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Hot Topics and Recommended Reading Archives
2007 / 2008 / 2009

Inclusion Daily Express selects top disability rights stories of 2007

The votes have been counted and the results are in! Here are the top disability rights stories of 2007 as chosen by Inclusion Daily Express readers ... (Archived 1/25/08)

Recommended reading - international highlights ...

U.S. disability community is a major partner in all of the following efforts:

The International Paralympic Committee has launched an embedded version of its web tv channel on its website: www.paralympic.org. Highlights from 2007 qualifying games are available, as attention turns to preparations for the Paralympic Games this fall in China. (Archived 1/24/08)

Enable is an electronic newsletter started in January by the United Nations to track developments concerning the newly-adopted Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Check out the electronic newsletter Enable here ... (Archived 1/24/08)

The Unitec Nations Global Alliance for Information & Communications Technology & Development has established a website to promote implementation of the technology-related provisions of the UN disability rights convention. The UN website can an be viewed here ... (Archived 1/24/08)

Enabling Disabled Shoppers

Multi-channel retailers, meet your multi-abled shoppers, who have money to spend. More here from Internet Retailer's January issue ... (Archived 1/24/08)

New civil rights movement: A passionate crusade for inclusion of people with disabilities

’Sesame Street’ is rare. For almost 40 years the writers, producers and administrators have been committed to including people with disabilities to truly represent society. But read more here about how few people with disabilities appear in commercials, television shows, film or theatre ...
(Pictured: Jason Kingsley, Emily Perl Kingsley's son) (Archived 1/24/08)

Special moments through the eyes of children

Evan Moulton climbed onto Thunder's back and giggled. He lay down, put his head on Thunder's belly, and giggled. He let Thunder wrestle with him and dance with him and ... read more here about Evan and "Thunder the Wonder Dog" ... (Archived 1/24/08)

Research indicates placebo may work better than drugs for managing patient outbursts

The finding sharply challenges standard medical practice in mental health clinics and nursing homes in the United States and around the world. Find out why some drugs are no more effective than placebos ...

Ad campaign about autism spectrum withdrawn after protests

Designed to get across the message that untreated mental disorders hold children “hostage,” the ads were designed to look like ransom notes ... Read Judith Warner's opinion piece from the New York Times here ... (New York Times 12/20/07

California researchers find rise of autism despite removal of mercury from vaccines

The research, which is being published in this month's Archives of General Psychiatry, looked at autism rates of children ages 3 to 12 from 1995 through March 2007 who had active cases with the department, or those who were receiving services from the state for an autism disorder. Read more in The Wall Street Journal about possible reasons for the increase in autism rates ...

Exit exam disability guidelines are up in the air

The exit exam is the only thing keeping Ayala from getting a high school diploma, which she needs to be admitted to a Florida college for students with learning disabilities. Other special education students say they need diplomas to get into vocational training programs or to land any job that pays more than minimum wage. Read the Sacramento Bee article about how California is trying to figure out how the requirement should apply to students in special education ..

Deaf foster children find a home closer to home

Lights flicker when the doorbell or phone rings. Clocks flash and beds vibrate as wake-up alarms. Carpets were removed to reveal hardwood floors, so the deaf children can feel vibrations. A video telephone was installed. Read more about local housing for young people who have spent years far from friends and relatives because there was no place for them nearby ...

Schizophrenia takes a daughter away

Tiffany sits in an isolation room at Metropolitan State Hospital,after complaining of feeling ill. "The reason why I have been self-medicating is because I have nothing," she said. Read more about Tiffany and the state of mental health care in California ...

A disabled San Jose mother fights again for right to raise child

he first time Sabreena Westphal went to court to try to keep her children, she became a celebrity. Due to cerebral palsy, she is unable to walk but still determined to care for her two young sons. Read more about Westphal's struggle to keep and raise her children ...

New book examines disability in Islamic law

The book, written by Dr. Vardit Rispler-Chaim, of the Department of Arabic language and literature at the University of Haifa, analyzes attitudes toward people with various disabilities based on Muslim jurists' works in the Middle Ages and the modern era. Read more about the book, Disability in Islamic Law ...

Post traumatic stress disorder awards vary widely from state to state

Veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan with debilitating mental ailments are discovering that their disability payments from the government vary widely depending on where they live ... Read McClatchy Newspapers' analysis of the wide disparity in benefits from state to state ...

Mental Disability Rights International founder to receive 2008 Henry Betts award

Eric Rosenthal, who has investigated human rights of people with mental disabilities in 23 countries, will receive a $50,000 award in March. See details here about Rosenthal's work and the Betts prize. Read more about Eric Rosenthal's work here ...

Boy's best friend - Special moments through the eyes of children

Evan Moulton climbed onto Thunder's back and giggled. He lay down, put his head on Thunder's belly, and giggled. He let Thunder wrestle with him and dance with him and shake his hand, and every time, he giggled. Read more about Evan and his dog ...

Paula Pearlman named Executive Director of Disability Rights Legal Center

The Disability Rights Legal Center has named Paula Pearlman to be its next Executive director. She will replace Eve Hill, who retired earlier this year. Read more about DRLC's new Executive Director here ...

Policy Brief on Mental Health

California Family Resource Association has released a Policy Brief on the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) “Integrating Mental Health Services Into California's Diverse Neighborhoods.”

Mental health advocates sue Governor to restore vital program

The state’s largest and most influential groups advocating for homeless individuals with mental illness have sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to restore a highly effective program they say is vital to their clients’ safety and well-being. The lawsuit charges that the Governor violated Proposition 63, now known as the Mental Health Services Act – the law passed by voters to expand mental health services in California. Read more in the:

• Petition for the lawsuit filed by PAI and Western Center on Law and Poverty
• Press release from PAI and Western Center
• Los Angeles Times article
• Sacramento Bee article
• San Francisco Chronicle article

End the backlog on disability claims

We must stop the inexcusable delay in getting Social Security benefits to people with disabilities. Read more about how people wait, on average, an astonishing 520 days for a hearing on their disability claims ...

Consumer-driven service directory

Check out the new Directory of Consumer-Driven Services from the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse.

Preliminary settlement of Laguna Honda Hospital lawsuit reached

Schools for deaf confront other disabilities

The California School for the Deaf’s Fremont campus will soon start offering a day program for adolescents with a daunting set of educational challenges: autism or severe developmental disabilities, in addition to deafness. Read more here about the school's new day program ...

Senior villages that help elderly stay at home come to West Coast

... This village is not a place but a membership program that helps people stay in their own homes by providing support - everything from the medical to the mundane. Read more here about senior villages ...

Holiday toys for children with disabilities

With California's first lady Maria Shriver as spokesperson, Toys R Us and the National Lekotek Center have teamed up to produce a  catalog of mainstream toys that have been coded according to how they assist skill development for children with various disabilities. Check out the recommended toys here ...

Campaign on Childhood Mental Illness Succeeds at Being Provocative - "We have your son. We will make sure he will no longer be able to care for himself or interact socially as long as he lives." So reads one of the six “ransom notes” that make up a provocative public service campaign introduced this week. Read more about the move to raise awareness of “the silent public health epidemic of children’s mental illness” ...

Young disability groups build political presence

Disabled adults finding a new place

Family teaching homes aim to foster maximum independence, but some say the model is flawed. Read more about a national trend in independent living ...

Americans with disabilities more than twice as likely as others to live in poverty

Disability Status Report released November 7 by Cornell researchers shows 25.40% of people with disabilities live in poverty, vs. 9.5% of the general population. See website for details, registration required

Director of Advocacy Report now available

Advocacy work done by PAI staff during August and September 2007 - in the areas of communication, legislation, and self-advocacy - is set out in this report. Read PAI's advocacy report here ... or download the advocacy report as a pdf file ...

Director of Litigation Report released

The report highlights the accomplishments of PAI's regional offices from August 1 to September 30, 2007, and includes legal cases, projects, policy advocacy, and trainings. Read PAI's litigation report online ... or download the litigation report as a pdf file ...

Change the way you see disability

Creature Discomforts will help you see disability in a new light. Click here to see Leonard Cheshire's disability ads ...

Simulations of ailing artists' eyes yield new insights on style

New York Times science section article explains how understanding physical infirmity can help assess the work of a handful of Impressionists.

Asperger's syndrome gets a very public face

Heather Kuzmich is a model for others with Asperger's syndrome. Article in New York Times health section relates how Heather Kuzmich's appearance on "America's Top Model" has helped viewers understand Asperger's ...

Berkeley Council approves funds for Ed Roberts Campus

Somewhere, Ed Roberts is smiling. Read more about the future Bay Area center for disability services, policy research and education ...

Actor and Screen Actors Guild member Danny Woodburn

takes up a picket sign as members of the SAG/AFTRA/EQUITY Performers with Disabilities Committee join striking Hollywood writers on the picket line outside Warner Brothers Studios. (Getty Images) Los Angeles Times, 11/19/2007

Blogs about disability & the law

• www.mentaldisabilitylaw.com by Danielle G. Sucher
• www.disabilitylaw.blogspot.com periodic updates by Sam
• www.disabilityblogger.blogspot.com focusing on social security, often on legal issues
• www.deaflawblog.com by the Maryland based firm of McCollum & Associates, whose work with the deaf and hard of hearing community is an area of expertise
• www.specialedlaw.blogs.com by Charles Fox with assistance of Lori Miller Fox
• http://ada-law.blogspot.com occasional entries by David Ferleger, advocate

711 provides free phone help for people with speech disabilities

The FCC requires all states to provide Speech-to-Speech. If you have a speech disability, you can dial 711 (toll free) and ask for STS. Read more about 711 services here ...

Sizzle & Fizzle in Sacramento: PAI Summary of Legislative Session

The first year of the two-year California legislative session started with the swearing-in of 36 new legislators, their introduction of 2803 bills, more threats of cuts to programs critical to the survival of people with disabilities, and a promise of health care reform. Read PAI's highlights of 2007 legislative session ...

Victory for institutionalized Californians: Disability civil rights lawsuit to proceed as class action

San Francisco, September 25 - The Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District handed a significant victory to people with developmental disabilities who are institutionalized throughout California. Continue reading press release about the victory for Californians in institutions here ...

Advocates demand that the Governor restore funding for homeless, mentally ill or face lawsuit

Several state and national advocacy groups today demanded that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger restore a highly effective program for homeless, mentally ill adults. The Governor eliminated the funds through a line-item veto ... read the press release about funding for homeless, mentally ill here and read the advocates demand letter to the Governor here.

PAI policy advocate Deborah Doctor questions whether new proposals benefit clients or the county budget. Read the October 16 Lake County News story here ...

November 3, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern standard time:

Don't miss the webcast of the disability issues forum of Presidential candidates. Link here to the forum schedule and speakers...

International Developments

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has a new website: www.un.org/disabilities in English, with translation into the other 5 UN languages to follow in 2008.

The European Disability Forum has gathered over 1 million signatures across the European Union to demand comprehensive disability legislation. On October 4 in Brussels, more than 1000 disability advocates demonstrated and presented their demands for “ADA level” legislation to representatives of the European Parliament. Read their press release here ...

On October 8, the Mental Disability Advocacy Center in Budapest helped to organize a civil society protest in Sofia, Bulgaria to draw attention to the plight of thousands of institutionalized Bulgarian children. Most of the children have disabilities. A documentary highlighting their horrific living conditions, “Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children,” can be viewed from this link.

UNICEF has just released a new report, “Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities,” produced by its Innocenti Research Center, based in Florence, Italy. Read the report here ...

Report on California summit on mental health/developmental disability services

PAI attorney Maggie Roberts attended this two-day summit on improving services for those dually diagnosed with mental health and developmental disabilities. Link here to read her insights and overview...

PAI issues 80 page update on community living in California

A report produced annually by attorneys Ellen Goldblatt and Sujatha Jagadeesh for presentation at the Supported Living Conference. The report features updates on litigation, statistics and other developments affecting the status of people with developmental disabilities transitioning from institutions to community living. Link to the document here...

Recommended reading:

GAO on returning service members with disabilities: In its 9/24 report, the GAO said soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan still face delays in getting health care, disability evaluations and personalized care. Read the report here ...

Proving disability claims:

Many California employers have faced this dilemma: An employee with a disability claims he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, but the employer knows the person cannot. ... Now that the California Supreme Court has finally addressed the issue of who has the burden of proof, ... read the Daily Journal article here ...

Recommended Reading:

Marriage vows: An enjoyable story about people with disabilities ... Read The New York Times article about Kay and Andy here ...

Threadbare coverage of mental health in rural California: Rural areas reap little from Prop. 63 ... Read the LA Times article here ...

******

Moment of silence statewide observed on September 17 to honor people who died in state institutions and developmental centers:

Shown here is the group meeting in Ukiah for this year's Remembrance Day, organized by the California Memorial Project. The project, supported by the Department of Mental Health, is jointly administered by three groups: the California Network of Mental Health Clients, People First of California, and Protection & Advocacy, Inc.

Rob Chittenden, coordinator of PAI's peer/self-advocacy unit, reported that attendance was great at this year's ceremonies

Metropolitan State Hospital, 75; Stockton State Hospital, 150; Agnews Developmental Center, 200; Napa State Hospital, 70; Mendocino State Hospital, 50; Patton State Hospital, 60; and Sonoma Developmental Center, 80. Read more here about Remembrance Day events at Patton State Hospital ...

Don't forget - register now for: Supported Life Conference 2007, October 3-5, 2007, Sacramento.

Create positive change through shared action. See the conference brochure and the list of conference sessions.

Respect-ABILITY 2007 Conference rescheduled:

Due to construction affecting accessibility of the hotel, the conference has been rescheduled for March 7-8, 2008 in Los Angeles. Details: www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org

Executive director wanted:

Disability Rights Legal Center in Los Angeles announces search ... read full details here ...

Journeys through schizophrenia:

University of Southern California law professor receives standing ovation for presentation about her journeys through schizophrenia: Read the LA Times article here ...

Police say attack on deaf group was hate crime:

Two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of a hate crime after they taunted a group of deaf people and attacked one of them. Read the full story here ...

Alice Walker challenges Bay Area students to an essay contest:

"How I changed my own life" is the theme of the contest for Greater Bay Area middle school, junior high and high school students. Ms. Walker will judge the 500 word essays, due October 6, and winners will receive tickets to San Francisco performances of the musical, "The Color Purple," based on her book. More details here ...

Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism:

Report finds public health crisis, cites statewide lack of screening, awareness, services and coordination. Read the Contra Costa Times article of September 19 here ...

Memorial service for Bill Compton, Sunday, September 23, 3:00 p.m., First Congregational Church in Long Beach.

Compton, a playwright, innovator in mental health services and PAI board president (2005-06), died August 27 in Anaheim. At age 61, according to PAI executive director Catherine Blakemore, “Bill was active up until the last days, especially to protect client-run state programs that he had developed for people like himself—those who had experienced schizophrenia and other serious psychiatric disabilities. His leadership expanded PAI’s horizons, and all who saw his one-man show, “Swept Away: the Day I went Crazy,” had to reconsider the impact of stigma.”

He was also a strong advocate for the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transsexual (LGBT) community.

In an August 29 Los Angeles Times column memorializing Compton, (“Lives may flounder as yacht sales flourish”), Steve Lopez took Governor Schwarzenegger to task for eliminating the successful program Compton and other advocates had helped to craft, providing 4700 clients with housing and other key services. Lopez noted that instead of continuing a successful program that was helping thousands transition from homeless to independent, the Governor had chosen to retain a tax break for yacht owners. Read the full Lopez article here ...

To honor Compton's memory, the Mental Health Association and Project Return Peer Support Network are establishing a memorial fund to support consumer advocates in their efforts to impact mental health policy at various levels of government. For more information, please call 562.285.1330, ext. 225.

Final Journeys: Quality End-of-Life Decisions -

Seminar in Sacramento October 29-30, 2007 ... click here for more information and registration ...

Disability Health Coalition website

The Disability Health Coalition, of which PAI is a charter member, has a new website. You can see it here ...

Civil rights groups force withdrawal of California ballot initiative to limit class action lawsuits:

The ACLU, the Impact Fund, PAI and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center participated in a successful coalition against a business-backed move to restrict class action suits on behalf of groups with the least resources to obtain justice. According to one report, around 30,000 faxes against the measure were received by Intel, one of the sponsors of the initiative. Details from Consumer Attorneys of California ...

PAI Attorney Elizabeth Zirker and Mark Chambers, lead plaintiff in Laguna Honda Hospital case, interviewed on KQED ... listen to the broadcast here ...

Monday, September 17 - 5th Annual Remembrance Day: More details here - flyer with locations and times of ceremonies to remember Californians who died in state hospitals and developmental centers ... and read the press release here ...

KCBS News examines spiraling costs of Laguna Honda: Elizabeth Zirker of PAI finds it an isolated place to live ... listen to the KCBS newscast here ...

Business press cites astronomical costs of Laguna Honda Hospital rebuild: PAI recommends substitution of small community-based options ... read the 8/31 San Francisco Business Times article here ...

Evolution of City's Oldest Nursing Home Continues:

paper quotes PAI's feasibility report on Laguna Honda Hospital rebuild ... read the 8/28 City Star article here ...

Summer Internship 2008

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is now accepting applications for the 2008 Summer Internship Programs. Details and application are available on the AAPD website, under Leadership Development, at: www.AAPD.com. Applications are due Friday, 12/14/2007.

Call for client stories around immigration and disability:

Some PAI staff members are working with a coalition of groups concerned about the treatment of people with disabilities by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (now CIS, formerly INS). If you have clients who are experiencing problems with the N648 waivers, please read more here ...

Recommended reading:

'It is not a disease, it is a way of life', The Guardian, 8/7/07

What Autistic Girls Are Made Of, The New York Times, 8/5/07

Running Outside of His Lane, The Washington Post, 7/28/07

Silent Sufferers and the Walking Wounded essay by Lee Woodruff, the wife of Bob Woodruff, a newsman recently injured in Iraq, recounts what life is like for the estimated 2.5-6.5 million people with permanent brain injuries.

Art Review | Nina Berman: Words Unspoken Are Rendered on War's Faces by Holland Cotter. Nina Berman’s photographs of wounded Iraq war veterans have been traveling the country, and 10 are now at the Jen Bekman Gallery. 8/22/07

Advocates concerned about impact of budget cuts on Californians with disabilities as bill reaches Governor's desk: Read more here ...

Prof. Frank Bowe, 60, known informally as "the father of 504," and one of the world's most knowledgeable advocates for accessible information technology, has died.

His 1978 book, Handicapping America, was perhaps the first U.S. text from the disability rights perspective and his 2005 textbook, Making Inclusion Work, is in use in universities worldwide. A resident of Long Island where he taught at Hofstra University, Frank is survived by his wife, Phyllis and two daughters.

California Summer: a potpourri of accessible trips & destinations

• www.accessandiego.com - frequently updated links
• http://tripsinc.com/home/tr1/listcats - popular escorted trips for travelers with developmental disabilities
• www.geocities.com/Heartland/6295/access.htm - long-established Insiders’ Guide to Southern California, evaluating best known sites
• www.catalina.com/access.html - step-by-step guide by someone who loves the island
• www.accessnca.com/anc/index.php - especially good for links page about Northern California destinations
• http://access.parks.ca.gov - details on how accessible park facilities in California are for camping, picnics, fishing, swimming etc.
• http://gorp.away.com/index.html - similar to above but more emphasis on adventure camping, e.g., in Yosemite
• www.borp.org - short outings in the San Francisco Bay Area
• http://www.coastal.ca.gov/access/beach-wheelchairs.html - free wheelchair rentals for beaches in California

Call for client stories around immigration and disability:

Some PAI staff members are working with a coalition of groups concerned about the treatment of people with disabilities by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (now CIS, formerly INS). Specifically, we want to address:

• Failure of CIS to enable request of accommodations during the citizenship & naturalization process, as required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act;
• Failure to process N648 waivers properly. (N648 waivers are the way immigrants seeking to naturalize are able to request a waiver of the English and U.S. civics portions of the naturalization exam.  The N648 form asks a physician to explain how an individual's disability prevents him/her from learning or demonstrating their knowledge of the English language and US history/civics.)

We have experienced myriad problems around the N648 waivers, ranging from physicians who are unfamiliar with the requirements and reluctant to work this through with attorneys, to USCIS officers who deny valid waivers so they don’t have to decide what constitutes a disability, to lack of clear-cut lines of authority and responsibility in the adjudication and appeals process.

If you have clients who are experiencing these or other problems with N648 waivers, please contact Michelle Uzeta in the PAI Los Angeles office (Michelle.Uzeta@pai-ca.org) or Sujatha Branch in the Oakland office (Sujatha.Branch@pai-ca.org). We’d be interested in talking with you.

PAI joins other social justice organizations in opposing an initiative to restrict class action suits:

PAI's Board of Directors voted on August 1 to oppose a proposed ballot initiative to limit the use of class action lawsuits in California. In her analysis for the Board, senior legislative advocate Evelyn Abouhassan summarized, “This is an attempt to reverse decades of case law demonstrating that class actions are an effective means of obtaining relief for large groups who do not have the resources or ability to obtain relief individually … and would remove a valuable tool to address violation of the statutory, constitutional and civil rights of society’s most disenfranchised members.” Read the full statement here … and find more information here ...

Californians with disabilities can apply for:

• extra tutoring to pass high school exit exam and
• homeowner and renter assistance

under the California Homeowner & Renter Assistance (HRA) program.

It was announced in July that school districts will now have to offer remedial language arts, math help and English language instruction to students who request this assistance to prepare for the California High School Exit Exam. Students who haven’t passed the test before graduation can now get up to two years of extra tutoring. Students who failed the test in 2006 have a year to apply for the tutoring. The new assistance program results from the legal settlement of a case (Valenzuela v. O’Connell) against the Department of Education, claiming that the state is failing to adequately prepare students to pass the exam. (Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/20/07)

If you were 62 or older, or blind or disabled on December 31, 2006, you may be eligible for homeowner or renter assistance. Depending on your 2006 household income, you could be eligible for up to $472.60 in homeowner’s assistance or $347.50 in rental assistance.

For more information about the California Homeowner & Renter Assistance (HRA) program, contact the California Franchise Tax Board by phone 800.868.4171 or download the forms at www.ftb.ca.gov. If you filed for HRA last year, this year’s forms will automatically be sent to you.

Coalition created on Health Care Reform & People with Disabilities:

The California Legislature and the governor have dueling health care reform proposals, although the governor has not released his plan, which has been in the works for six months or more. Either plan has the potential to offer health care insurance to millions of uninsured Californians, including people with disabilities. Neither plan will go far enough in meeting the needs of uninsured people with disabilities.

As of August 3, 29 disability organizations, including PAI, have signed the Disability Health Coalition – Health Care Reform Principles. These principles reflect the values and knowledge of Californians with disabilities, who are the experts on their own health care needs.

The Disability Health Coalition is using the principles to:

• Measure how well health reform proposals meet the needs of people with disabilities

• Educate legislators and state officials

• Inform individuals and advocates from other communities and ask for their support
• Encourage people with disabilities to get involved

Details about the Coalition: Phyllis Dinse, email Phyllis@cfilc.org. Or phone 916.325.1690 extension 329.

San Francisco Chronicle article says budget impasse triggering crisis for 14,000 poor, frail and disabled Californians:

The halt in MediCal payments, predicted for this week, would end necessary services for an estimated 14,000 Californians who use paratransit for appointments, as well as reimbursement payments to 500 hospitals and 11,000 nursing homes, hospices and adult day care centers. Read the August 3 story by reporter Elizabeth Fernandez here …

144 congressional sponsors line up behind ADA Restoration Act:

More are needed to survive a possible veto, according to the National Coalition for Disability Rights. Details on how to reach your representative are posted online at this address ...

Fun:

Check out the new music video from Mental Health Clients Network ...

Success Story

James “Jimmy” Campbell goes home after 5½ years in acute care hospital - (moved to /about/Oak-Activities.htm#Success)

PAI testifies against decertification of California voting machines for 2008 elections:

In response to California research finding new voting machines easily broached by computer hackers and having inaccessible features, Secretary of State Deborah Bowen announced she was considering decertification of all the tested equipment. At a July 30 hearing, PAI testified about how this action would preclude countless Californians with disabilities from exercising their right to vote and recommended short-term fixes. Link here to legislative advocate Brandon Tartaglia’s statement ...

Out & About

PAI presented at a workshop and staffed an information table at the National Asian Deaf Conference held in July in San Francisco, attended by hundreds of participants from across the country. Sujatha Jagadeesh Branch, staff attorney in the Oakland office, presented a workshop on Legal Issues Regarding Language Access for Asian Deaf People, addressing the particular legal issues faced by Asian deaf people, including those who use a sign language other than American Sign Language. The 25 participants asked numerous questions and the workshop was interpreted into American Sign Language and English by three interpreters. Yuen Chiang, multicultural affairs advocate, conducted outreach with participants, and staffed a table along with Regina Kendricks, senior office manager, and Eunice Lee, administrative assistant.

PAI directly served 24,246 Californians with disabilities in 2006:

Our annual report cites highlights and summarizes how its outreach events, trainings, publications, class action lawsuits and system litigation benefited hundreds of thousands more. Download the illustrated PDF version here ...

Veterans Administration sued for inadequate response to war-injured:

On July 23 a class action suit was filed in San Francisco, citing unacceptable delays in providing medical and mental health care to veterans injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Describing the VA system as in collapse and emphasizing its poor response to post-traumatic stress disorder, the suit was filed by Morrison & Foerster (pro bono) and Disability Rights Advocates on behalf of Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth. Details here from Morrison & Foerster ... and more details from Disability Rights Advocates here ...

Co-sponsors requested for ADA Restoration Act:

In response to Supreme Court decisions curtailing the rights of employees with disabilities to challenge discrimination, an act to restore the Congressional intent of the ADA will be introduced on July 26. Representatives James Sensenbrenner and Steny Hoyer have drafted the new bill and additional Congressional sponsors are needed. Click here for details from Justice for All ...

Self-Advocate to head Los Angeles disability agency:

Kecia Weller, a self-advocate, has been elected president of the Los Angeles County Commission on Disability and was installed on July 18. (Archived 7/24/07)

California-based Disability Health Coalition adopts principles for reform:

A 23-member coalition has been created to add the voice of the disability community to the call for health care reform in California. Its newly developed health principles were also adopted by the June meeting of PAI's Board and can be read here (htm) or (pdf). The membership list of the coalition is on the last page.

Grassroots leader named executive director of California Network of Mental Health Clients:

Laurel Mildred, who has staffed the California Senate Office of Research on the issues of mental health, substance abuse, developmental disability and dual diagnosis, will now head the CNMHC. In 2001 Mildred was appointed to the Sacramento County Mental Health Board. Greeting the Network, Mildred recognized Sally Zinman, the retiring head of the organization, for her "keen political sensibility and enormous integrity and courage." Archived 7/19/07

More Out & About<

PAI receives NAMI's Gloria Huntley award for reducing the use of seclusion and restraints in California - (moved to /about/Oak-Activities.htm#Leslie) - Photo: Leslie Morrison accepts the award (Archived 7/19/07)

Out & About

PAI was involved in the Impact Fund’s first Class Action Training Institute, held June 21-23 at Hastings College of Law, San Francisco. Keith Sakamura, Associate Managing Attorney in the Los Angeles office (front row, second from left), was one of 16 selected participants, and Dara Schur, Director of Litigation (back row, third from right), was one of the trainers. One of the highlights was an opening dinner with Senior U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, following the screening of Soul of Justice, Abby Ginzberg’s documentary about his extraordinary career in pursuit of civil rights. More than 60 attorneys applied from nonprofits and social justice law firms around the country. (Archived 7/10/07)

A Failing Grade - PAI Report on Restraint & Seclusion in California Schools:

The first report assessing the use of restraint and seclusion practices in primary and secondary schools has just been issued by PAI's Investigations Unit.

Conclusions are that the schools are not complying with regulations requiring that the practices be reserved for emergencies, and that, instead, have allowed them to become routine. Read the press release here and download the complete, illustrated report here. (Archived 7/10/07)

PAI Clients’ Rights Advocate receives award:

Marsha Siegel, based in Oakland, received the 2007 Betty Hamilton award for outstanding advocacy from the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Council. After 9 years as a legal aid lawyer, Siegel joined PAI in 1996 to focus on helping clients with disabilities wend their way through the systems created to benefit them. This award was established in 1990 to recognize individuals who are carrying on the tradition of Hamilton’s lifelong dedication to disability advocacy. (Archived 7/5/07)

Governor’s Budget Threatens Adoption of Children with Severe Disabilities in Pursuit of Dubious Cost-Savings:

Relying on contradictory and questionable data, Governor Schwarzenegger’s Budget (May Revise) calls for drastic cuts to the state funding program for foster children with the most severe developmental disabilities, on the unsubstantiated assertion that major cost-savings would result. Read the full press release here ... (Archived 7/5/07)

George Peterburs Golf Tournament

PAI's spring fundraising event in Davis, the George Peterburs Golf Tournament, managed to attract great golfers, beautiful weather, generous benefactors and eager raffle participants who bought 349 chances to win a Kauai vacation and other contributed prizes. Event sponsors included law firms such as Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, DLA Piper; organizations such as the Kern Foundation and Transcend, translator of PAI materials; the King Hall Law School; and various individuals. Funds raised by the Golf Tournament support PAI's legal work.
Results of PAI auction celebrated:

(left to right) Scott Ritsema, Mark Hartney, Tim McNulty (back to camera), Joe McInerney and Seth Karpinski celebrate McNulty's winning the grand prize trip to Hawaii, and making plans to join the McNulty family at the house in Kauai. All five are 1988 graduates of King Hall and supporters of the George Peterburs Golf Tournament. In the foreground is Tobias Cowen of Lighthouse Living Services, a key sponsor of the PAI event and provider of support services for people with developmental disabilities. (Archived 7/3/07)

What’s happening in housing?

• The California Coalition for Rural Housing has launched the country’s first searchable database for inclusionary housing programs, describing 130 throughout the state. Check it out at http://calruralhousing.org
• Priced Out in 2006 reports on the national housing crisis for people with disabilities, showing that last year for the first time, the national average rent for 1 bedroom apartments rose above 100% of the monthly income of an individual relying solely on SSI. In many CA metropolitan areas, the cost of an efficiency apartment ranges from 100.8% to 130% of the SSI income. Published by the National Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities and the Technical Assistance Collaborative, report is online: www.tacinc.org/pubs/PricedOut.htm
• HUD Fair Housing Accessibility Training, July 11, 2007, 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Michael’s at Shoreline, 2960 North Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View. Register at Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST; learn more from HUD's flyer (Archived 6/29/07)

Court-ordered audit of LA schools finds $67.5 million buys few results

Court-ordered audit of LA schools finds $67.5 million buys few results for students with disabilities: More than a decade after PAI's lawsuit, a consent decree, and huge expenditures, an independent monitor has reported that 17 older and 4 new schools in the district remain seriously out of compliance with federal and state accessibility standards. Noting that with inaccessible bathrooms and lunchrooms, it was not surprising that little progress had been made in including students with disabilities, PAI Executive Director Catherine Blakemore added, "If you were looking for a way to do everything wrong, this is the recipe." Read the Daily Journal story here, and the LA Times story here ... (Archived 6/29/07)

National Fair Housing Alliance

The National Fair Housing Alliance is holding a press conference in San Francisco on June 21 to announce its lawsuit against A.G. Spanos for developing at least 10,000 inaccessible housing units across the U.S. The company is headquartered in Stockton, CA and the Alliance has investigated its building practices in 7 states. Press alert here… (Archived 6/26/07)

Margaret Jakobson-Johnson

Margaret Jakobson-Johnson, president of the National Disability Rights Network and PAI advocacy director, reported on a successful NDRN conference last week in St. Louis, attracting about 300 participants from across the country. She described two popular plenary sessions: one reporting on the results of the investigation into the legality of the so called "Ashley Treatment," conducted by Disability Rights Washington (formerly the Washington Protection & Advocacy); and the other reflecting on social justice issues, featuring commentary by the Hon. Richard Teitelman, a Missouri Supreme Court judge who is legally blind. Presenters at the Ashley session included self-advocates Bill & Corinna Fale, disability studies professor Sharon Snyder, the lead attorney on the investigation, David Carlson, and PAI attorney Steve Rosenbaum, interviewed by national media about Ashley treatment. NDRN bestowed two awards this year: to Disability Rights Washington for its outstanding investigation into the Ashley case, which took on national and international importance; and to the New Mexico P&A for convincing the state not to adopt forced outpatient services for mental health clients. Accepting for New Mexico were Rosemary Bauman and Sara Conch. Margaret was also impressed with the NDRN sessions on ediscovery and on medical and ethical questions, such as Do Not Resuscitate orders. (Archived 6/20/07)

Access Improved & Saturdays Closed to Vehicles at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Read all the details here about changes made to enable access for people with disabilities to key park sites, while restricting other vehicles on Saturdays, starting May 26. (Archived 6/20/07)

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