DISABILITY CAUCUS NEWS

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2010 Disability Caucus

Celebrating 20 years of the ADA

The seventh West Virginia Disability Caucus included a celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Caucus sessions and training sessions guided participants in developing strategies to address major issues for people with disabilities.

Disability Caucus 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

Mark and Jan Derry in the groove at the ADA Celebration
Mark Derry looking a lot like Justin Dart Jr.!
Dave Sanders and Marissa Johnson celebrating the ADA and anticipating their upcoming wedding

The ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration kicked the Caucus off with a bang
Marian Vessels, DBTAC: Mid-Atlantic ADA Center; Mark Derry, Eastlake, Derry & Associates; and Susan Edwards, WV Advocates, at the ADA Celebration
Caucus regular Leo Mulvey, with one of the photo displays commemorating the ADA

David Stewart, SILC; Cheryl Bates-Harris, National Disability Rights Network; Dohn Hoyle, the ARC of Michigan; and Steve Wiseman, WV Developmental Disabilities Council at the ADA Celebration
Movin’ ...
... & groovin’ at the ADA Celebration

Carolyn Bagwell, Fairmont, accepting the Accessibility Award for Fairmont State university from Mark Martin, Fox/WCHS TV
Anne Weeks, Mountain State CIL, accepting the Media Award for Dee Delancy, WOWK TV, from Mark Martin, Fox/WCHS TV
Michael Meadows, WV Division of Rehabilitation Services, accepting the Public Official of the Year Award for his Director, Deborah Lovely, from Mark Martin, Fox/WCHS TV

Kevin Nichols, Westover, accepting the Outstanding Personal Assistant Award from Mark Martin, Fox/WCHS TV
Melissa Lewis, Morgantown, accepting the Outstanding Personal Assistant Award from Mark Martin, Fox/WCHS TV
Cindy Spinks, SILC, accepting the Chairman’s Award from Mark Martin, Fox WCHS TV

Darla Ervin, widow of Ken Ervin, 2010 Inductee to the WV Independent Living Hall of Fame, with Ann McDaniel
Larry Paxton, 2010 Inductee to the WV Independent Living Hall of Fame, with Ann McDaniel
Georgetta Stevens, 2010 Inductee to the WV Independent Living Hall of Fame, with Ann McDaniel

For more information, and to be added to our mailing list, contact Kathi Young at the WVSILC office: 304-766-4624 or 1-800-642-8207, ext. 4624 or .

The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council began the West Virginia Disability Caucus in 1997 as an effort to support and develop the statewide, grassroots disability community.

The Disability Caucus provides training in grassroots organizing and advocacy skills for people with disabilities and other interested individuals. The Caucus also provides motivation for individuals with disabilities to get involved, to feel ownership, and to take responsibility for making changes to improve the lives of people with disabilities in their community, state and nation. The Caucus is a good opportunity for people with disabilities to network, begin developing strategies, and connect with advocacy groups they can be part of to actually go about the work of making change.

The Caucus has been held in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010, and attendance has grown each year. High quality state and national speakers are a highlight of the Caucus. Individuals also have the opportunity to attend District Meetings at each Caucus to identify issues, develop strategies, and establish priorities for addressing the problems of individuals with disabilities in their area of the state. The reports from the District Meetings are used by the Council, and by other statewide disability groups, as they plan services, future advocacy activities, and legislative priorities.

Interested In Becoming a Member of
The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council?

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Updated 08/31/06