ADAPT's 2007 Chicago Action
ADAPT Arrives in Chicago.
ADAPT Action Report: Saturday, September 8, 2007.
By Tim Wheat
ADAPT, the nations leading direct action disability rights organization, gathers in Chicago to put the brakes on people flooding into institutions and nursing homes. Illinois ranks 41st in providing options to expensive facilities and has a history of being one of ADAPT's ten worst states at providing home and community alternatives. Rather than progress toward integration and choice, Illinois Governor Blagojevich has failed to reasonably support Money Follows the Person legislation and is planning to reopen an institution for people with developmental disabilities.
The 1999 Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead found that unnecessary institutionalization was discrimination. However, states like Illinois have done little to end the monopoly that institutions have on Medicaid long-term care dollars, which translates into people having no real choice but to live in an expensive and undesirable institution.
"I'm ashamed of Illinois' record of institutionalizing people with disabilities," said Chicago native Larry Biondi, an organizer with Chicago ADAPT. "Right now there are almost 20,000 people who have said they want to get out of Illinois' nursing homes- nursing homes they never wanted to go into in the first place. But they were forced to go there by the institutional bias in Medicaid funding, and the state's failure to act in accordance with federal law..."
This ADAPT Action is unique because although housing has always been a goal of ADAPT, it is now a main focus. With the success of the "Money Follows the Person" legislation, ADAPT will educate the public on the essential need for affordable, accessible housing options. Without homes, many Americans with a disability will only receive services in expensive and undesirable nursing facilities.
Contrary to the idea that ADAPT is searching for a new mission, activists see the focus on housing as part of the group's natural progression. Most people know ADAPT because of activism in the area of transportation, but that goal grew out of the direct need to be part of the community. People in the 1970s moving out of institutional settings found themselves isolated by the communities lack of access and accessible public transit. Similarly, ADAPT now points to the lack of reasonable housing choices for people with disabilities as a significant barrier that isolates people in costly facilities.
While in Chicago, ADAPT will hold a national housing forum that will be attended by HUD Fair Housing Assistant Secretary Kim Kendrick, and state and local officials. At the forum, ADAPT will reveal its national housing agenda; take testimony from people across the country who have had difficulty finding affordable, accessible, integrated housing; and distribute information on pending visitability legislation, and the redirection of HUD's 811 Supportive Housing program funds to projects that are integrated. Currently, the 811 program primarily funds segregated housing situations for people with disabilities.
"As we have begun to make progress in getting people out of institutions, and preventing people from being forced into institutions, the lack of affordable, accessible, integrated housing in typical neighborhoods has become glaringly apparent," said Beto Berrera, a member of Chicago ADAPT and a Chicago housing expert. "We are hosting this national housing forum so that federal officials can hear just how bad the situation is, and to gain their support in working with us to right this wrong."
Although the focus on housing is new, ADAPT is still dedicated to leading the long-term Medicaid reform that the country needs to end the institutional bias. The logical next step to the "Money Follows the Person" legislation that passed last term is the Community Choice Act. "Money Follows the Person" allows states to redirect long-term care funding from institutions to alternatives in the community. This will allow many Americans to choose to live at home rather than an expensive institution. The Community Choice Act is necessary to continue the trend away from institutions and get people with disabilities the services and supports to live at home. Choice is what every American expects, but far too often people with disabilities do not have the option of living at home, and can only get the long-term Medicaid services they need in a costly and intolerable facility.
HUD fails to deliver the number: Lost vouchers could help get people out of costly nursing homes
ADAPT Action Report: Sunday, September 9, 2007.
By Tim Wheat
Alphonso Jackson, the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development applauded the power of ADAPT in Washington DC this past spring and promised he would meet ADAPT in Chicago this fall with a number of vouchers HUD has recovered. Kim Kendricks and Paula Blunt successfully represented Mr. Jackson, but failed to live up to the promise to deliver recovered housing subsidies. Secretary Jackson had also committed to meet regularly with ADAPT and to eliminate the "outrageous" level of discrimination in housing against persons with disabilities.
"How could HUD come and not tell us how many vouchers the recovered?" asked Cassie James who introduced Secretary Jackson to the crowd this past May 1st. "They seem to be afraid to do anything. I think they agree that we are being discriminated against but they don't think HUD needs to do anything about it."
HUD had set aside a number of housing subsidy vouchers to help people move out of nursing homes into the community. However, budget cuts and local authorities lost thousands of vouchers so that nationally HUD does not know if they were used as intended. Secretary Jackson admitted that vouchers were lost and promised to recover some and report that number to ADAPT today.
ADAPT spent the day discussing housing issues. By noon, ADAPT heard from around the nation about filing complaints and accessible homes. In the afternoon, many people testified about lack of accessible housing and how it perpetuated institutionalization. Kendricks attended and listened to over an hour of testimony by people who've faced housing discrimination and as a result, have lived in institutions.
"The all-talk-and-no-action we heard today is the same thing we experienced with HUD here in Chicago last May," said Darrell Price of Chicago ADAPT, "We had a housing conference where Ms. Kendrick was also present and heard Mike Grice talk about how long he'd been waiting for his landlord to make his kitchen accessible. Ms. Kendrick talked to the landlord, but it's four months later and the landlord hasn't done a thing. Mike testified at the forum today that he still can't use his kitchen, and once again the HUD folks said they'd look into it, but we aren't holding out any hope on the follow through."
Eleanor Smith of Atlanta testified that many people go into an institution because they have no access into their homes. She reported that sixty percent of people in nursing homes were discharged from a hospital and many of those discharged go to an institution because they have no access at home.
ADAPT is in Chicago all week to send a clear message to HUD, the Governor of Illinois, the nation's medical community, and Congress that denying affordable, accessible housing to people with disabilities and thus supporting the incarceration of people in institutions for the 'crime' of disability will not be tolerated.
"The testimony was great. It got right to the point that the lack of affordable, accessible, integrated housing has kept people in institutions," said Darrell Price of Chicago. "They don't hear our words, so they force us to speak with action."
Fifty Five Arrested: ADAPT Stands Firm at the AMA
ADAPT Action Report: Monday, September 10, 2007.
By Tim Wheat
ADAPT, the nation's largest direct-action disability rights organization was in Chicago fifteen years ago to confront the American Medical Association about physicians practice of steering people with disabilities into institutions. Today ADAPT was back with the same message and shut-down the massive complex of the AMA for over three hours until the police isolated the north door of the building and arrested 55 activists.
ADAPT attempted to push past phony construction barriers on the north side and get into the building, but the large complex was locked-down as the AMA expected they may be a target of ADAPT. Following a short unsuccessful attempt to get into the building, the whole of ADAPT wrapped around the compound and the group blocked the doors and stopped business at the AMA. Around 35 ADAPT activists split off from the main assembly and blocked the underground parking structure.
"Fifteen years ago we had the same issue," said Mike Oxford of Kansas ADAPT who remembers the Chicago ADAPT action in 1992. "The AMA has gotten better with their language, but they still have doctors with financial interests in the facilities they are referring people; and that has to stop."
ADAPT demanded that the AMA endorse the Community Choice Act, work with ADAPT to get real options for people facing institutionalization, have the AMA board of Trustees divest from nursing facilities and to develop an AMA ethics policy requiring doctors to disclose if they are invested in a long-term care facility.
The police and Mayor's office worked to negotiate with the AMA, while ADAPT activists chanted and sang to keep up their energy. Many ADAPT members wrote colorful messages to the AMA in chalk on the sidewalk and in temporary paint on the glass windows. The group unfurled two large banners one over 50 feet long that said "STOP FUNDING INSTITUTIONS."
With a monopoly on who gets into a facility, physicians have a natural conflict of interest when they are invested in the institutions where they are referring people. But it is not really known what individual doctors want because the AMA in its white tower hangs on to a medical model of individual's life decisions. While every American has a right to refuse medical treatment, even life-sustaining remedies, the AMA is working to retain the choice of people with disabilities living in their own home or in an institution.
Reportedly, the head of the AMA Dr. Michael Maves, did not respond to the requests for negotiation. He seemingly pushed to have people detained and just before 1:30 in the afternoon the Chicago Police started arresting ADAPT activists. Some activists who did not use wheelchairs had to be picked up and carried away by the Chicago Police. Activists were sited at the scene for "failure to disperse," and the north door blockade was rebuilt and reinforced by several police.
"We sealed in the AMA from corner to corner," said Rahnee Patrick of Chicago. "We took the building over and when the AMA representative said they couldn't meet our demands, we told him to "stick it.'"
The day before Ms Patrick had trained a class of new ADAPT activists on non-violent, civil disobedience. The class practiced blocking doors and acting decisively and assertively without being violent. ADAPT's firm style was on display with the Chicago Police today as activists packed in around four doorways and the garage, some fresh from the class held the day before.
"Our line stretched for six city blocks," said Bob Liston of Montana ADAPT. "The Chicago Police had so much respect for what we were doing, they didn't even allow pedestrians to pass through our line."
Lincoln Will Close: ADAPT gets a commitment from Governor Blagojevich
ADAPT Action Report: Sunday, September 11, 2007.
By Tim Wheat
Using direct action to augment negotiations ADAPT won commitments from Illinois Governor Blagojevich's office to close down the Lincoln Developmental Center, have ADAPT at the table for the Illinois Money Follows the Person Project and to meet with ADAPT before October seventeenth. Following a long, difficult struggle to shut down business at the James R Thompson Center, ADAPT activists were treated to a demonstration of the group's authority as officials came in person to make the commitments to ADAPT.
Matt Summy the Deputy Chief of Staff of Illinois Governor Blagojevich, and Grace Hou with the Department of Human Services stood in a sea of tired activists to make the obligations for the governor. Powerfully staged, Rahnee Patrick of Chicago ADAPT asked direct questions of the governor's commitments. The governor's staff answered clearly and concisely committing Gov. Blagojevich to items favorable to ADAPT in front of the boisterous crowd.
"They (Matt Summy and Grace Hou) wouldn't have come down here unless it was for you holding strong sending a message that people with disabilities deserve to live in the community [cheers]," said Rahnee Patrick. "There are so many people right now in Illinois that don't want to be in those nursing home beds they are forced to live in thanks for standing up for them today."
The long line of ADAPT activists snaked through downtown Chicago this morning assisted by the Chicago Police. The police not only stopped traffic, but also prevented pedestrians from crossing the ADAPT march. It is hard to imagine how the normally large and slow group of ADAPT can suddenly act instantly and with such precision as to catch the police unprepared. However, when ADAPT reached the state office complex, hundreds of activists rushed across the plaza and flooded the Thompson Center's atrium leaving the Chicago Police behind.
Once inside, the activists took over the elevator bays and the escalators. Workers came to the interior balcony to see and hear the demonstration unfolding below. Although access up into the offices was limited, the expansive atrium remained busy and open to the public. It was filled with bustling business people and loud activists. The demonstrators reported mostly support and positive reactions from the general public but some people were angry because the blockade had cutoff the food court one floor below.
Sixteen floors above the atrium, the action was sufficient to get the discussions started with the governor's office. A dozen members of Chicago ADAPT had visited the Thompson building earlier and worked not to give away their ADAPT identity to the security. This stealth was only successful in getting four ADAPT activists up to the governor's office. The others were stranded one floor below the atrium for the whole of the action but they were able to block pedestrian traffic into two walkways.
The James R Thompson building was loud in every way a building can be loud. The noise of 500 angry activists was notable all over the building and the colorful banners and signs all over the building clashed with the orange and blue interior. ADAPT added to the visual noise with yellow and red caution tape at the entrances, elevators and escalators they blocked.
By 2:00 much of the shock of the occupation had worn off and negotiations had stalled. The workers up in the office complex saw ADAPT's presence as a nuisance, but there was still access in and out of the building. ADAPT executed a "bump-up" by additionally blocking all the entrances and exits to the building.
At the entrance to the Blue Line El located in the Thompson building, Anita Cameron fell out of her wheelchair to join Tom Benzinger on the floor in an effort to block determined traffic to the transit system. The Chicago Police and CTA workers were standing in a crowd of activists attempting to allow some traffic into the station. In the constant jostling with the police ADAPT activists moved in and filled gaps until it became impossible for the police to keep the gate open. Just before 3:00 the police gave up and left the public transit gate.
"I was standing by and noticed that there were openings," said Tom Benzinger an ADAPT activist. "I decided to jump in and block the entrance. Cops were escorting passengers through - but I wouldn't let them go because I want them to have the experience of being 'locked in' a nursing home."
The maneuver raised the tension level again had the desired effect on the discussions with Blagojevich's staff. When they discussed having hundreds arrested for blocking the doors downstairs, Rahnee Patrick told them that it was just fine to lock people with disabilities up because that is the way Illinois treats its citizens with disabilities everyday.
"Its been really fun," said Jodi James, who sat blocking the back door all day. "People have tried to force the doors open - one guy came inside another door and called us names, but we just kept on holding the door."
ADAPT was in the process of another "bump-up" when word arrived of successful negotiations. Just as activists took over the elevators and escalators leading to the El, the word was passed to pull back from the doors. Those isolated on the first floor joined those from the governor's office and whole of ADAPT in the massive atrium of the Thompson Center for the pubic announcement.
"I feel good about the discussions," said Grace Hou of the Illinois Department of Human Services, who announced the commitment of Gov. Blagojevich to close the Lincoln Developmental Center. "I believe the commitment we made we had at the beginning of the day. I think we believe in the same as ADAPT."
Linda Anthony of Pennsylvania held an escalator in the atrium for about six hours. She said she was proud to see people stay all day showing their commitment, holding tight.
"It was not an ordinary day," she said.
Illinois Governor's Commitments: Transcript of commitments made to ADAPT
Rahnee Patrick: Will the governor commit that Lincoln Developmental Center will never open as a residence for people with disabilities?
Matt Summy: I'm going to hand the microphone to Grace and then she will hand it back to me.
Grace Hou: Under the administration of Governor Blagojevich the four ten bed homes ... [louder] ... Under the leadership of Governor Blagojevich the four ten bed homes that are located on the former campus of the LDC Center will never be opened as Developmental Centers.
[Cheers]
And we have the support of the Governors office, correct?
Matt Summy: That is absolutely correct Grace.
[Cheers]
Rahnee Patrick: Will Chicago ADAPT be at the table represented by Rahnee Patrick for the operational protocol of the "Illinois Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program?"
Matt Summy: You have the full commitment of Governor Blagojevich's office that ADAPT will be at the table with Rahnee Patrick on the Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program.
[Cheers]
Rahnee Patrick: The governor will commit to a meeting no later than October 17, 2007 with ADAPT.
Matt Summy: October seventeenth; that is correct. The governor has met with you twice in the past. He has full commitment and I think his past activities demonstrate again that he will do it. So again, by October seventeenth.
