Day In Washington

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to update this blog as much as I would like. The particular reason behind this currently is that I am initiating a job move.  It is with great sadness that I announce my decision to leave the American Psychological Association (APA). I have worked for three wonderful years as a Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer for APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office (PI-GRO). As of last week, I accepted a position with the United States Department of Labor as a Senior Policy Advisor.

It has been my genuine pleasure to work for APA on a wide variety of issues crossing many populations and I have been privileged to be present for APA’s many successes during this time such as the passage of the ADA Amendments Act, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, regulatory language protecting reimbursement for services for children with mental health conditions in school, the repeal of the HIV/AIDS ban, the President’s signing of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the inclusion of APA health disparities language in health reform legislation to name just a very few.

I have enjoyed working with APA’s fine staff of professionals and will miss my associations there. In particular, I am humbled by the passion and dedication of the PI-GRO and their willingness to work with the disability community to support independent choice for people with disabilities.  I am proud to have played a role in furthering APA’s commitment to apply the science and practice of psychology to the fundamental problems of human welfare and the promotion of equitable and just treatment of all segments of society.

Friday, November 6 will be my last day at APA. Although I leave with a heavy heart, I am eager to see what opportunities await with the Department of Labor.  I am excitied about the potential and hope that I may positively impact the lives (and perceptions) of people with disabilities. 

As always, I can be reached via this website or you can contact me via the show’s voicemail line at 206-888-6009.  Thank you to all of those who follow Day in Washington for supporting me and sharing my enthusiasm for disability policy and I look forward to continuing our communications and work to improve the lives of people with disabilities in my new role.

*Please note that the comments and opinions expressed on this site are solely those of Ms. Al-Mohamed and should in no way be considered representative of opinions, statements or policies of any organizations, affiliations, or employers, past, present or future of Ms. Al-Mohamed.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

You can read the Baucus Press Release here: http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb101309b.pdf

Portion of Senator Baucus’ Opening Statement at the Mark‐Up

Benjamin Franklin said: “Well done is better than well said.” Now pretty much everything’s been said. Now it’s time to get the job done.

The costs of inaction are clear. Americans simply cannot afford the status quo. Americans are looking for common‐sense solutions. Americans want a balanced plan that takes the best ideas from both sides. And Americans want us to craft a package that will get the 60 votes that it needs to pass.

For 2 years now, that’s exactly what we have been doing, in this Committee. Over the last two years, we held 20 hearings on health care. Last June, we held a health care summit at the Library of Congress.  We held three roundtable discussions with experts on each of the three major areas of reform: health care delivery, coverage, and how to pay for it.  In connection with each roundtable, we put out detailed option papers.  And then we held three walk‐throughs to hash out those options.

Six Members of the Committee — three Republicans and three Democrats — held 31 meetings to try to come to a consensus. We held exhaustive meetings. We met for more than 61 hours. We went the extra mile. And now, we’ve held an open and exhaustive markup. I put out the mark and posted it on the Web on September 16. That was nearly a week before we started the markup. In a first for this Committee, we posted every amendment — all 564 of them — on the Web.

Today’s session to report our bill is our eighth day of meeting. Many of those days were long days. It’s been more than 22 years since the Finance Committee met for eight days on a single bill. Senators offered and the Committee considered 135 amendments. We conducted 79 roll‐call votes. And we adopted 41 amendments. Now, the scores are in. And I am proud to say that our bill passes the test…

…Ours is a balanced plan that can pass the Senate. Our bill should win the support of Republicans and Democrats alike. Now the choice is up to Senators on this Committee.  My Colleagues, this is our opportunity to make history. Our actions here will determine whether we extend better health care to more Americans.

Ben Franklin said that “well done is better than well said.” Senators, now is the time that will tell whether things are merely said, or whether something is actually done. Now is the time to get this done. Let us enact this balanced, common health care system to control costs and premiums.  And let us extend health care coverage to all Americans.

Full Opening Statement is available here: http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb101309.pdf

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Let me just say, that not only things are moving quickly here in Washington, DC but that they are moving in a major way.  Taking place right now is the Community NOW Advocacy Day in 430 Dirksen.

Representatives from the Senate Health, Education and Labor and Pensions Committee, the disability community and a family caregiver will present and urge support for these proposals.

As you no doubt know, the modifications to the Senate Finance bill included the Community First Choice Option and referenced the importance of long term services and supports. However, because of cost concerns and potential opposition, there are rumors that these provisions and others relating to access to home and community services (as well as health disparities issues some prevention) may be stripped from the final health reform legislation.

As a part of the rally, a fact sheet will be distributed to all Senate offices to get the CLASS Act and the Community First Choice Option included in the final Senate health reform bill and alerts have been going out to grassroots memberships to reinforce the activities here.

The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act and the Community First Choice (CFC) option are long term services and supports reforms needed now. The CLASS Act creates a national, affordable long term care insurance program. The CFC Option creates a new home and community-based service within the Medicaid state plan.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am off to Colorado this week for a long-awaited vacation.  I shall return the first week of October.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

To Accept with Modification Rockefeller Amendment #D11:

On page 50, at the end of the Long Term Services and Supports section

Insert, ― The Chairman’s Mark would express the Sense of the Senate that this Congress should address long-term services and supports in a comprehensive way that guarantees elderly and disabled individuals the care they need. The Mark would further express the Sense of the Senate that long term services and supports should be made available in the community in addition to in institutions.

To Accept with Modification Kerry Amendment #C16:

On page 50, at the end of the Long Term Services and Supports section

Insert ―The Chairman’s Mark would protect against spousal impoverishment in all Medicaid home and community based services programs by requiring states to apply the same spousal impoverishment rules currently provided to the spouses of nursing home residents in Medicaid.‖ The provision would sunset after five years.

To Accept with Modification Cantwell Amendment #C1:

On page 50, at the end of the Long Term Services and Supports section

Insert ―The Chairman’s Mark would provide states that undertake structural reforms proven to increase nursing home diversions and access to home and community based services in their Medicaid programs a targeted increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP). The amount of the FMAP increase would be tied to the percentage of a state’s long term services and supports that is offered through HCBS, with lower FMAP increases going to states that will need to make fewer reforms. States would be able to offer HCBS through a waiver or through a state plan amendment (SPA).

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

LATEST NEWS – Things are moving fast here in Washington DC. I know that many people with disabilities have been actively working to get the Community First Choice (CFC) Option included in health reform legislation as a whole.

First proposed by by Senator Harkin as a way to get the key provisions of the Community Choice Act (CCA) into health reform. The option would encourage states to provide Medicaid home and community based attendant services (rather than require them as the original CCA would do).

Senator Schumer introduced the language of the CFC Option as an amendment this week. Today, I reviewed the new modified Chairman’s Mark from Senator Baucus of the Senate Finance Committee. Below please find the exact language relating to the CFC Option that is in the bill:

To Accept with Modification Schumer Amendment #C13:

On page 50, at the end of the Long Term Services and Supports section

Insert ―The Chairman’s Mark would establish the Community First Choice Option, which would create a state plan option under section 1915 of the Social Security Act to provide community based attendant supports and services to individuals with disabilities who are Medicaid eligible and who require an institutional level of care. These services and supports include assistance toindividuals with disabilities in accomplishing activities of daily living and health related tasks. States who choose the Community First Choice Option would be eligible for enhanced federal match rate of an additional six percentage points for reimbursable expenses in the program. The option would sunset after five years.

―The Community First Choice Option also would require data collection to help determine how states are currently providing home and community based services, the cost of those services, and whether states are currently offering individuals with disabilities who otherwise qualify for institutional care under Medicaid the choice to instead receive home and community based services, as required by the U.S. Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C. (1999).

―The Community First Choice Option would also modify the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration to reduce the amount of time required for individuals to qualify for that program to 90 days.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Obviously, I am buried under health reform these days but I wanted to send out a few quick bullet points about the Baucus health reform bill that might be of interest to people with disabilities.  I’ve always said that comprmise is where everybody goes away unhappy.  Max Baucus’ health reform bill from the Senate Finance Committee claims to “ensure this package works for patients, for health care providers and for our economy” and right now, it looks like everyone is unhappy with this supposedly middle-ground legislation.

General Comments:

- Coming in with a price tag of just $880 billion dollars, it is the cheapest of the health reform bills. It does this by offering less in subsidies for low-income individuals to buy health insurance, has higher deductibles and levies higher penalties for people who don’t buy insurance.

- Everyone would be required to obtain health coverage or pay an annual penalty depending on their income level. However, in his bill a family of four living on $66,000 a year would not receive any additional subsidy or support and would have to pay $8,600 for health insurance. That is not including the $2,000 deductible. And if they don’t, or can’t, they have to pay a $3,800 fine.

Almost 30 percent of adults with disabilities live in households with an income of $15,000 or less compared to only 12 percent of those without disabilities. Approximately 36 percent of children with disabilities live in families earning less than $25,000 a year. In addition, a journal article a few years ago reported on a study about how much individuals with disabilities can end up spending on other disability-related services that may not be fully reimbursed (personal assistant services being one of the examples mentioned). They came up with an additional $20,000 that families with a member with a disability may pay.

- Businesses with 50 or more employees that do not offer coverage will be required to reimburse the government for tax credits given to employees purchasing their own insurance. This is one of those points where I like to remind everyone why it is critical to always review all the language in legislation, not just do a word-search for “disability.” What the above language does, is that it discourages employers from hiring anyone who may qualify to receive a government tax credit, because the employer would then have to pay back the government.

Let me give you an example: An employer can choose between two job applicants – one is a single mother with two children, and the other is a married woman who gets her health insurance through her husband. The single mother probably qualifies for a government tax credit, so she’d actually cost them more. Now consider this issue with someone with a disability. People with disabilities usually do not have the option of going without coverage because of their conditions. In addition, on the average, people with disabilities earn less than individuals without disabilities. What that means is that likely someone with a disability would qualify for or would be percieved as being able to qualify for the government’s health insurance tax credity. The company wouldn’t hire them, and in a tight economic market, would fire them first. Why? Because they now would cost more.

- Insurance companies can not drop someone because of a pre-existing condition or impose annual caps or lifetime limits on coverage. However, insurance companies can charge higher premiums for older adults. More than five times higher premiums. Why is this an issue? Because, as they age, the vast majority of people acquire disabilities or chronic conditions. Allowing insurance companies to charge higher premiums may lead to “back-door” discrimination against people with disabilities and pre-existing conditions.

- Rehabilitation and habilitation services, therapies, and durable medical equipment and devices are not included under the minimum benefits package. I see this as a big problem. Rehabilitative and habilitative services can be critical to someone with a disability or mental health condition. They are necessary to restore functional capacity, minimize limitations on physical and cognitive functions, and maintain or prevent deterioration of functioning as a result of an illness, injury, disorder or other health condition. These services are also vital to the prevention of secondary disabling conditions.

- All newly-eligible, non-pregnant adults within Medicaid would receive a benchmark benefit package consistent with section 1937 of the Social Security Act. What that means is that Medicaid benchmark plans will provide only 75 percent of the actuarial value of coverage for mental health services.

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which passed last October, requires health plans that offer mental health coverage to have the same benefits, copayments, and treatment limits as for other types of health care. Mental health conditions are the leading causes of disability, representing more than 57 million Americans. Research has shown that 25 percent of Americans do not have adequate access to mental health services and 44 percent either do not have mental health coverage or are not sure if they do. The bill language would seem to contadict the requirements of the mental health parity legislation.

There is a lot more in the bill (and not in the bill) that requires careful review and discussion including expansions of Medicaid, Medicare buy-ins, the creation of health co-ops, pevention, home and community based services and more. Amendments to the Chairman’s Mark were due at five p.m. today and Senator Baucus promises to get the bill through the Senate Finance Committee within the next week.

Stay tuned, things are just getting started!

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

It was almost exactly one year ago that the President signed the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA) into law. As a part of tht law, Congress directed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to amend its ADA regulation to reflect the changes made by the ADAAA. Today, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the first step in the effort to change its ADA regulations to do so. I expect the NPRM to show up in the Federal Register early next week.

As many of you who follow this blog know, last year congress passed the ADAA because persons with many types of impairments – including epilepsy, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, intellectual disabilities, and mental health conditions – had been unable to bring ADA claims because they were found not to meet the ADA’s definition of “disability.” The ADAAA meaks it very clar that people with these and other impairments should be covered.

NPRMs are usually “open” for 60 days, so it will be a great opportunity to comment and offer your suggestions. I’ll let you know as soon as they are out along with a link.

The Commission has also issued a question and answer guide on the NPRM. Which explains the changes to employment law in plain english. If you get a chance, take a look.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Most of last week, I had the pleasure of spending at the United Nations in New York.  I attended the Second Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  It has been almost 10 years since I was at the United Nations and found that I had forgotten a lot of what it was like:  The way the building seemed aged and just a step out of time, the many many suits rushing around attending to various delegates, the variety of colors and clothing and languages.  I have to admit, it was pleasant to hear Arabic again after so many years. 

As many of you may be aware, on July 30th, Ambassador Susan Rice signed the treaty on behalf of the United States. If ratified by the Senate, the CRPD will be the fourth major human rights treaty ever adopted by the U.S.  On September 3rd, Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy spoke at the conference.  Below are his comments:

Remarks by Mr. Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, At the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Thank you all. I am delighted that we are holding this second session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. And I am deeply honored to be the first representative of the United States to be here with you all.

A few weeks ago, I had the great privilege of being present when Ambassador Rice signed this treaty—the first new human rights convention of the 21st century. It enlarges the circle of liberty and equality to more fully include the 650 million people around the globe—one tenth of the world’s population—who live with a disability. The principles that guide the Convention are powerful ones: a respect for inherent human dignity, worth, independence, and autonomy; the rejection of discrimination; the shield of equal protection and benefits under law; the call for full participation and inclusion in society; an insistence on equality of opportunity and accessibility; a respect for difference and an embrace of diversity.

These principles resonate profoundly in U.S. disabilities legislation. More than one in five Americans lives with a disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has become a bill of rights for millions of citizens, giving legal force to some of the strongest national protections against discrimination in the world. An important legislative follow-up, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, provides even more powerful guarantees of the rights of citizens living with disabilities. Above all, the ADA remains the achievement of the community of activists who fought vigorously and bravely for the rights and autonomy of persons with disabilities. And it remains a reminder that the shackles that hold us back can be broken, not just endured.

As President Obama has noted, disability rights are not just civil rights to be enforced at home. They are universal rights to be promoted around the world. So on July 30, Ambassador Rice had the high honor of signing the UN Convention on behalf of the United States—and taking another step on the great and ongoing American journey toward liberty and equality for all. We are proud to join the 141 other UN member states that have also signed this important document. And I hope the Senate will give the Convention swift consideration and approval once President Obama submits it for advice and consent.

My colleagues and I are looking forward to our work together, both over the years ahead and during this week’s Conference. In keeping with this year’s theme, with its emphasis on legislation and implementation, the United States will present a panel discussion entitled “Addressing Challenges in Defining Disabilities: Legislating Workable Definitions.” The panel will focus on the ADA Restoration Act and will feature presentations from the U.S. Departments of Justice and State and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This discussion will take place today, during the lunch period, in Conference Room 5. We hope to see many of you there.

But our work together must go on beyond these halls too. For all the progress of recent decades, for all the promise this Convention holds, we all still have much more to do. As President Obama has noted, persons with disabilities still often cannot choose the communities in which they live. They often find that affordable, high-quality health care is out of reach. They are more likely to be unemployed. They are far more likely to live in poverty. And in developing nations, 90 percent of children with disabilities do not attend school.

As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has noted, discrimination against people with disabilities is not simply unjust. It also hinders economic development, limits democracy, burdens families, and erodes societies.

So we turn ourselves to defend the human rights of citizens with disabilities both because it is wise and because it is just. Let our efforts serve to guarantee the inherent dignity, worth, and independence of all persons with disabilities worldwide. Let our efforts serve as an ongoing source of inspiration to all who cherish the ideals of dignity and equality. And let our efforts serve as a lasting reminder that, when we work together, old barriers can come tumbling down.

Thank you.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy of Massachusetts, the last surviving brother in an enduring political dynasty and one of the most influential senators in history, died last night.  Perhaps more than any other individual, Senator Kennedy’s commitment and dedication to the well-being of vulnerable populations has lead to the enactment of groundbreaking legislation. This has included the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX, the Family Medical Leave Act, and other laws that have changed the course of this nation and have exemplified him as the champion of the common man.

Out of respect and in honor of everything “Ted” has done for people with disabilities over his decades in the Senate, the Day in Washington blog will go dark.  We have lost a great advocate; he will be missed.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

There has been a lot of discussion of late about the various health reform bills and what they really mean and not all of that discussion has been positive or productive. I do believe that there are some valid concerns about these bills. No legislaton is perfect. And in all of the rhetoric currently out there it is critical to remember two things:

1. Everyone has an agenda and will spin information, so always check it out yourself (check multiple sources).
2. At the heart of all of this, it is about people, not process; about families, not statistics so this discussion is VERY personal to everyone and feelings will run high. Be respectful, even if we think they may be wrong.

One would assume that most people are in favor of health reform. I was quickly disabused of that notion from a recent (August 15th -17th) NBC poll on health reform.

60% said the current health system needs a “complete overhaul” or “major reform” — but it WAS 72% in April.

54% are worried that government is going too far.

41% are worried that reform will not do enough to lower costs and cover the uninsured.

41% approve of the President’s handling of health care.

21% approve of the Republican’s handling of health care.

 
To answer the question as to why health reform is needed, and in particular why it is needed for people with disabilities, I’m going to tell you a story. A true story. And unfortunately, it is not a story with a happy ending.

A woman in her thirties with uncontrolled diabetes and her two children lived with a relative in South Carolina. She did not qualify for Medicaid under South Carolina’s guidelines because she had not yet been found disabled by the Social Security Administration. Since she had no treating physician, every time her blood sugar went too high or too low, she went to the local emergency room (ER) for treatment. She continually complained to the ER staff that she had a sore on her right foot that would not heal. No one evaluated her for this because they were concerned with getting her blood sugar under control. Every ER visit had notations of her unhealing sores but provided no treatment.
 
Eventually, she insisted that the doctor look at the worsening sores on her foot. Once the doctor saw her foot, she was immediately admitted and the next day her leg was amputated below the knee. The surgeon could not remove all of the leg that needed to be removed and wanted to wait a few days because it would be too much of a shock to her system. The sores were so bad that even with the amputation, osteomyelitis had set in and before the next surgery could be performed, she died.

Prior to her death, there was a record of 52 ER visits and 14 inpatient visits in 18 months! Neither the hospitals nor the surgeon will be paid for their services, because there was no Medicaid coverage before her death. Access to affordable health care would have enabled her to manage her diabetes and most likely would have saved her life. What really upset me was that the cause of death on the Death Certificate said “Complications of Diabetes.”

She didn’t die because of diabetes, she died because she couldn’t access affordable health care. THAT is why there needs to be a change in the system. What exactly that change is, is still up for negotiation, but the discussion must continue. If nothing happens, then we will continue to hear more stories like this. I do not want to be the one to tell that woman’s two children that we didn’t try to ensure that none else has to suffer as their family has.

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

No, I haven’t been under a rock, although I have been out of town.  Some very good friends were recently married in Las Vegas and since I’ve been back I have been buried under “catch-up” work involving the latest health reform debates. I participated in a conference call with the White House on Friday and I hope to give you some more information on that within the next 24 hours. In the mean time, feel free to explore my personal blog to see how I spent my time away from ‘Day in Washington.’

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

• RT @whitehouse: History: Judge Sotomayor confirmed 68-31. Watch Obama’s response live around 3:30 http://bit.ly/GOZOt #

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Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

As was mentioned in my Day in Washington Tweet, I attended a luncheon last Wednesday with Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  Among the things she said, a small yet interesting point was that, “On October 7, Congress will unveil a statute of Helen Keller in the Capitol.  As a deaf-blind individual who was a world leader in disability rights and social justice, and a woman ahead of her time, Helen Keller will be a proud addition to our halls. 

“We will also reaffirm our commitment to her life’s work: to ensure that opportunities are available to individuals with disabilities.  With that in mind, we must always respect people for what they can do, not judge them for what they cannot do. “I discussed some of the fascinating background of this story in my August 2007 blog post and why in some ways, it is very ironic that Helen Keller, a progressive, an activist, a radical, a suffragist, a socialist, an advocate for the poor, a supporter of communism, a pacifist in time of war, pro-civil rights, anti-child labor, anti-establishment, anti-corporate, supportive of the NAACP, one of the founders of the ACLU and an outspoken critic of the US government will have a statue in her honor…in the Capitol.

However, I do want to applaud the fact that this will be the first and, so far, only statue of a person with a disability in the Capitol (and only the second of a woman).

Resources

Helen Keller Comes to Washington - a DIW blog post (August 27, 2007)

Helen Keller statue to be placed in U.S. Capitol in October in the Birmingham News by Mary Orndorff

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

• RT @AndyAAPD: It’s official! White House ADA anniversary event this afternoon plugged in USA Today “Nationline” p. 3A #

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Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23, 2009

CONTACT
CCD International Task Force
David Hutt, Co-Chair   (202) 408-9514 x.129   David.Hutt@ndrn.org
Day Al-Mohamed, Co-Chair   (202) 336-6061   DWilliamsAl-Mohamed@apa.org

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Applauds U.S. Decision to Sign the Treaty on Disability Rights

Washington, D.C. - The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) joins the broader human rights and disability communities in expressing appreciation for President Obama’s decision to sign the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The purpose of the CRPD is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. Members of CCD wrote the previous administration in March 2008 encouraging the United States to join the growing number of nations in signing this important treaty.

“Through this signature, President Obama restores the United States to a position of leadership in the area of disability and human rights, joining 140 other nations who have already signed the Convention,” stated Marty Ford, Chairperson of CCD and director of legal advocacy at The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy Disability Policy Collaboration.

“CCD and the disability community view this as a symbol of President Obama’s commitment to true equality for individuals with disabilities and will be working closely with the Administration and Congress to secure ratification,” said David Hutt, Co-Chair of the CCD International Task Force and an attorney with the National Disability Rights Network.

CCD urges the U.S. Senate to quickly consider and ratify the treaty and fully restore the United States to a global leadership position on disability and human rights. The Convention is already consistent with many U.S. laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and ratification will better ensure protection of disability rights into the future.

CCD is a coalition of over 100 national consumer, advocacy, provider and professional organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.

###

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

From the Office of the Press Secretary at the White House:

Statement from Former President George H.W. Bush on the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

“I congratulate President Obama for taking some time today to remember the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There is no place in our society for prejudice of any kind, yet it was not that long ago when Americans with disabilities were often not given equal rights and opportunities. Whether the cause was ignorance or indifference, it was not acceptable. We can all take pride in how much the ADA has accomplished, which is evident every time you attend a sporting event, ride the subway, or go to work. Yet, there is always more to be done, which is why it’s good not only to celebrate our successes, but to look forward at what still must be done. As long as we never forget that every life is a miracle and each person has something to contribute, we will finish the job.”

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

On Thursday, July 23, the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 was passed by the Senate. Why this is important is because included in this bill was the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would take several important steps toward improving the nation’s response to hate crime, including expanding current federal law to recognize crimes motivated by disability. The federal government will now hae the ability to address those crimes that other jurisdictions are either unable or unwilling to investigate and prosecute.

Resources

Day in Washington Podcast #2 (Hate Crimes) - June 20, 2007 (Includes background information on hate crimes against people with disabilities)

 An Advocate Speaks about the Expansion of Hate Crime Law - From Disabled-World.com (originally from Capital News 9)  an interview with Friend-of-DIW,  Anita Cameron.

L.A. Times Editorial - Narrow the Hate Crimes Act - A perspective about why disability should NOT be included in hate crime legislation

(If you cannot access the editorial directly at the L.A. Times site above, a copy of the editorial is also available at:  http://www.aapd.com/News/legislature/071029lat.htm)

Day in Washington #13 - Hate Crimes Update - November 7, 2007  (An additional resource on the history of this legislation)

Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

• Just attended an intimate luncheon with Speaker Pelosi who spoke about disability. #
• From Speaker Pelosi, “People with disabilities should be respected for what they can do, rather than judged for what they can not.” #
• On July 24, 2009, at a ceremony in the White House, President Obama is scheduled to announce that the United States will sign the CRPD. #

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Originally published at Day In Washington. Please leave any comments there.

• Reviewing the new Tri-Committee House Health Reform bill. Wishing I could find more language in it regarding people with disabilities. #

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