Not quite 100 days in office, not quite 100 people with disabilities arrested
Posted on April 27, 2009
By Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy
April 27, 2009
Today marks 98 days in office for President Barack Obama. Sadly, it also marks the day that nearly 100 activists (91 was the last semi-official account) with ADAPT were arrested at the Whitehouse.
After a meeting this morning with Obama’s Health czarina, Nancy-Ann DeParle, went very badly, ADAPTers took to the Whitehouse fence. Many cuffed or chained themselves to the fence, many sat, many stood, many parked. All chanted. All were angry.
I’ve lost count of how many meetings we’ve had with various staffers and departments within the administration. ADAPT’s message has been very clear, since well before the beginning of the Presidential campaign – pass the Community Choice Act – now! Read more
Filed Under ADAPT, Advocacy, Chris Hilderbrant, Home Care, Independence, Institutions and Institutionalization, Medicaid, Take Action! | 2 Comments
Wherefore art thou Governor, Paterson?
Posted on April 23, 2009
By Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy
After a few days of trying to not watch Governor Paterson’s performance at the Legislative Correspondents Association (LCA) dinner, I finally got pulled into the drama. After one of the local TV channels asked for a response from CDR and after a friend who himself has a disability called the Governor’s antics “appalling”, I decided to take a look and see if it was appropriate for CDR to respond. (See for yourself at: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/04/patersons-sight-gag.html)
Having now watched the video a few times and discussed it with colleagues here at CDR, the universal sense is that we are extremely disappointed by the Governor’s behavior. Setting aside the discussion of whether or not he was specifically disrespectful of people with disabilities, his behavior was totally unbecoming of the person that is supposed to be leading our state through tough times. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Attitudes, Chris Hilderbrant, Institutions and Institutionalization, Voting | 5 Comments
Please support me in the ADAPT FUN RUN!
Posted on April 20, 2009
Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy
Hi Everyone!
It’s that time of year again – time for ADAPT’s National FUN RUN for Disability Rights! On April 26th, I’ll be one of about 500 ADAPT activists participating in the fun run to support ADAPT’s mission of allowing people with disabilities to live in their own homes, instead of being forced into nursing homes.
Many of you remember that last year I pledged to shave my hair off if the Rochester ADAPT group raised over $5,000. Well, they did. and my head was shaved!
This year, I haven’t made any such pledge (though people were very much wanting to dye my hair a permanent hot pink), but I really hope you can support me in this important fundraiser! Read more
Filed Under ADAPT, Advocacy, Recreation | Leave a Comment
Autism Awareness Month
Posted on April 9, 2009
By Stephen Drake, Research Analyst for Not Dead Yet
Most people in the disability community are aware that April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day. If you’ve noticed that there’s still a heavy amount of autism coverage in the media, it’s because April has now been delegated Autism Awareness Month.
Autism Awareness Month is a good opportunity to talk about some of the problems, particularly the problems that are actually promoted in the name of “autism awareness.” These problems make many people, including myself, dread the month more than I dread the Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon, which lasts a mere 24 hours.
The disability community has long criticized the Telethon for its emphasis on a “cure” as the most pressing need for people with disabilities. To promote that agenda, people with disabilities are portrayed as objects of pity. Those portrayals act as additional barriers to the respect, inclusion and accommodations for which people with disabilities advocate. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Autism, Stephen Drake | 6 Comments
Long Term Care – The Elephant in the Healthcare Reform Room
Posted on April 2, 2009
By Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy
I have spent five of the last seven working days
in Washington, DC. It’s a nice place to visit, but that’s too much like living there.
All this time in D.C., we (CDR, ADAPT, CCI – many hats) have been trying to push our political leaders to reform our nation’s broken long term care system. Honestly, we’ve been trying to get them to understand our concerns and act on them for nearly two decades, but recently I was actually starting to feel a little optimistic.
Why? Because now, healthcare reform is “all the rage.”
The President’s saying it, and once he has a CMS director they’ll probably come out with their plan. The Senate’s working on its plan. The House is working on its plan. It’s real focus on solving a real problem… my goodness, its how government should work!
Almost. Read more
Filed Under ADAPT, Advocacy, Chris Hilderbrant, Medicaid, Voting | 3 Comments