MCIL Advocacy in 2005

The year 2005 will not be seen as a victory for people with disabilities in Tennessee. There have been many setbacks in our movement, but the consumers, staff and board of MCIL are more determined than ever to work for the full integration of persons with disabilities in all aspects of community life. MCIL demonstrated the agencies dedication to the Center’s mission in 2005. Although the year was dominated by the TennCare sit-in, the Center was involved in systems advocacy on a local, state and national level throughout the year.

Following are a list of highlights from 2005:

January 2005
MCIL begins to inform consumers of the implications of Governor Bredesen’s renege to fix TennCare. (Call the Governor Today!). January also saw ADAPT asking for a resolution by the National Governor’s Association to support home and community-based services. (Your State: Institutional versus Community expenditures). A national group, Not Dead Yet, challenged movie critics and Clint Eastwood for unrealistic and patronizing views on disability (Not Dead Yet Challenges Movie Critics, Eastwood).

February 2005
MCIL did more work to inform and organize TennCare enrollees about the Administration’s plans. (YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT!). Nationally, MCIL analyzed the new Secretary of Health and Human Services views on Medicaid, (Medicaid: A Time to Act by Mike Leavitt, Secretary of HHS) and confronted the “Voice of the Retarded” about spreading misinformation and unfounded opposition to MiCASSA (Opposition to MiCASSA). 

March 2005
March was a busy month for the Center. We continued to work with the US Department of Justice to ensure equal housing opportunities for people with disabilities, settling one of the largest Fair Housing lawsuits (USDOJ: Memphis Builders and Designers Settle Discrimination Lawsuit.). Memphis activists participated in the national ADAPT Action that saw the US Governor’s support options to nursing homes (Anatomy of an ADAPT Action By Tim Wheat). Tennessee ADAPT lead activists in blocking a major downtown intersection in Nashville, five were arrested. (ADAPT takes over Charlotte Avenue in downtown Nashville.)

April 2005
The Center used street theater to make a point with the second annual “Free Yo Momma Day,”(2ND Annual Free Yo Momma Day!) and raised money with the Spring Spaghetti Dinner (Spring Spaghetti Supper Supreme.). Nationally, MCIL followed the changes to Centers for Independent Living and the protest resignation of RSA Commissioner Joanne Wilson, (Changes coming to your Center for Independent Living?) while Tennessee ADAPT challenged Democrats to end the institutional bias in Medicaid (ADAPT Challenges Democrats to End Medicaid Institutional Bias.).

May 2005
MCIL began this month by rallying state support for TennCare, (MEMPHIS - Rally in Support of TennCare) and then criticized the Center City Commission in Memphis for promoting bigotry and segregation (City's New Gazebo: A Symbol of Segregation.). Nationally, MCIL worked for a reasonable housing voucher program that will help people with disabilities move out of expensive institutions and to live independently. (Section 8 Voucher Proposal Closes the Door on People with Disabilities.).

June 2005
The SCLC joined the fight to save TennCare (SCLC joins the struggle to secure TennCare.) Randy Alexander confronted Governor Phil Bredesen about the impact of his TennCare plan that caused national concern about what was about to happen in Tennessee (Governor Bredesen Issues Life Sentences to Vent Users.). The TennCare Sit-in began in June, (Activists Takeover Gov. Bredesen's Office.) and MCIL began daily coverage of the struggle (Articles About The Sit-In).

July 2005
National media focused on what was happening with the TennCare Sit-in, and MCIL was the first to point out that the Bredesen Drug cap was a violation of the ADA (Bredesen’s Drug Cap Violates the ADA). MCIL reported on the devastating economic impact of the TennCare cuts, (Bredesen’s Plan Costly to Tennessee) and the Center did not shy away from exposing lies of the Bredesen Administration (Six lies of Governor Bredesen, Part One), (Six lies of Governor Bredesen, Part Two). MCIL took time to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the ADA, (MCIL Timeline of the Americans with Disabilities Act), and proposed Money Follows the Person to help the state end the expensive institutional bias (Tennessee Needs Money Follows the Person).

August 2005
With the sit-in going strong for the third month, MCIL concentrated on state advocacy issues. The Center organized opposition from other states at the drastic TennCare cuts and the effects of the federal Medicaid program (Bredespin) and (Bredespin: Saving TennCare).  With the impact of the cuts now being felt by hundreds of thousands of Tennessee Citizens, MCIL helped to point out that the governor’s “Safety Net” was a sham (Safety Net is a Sham).

September 2005
Over a hundred activists are arrested in Congressional Offices to show the anger of the disability community as Congress has not acted decisively to end the institutional bias and people with disabilities are herded into nursing homes (Angry Activists Arrested on Capitol Hill), (Don't Target People with Disabilities).  Memphis activists protest at Bredesen’s $1,000 per plate fund-raiser ("Hey Bredesen We Want Medicine," Greets Tennessee Governor at $1000 a Plate Fund Raiser).

October 2005
MCIL Celebrates 20 years of kicking ass (MCIL: 20 years of kicking ass).

November 2005
More of the Bredesen Administration’s dark and manipulative tactics are exposed (Bredespin Administration denies withholding information).  Board President Louis Patrick, a long-time ADAPT supporter, writes about being on the front lines of direct action (My First National ADAPT ACTION! By Louis Patrick). 

December 2005
MCIL has the annual holiday open house (MCIL's Annual Holiday Open House and Silent Auction).  MCIL ends the year by correcting some of the misinformation spewed by the Bredesen Administration that is now trying to rehabilitate the governor’s image more than the healthcare of Tennesseans (Breaking TennCare to Fix It).

- Tim Wheat