News

Don't Forget to Cast Your Vote! Accessibility of Polling Places

On Sept. 18, 2012, this webinar was held by the ADA National Network. Visit their websitewhere you can listen to the archived recording and/or read the transcripts to learn more about this important topic. Here's a description of what the webinar:

2012 is a presidential election year and as we reflect back to 2008 we know that 14.7 million Americans with disabilities voted in the 2008 election. This is a significant increase over the 10.9 million Americans with disabilities who voted in the 2000 presidential election. Passage of the Help America Vote Act in 2002 increased the focus and attention on the barriers faced by people with disabilities attempting to exercise their civic responsibilities. However, many polling places remain inaccessible and individuals continue to report that they do not get the supports they need in the polling place to ensure that they can vote independently and confidentially. Join this session as we explore the obligations under the various laws and regulations and strategies for working with local election officials.

You can also learn more about accessibility of polling places from thischecklist.

The National Forum on Disability Issues was an historic nonpartisan event that took place on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, focusing on the disability positions of the 2012 Presidential candidates. Edward M. Ted Kennedy, Jr. and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke on behalf of their respective parties to present their campaigns positions on matters relating to Americans with disabilities.

Ohio Senate Republican nominee Treasurer Josh Mandel and Rep. Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) on behalf of Ohio Sen. Brown participated, as well as Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. The speakers discussed their positions on a wide variety of disability issues directly to the disability community. Frank Sesno, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University and former CNN White House correspondent, anchor and Washington bureau chief, served as Forum moderator.

View the archived webinar or read the transcripts on the National Forum on Disability Issues website.

TheWisconsin Disability Vote Coalition(WDVC) is a non-partisan effort to increase voting turnout and participation in the electoral process among members of Wisconsins disability community. The WDVC is funded byDisability Rights Wisconsin(DRW) and theBoard for People with Developmental Disabilities(BPDD). Be sure to check out theWDVC websitefor information and resources, including:

• Voting Guide for Citizens with Disabilities
• Transportation to go vote on election day
• Competency, Guardianship & Voting
• How can I ask candidates about disability-related questions?
• Where can get information about candidates?
• How can I find out where to vote?
• How do I register to vote?
• Can I vote if I have a guardian?
• I can't go to the polling place. Can I vote another way?
• Are there accessible voting machines?
• Can you vote if you're in the hospital on election day?
• What are the rules about signing my name when I vote?
• Is the Photo ID law in effect?

In addition, the WDVC website has a large number ofvideosthat explain the voting process and answer many of the same questions.

Here are a couple interesting websites that provide information about assistive technology and workplace accommodations. Be sure to check them out:

• AbleData: AbleData provides objective information about assistive technology products and rehabilitation equipment. Go to the website and click on Products to see their database - almost 40,000 products in 20 different categories
• Job Accommodations Network (JAN): The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee, JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability, and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace.

Rental Housing Search and Occupancy Experiences of Veterans with Military Associated Disabilities

-For participating in this study, veterans have the opportunity to enter into a drawing to win 1 of 4 money orders in the amount of $50.00!

Finding a great home that meets your needs is always challenging, and finding one that meets the needs of someone who acquired a disability while serving in the military can be especially difficult. The Housing program at Virginia Tech is conducting a study to gather information and bring awareness to the rental housing search experience and occupancy situation of veterans with disabilities. Findings from this study may help improve the housing search process and housing conditions for veterans with disabilities.

Veterans with military associated disabilities who live in rental housing are invited to participate in a research study to bring awareness of their rental housing search and occupancy experiences. If you are interested in participating in this research study, please cut and paste the following link to your internet browser to access the electronic version of this study: https://vtsurveycenter.us2.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5BVhEcHNiAKnXqB

Participants have until Saturday, December 15, 2012 to complete the survey.

For participating in this study, you have the opportunity to enter into a drawing to win 1 of 4 money orders in the amount of $50.00! The odds of winning 1 of the 4 money orders in the amount of $50.00, is 1 out of 32 individuals.

If you have any questions regarding this research, contact Luz Semeah via phone or email at (561) 603-2350 or lmsemeah@vt.edu ; lmsemeah@cornell.edu .

Remember:

To participate, the veteran must have a service-related disability as a result of serving in the U.S. military and must be in rental housing.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the rental housing search and occupancy experiences of veterans with disabilities whose injuries were sustained while serving in the U.S. military. The supply of accessible housing units is small and the number of housing discrimination grievances filed by or on behalf of persons with disabilities is significant. To date, there have been few studies looking into the rental housing accessibility issues of veterans with disabilities. The goals of this research are to: (1) bring awareness of veterans rental housing experiences, (2) to promote an increase in the number of accessible housing units (by highlighting the role of the Fair Housing Amendments Act and the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines), and (3) to advocate for the availability of grants for housing modifications, especially for veterans with less than a 90% disability rating.

The Nashville organized TED Talks is now accepting Nomination applications for their 2013 speakers. I'd be honored to have the opportunity to share my story, but I need your help.Here are the details..."On Saturday, April 6, 2013, TEDxNashville will host its fourth annual event. The theme will be "Next", and it will be held at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.Many of us have been buffeted by financial, emotional, psychological and spiritual challenges in the last few years Its now time to rise from the ashes.We're looking for speakers that can share inspirational stories about overcoming obstacles and finding creative and innovative solutions to the challenges we are facing.At TEDxNashville 2013, we'll hear from visionaries who have big ideas about how our world is changing, and how we can evolve and transform ourselves.We are currently taking nominations for speakers. Know someone who is a dynamic speaker? Someone with a unique story? Let us know!" All Nominations are due by Saturday, October 20th.If I was chosen the topic/topics I'd like to focus on would include:1) Sustaining Faith and Hope while staring in the eyes of adversity and fighting to live life to the fullestand/or2) "Don't Break my Legs...Handle with Care!" CampaignLinks:~ http://www.mobilewomen.org/2012/09/dont-break-my-legshandle-with-care.html~ My website: www.InspirationSpeaks.me~ Facebook: This Is How I Roll - https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsHowJenRollsI'd appreciate having this opportunity & platform to share my personal story, the support I've received from each of you over the years and the amazing endeavors ahead of each of us. If you feel I'd be a good fit for this opportunity then please follow the link below to the online application.https://app.e2ma.net/app2/survey/1405430/213008069/5e9712c2e8/?v=aPlease feel free to share this with the foundation, your family & friends as well. Let them know why you think I am qualified for this opportunity. Thank you in advance!!Sincerely,Jenny

Here's an article I wrote "Blindside to the Flip Side" for The American Occupational Therapy Association'ns (AOTA) website. It's dedicated to every therapist, aspiring therapist & my dear friend, Debbie Bebeau, for always having faith in me & never giving up on me. Check it out at...
http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Client-Stories/Blindside-to-the-Flip-Side.aspx

Dont miss your opportunity to network in person about Self-Determination. The 2012 Wisconsin Self-Determination Conference registration is closing on October 15, 2012.

For more information go to:http://www.wi-bpdd.org/sdc/

The following information is forwarded to you by the Great Lakes ADA Center (www.adagreatlakes.org) for your information:

NCD Issues Groundbreaking Report "Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children"

WASHINGTON, DC -- On Thursday, September 27, the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency, released Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children -- a groundbreaking policy study, infused with real life stories of parents with disabilities, to provide a comprehensive overview of factors that support and obstruct Americans with all kinds of disabilities from exercising their fundamental right to begin and maintain families.

Twenty-two years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act with an increasing number of people with disabilities taking advantage of increased protections to receive an education and go to work, parents with disabilities continue to be the only distinct community that have to fight to retains and sometimes gain custody of their own children without cause, said NCD Council Member, Ari Neeman. Currently, the U.S. legal system is not protecting the rights of parents with disabilities and their children. Two-thirds of state child welfare laws allow courts to determine a parent is unfit solely on the basis of a parents disability. In fact, every state allows disability as a consideration when determining the best interest of a child in family or dependency court. Whether actions are taken at the state or federal levelas an amendment or a new lawthe need to correct this unfair bias could not be more urgent or clear.

About the report: Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children explores the pervasive prejudices faced by parents with disabilities by exposing the disparate treatment often encountered by parents with disabilities and their children within court and service systems and offers draft model state and federal statutory language to correct the discrimination faced by parents with disabilities in the United States.

Key findings:

Estimates indicate 6.1 million children in the U.S. have parents with disabilities Nearly 1 in 10, almost 10% of the population.

Parents with disabilities are the only community of Americans who must struggle to retain custody of their children.

Removal rates of parents with psychiatric disabilities is as high as 70 80 % Removal rates of parents with intellectual disabilities is as high as 80% Extremely high removal rates and loss of parental rights for parents with sensory or physical disabilities.

Parents with disabilities are more likely to lose custody of their children after divorce.

Prospective parents with disabilities have more difficulty when it comes to accessing reproductive health care such assisted reproductive technologies.

Prospective parents with disabilities face significant barriers to adopting children.

In the face of numerous obstacles, hope remains with several programs that show promise, long-term sustainable impact and potential for replication. With more funding, model programs currently serving American parents with disabilities could easily grow and develop nationwide to better serve this often overlooked population.

NCD thanks Through the Looking Glass, the NIDRR-funded National Center for Parents with Disabilities and Their Families, for their valuable assistance in writing sections of this report. Their insight and guidance during the research and drafting of Rocking the Cradle was instrumental in its development and completion.

Web version of this news release is available at:

http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/09272012

Full report is available on NCD's website at:

http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2012/Sep272012/

For more information contact:

Lawrence Carter-Long, Public Affairs Specialist National Council on Disability

Email: LCarterLong@ncd.gov

Phone: 202-272-2004

NCD on the web: http://www.ncd.gov

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NCDgov On Twitter: http://twitter.com/NatCounDis

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Sept. 20, 2012

Election Day Is Quickly Approaching!

State and federal elections are taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 6th. Are you ready to vote? Have you already decided who to vote for? Do you know where your polling place is? Are you registered? Between now and election day, we'll be posting information and resources to help you be ready to vote.

Get Involved Online!

• Question of the Week: What issues will affect your vote for President in November? Health care? Jobs & the Economy? Public Benefits? Something else? Participate in this quick & easy poll and tell us what issues you care about!
• Discussion: What are your questions about voting? Are you wondering if your polling site is accessible? How to vote absentee? Whether you're registered? Post your questions in this discussion and we'll find resources that answer your questions.

Check Out New Opportunities

• Wisconsin Self-Determination Conference:Have you registered yet for the Self-Determination Conference? It's the biggest event of the year for everyone who wants to be charge of his or her life. A limited number of scholarships are available for people with disabilities, so apply now (deadline: Oct. 1st)
• National Forum on Disability Issues: Hear what presidential candidates have to say about issues that matter to people with disabilities. Register Now! (no cost) for this online forum.
• Telling Your Story- This app for iPad helps you put together your story to share it with local, state and federal elected leaders to let them know about issues that affect you.
• Take Your Legislator to Work Day: People with disabilities work in many different jobs in their communities. Find out how you can invite your local and state legislator to come to your workplace.

What's New?

Find out the latest news and resources on the SDS Network:

• Key Questions for State and Federal Candidates
• Toolkit: Managed Care: Doing It Right; Applying the Independent Living Philosophy"
• Six Principles to Modernize Health Care Infrastructure
• The Affordable Care Act's Impact on Citizens with Disabilities
• The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film (October)

Welcome New Members

Stop by to welcome our newest members.

• She's a free-lance PATH facilitator(If you don't know what PATH is, feel free to ask her!)
• She's aparent of a talented young woman
• She helps youth and families makecommunity connections
• She's a new member from Delaware.
• She's aPacker fan to the bone and a tireless advocate

Upcoming Events

Here's a sample of upcoming eventslisted on the SDS Network:

• National Forum on Disability Issues, Sept. 28th. Register Now (no cost)
• 2012 Wisconsin Self-Determination Conference, Oct. 29-31. Register now!
• And many more!

Post your event on the SDS Network and it can be included in future Network News emails to members! Questions? Contact Deb Wisniewski at scgwis@gmail.com

Thanks to the sponsors of the SDS Network!Welcome to one of our new sponsors, the ADA Wisconsin Partnership.