ADAPT in DC

ADAPT has put up a website, http://www.duhcity.org/
to consolidate information, videos, and pictures about their action to open up housing to people with disabilities instead of nursing homes. Check it out!

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

ADAPT in DC

More Pictures:



ADAPT heading out for HUD at 4:am



The HUD building at night, no police wait for ADAPT



ADAPT color leader taking charge at HUD



HUD Security is helpless to prevent the construction of DUH City



At the center of ADAPT's city people share their personal experiences


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

From ADAPT in DC

ADAPT Promises Pre-Election Surprises in D.C. to Get Community Choice Act Passed


For information contact;
Randy Alexander (901) 359-4982
Chris Hilderbrant (585) 267-0343
Washington, D.C.---Over 500 ADAPT disability rights activists committed to getting the Community Choice Act passed during this Congress are coming to town September 13-18 to exert some pre-election pressure on policymakers. The Community Choice Act (S. 799, H.R. 1621) would allow people with disabilities and older Americans to choose to live in their own homes and communities instead of being forced into nursing homes and other institutions by the current institutional bias in the nation's Medicaid program.
"We are coming up on an election," said Chris Hilderbrant, ADAPT organizer from Rochester, New York, "and one of the two candidates for president, Sen. John McCain, has blatantly refused to endorse the Community Choice Act even though he says he supports community services. On the other hand, Sen. Obama and his running mate Sen. Biden have both signed on to this legislation. Maybe Sen. McCain needs some more convincing."
ADAPT will be in D.C. to confront a variety of policymakers and systems that continue to put up barriers to community living for disabled and older Americans. Home and community-based services, housing, transportation, hospital discharge planning, and managed care of long-term supports and services are all on ADAPT's list of possible targets.
ADAPT celebrated 25 years of activism in Washington, D.C. in April of this year, closing down both the Republican National Committee offices and Sen. McCain's office in the Russell Senate Building demanding that Sen. McCain, himself a person with a disability, sign on to the Community Choice Act.
"Not only does Sen. McCain have a disability himself, but he has an aging mother," said Randy Alexander, ADAPT organizer from Memphis, Tennessee. "You'd think he'd understand our issues, but maybe having all that money and all those homes puts him totally out of touch with the reality that older Americans and Americans with disabilities live everyday. Being able to live free in the community shouldn't only be available to the ultra-rich. Civil rights are not based on income!"
Since its inception in 1983, ADAPT has fought for the right of people with disabilities, old and young, to live in their own homes and communities. ADAPT efforts have resulted=2 0in a significant shift toward community of the Medicaid dollars formerly directed overwhelmingly to institutions. ADAPT has also been credited by former federal Medicaid officials with creation of the Money Follows the Person portion of the 2006 federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. ADAPT is the nation's largest cross-disability grassroots disability rights organization.
During the week of September 15, 2008, ADAPT will debut internet tools that will help the disability community across the country stay closely in touch with ADAPT action activities as they happen. ADAPT will widely publicize these tools as soon as they are available to the public.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

ADAPT Action Folow-up

Apparently, the Democratic Party released this statement today about how
the RNC and Sen. McCain's office treated ADAPT on Tuesday. Just fyi,

For Immediate Release May 1, 2008

Contact: Damien LaVera 202-863-8148

Dean: Arrests Show McCain Out of Touch
With Americans With Disabilities

Washington, DC - This week, even as McCain was traveling the country
outlining a flawed health care agenda that does little to increase access
to quality, affordable health care for Americas working families, John
McCain showed how out of touch he is with Americans with disabilities.
Instead of meeting with disability rights activists to explain why he
refuses to co-sponsor the Community Choice Act of 2007, Senator McCain's
staff allowed more than 20 activists to be arrested in front of his Senate
office. [Associated Press, 4/29/08]

Both Democratic presidential candidates are co-sponsors of the bill, which
would allow countless Americans with disabilities the choice to live and
work in their own homes and communities. In addition, Democratic National
Committee Chairman Howard Dean has met with community activists and
repeatedly expressed his support for the bill. By contrast, McCain has
refused to join the effort to end the persistent institutional bias in
America's health care system that forces too many people with disabilities
into nursing homes and institutions. The bipartisan bill would amend the
Social Security Act to allow people who are eligible for Medicaid coverage
of nursing home costs to spend it instead on home-based or community care.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement:
"At a time when John McCain is on the campaign trail talking about health
care choices, he refuses to explain why he opposes a bill that would let
Americans with disabilities choose how and where to live, work and receive
care. I am proud to lead a Party that supports the fundamental right of
every single American to make his or her own choices about where to live
and work. Apparently John McCain and his staff would rather let activists
get arrested outside his office than explain his position on this critical
issue. John McCain is either profoundly out of touch with the needs and
challenges confronting Americans with disabilities or just doesn't care.
Either way, he's the wrong choice for Americas future."

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
http://www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/

ADAPT is in the House! 25th Anniversary of Activism Starts with

For Immediate Release
April 27, 2008

For information contact:
Bob Kafka 512-431-4085
Marsha Katz 406-544-9504
http://www.adapt25.org


ADAPT is in the House! 25th Anniversary of Activism Starts with
Fundraising Run; Press Conference on Tuesday


Washington, D.C.--- 500 bright orange vests lit the drizzly, grey
Washington, DC, day as ADAPT members from nearly every state in the Union
did fundraising laps around Upper Senate Park warming up for a week of
activism and the celebration of ADAPT's 25th anniversary. The funds raised
will support activists living on fixed disability and retirement incomes
to participate at ADAPT actions confronting the people in power who make
policy and law about their lives.


The national honorary runner for the fundraiser was Marca Bristo, award
winning President and CEO of Access Living in Chicago, IL; a founder and
former President of the National Council on Independent Living; and a
former Chairperson of the National Council on Disability, appointed by
President Bill Clinton. Donors interested in sponsoring Bristo's laps can
still do so at http://www.adaptfunrun.org .


ADAPT is in D.C. to advance the Community Choice Act (CCA), legislation
that would allow older and disabled people to stay in their own homes with
the supports and services they need instead of being forced into nursing
homes and other institutions. The CCA (S. 799, H.R. 1621) is bipartisan
legislation introduced simultaneously in the United States Senate and
House of Representatives. ADAPT activities this week will target people
and organizations that continue to create barriers preventing people with
disabilities from living full, rich lives in their own homes and
communities, near their families and friends.


On Tuesday, April 29, ADAPT will also hold a press conference announcing
the country's "Ten Worst" and "Ten Best" states for community-based
services. There will be an additional five "honorable" mentions for the
best states and five "dishonorable" mentions for the worst states. ADAPT's
"Ten Worst" and "Ten Best" are announced every few years and represent a
"snapshot" of how the states compare with one another in that year. All
selections are made using easily available data from trusted public
sources of information and one national survey.


ADAPT will conclude a week of activism with a 25th anniversary celebration on
Thursday, May 1. Several rooms of historical displays will be open to the
public at the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street, starting at 10 a.m.

# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/

ADAPTStorms HHS


*Our man Teddy is holding the big yellow/white umbrella. -s



500 ADAPT disability activists from the county surround the US Department of Health & Human Services in the pouring rain. They demonstrate in support of the thousands of people with disabilities and older Americans who continue to be unnecessarily forced into and kept in nursing homes and other institutions because of the inaction and development of barrier-ridden regulations by HHS and the Bush Administration.

Keep up to date on what is happening: http://www.disabled-soapbox.org

Photo: Under yellow & white umbrella is Teddy Fitzmaurice. 7873 Woodingham, West Bloomfield, MI
--
Susan Fitzmaurice

Disabled Soapbox - everything I do under 1 roof!
http://www.disabled-soapbox.org

Teddy's Ts - Messages of Empowerment
http://www.teddyfitzm.info