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(WASHINGTON, D.C.) More than 700 members of ADAPT, the national disability rights organization, are shutting down the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties the day before Americans vote in midterm elections to send the message that they want a choice in where they live.
"Enough excuses, no more pilot projects," said Stephanie Thomas, an ADAPT national organizer and member of the group's Texas chapter. "We will no
longer tolerate the segregation forcing us into nursing homes and other
institutions." The Democrats are at 430 South Capitol St., S.W. and the
Republican are at 310 First St., S.E. The action takes place at lunchtime
today.
They are demanding both parties develop a party plank in cooperation with ADAPT that one: the party recognize that the current Medicaid "long-term care" system is institutionally biased and that home- and community-based services should be the first priority and two: that both parties embrace the mandate in the Americans with Disabilities Act that services be provided in "the most integrated setting"-which means home and community-based care. They also want the parties to support legislation allowing people to choose where and how long-term services and supports are delivered.
In order to address these demands, the group wants time for 15 ADAPT representatives to address the parties' platform committees, and schedule one representative to address delegates at the parties' respective presidential conventions.
Just as civil rights advocates once demanded political candidates heed their issues, disability rights advocates now want their opportunity to live in freedom-freedom from nursing homes and the ability to choose where they wish to live.
The action is the first in a four-day series of protests at which disabled Americans will take action and get arrested as part of ADAPT's Campaign for REAL Choice. The campaign is about getting a national system of home- and community-based attendant services. That means help with things like eating, dressing, and transferring in homes they rent or own.
Despite the ADA's "most integrated setting" mandate, 80 percent of all Medicaid long-term care dollars goes to institutional care while a mere 20 percent support people living in the community. Medicaid currently is spending $45 billion a year to literally warehouse 2 million Americans. Many of them do not need medical care in particular but rather require attendant services, such as transport from bed to wheelchair, eating, dressing, and toileting.
Under federal Medicaid policy, nursing homes are a mandated service and attendant care is not. Many states have found that community-based attendant care is less expensive than institutional care. Oregon, which has aggressively sought waivers from Medicaid to de-institutionalize its disabled citizens since 1982, found they could serve three people in the community for every one in a nursing home.
Now more than 5,000 strong nationally, ADAPT has chapters in more than 32 cities and 27 states and is growing daily. ADAPT, which played an instrumental grassroots role in pushing through the Americans with Disabilities Act, is fighting to change a climate that favors nursing homes over people.
700 ADAPT activists occupied the Democratic and Republican National
Headquarters in Washington D.C., Demanding a change in the institutionally
biased long term service system.
After hours of negotiating ADAPT has gotten them meetings with both party's Executive directors and commitments that will make home and community services a reality..
The meeting will include but is not necessarily limited to: Development of a position paper that recognizes the current institution bias in long term care system and that home and community services must be the first priority in long term care funding.
The DNC supports service in the most integrated setting.
The DNC will work to develop, promote and pass legislation in the 106th congress that will allow people with disabilities, regardless of age, or diagnosis(and family members as appropriate) to choose and control where and how long term services and supports are delivered.
This legislation must include financial incentives and sufficient funding so that no eligible individual shall be denied their choice of home and community services.
The meeting agenda will also include ADAPT's inclusion in addressing the convention and ADAPT's inclusion on platform deliberations.
Sincerely,
Janet V. Green
Executive Director
To The Leadership of ADAPT;
I have been authorized to state that the leadership of ADAPT will be given the opportunity to address the platform committee of the republican national convention in the year 2000. I have also been authorizes to commit to a meeting with the ADAPT leadership and chairman Nicholson on thursday, December 3, 1998. At that meeting you may address any other convention related questions that you may have. Included in the meeting agenda will be a discussion addressing the full convention and the position paper we have discussed.
Please contact me at (202)863-8638 to set up a time to meet with chairman Nicholson.
Sincerely,
Tom Josefiak
These are the full content of the letters recieved by ADAPT today in Washington D.C., a big step forward to solving the home and community services problems.FOR MORE INFORMATION on American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) Please visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/
For direct inquiries regarding this press release please use the contact information at the beginning of this message or Email adaptpr@adapt.org
The building is at 330 Independence Ave., S.W. and the action,
like yesterday's takeover of the Democratic and Republican party
headquarters, takes place at lunchtime today.
Today the group is at HHS to demand that the president submit a FY 1999 budget that includes a major initiative revamping long-term services for disabled Americans - in other words, money to support community-based attendant services so disabled people can live in their own homes they either own or rent instead of nursing homes. In addition, they want HHS to rigorously enforce the "most integrated setting" mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a civil rights law for the disabled. While bureaucrats have been promising members of the disabled community action, they have been talking out of the other side of their mouths to state Medicaid directors by discouraging them from providing community-based care.
"We're here because of one broken administration promise after another. Since 1992 the Clinton administration from the president on down has promised and promised and promised," said Mark Johnson of ADAPT's Atlanta chapter. In 1992, when candidate Clinton met with ADAPT members in San Francisco, he pledged to create a personal assistance service program. It was the first in a series of broken promises. Yesterday the same organization took over the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters until both organizations' officials signed agreements to develop a party plank in cooperation with ADAPT to recognize that the current Medicaid "long-term care" system is institutionally biased and that home and community-based services should be the first priority. Each also agreed to discuss allowing ADAPT representatives to address the parties' platform committees and scheduling one representative to address the parties' respective presidential conventions.
Today's action is the second in a four-day series of protests at which disabled Americans will take action and get arrested as part of ADAPT's Campaign for REAL Choice. The campaign is about getting a national system of home and community-based attendant services. That means help with things like eating, dressing, and transferring in homes they rent or own.
Despite the ADA's "most integrated setting" mandate, 80 percent of all Medicaid long-term care dollars goes to institutional care while a mere 20 percent support people living in the community. Medicaid currently is spending $45 billion a year to literally warehouse 2 million Americans. Many of them do not need medical care in particular but rather require attendant services, such as transport from bed to wheelchair, eating, dressing, and toileting. Under federal Medicaid policy, nursing homes are a mandated service and attendant care is not. Many states have found that community-based attendant care is less expensive than institutional care. Oregon, which has aggressively sought waivers from Medicaid to de-institutionalize its disabled citizens since 1982, found they could serve three people in the community for every one in a nursing home.
Now more than 5,000 strong nationally, ADAPT has chapters in more than 32 cities and 27 states and is growing daily. ADAPT, which played an instrumental grassroots role in pushing through the Americans with Disabilities Act, is fighting to change a climate that favors nursing homes over people.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Washington D.C. 20201
To ADAPT: 11/3/98
The Secretary of HHS and top Administrative officials agree to meet with 15 Adapt representatives by January 3, 1999 to develop a transition plan that will result in each and every state complying with the most integrated setting requirements of the ADA. The meeting agenda will include the Secretary's assurance that she will work with ADAPT so that the FY 2000 Budget includes sufficient funds to carry out the aforementioned objective.
Sincerely,
/s/
John J. Callahan
Assistant Secretary of
Management and Budget
The lawsuit claims that these regulations will be an exorbitant burden on
companies such as Greyhound, causing ticket costs to skyrocket and
eliminate small rural stops. However, ADAPT recognizes that these are
frivolous complaints, and is demonstrating at the ABA national offices to
drive home an important message: WE ARE RIDERS!! According to recent
research conducted by the DOT, there are over 15 million Americans
with disabilities living in rural areas who are potential bus riders, and
the overall increase in cost for all riders a mere 33 cents per ticket.
"ADAPT feels strongly that the regulations are fair and balanced," comments Auberger, pointing out that there are federal funds available assisting over the road bus companies in purchasing lifts for new buses. The lawsuit is the final strike in ADAPT's two year battle with Greyhound and other over-the-road buses, to achieve access to buses for disabled Americans. "I've been treated worse than a dog by Greyhound," claims David Armandariz, an ADAPT member from El Paso Texas.
Armandariz, who is paralyzed from the shoulders down, was dropped on the steps as the Greyhound driver carried him onto the bus. He remained on the steps for several minutes as the Greyhound employees discussed how to get him into a seat. "They handle you worse than luggage under the cargo, stated Armandariz, "They carry me on the bus like a sack of potatos." ADAPT has been pushing the Department of Transportation to issue regulations requiring lifts on all new buses. In September the group's efforts paid of when the DOT issued regulations guaranteeing access to new buses. However, immediately after DOT's Secretary Slater signed the rules, ABA filed their lawsuit. ADAPT is demanding that the ABA withdraw the lawsuit, and that the association support the newly issued regulations.
WE WILL RIDE!
To: Ms. Linda Anthony on behalf or representatives of ADAPT
From: Michele Janis, Vice President, Communications, Marketing and Membership (202) 842-1645
Peter J. Pantuso, ABA's president and CEO is available to meet with up to six representatives of your organization on or before December 15, 1998. Mr. Pantuso will be joined at this meeting by ABA's Chairman of the Board of Directors.
The agenda for the meeting will include issues surrounding the Department of Transportation's rulemaking on accessibility to Over-the-Road Buses to persons with disabilities, including ABA's pending litigation.
We will be in touch in the next few days to arrange the exact time and location of this meeting.
ADAPT of Texas: (512) 442-0252
adapt@adapt.org
News Release Page A listing of recent ADAPT News Releases
The Memphis Center for Independent Living
1633 Madison Avenue,
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 726-6404 v/tty (901) 726-6521 fax
mcil@mcil.org
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