[humanser] Persons with disabilities unwelcome at home with programs

Fri Jul 24 03:22:20 UTC 2015

Hello all,

First, I would like to address Jazmin's recommendations. The particular job that I was denied based on someone's perception about my ability to climb stairs was probably four years ago. Similarly this was the case for the homeless woman who is also denied entrance into the same program I wanted to work for.

Now I would like to update you about my interview that took place a few weeks ago. I did not get this particular job. I'm OK with the interviewers decision. I implicitly know that I did not get the interview based on other skills she was looking for. This had nothing to do with my blindness. What an awesome interview experience!

Next, some of you may have read my recent post to the California NFB listserv concerning some discriminatory information written into a job posting.
Because I have a working relationship with some of the individuals that particular agency I now have the opportunity to speak to the director of human resources for the West Coast for this particular agency. Parentheses boy, that was a lousy sentence and parentheses. Additionally, I received a response from an attorney who subscribes to our listserv. I in turn forwarded his response to the agency representative I am most connected with and to the human resources department which was responsible for writing the job description. I am thankful for the warm environment that I will be walking into, figuratively, when I speak to this human resource person. If anyone works for Recovery Innovations or Recovery options please contact me off-line. This is the agency that I have the relationship with. This is the agency that referred me to their director of human services. I meant to say human resources.

Finally, I wish to respond to Carly's recent post. Some of you may agree with me that what we see on the surface is not always what's happening underneath. Four instance, our local send her for Independent living has told me previously that some of their homeless clients who utilize wheelchairs cannot get into shelters because some of the shelters are not equipped for persons in wheelchairs. The buildings are oval and they have been grandfathered in. I meant to say the buildings are old and they have been grandfathered in and excluded from architectural barriers improvements.

I could tell you stories about homeless and visually impaired blind individuals who have been denied entrance into shelter programs. At a women's shelter a friend of mine was initially died and denied entrance into their program because she was not able to actively participate in their employment services program. She resolved that concern by getting the director to agree to let her attend an employment services program at our local Center for the blind. I did not mean to say die. Oh the joys of using the dictation feature on smart devices.
Here is my last and final example. In some states, including California, there is a victims of crime program called safe at home. Between 2009 to 2014 it is been a huge mess trying to get appropriate accommodations with regard to paperwork resources and other pertinent information. There EEOC officer is also their designated ADA coordinator. This is a huge boondoggle because the individual is not competent to perform that particular function of their job. This agency has what appears to be an advisory board that include services to persons with disabilities. However, there is not a blind person on the advisory board.
Because the safe at home program is located in Sacramento California I recommended that the ADA compliance officer contact the sacramental society for the blind… There is still no blind individual on your advisory board. These are only a few examples of situations that I am aware of or that I have personally encountered. I trust and know that I am not alone. 

Let me close this very lengthy letter by reiterating that what we see is not always what is happening.

From,
Lisa Irving Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 23, 2015, at 11:59 AM, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Afternoon, Lisa, and everyone,
> 
> From what I've seen, hanging out amongst homeless people, there is plenty of disability represented there, so i don't think there is a problem with securing services?
> CarAt 08:38 AM 7/22/2015, Lisa Irving via humanser wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> I'll take this a step further a while ago I applied for a job and a program run through the YMCA the building was old. They didn't want to hire me because they were worried about me climbing the stairs. I also know a woman who is visually impaired who was denied entrance into this particular program because they were worried about her climbing the stairs. Fortunately for her she was excepted into a Catholic homeless program from Lisa Irving
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> > On Jul 22, 2015, at 8:29 AM, justin williams via humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > Maybe even check the funding source.
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Reyazuddin,
>> > Yasmin via humanser
>> > Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 11:21 AM
>> > To: Human Services Division Mailing List <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>> > Cc: Reyazuddin, Yasmin <Yasmin.Reyazuddin at montgomerycountymd.gov>
>> > Subject: Re: [humanser] Persons with disabilities unwelcome at home with
>> > programs
>> >
>> > Hi Ericka,
>> > Nonprofit or for profit, ADA applies to everyone. The organization cannot
>> > refuse services just because they are located in a historical building.
>> > There are a few ways to tackle this matter. The ADA information centers or
>> > the DOJ have resources to resolve this issue. Check out the website
>> > www.ada.gov. They have technical assistance documents which address all your
>> > issues.
>> > The county where you live or where this organization is located, should also
>> > have an ADA compliance officer. Talk with them if the group gets county
>> > funding. Most of these groups get some funds from the health departments.
>> > The nature of the primary functions of these groups is such that they have
>> > to use funds through grants or in-kind from the government.
>> > Please let us know what you find out. Also we would like to know when the
>> > matter is resolved.
>> > There have been cases under the ADA in similar circumstances. I know, as we
>> > just reviewed them in a recent training.
>> >
>> >
>> > Yasmin Reyazuddin
>> > Aging & Disability Services
>> > Montgomery County Government
>> > Department of Health & Human Services
>> > 401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor)
>> > Rockville MD 20850
>> > 240-777-0311 (MC311)
>> > 240-777-1556 (personal)
>> > 240-777-1495 (fax)
>> > office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm
>> > Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille
>> >
>> >
>> > This message may contain protected health information or other information
>> > that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient,
>> > please contact the sender by return mail and destroy any copies of this
>> > material.
>> >
>> > Thank you.
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> > dotwriter1--- via humanser
>> > Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 11:04 AM
>> > To: humanser at nfbnet.org
>> > Cc: dotwriter1 at gmail.com
>> > Subject: [humanser] Persons with disabilities unwelcome at home with
>> > programs
>> >
>> > Hi everyone. I think this is the perfect place to ask this question seeing
>> > as we are all in Caring professions. I recently had lunch with my friend
>> > Naomi who used to work at our local Salvation Army and then worked with our
>> > local interfaith homeless shelter type program. She witnessed The supposedly
>> > caring caseworkers snaking snap decisions about people with physical
>> > disabilities not being able to participate in the programs. Now I realize
>> > that it is church-based there for the ADA doesn't force them to do anything.
>> > The current building is not handicapped accessible because of the historical
>> > nature of the building. It is a former school built in the 1800s I believe.
>> > At least one blind person with no other problems was denied and this is
>> > wrong of course. Anyone have done education with these programs before? I
>> > could contact people in my state and FB, but I'm looking for something from
>> > you because you are in the human services field. Any ideas off line or
>> > online would be appreciated. I am working with a non-prophet, Interfaith
>> > human rights advocacy group to accomplish changes. They are fully behind me.
>> >
>> > Ericka
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> > humanser at nfbnet.org
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>> > ntgomerycountymd.gov
>> >
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