the states of Texas and New York; Lisa Alexcin from the Lewin Group; Martha Roherty from the National Association of State Medicaid Directors; and Dennis Smith, Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Future Medicaid Commission meetings will be held in Washington, DC. Tentative dates and the focus for those meetings are as follows: • July 11-12: Quality and information technology. • September 13-14: Program administration. • November: Concluding deliberations and voting on recommendations for the final report. “Member’s Speak” Will Return in the Next Issue – When AAPDnews Focuses on Housing Email us at AAPDeditor@aol.com and let us know your thoughts and experiences with housing for the disability community. Fifth-Annual AAPD Leadership Gala Held March 8 600 Gather To Recognize Leaders and Share Advocacy On March 8th, more than 600 people gathered at the fifth annual AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC to honor four extraordinary individuals: the recipients of the Henry Betts Award, Paul G. Hearne/ AAPD Leadership Awards and the Linda Chavez- Thompson Award. This year’s gala was co-emceed by distinguished journalist Judy Woodruff and The Honorable Tony Coelho, a member of the AAPD executive committee. Attendees included leaders of the disability and civil rights communities, senior members of the Administration, Members of Congress, business leaders and advocates. The keynote speaker was Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt, who said, “We all recognize the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All of us benefit when people with disabilities are able to participate fully in our lives and in our communities. I want to make clear that HHS will continue its work to ensure that’s true.” The Henry B. Betts Award was presented to AAPD co-founder John D. Kemp, who has dedicated his life to enhancing the rights of people with disabilities. Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards were presented to Anisha Imhoff-Kerr, a full-time college student who works to reduce stigma in the educational community so students with disabilities can get a meaningful education, and Megan O’Neil, a recognized expert on asset building for people with disabilities. AAPD presented the 2006 Linda Chavez-Thompson Award to a pioneering labor leader, Barbara Easterling, Secretary – Treasurer of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The evening’s lead sponsors were Independence Technology, a Johnson&Johnson company, and SAP, each contributing $100,000. AAPD extends its deepest appreciation to all sponsors and attendees for their tremendous support. Revenues from the gala subsidize AAPD’s core national programs, including leadership development, public policy development, mentoring, career exploration, voter registration and nonpartisan get-out- the-vote efforts. Please visit the website to learn more about the event sponsors and to view the 2006 AAPD Leadership Gala photo gallery: www.aapd.com. (Photo - The Honorable Tony Coelho presented a Paul G. Hearne Award to Megan O’Neil.) (Photo - John D. Kemp, recipient of the 2006 Henry B. Betts Award.) (Photo - Disability rights activist Yoshiko Dart greeting Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta at the Gala.) (Photo - Barbara Easterling (left), recipient of the 2006 Linda Chavez-Thompson Award, with the award’s namesake.) 2006 AAPD Leadership Gala Sponsors Lead Sponsors - $100,000 each Independence Technology, a Johnson&Johnson company SAP $50,000 American Airlines Prince Charitable Trusts -(Henry B. Betts Award sponsor) $25,000 Bank of America Bristol-Myers Squibb FreddieMac HealthSouth Invacare National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA) Pfizer Recording Industry Association of America Time Warner Verizon Foundation $10,000 AARP Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP AT&T BellSouth Boeing CTIA – The Wireless Association Cingular Wireless Clear Channel Darden Restaurants Lockheed Martin Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (Paul G. Hearne Award sponsor) National Association of Broadcasters National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) NISH Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation (Paul G. Hearne Award sponsor) Viacom Visa USA Walt Disney Corporation $5,000 AdvaMed Bender Consulting Services CSX Comcast Communications Workers of America DaimlerChrysler DIRECTV Hewlett-Packard Hammerman and Fisch Foundation IBM International Institute for Healthcare and Human Development JPMorgan Chase Microsoft Motorola NewsCorporation Oracle Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville Ullico United Spinal Association $2,500 Booz Allen Hamilton Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) Easter Seals Eli Lilly and Co. Pamela and Barry Fingerhut Philanthropic Fund Marwood Group The Honorable and Mrs. Jim Sensenbrenner Sheet Metal Workers International Association Sprint Sunrise Medical SunTrust Bank TracFone Wisconsin Energy $1,000 AFL-CIO AMS Management Services CENTECH Yoshiko Dart Epilepsy Foundation Gallaudet University The Honorable Judith Heumann Hopkins Printing Issue Dynamics Motion Picture Association of America Novartis Potomac Counsel Paralyzed Veterans of America United Cerebral Palsy Universal Music Group Washington Center for Interns AAPD and Cornell University Host Second in Series of Employment Policy Forums April 6, 2006, AAPD and Cornell University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Policy held its second quarterly employment policy forum. The forum, 21st Century Solidarity: Promoting a Living Wage and Civil Rights for All Workers, featured speakers representing labor unions from the U.S., U.K. and Canada and focused on greater collaboration between the labor and the disability rights movements. The forum was attended by approximately 100 individuals representing labor unions, disability rights organizations, federal agencies and congressional offices. Richard Womack, of the AFL-CIO, moderated the forum. Speakers included Dave Parr of the Disability Champions @ Work Project in the U.K., Louis Guida of the Committee of Interns and Residents (an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union) and co- coordinator of the Save Our Safety Net Campaign in New York, Barbara Byers of the Canadian Labour Congress and Larry Trayner from the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force of the American Postal Workers Union. Each speaker shared their experiences with their respective union’s initiatives and work with people with disabilities. Parr spoke of the work of the Disability Champions @ Work Project, an initiative created by the trade union Amicus as part of the European Year of Disabled People 2003. He views this work as “a trade union approach to enhancing the quality of working life for disabled people in the U.K.” He is currently collaborating with Guida from the Save Our Safety Net Campaign. Byers, Executive Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), spoke of the Mobilize, Organize, Represent and Educate (MORE) Campaign spearheaded by CLC’s Disability Rights Working Group. Trayner spoke of the APWU’s initiative to provide a forum for APWU members to address their concerns in the workplace, union and broader society. AAPD and Cornell University hope the forums will continue to stimulate discussion and enhance collaborative efforts between the labor and disability movements in improving the lives of working families in the U.S. For a report on the Forum go to www.daveparr.co.uk/dc/frames.htm. (Photo - Speakers at the April 6th Employment Policy Forum share their experiences on how the labor and disability movements can collaborate to create more disability-friendly workplaces. Speakers in the photo (L-R) are: Louis Guida, Barbara Byers, and Larry Trayner.) AAPD Members Benefit From New Accessibility Requirements by Dominic Marinelli, Director, Accessibility Services, United Spinal Association Some Background Information Since the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) issued an 11 page document, Specifications for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by the physically handicapped in 1961, there has been steady improvement in the requirements designed to provide the accessibility provided in our built environment. In 1969, the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) introduced requirements to ensure that federal buildings were made accessible. Four years later, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applied the ABA’s requirements to any program or activity that receives federal funds – including colleges and universities attended by students receiving federal tuition assistance. ANSI was revised in 1971, 1986, 1992, 1998 and 2003. The Accessibility Requirements introduced in the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (FHAct) were applied in any newly constructed multi-family housing project (apartment buildings with four or more units) in 1991. In 1992, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) required that alterations to state and local government buildings and business (public accommodations) provide accessibility. In 1993, these requirements were expanded to newly constructed buildings. New Guidelines from 2004 Even while we wait for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to complete their work declaring the Revised ADA/Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines of 2004 enforceable, the steady improvement of accessibility requirements continues. In developing these latest accessibility requirements the U.S. Access Board, the agency that develops federal accessibility standards, worked to ensure their new specifications would be as close as possible to the access required by national building codes like the International Building Code (IBC). Similar efforts were made to ensure that this national building code would mandate the same access that is required by the FHAct. The latest accessibility standards include technical requirements for accessibility for children as well as specifics for tiered stadium style movie-theaters and stadium and arena design. In courtrooms, wheelchair users will have access to the jury box, the witness stand and even the judge’s bench. If you are disabled and convicted of a crime in an accessible court, an accessible cell will await you in prison! Criteria for providing accessibility in swimming pools, through the installation of transfer tiers or ramps, and requirements for firm surfaces and transfer areas at elevated and non- elevated equipment at playgrounds, as well as access for amusement park rides, boating facilities, fishing piers and golf courses and outdoor shooting facilities will benefit AAPD members and their families. Perhaps the largest improvement in the Revised ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines is the life safety criteria including visual alarm requirements to better warn people with hearing disabilities of a fire and the use of specially equipped elevators to allow fire fighters to evacuate wheelchair users from a building’s upper and lower stories. For more information on the original and Revised Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines go to the Access Board’s website: www.access-board.gov. Knowledge of History Promotes Successful Future for Youth with Disabilities by Rebecca Hare, NCLD-Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership Recent research reports an understanding of disability history, culture and public policy issues helps young people with disabilities successfully transition into adulthood. And, youth organizations across the country are helping young people with disabilities access this information. But that is not all that is happening. While organizations such as state youth leadership forums (YLF), the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) and 15 youth resource information and training centers are all working on helping youth and emerging leaders with disabilities access this critical information, two youth projects are working to educate all youth about disability history, culture and community. The first such project began last summer when West Virginia held their first YLF with an agenda set by Marissa Johnson, former chair of the NYLN. The forum included a heavy emphasis on the history, culture and community of the disability movement. The delegates started out as a group of young people with different disabilities, ethnicities, backgrounds and experiences and ended with a community of new advocates and leaders brought together by a single mission: empowerment. The turning point for this group to include all youth came when a call was placed to advocates who were simultaneously sitting in at the Governor’s office in Tennessee, protesting cuts to Medicaid. When the young people saw how important this issue is, they quickly wanted to do something to make others aware of the disability rights movement. The West Virginia youth used the House chambers and worked with Speaker of the House, Bob Kiss, to write a “Justin and Yoshiko Dart Disability History Week” bill. As written, the bill would dedicate one week in October (Disability Employment Month) as Disability History week. Its purpose would be to educate all children in public schools about the importance of the disability civil rights movement. Speaker Kiss was so impressed with the preparation and presentation he agreed to sponsor a real bill, to be written and lobbied by the delegates in the next legislative session. This is the first time we have heard of this happening, but it is quickly catching on. Council members of the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD-Youth), a youth led resource information and training center for youth and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities in Florida were so excited to hear about the West Virginia model they are using it as a model for their own piece of legislation. Working with other youth leaders from their YLF, High School/ High Tech projects and AAPD’s Disability Mentoring Day, they are hoping to have a draft ready sometime in the near future. NCLD- Youth will be planning a conference call for those interested in doing similar work within their own states. For more information, contact Rebecca Hare at (202) 822-8405 x127 or (877) 871-0665 (TTY) or email harer@iel.org. Primaries Play Major Role in Political Discussion Have you ever been annoyed by political candidates who do not include people with disabilities in their campaign ads or speeches? The reason we are left out is because we do not organize ourselves to turn out voters in the primaries. In fact, in the 2004 elections, only 16.2 percent of Americans with disabilities voted in the primaries. Organizations on the left and the right put as much effort into primaries as they do into the general election. Even if there is an uncontested race or if the seat is safely in one party’s hands, sophisticated and effective groups maximize their impact through primary elections. In many ways it’s easier to have a large impact because primaries generally have such a low voter turn out. It takes roughly 180,000 votes to win a Congressional seat. So, if your organization is effective in turning out only 1,000 voters, your message is lost in the crowd. However, to win the average Congressional primary, only 33,000 votes are needed, so those same 1,000 votes will stand out and be effective. An unexpected increase in voter turnout from a particular constituency group will make the candidate take note of this new constituency. Whereas, during the general election the candidates have already locked in their issues, the primary is the dress rehearsal to see if their message resonates. Candidates learn their sound bites in the primary. This is where a constituency group can have the greatest impact. During a general election everyone wants to meet with the candidate. During the primary very few are interested in the candidate. Campaign managers struggle to find events or venues to get their candidates exposure. A request to meet with voters, especially new voters they do not expect, gets attention. Please keep this information in mind, read the primary schedule in this newsletter, get registered, and vote! Several Groups Challenge New York’s Vote Plan in Court In Albany, New York, a group of voter-eligible citizens, which includes individuals with various disabilities and limited-English-proficient Asian American voters, joined a broad coalition of disability, civic and civil rights organizations in filing a motion to intervene in the lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against New York State and its election officials. These individuals and organizations seek an injunction requiring the State to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and interrelated New York law, to submit an effective compliance plan with the court and to ensure a legal implementation process that will vindicate the rights of all eligible voters, including those with disabilities and limited English proficiency. For more information on disability vote go to www.aapd.com/dvpmain/ indexvotenews.php. Interested in Participating in a Disability Vote Coalition? Below is a list of States with contact information for the leaders. If your State does not appear on this list and you would like to start a Disability Vote Coalition in your State, please call Jim Dickson at AAPD (202) 457-0046 x23 (V/TTY) or (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). STATE CITY LEADER PHONE EMAIL CA Grass Valley Ana Acton (530) 272-1732 ana@freed.org Michelle Bishop mbishop@paraquad.org DC Washington Richard A. Simms (202) 388-0033 rsimms@dccil.org FL Tallahassee Chip Wilson (904) 374-9230 chipwilson@yahoo.com GA Atlanta Gretl Glick (404) 523-6674 gglick@georgiagates.org IL Bloomington Gail Kear (309) 663-5433 gail@lifecil.org IL Springfield Cheryl R. Jensen (217) 544-0464 cherylj2@equipforequality.org IN Bloomington Elbert Johns (812) 323-0626 ejohns@thearclink.org MD Silver Spring Kimball Gray (301) 585-9771 Kimball.gray@verizon.net MT Helena Raylynn Lauderdale (406) 449-2344 raylynn@mtadv.org NE Lincoln Kathy Hoell (402) 438-7979 nesile@alltell.net NY Albany Brad Williams (518) 427-1060 nysilc@nysilc.org NY New York Lunetha Lancaster (212) 674-2300 x113 llancaster@cidny.org OH Gahanna Kay Grier (614) 892-0390 kgrier@ohiosilc.org OK Oklahoma City Nancy Ward (405) 528-1900 nward@thedesk.info PA Harrisburg Amy Selders (717) 364-1732 alselders@pasilc.org PA Philadelphia Fran Fulton (215) 634-2000 x225 franfulton@libertyresources.org RI N. Kingstown James deBoer (401) 295-5757 jldeboer@gmail.com TN Nashville Todd Hash (615) 383-9442 todd_h@tndisability.org WI Madison Howard Seifert (608) 267-9897 seifehf@dhfs.state.wi.us Suit Against Kmart Settled Kmart recently entered into an agreement to settle a class action lawsuit, Lucas v. Kmart Corporation, regarding the accessibility of its stores for people who use wheelchairs or scooters for mobility. Under the settlement, if an individual used or uses a wheelchair or scooter for mobility and shopped at a Kmart in a “damage state” (CA, CO, HI, MA, NY, OR and TX) between May 6, 2003 and July 7, 2006, s/he may be eligible for monetary recovery. For more information, visit www.Kmart AccessSettlement.com, or call (888) 366- 3552 or (888) 366-5352 (TTY). Medicare Rule Guarantees Continuity of Drugs The Bush administration issued a new policy on April 26 that protects Medicare beneficiaries against sudden loss of coverage for drugs they are taking under Medicare Part D. Under the policy, insurers can still change their lists of covered drugs, formularies, but they must exempt beneficiaries who are now taking those drugs. For more information go to www.cms.gov or call (800) MEDICARE or (877) 486-2048 (TTY). 2006 State Primaries by Month (Check online at www.fvap.gov for changes/updates.) JUNE Alabama June 6 California June 6 Iowa June 6 Mississippi June 6 Montana June 6 New Jersey June 6 New Mexico June 6 South Dakota June 6 Maine June 13 North Dakota June 13 South Carolina June 13 Virginia June 13 Utah June 27 JULY Georgia July 18 Oklahoma July 25 AUGUST Kansas August 1 Tennessee August 3 Colorado August 8 Connecticut August 8 Michigan August 8 Missouri August 8 Nevada August 15 Alaska August 22 Wyoming August 22 SEPTEMBER Guam September 2 Florida September 5 Virgin Islands September 11 Arizona September 12 Delaware September 12 Dist. of Columbia September 12 Maryland September 12 Minnesota September 12 New Hampshire September 12 New York September 12 Rhode Island September 12 Vermont September 12 Wisconsin September 12 Massachusetts September 19 Washington September 19 Hawaii September 23 OCTOBER No Primaries Scheduled NOVEMBER Louisiana November 7 DECEMBER No Primaries Scheduled ANNOUNCEMENTS JENIFER SIMPSON JOINS AAPD STAFF Jenifer Simpson joined AAPD May 1 as Senior Director, Telecommunications and Technology Policy. Simpson’s background includes membership on the U.S. Access Board’s 1997-98 Telecommunications Accessibility & Advisory Committee (TAAC). More recently she was a Telecommunications Accessibility Specialist in the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, and previously, an Employment Advisor at the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Prior professional activities include 11 years at United Cerebral Palsy Associations’ national office, as a policy associate on their Governmental Activities team. Simpson is the mother of Joshua, a 21-year old with cerebral palsy. LOAN FORGIVENESS AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed new legislation aimed at addressing the country’s critical shortage of qualified special education teachers. The new provision will forgive loans up to $17,500 for individuals who are now or who are seeking to become special education teachers. It is hoped that the legislation will serve as an incentive for college students to study special education. For more information, visit the AAPD website at www.aapd.com/News/education/060420ed.htm VERIZON DEVELOPS COMMUNITY STUDIO PROGRAM Verizon is developing a new pilot program that will expand its FiOS TV service by featuring on demand content of interest to diverse viewers. Named “Community Studio,” the new program emerged from discussions between Verizon and more than 35 civil rights leaders. Community Studio will feature public interest programming that will come from a variety of established national organizations seeking to reach out to viewers. It will add to the already wide choice of programming Verizon already provides that is of interest to diverse audiences. FiOS TV currently includes public access, education and government channels in each of its TV markets. Initial partners in Verizon’s Community Studio venture are AAPD, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Black Leadership Forum and U.S. Distance Learning Association. AAPD AWARDS AND INTERNSHIPS - APPLICATION DEADLINES 2007 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program was established to identify and support emerging leaders with disabilities. Applications are available now from www.AAPD.com. Apply by Friday, September 8, 2006. For more information contact: aapdhearne@aol.com or call (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). The 2007 Henry B. Betts Award The Henry B. Betts Award program annually honors individuals who have helped to lead the societal transformation that is producing dramatically better outcomes and higher expectations for the disability community. Nomination forms are now available at www.AAPD.com. Nominations are due Friday, October 7, 2006. For more information contact: aapdbetts@aol.com or call (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). AAPD-MEAF 2007 Summer Congressional Internship Program Second-semester college sophomores through first-semester college seniors with disabilities interested in working on Capitol Hill are encouraged to apply. Applications will be available in August 2006 from www.AAPD.com. Apply by December 11, 2006 (5 PM, eastern). For more information contact: aapdcongintern@aol.com or call (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). AAPD-Microsoft 2007 Summer Information Technology (I.T.) Internship Program Undergraduate college students with disabilities interested in pursuing careers in information technology are encouraged to apply. Applications will be available in August 2006 from www.AAPD.com. Apply by December 11, 2006 (5 PM, eastern). For more information contact: aapdmsintern@aol.com or call (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). Public Service Internship Program for College Students with Disabilities Earn academic credit while doing a full-time internship in D.C. The Washington Center is pleased to provide a total of 50 competitive scholarship awards in the amount of $8,500 for each eligible student with disabilities interested in working in the executive, judicial, or legislative branches of the federal government during the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semester. www.twc.edu/disability_services.shtml For general information, www.twc.edu Email: roshnil@twc.edu Call: 1-800-486-8921 TTY: 202-336-7612 NEW DISABILITY DETERMINATION PROCESS RULES AVAILABLE The final rule establishing a new disability determination process is on public display at the Office of the Federal Register. It can also be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability- new-approach. The new disability process is the result of a collaborative effort that began during a discussion Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart had with President Bush early in her term of office. On September 25, 2003, Commissioner Barnhart presented Congress with a new approach for improving the disability process. She established an Internet site in order to hear and consider a wide variety of perspectives. HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE LIVING IN THE U.S.? Definition of Disability Skews Census Figures by Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Employment and Disability Institute, ILR School, Cornell University The Census Bureau just released a report stating there are 51 million people with disabilities living in the United States (www.census.gov/prod/3/97pubs/p70-61.pdf). This new number is surprising because it runs counter to the often cited 54 million people with disabilities and to the fact the U.S. population has grown and the notion that the population with disabilities should be growing as the Baby Boomers age. Why the difference? The main reason for the reduction in the population estimate is the two reports used slightly different definitions of disability. They both used data from a Census Bureau survey—the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)—but the most recent report did not include two conditions as disabilities that were included in the 1997 report. What is clear from the current data is that the population with disabilities is a large population, rivaling any racial or ethnic population. For more information on disability- related statistics go to www.disabilitystatistics.org. Justice For All Email Listserv Are You Receiving JFA Email Alerts? If not, would you like to receive these advocacy alerts distributed by AAPD? Subscribe by sending an email to: majordomo@jfanow.org and type in the words SUBSCRIBE JUSTICE in both the subject and message parts of the email. 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