ADVOCACY
GRAPHIC of WVSILC TITLE

Disability Policy Priorities and Strategies, 2010-2011

At the seventh West Virginia Disability Caucus in July 2010, caucus representatives identified the following strategies for key issues in the near future:

Transportation

  • Advocate for accessible transportation with taxi cabs in Huntington.
  • Advocate for compliance with ¾ mile rule, announcing bus stops, costs of transportation, long waits between stops.
  • Look into traffic sign problems in Kanawha County.
  • Advocate with cab companies to improve service.
  • Talk to city officials to increase time of crossing signals to make them long enough to cross streets.
  • Advocate for better transportation in Wayne County.
  • Advocate for bus system in Beckley.
  • Advocate for trip tickets, statewide transportation, keep IT bus running from Huntington to Charleston.

Healthcare & PAS

  • Pass the Community Choice Act.
  • Advocate for accountability for agencies.
  • Implement the health care law.
  • Advocate for local access to providers who are reliable and have adequate equipment and funds.
  • Advocate for reliable, responsible, well paid personal care attendants.
  • Advocate for interpreters and equipment for people who are deaf or hearing impaired to effectively communicate with medical providers.
  • Advocate for a preferred medication list so a prescription and letter are not necessary.

Wild Card

  • Promote better collaboration among service/resource providers.
  • Advocate for Office of Disability within governor’s office.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

  • Change negative perceptions and publicity in order to promote more positive perceptions.
  • Increase public awareness and knowledge of the ADA.
  • Improve compliance among state and local governments and businesses.

Housing

  • Contact appropriate Legislative Committees regarding increased funding for public safety, in-home services for Medicaid recipients, review of staffing and standards at institutions, promulgation of rules for Universal Design, and providing tax credits for family caregivers.
  • Meet with State Level agencies to develop low-interest loan programs for home modifications, strategies to increase trained weatherization staff, increased transition assistance from institutions to community, enforcement of state regulations for Fair Housing, and review of staffing/case loads for relevant agencies.
  • Organize grassroots activities to address reduction of municipal fees for homeowners with disabilities, and increase in funding for transportation.
  • Encourage organizations at state and local levels to include planning for housing programs focusing on financial advising, transportation and volunteer programs.
  • Meet with HUD to discuss compliance of Fair Housing and management training in public housing.

Disability Policy Priorities and Strategies, 2009-2010

At the December 2, 2009 SILC meeting, representatives from West Virginia Centers for Independent Living (WVCIL); West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC); West Virginia Olmstead Council; West Virginia Mental Health Consumers Association (WVMHCA); and the Fair Shake Network (FSN) presented their disability policy priorities and worked with SILC members in small groups to develop strategies for those priorities. The issues and strategies agreed upon were:

West Virginia CILs:

  • Issue: Cuts to State IL Funding
    • Talk to friends, neighbors, etc. who have benefitted from IL services
    • Develop IL Fact Sheet and make available to SILC members
    • Public Hearing to receive testimony on the impact of budget cuts
  • All Issues Including IL Funding and Supported Employment Extended Services Funding, Olmstead Plan Implementation, AD Waiver Quality Assurance, and RYPAS Funding
    • Work with legislature to restore the funding
    • Use WVCIL telephone tree or e-mail list to distribute information
    • Get personal stories to share with legislators
    • Mountain State CIL and Appalachian CIL will help provide transportation to the Capitol for SILC members to visit legislators

Olmstead Council:

  • Issue: Olmstead Plan Implementation
    • Recommendations need to cite Olmstead Council Mission and the Executive Order 11-05
    • Distribute materials on Olmstead issues to stakeholders and policymakers
    • Personal stories from Council members and the Transition Navigator program to share with policymakers
    • Develop joint document with common goals supported by disability/advocacy organizations

Fair Shake Network:

  • Issue: Cuts to State IL Funding
    • Public meeting/hearing to receive testimony on the impact of budget cuts
    • Develop fact sheet on IL funding cuts and impact
  • Issue: Olmstead Plan Implementation
    • Work with the DDC, Olmstead Council, WVCIL, and FSN on a meeting to strategize on Olmstead and make sure we are all saying the same thing
  • Issue: Limitations on administration of medications by AMAPs to residential settings
    • Continue AMAP group meetings to provide recommendations and strategize