[nabs-l] FW: friends with disabilities

[Sarah Alawami]

Friends with Disabilities, Please Read

I've taken the following from www.adapt.org/takeaction:

ADAPT - It's time to pass the CCA!

ADAPT TALKS BACK TO THE DEMOCRATS!

The Democratic National Committee has created ads talking about the need for
healthcare reform, but they don't tell you about the need to eliminate the
institutional bias.

ADAPT is talking back to the Democrats in a language they should understand.
ADAPT has produced its own video telling the Democrats that "It's time to
pass
the Community Choice Act." Watch the video here. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqs-fdhDZE8feature=player_embedded

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has a paper position supporting the
Community Choice Act, but the DNC stands by and watches while the Democratic
Leadership does nothing to eliminate the institutional bias. Instead, the
DNC publicly supports healthcare reform that perpetuates Medicaid's
institutional
bias that steals the freedom... and lives... of Americans with disabilities
and older Americans. 

When the aging and disability communities advocated that healthcare reform
eliminate the institutional bias, we were told that "It's too expensive." We
were told to be patient. We were told to wait. Well, we cannot and will not
wait any longer. Tell the Democrats that it's time to eliminate the
institutional
bias. Tell them that it's time to pass the Community Choice Act.

Seniors and people with disabilities overwhelmingly prefer to live in the
community with supports rather than receive long term assistance in a
nursing
facility or other institution. Unfortunately, under federal rules, the
Medicaid system does not give people a choice and often requires that people
go
into a nursing facility or other institution to get the assistance they
need. 

The Community Choice Act gives people real choice in long term care options.
This legislation ends the institutional bias in the Medicaid program by
giving
individuals who are eligible for nursing facility services or other
institutional "care" equal access to community-based services and supports,
like attendant
services.

Personally, I'm shocked by the attitude of the DNC. I expected better of
them. Institutional bias was supposed to have been stopped 10 years ago, and
yet
it continues to be an issue. Here in my home state of Tennessee, the
governor has cut vast amounts of funding for people with disabilities. His
feeling
is, more or less, that if people with disabilities can't support themselves
without state funding, then they should be put aside in institutions.

The 19th anniversary celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act was
held at City Hall this morning here in Memphis. There were many inspiring
and
informative speeches, one of the last of which was given by Randy Alexander,
a disability rights advocate who works here at the Center for Independent
Living. He told of the actions that are being taken right now by ADAPT to
get the message to the DNC. I myself have been following news of the
protests
on Twitter. I'd like to encourage all who read this to join with us. Make
your voice heard! I'd like to see as many individuals and organizations
involved
as possible. If enough people fight for their rights, changes WILL be made!

You can find information about ADAPT and ways in which you can get involved
and stay up-to-date on the website mentioned at the beginning of this post.
I ask everyone to please pass this on, and stay tuned for more updates.

Regards,
Becky