[Nfbmt] Leading Organizations of Americans with Disabilities Call for Reform of AbilityOne Program: Organizations Set Forth Seven Reform Principles

Wed Sep 16 02:21:48 UTC 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Chris Danielsen
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
cdanielsen at nfb.org

Bethany Alvaré
TASH
(202) 540-9020
balvare at tash.org

Leading Organizations of Americans with Disabilities Call for Reform of
AbilityOne Program

Organizations Set Forth Seven Reform Principles

Washington, DC (September 15, 2015): Seven leading organizations comprised
of Americans with disabilities announced today that they are calling for
reform of the AbilityOne Program and set forth seven principles for overhaul
of the program, which affects hundreds of thousands of American workers with
disabilities. The announcement was made by the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB), TASH, the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), the
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), the Association of People
Supporting Employment First (APSE), the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
(ASAN), and the United Spinal Association. The seven principles for reform
put forward by the organizations are as follows:

1.    Commitment to the expressed integration mandate set forth by the
Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Olmstead v. L.C.:
Segregation of people with disabilities in work sites, such as sheltered
workshops and enclaves, is inconsistent with Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. People with disabilities must be supported to lead fully
integrated lives in their communities, including throughout their workday.

2.    Implementation and development of best practices for employment of
people with significant disabilities: People employed by contracts
negotiated through the AbilityOne procurement process must have their
employment goals supported by providers implementing recognized best
practices, such as Supported Employment and Customized Employment, that
result in good jobs in the community.

3.    Elimination of conflicts of interest that contribute to exploitation,
fraud, and abuse: Conflicts of interest in AbilityOne contract
implementation are rampant, and must be identified and prohibited. These
include determination of employee eligibility by community rehabilitation
programs (CRPs) implementing contracts, as well as the use of contract funds
for lobbying and other purposes.
4.    Payment of prevailing wages and the elimination of subminimum-wage
payments: Payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities is
intolerable in the United States. People with disabilities should be paid
the prevailing wage for the task they are performing.

5.    Ensuring financial and operational transparency and accountability:
AbilityOne contract use of funds must be transparent and readily available
(online) to the public at every level, including the purpose and amount of
funds used by the Central Nonprofit Agencies, executive compensation
packages of nonprofits involved in the program, worker wage ranges, and
purposes of funds used.

6.    Relationship with employer: The ultimate objective of a
federally-sanctioned special procurement program should be to connect
employees with mainstream employers, as opposed to having people with
disabilities working for nonprofit entities under specialized, set-aside
contracts.

7.    Prioritizing awarding of contracts available through the procurement
process to disability-owned businesses, including self-employed individuals
with disabilities: Rather than all contracts going to the non-profit
organizations currently involved in the program, individuals with
disabilities should be encouraged to compete for service contracts.

The AbilityOne Program must be brought up to contemporary standards of
practice for supporting people with disabilities to access competitive
integrated employment. When these reforms are adopted, an inspector general
should be appointed to provide rigorous oversight to ensure that the days of
exploitation and fraud are brought to an end.

Barb Trader, Executive Director of TASH, said: “The continued segregation of
people with disabilities in employment is unjust, and the payment of
subminimum wages is discriminatory and demeaning. Americans with
disabilities must be freed from the overwhelming control of the entities
that simultaneously determine their eligibility for services, administer
those services, and function as their employers. The concentration of power
in community rehabilitation programs and sheltered workshops is a
fundamental flaw in the AbilityOne Program. Any federally-sanctioned program
must be a positive force for workers with disabilities by providing them
freedom, self-determination, and real employment and career development
opportunities.”

Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“The principles we are setting forth today reflect the hopes and aspirations
of all Americans with disabilities. Neither AbilityOne nor any other program
that purports to serve us can do so without reference to our own
determinations on how to live the lives we want. We urge all other
organizations of Americans with disabilities and like-minded service
providers to join us in calling for an end to discrimination and low
expectations, and to work with us for a future in which we, as Americans
with disabilities, have full control over our destinies.”

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About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

About TASH

TASH is an international leader in disability advocacy. Founded in 1975,
TASH advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with significant
disabilities and support needs – those most vulnerable to segregation,
abuse, neglect and institutionalization. TASH works to advance inclusive
communities through research, education, and advocacy. The inclusive
practices TASH validates through research have been shown to improve
outcomes for all people. More information about TASH can be found at
www.tash.org.

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