Disabilities Community

From Wiscopedia

1 Where do Progressives Stand?
2 Definitions
3 Hot Topics
4 Organizations
5 In the News
6 Facts and Statistics
- 6.1 2004 National Organization on Disability-Harris Survey 3
- 6.2 From the 2005 American Community Survey:
7 Sources

[edit] Where do Progressives Stand?

As an introduction it is important to note that like other communities, this perspective is only valid for the disability rights community. Depending on what number you count, between 10-20% of Americans are disabled to some degree. Not all or even most of these individuals identify as part of the disability rights community. Those who do tend to have more significant levels of disability and tend to not be people who are newly disabled. People who identify as part of our community will tend to join cross-disability organizations and do not tend to join single disability organizations.

The disabilities movement in Wisconsin is advocating for increased accessibility for all disabled citizens, whether that entails basic access to buildings and services or increased access to and representation in the political process. Progressives should support funding for mental health care programs, special education, accessibility improvement projects, and campaign finance reform among other programs in order to advance the interests of the 10% or so of Wisconsin's citizens who are currently classified as disabled.

[edit] Definitions

Cross-Disability: A philosophy that says that different disability groups have more in common than not and that we are more effective working together. This encompasses all disability types including but not limited to blindness, deafness, mobility impairments, cognitive impairments, & mental illness.

Developmental Disability: In Colorado this means someone with mental retardation or “intellectual disability” having an IQ of 70 or below. Nationally it means a disability that is lifelong, acquired before age 22, and requires a set of lifelong services addressing different issues.

People First Language: A preferred way of referring to persons with disabilities that always places the person first, such as person with epilepsy rather than epileptic. This language philosophy also rejects references to people with disabilities as victims, suffering, etc. On the topic of language, people with disabilities generally do not like being referred to as “differently abled, physically challenged, etc. We see nothing wrong with the word disability.

Consumer control: Having the clients of a service have control of how the service is delivered, including having control of the resources. This can be on an individual or systemic level. On an individual level this has to do with having control of the dollars that would otherwise be allocated to a specific client. On a systemic level this would be control of the board or committee that sets policy for the provider or vendor organization or company.

[edit] Hot Topics

[edit] National

The disability community is currently actively supporting two national changes:

MICASSA (Medicaid Community Attendant Service and Support Act). This would end the current institutional bias and require (using incentives) states to have home and community based services (including consumer directed options). Currently federal law requires states to offer nursing facility services but requires states to apply for waivers to offer community options. Colorado has the community options but many other states do not. As long as the community options are optional states can choose to take them away. Despite community options Colorado still spends more than 70% of our long term care dollars on institutional care despite only having 26% of the clients in facilities.
Money follows the person: Instead of funding programs, fund persons. For example in Colorado when someone is in a nursing facility the facility gets funding on a ”case mix“ basis-meaning if the person needs more services the facility gets more money. This is not reflective of what the person actually receives, just what they need. However in the community the rate is the rate regardless of the level of need of the client.

The disability community also vigorously opposes any effort to weaken or water down the Americans with Disabilities Act. One such proposal is the ”ADA Notification Act that would require a formal notification before litigating an ADA claim. The reality is that in most cases people with disabilities do try to communicate with the offender before litigating but this should not be a requirement. No other law is only effective if the violator is noticed first.

[edit] General

Housing: People with disabilities have significant problems with housing, we oppose freezing or reducing the section 8 programs, we support homeownership programs, and believe we need both the availability of section 8 apartments and home ownership programs. Housing should never be service connected, meaning that housing should not be dependent upon ones acceptance of certain services.
We believe that programs for people who are homeless should be non-punitive.
We believe in universal design-build all new housing with basic accessibility features such as one no-step entrance, 36 inch doorways and one bathroom that can be made accessible if needed. This helps people when they become disabled and allows people with disabilities to visit the homes of others.
We believe that the definition of affordable should consider those with very low incomes.
We believe that landlord tenant law should include provisions dealing with conflict of interest.

[edit] Health care, education and benefits

[edit] Benefits

We oppose the privatization of social security.
We would like to see the social security definition of disability changed -currently it is the inability to work, this prevents people who need some benefits from earning any real money.
The so called work incentive programs are not functional. They are punitive and complicated and need to change dramatically.

[edit] Health care

We would like to see the definition “homebound” eliminated from Medicare and Private insurance regulations. People should not be held captive as prisoners in their homes in order to get basic health care.
A definition of “basic health care” that must include functional durable medical equipment for use in the home, community and workplace, adequate personal attendant services for people with all types of disabilities, and medication without restrictive formularies along with other non-medical supports that are currently funded by Medicaid that are essential for the independence of persons with disabilities.
We oppose prior authorization programs, otherwise known as rationing by harassment.
Any health program or health policy planning must have adequate representation by people with disabilities-we are the canaries in the mine-health care that works for us will work for everyone.

[edit] Education

Disabled students in the classroom do not slow down other students.
Disabled students and their parents should have the same choices as non-disabled students

[edit] Other concerns

Children and Families

Campaign Finance Reform

Long Term Care Reform

Mental Health

Taxes

Voting

[edit] Organizations

[edit] In the News

[edit] Facts and Statistics

1.6 million Americans outside of institutions use wheelchairs 1

Twenty-one percent of U.S. adults with disabilities-representing more than eight million potential voters-say they have been unable to vote in Presidential or Congressional elections due to barriers faced either at, or in getting to, the polls. 2

[edit] 2004 National Organization on Disability-Harris Survey 3

Only 35 percent of people with disabilities reported being employed full or part time, compared to 78 percent of those who do not have disabilities.

Three times as many live in poverty with annual household incomes below $15,000 (26 percent versus 9 percent).

People with disabilities remain twice as likely to drop out of high school (21percent versus 10 percent).

They are twice as likely to have inadequate transportation (31 percent versus 13 percent), and a much higher percentage go without needed health care (18 percent versus 7 percent).

People with disabilities are less likely to socialize, eat out, or attend religious services than their non-disabled counterparts.

Not surprisingly given the persistence of these gaps, life satisfaction for people with disabilities also trails, with only 34 percent saying they are very satisfied compared to 61 percent of those without disabilities.

Although 22 percent of employed people with disabilities report encountering job discrimination, this is a dramatic drop from 36 percent four years ago.

The severity of disability makes a significant difference in all of the gap areas, and people with severe disabilities have much greater disadvantages.

People with disabilities are much more worried about their future health and well-being. Half are worried about not being able to care for themselves or being a burden to their families, compared to a quarter of other Americans.

Americans with disabilities rely on assistive technology, and a third say they would lose their independence without this technology.

People with disabilities are more likely to have a common sense of identity with other people with disabilities; 56 percent now say they do, compared to 47 percent in 2000.

[edit] From the 2005 American Community Survey:

An estimated 693,000 people in Wisconsin have a disability, or 13.7% of the population age 5 and over.
An estimated 111,000 people, or 2.2% of the population 5 and over, have difficulty performing self-care activities, also known as Activities of Daily Living, such as dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home.