Dear Friends,
We are ready for the Children's Festival that starts this weekend. It
is a month long educational event at the South Coast Plaza in Costa
Mesa. We have been able to accumulate a lot of valuable resources to
distribute to the children and parents. This weekend Friday-Sunday,
and Saturdays-Sundays for the rest of the month of September. 2
million people attended this event last year. This education project
will be another big winner for deaf awareness education. If you wish
to help us with this huge education project, please check our own
ocdacvolunteer mailing list for more details for this and other
excellent volunteer opportunities.
OCDAC Communications
-------------< INSIDE NEWS >
Were going to be starting our nightly fundraising activities at the
bowling centers this week to help us raise funds for the expenses of
the bigger fundraising operations. We have some new products that hold
good promise in our fundraising. This Thursday and Friday at
Westminster lanes 6pm to 9pm.
We still need a volunteer coordinator who will help us keep in touch
with volunteers and to contact them and make sure they are given the
opportunities to participate in our activities. Our volunteer list has
grown dramatically during the fair. We really need help managing them.
We have decided to eliminate our Rose parade fundraiser and replace it
with a bigger times square like event at the Orange County
Fairgrounds. We also need committees for the Pirate's festival,
Silverado Festival, and Winter Festival fundraisers as well.
We also started on our Deaf festival awareness booth planning that's
taking place in Van Nuys this coming September.
We have also started on our Deaf Expo (Mata.tv) planning for the event
in November in Long Beach. It might be a hybrid fundraising and
educational booth.
-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS >
House Budget Resolution Could Lead to Cuts in SSI; Senate
http://www.c-c-d.org/SSI%20Threat4c.pdf
Golf day to help hearing-impaired
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl
-lcnotes2705aug27,0,530195.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-lake
Event benefits county's disabled
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/082905/loc_
200508290012000.shtml
New formation program for deaf offered at Holy Angels
http://www.the-tidings.com/2005/0826/deaf.htm
School for deaf, blind expands
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art
icle?AID=/20050828/NEWS01/508280310/1002
A Better Future For Deaf And Hearing Impaired
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0508/S00114.htm
Apartments cater to deaf, hard of hearing
http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/aug05/351300.asp
ELDERLY and DISABLED Victims of INTERNET FRAUD Ignored by the Governor
and Attorney General
http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default
.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=9992
Deaf Entrepreneur Makes People "Listen"
http://allafrica.com/stories/200508250376.html
Travel industry ignores disabled
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4180950.stm
Do you hear what I miss? Hearing-impaired man must fight for what law
says is right
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2005/08/27/n
ews/local_news/1009736.txt
-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 2006 HENRY B. BETTS AWARD.
Nomination forms now available. Visit www.AAPD.com.
The Henry B. Betts Award was created to annually honor an individual
whose work and scope of influence have significantly improved the
quality of life for people with disabilities in the past, and will be
a force for change in the future. The recipient of The Henry B. Betts
Award will be a person at the pinnacle of his or her career.
Successful nominees will have demonstrated a strong vision and
understanding of how to improve the quality of life for people with
disabilities; possess a record of efforts and accomplishments that
have affected a wide disability population; and have served as a
powerful force for change, enhancing the opportunities for people with
disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society.
The 2006 Betts laureate receives an unrestricted $50,000 cash award
at
AAPDs annual Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C. The Award will be
presented at the fifth annual AAPD Leadership Gala on March 8, 2006
in
Washington, D.C.
To learn more and obtain an application, please visit the AAPD
website:
www.AAPD.com.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, OCTOBER 7, 2005 (5:00pm, eastern)
Please disseminate widely.
We apologize for any cross postings.
Thank you!
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
Phone: 800-840-8844 (v/tty) or 202-457-0046 (v/tty)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.AAPD.com
-------------< BULLETIN >
WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO RENEW OUR PUSH FOR MICASSA AND MONEY FOLLOWS
THE
PERSON
Many people with significant disabilities cannot live without
supports, like attendant services.
Terri Schiavo's story brought into focus, in an extreme way, the fact
of this need. It pointed a huge spotlight on this issue.
The visceral/gut reaction of many in the disability community was a
feeling of being deeply threatened. The fear comes from their current
need for this support, or anticipation that they will need such
supports in the future, combined with a sense that the general mood is
to diminish just these types of supports.
Many politicians who spoke in support for Terri's life have not shown
the same support for the services that would allow people with
disabilities to live with dignity in their communities.
Others who failed to see the importance of the value of Terri's life,
sometimes even life with a disability in general, have also not shown
strong support for legislation supporting us in the community.
The lack of understanding on both sides is chilling, to say the least.
Congress came back from their Spring Break on Tuesday (April 5th).
With Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security up for perhaps radical
reform, we cannot just hope for the best. We must continue to push
our agenda forward.
Let's make some good come from all this. Let's get our Senators and
Representatives to support disability by passing legislation. We need
community attendant services and supports. If they support people
with
disabilities they need to support MiCASSA (S. 401 and HR 910) and
Money
Follows the Person (S. 528).
CONTINUE YOUR ADVOCACY BY CONTACTING YOUR SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE.
FREE OUR PEOPLE!
NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt MiCASA List http://www.adapt.org
-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >
Increase the Percentage of Accessible Units
In 1988, after many years of negotiations and discussions, HUD
published its Section 504 mandatory regulations for all recipients of
"federal financial assistance." These include all Public Housing
Authorities, and all cities, counties and states that receive
Community Development Block Grant funds and HOME partnership funds, as
well as all private (both nonprofit and for profit) and public
entities that receive and administer "project-based" housing vouchers.
These regulations required that a MINIMUM of 5% of the housing units
be made accessible pursuant to the Uniform Federal Accessibility
Guidelines (UFAS). After many years of struggle, we're seeing some
progress and the "5%" goal is becoming more of a reality in some
cities and counties.
One complaint we receive, unfortunately with some regularity, is that
persons are residing in these accessible units do not require the
accessible features - a potential violation of the HUD regulations
that advocates should look into and correct.
The time has arrived - you should be asking HUD to INCREASE the
MINIMUM
percentage. The HUD federal regulation (24 Code of Federal
Regulations 8.22 ( c)) provides that "HUD may prescribe a higher
percentage ... based upon demonstration to the reasonable satisfaction
of HUD of a need for a higher percentage... based on current data...."
Here is the current data (2003) that show the need for a higher
percentage of federally financed accessible housing:
First, nationally, at least 8% of all SSI recipients under 65 may
require UFAS units' accessibility features. SSI recipients are
eligible for all the federally funded housing for low-income persons,
so these 8% are the primary targeted recipients for UFAS units. They
are eligible for ACCESSIBLE and AFFORDABLE housing. This data can be
found at Table 25:
http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2003/exp_toc.html
Second,. nationally, more than 25% of all SSDI disabled beneficiaries
(workers, widows and adult children,) who are under 65 had
disabilities that probably required UFAS housing. Many of these
persons receive SSDI monthly benefits
quite close to the SSI level. These people therefore are both
disability and income eligible for federally funded low-income
ACCESSIBLE housing.
Third, we know from the 2000 Census (American Fact Finder) that nearly
20% of the entire population 16 to 64 years had a physical disability
that made going outside the home difficult. This is available by
State, county and census tract.
Http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_lang=en
Many of these people overlap the SSI and SSDI categories and might
also
require accessible units.
Last, while the above three data sources exclude persons
institutionalized in nursing homes and therefore "undercount" the
need for accessible housing, the MDS provides county data for persons
in nursing homes who want to live in the community. Many of these
people are institutionalized solely because they cannot find
accessible, affordable, integrated housing.
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/states/mdsreports/default.asp
The task, goal and strategy are straightforward. Use these sources
to find out the data on a state basis or better yet a local area.
Then ask your local Housing Authority and recipients of both CDBG and
HOME funds to increase the percentages of accessible units. If they
refuse, disability advocates should request your regional HUD office
to require the increase. HUD has the authority and duty to increase
the percentage with data you collect from the above sources. Without
your pressure, no increase will automatically happen.
Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues
Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at
http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site
divided into different subjects. To contact Steve Gold directly,
write to [email protected]
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENTS >
COME TO OUR MEETUPS! The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup
Group - http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - meets each 3rd Wednesdays of the
month. The Orange County Deaf & Hearing Impaired Meetup Group -
http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ - meets each 1st Saturdays of the month.
Our new ASL class start in the third week of August and the slots are
really being filled now as there is a limit of 8 students per class
for better quality of education and sign language training.
Please visit our iGive store http://www.igive.com/ocdac
Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org
If you shop at Albertsons and have a community partners card, please
consider adding your card to our list of supporters. You can now
download and print our Albertsons Community Partners signup forms at
Http://www.deafadvocacy.com/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have your
friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as supporters
and then mail it to the address on the form. Our goal is 25,000
supporters who shop at Albertsons. And when you shop at Albertsons,
please dont forget to use the community partners card.
We recycle used cell phones, empty printer and toner cartridges. If
you have any of these to unload from your hands, please send or drop
them at our agency at 2960 Main Street, A100, Irvine, California 92614
-------------< DEAF QUOTES >
Erica Povey, from the Ballarat Deaf Facility said "They're very
excited,... It also helps deaf children and their meet other deaf
children."
-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >
This video is good to make a good point on accessibility;
http://www.edf.fr/html/pubtv_2005/diversites/swf/en/pop_video_en.html
Mark Apodaca makes a good point on deaf organizations in this video;
Http://www.deafadvocacy.com/deafwatch/maorg.wmv
-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY JOB OPPORTUNITIES >
2 deaf or hard of hearing mortgage consultants needed for a
Riverside, California mortgage company.
All candidates interested in any of the job opportunities are
required to apply for our job placement services. Our intake form is
at Http://www.deafadvocacy.com/intake.htm
-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >
Become an owner of a _________.WS website for only $10 a month! All
_________.WS owners automatically become .WS website resellers and it
comes with an automatic selling program and all you have to do is lead
people to your .WS reseller website. The WS stands for 'website'! Link
has video of the program in American Sign Language and is a excellent
self-sufficiency opportunity for people
who want to be on the top of the .WS cyber real estate market. Hearing
people can participate as the reseller link also has a video for them.
Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by sending a blank email to
[email protected] and it will auto-reply back to you with information
about this fantastic program. And you will get another email message a
few days later with the full explanation of the program.
-------------< LETTERS >
August 26, 2005
The Honorable Arlen Specter
United States Senate
Chairman, the Judiciary Committee
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Specter:
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the Judge David L.
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (Bazelon Center) want to express
their deep appreciation to you for the letter you wrote to Supreme
Court nominee Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. (dated August 23, 2005). The
issues on which you focused regarding the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) specifically address our concerns regarding the judicial
process for nominations to the higher courts and in particular the
Supreme Court. You have been a champion for the disability community
on numerous occasions, Chairman Specter, and we are very grateful for
your continuing support. Many of our members hail from Pennsylvania
and are among our most active advocates in the disability community.
To date, Chairman Specter, none of our organizations have come out in
opposition to Judge Roberts. But we do have questions. AAPD, the
countrys largest cross-disability membership organization, promotes
the
economic and political empowerment of all 56 million children and
adults with disabilities in the United States. It was founded in 1995
to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities,
including their family, friends and supporters, and be a national
voice for change in implementing the goals of the ADA. NCIL is the
oldest cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people
with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents over 700
organizations and individuals including centers for independent
living, Statewide Independent Living Councils, individuals with
disabilities, and other organizations that advocate for the human and
civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the U.S. The
Bazelon Center is a national legal advocate for people with mental
disabilities. Through precedent-setting litigation and in the public
policy arena, the Bazelon Center works to advance and preserve the
rights of people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities.
We represent hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities whose
lives are greatly impacted by judicial decisions.
Your remarks regarding both Tennessee v. Lane and Alabama v. Garrett
really resonated in our community since both were 5 to 4 decisions
one
for and one against us! You can understand our belief that our lives
literally hang in the balance by a single vote of the Supreme Court.
Your effort guarantees that there will be meaningful discussion of
the
response of the federal judiciary to the rights of Americans with
Disabilities an area that has all too often been relegated to the
periphery of debate around the federal judiciary.
Based on concerns raised by Justice Roberts record as well as by
recent concerns raised by Justice Roberts record, as well as recent
trends in federal jurisprudence, we will be submitting to the
Judiciary Committee by early next week a series of questions on
matters of great important to our organizations.
They center on these issues:
The right to private action (particularly in fair housing and
Medicaid
cases);
Definition of disability;
Reasonable accommodations;
Undue burden; and
Olmstead implementation.
We would very much appreciate your assistance in posing these
questions
to Judge Roberts.
In conclusion, Chairman Specter, we would request that a
representative
of our organizations be allowed to testify at Judge Roberts hearing.
Andrew J. Imparato, president and CEO of AAPD, is an attorney and has
testified on several occasions before the Senate and the House on
issues regarding ADA and people with disabilities. Again, we thank
you for your support and we look forward to participating in some way
in the upcoming hearings on Judge Roberts.
Sincerely,
Andrew Imparato, President and CEO
American Association of People with Disabilities
John Lancaster, Executive Director
National Council on Independent Living
Robert Bernstein, Executive Director
The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
-------------< EPILOG >
If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support for this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen that EDUCATION is the
best way accomplish this objective.
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based organization
that puts people with disabilities first in their advocacy for equal
opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze go without proper food, shelter,
and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors
including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic
violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to hard times,
disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the generous support
of people like you, we are able to help many of these families and
individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but to work toward
a brighter future with programs in job training, education,
counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.
Feel free to forward this email message to any one and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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