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Redefining the Role of Government as it Affects the Lives of People with Disabilities
Weekly Update
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ballan posted on November 07, 2011 08:54
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Disability Policy Consortium Weekly Update
Dear Bill,
Tuesday is Election Day in Massachusetts for some cities and towns. This is an off-year election which means there aren't any national or state contests, so turnout is expected to be low.
In Boston there has been a quiet campaign against people with disabilities. A City Council committee was set to hear a Council proposal by Council President Steve Murphy to limit the number of people with disabilities in elder/disabled housing.
This them has been picked up by challenger Michael Flaherty in a mailing titled "Senior Housing for Seniors Only...Michael has pushed for senior residents for seniors-only housing and has lobbied the federal government for that guarantee."
In Boston, at least, there are important issues at stake. We also have to exercise due diligence once the new council convenes.
So, in the tradition of Boston politics...Tomorrow, vote early, vote often.
This afternoon is the concluding listening session of the Para Transit Commission at 3 PM in the 10 Park Plaza Transportation Building.
Wednesday is a busy day. If you are in Boston, please join us at the Wang Theater for Hands Off Social Security, Medicaid & Medicare at 11 AM.
Bill Allan
Disability Policy Consortium
wfallan@dpcma.org| 617-542-3822
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Editorial: MSAD Resurgence!
The Massachusetts State Association of the Deaf held their annual meeting on Saturday, November 5, at The Learning Center in Framingham. The event has to be declared a huge success for many reasons.
Alan Gifford, MSAD President (& DPC board member), assumed the leadership of MSAD in January 2011. Membership in late 2010 was down to 24 dues paying members. The Saturday convention had over 150 members attending. An active leadership and committee structure provided entertainment and organization for an evening. A colorful brochure highlighted the day's events. Young people had a ball on the sidelines.
When we left at 10:30 there were 100 still going strong!.
Congratulations to Alan, the 2011 Board and the new 2012 Board members. Keep up the good work.
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Advocates Corner: DPC Gets Award
The Disability Policy Consortium was awarded the William B. Swett Award at the November 5, 2011 meeting of the Massachusetts State Association of the Deaf. The award said "For your dedication in working and advocating to gain rights for the Deaf Community and insure equal communication access in the public system".
William B. Swett, a deaf man of Marblehead felt a need for a special education for deaf children. He felt that not only should deaf people be provided practical training but also receive a full education so they can be able to function and provide for themselves in a speaking and hearing world. With the help of his good friend Reverend and Doctor Thomas Gallaudet (the founder of the first deaf college in the world, The College of the Deaf, now Gallaudet College, residing in Hartford, Connecticut) and Mr. William Barley, they established "The New England Industrial School for Deaf Mutes". This subsequently became the Beverly School for the Deaf.
Speaking for the DPC, Bill Allan thanked the members and expressed his commitment to continuing to work together with MSAD to achieve Civil Rights victories.
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Advocates Corner: MFP Report
from Barry Schwartz
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I'm happy to report that the MFP Demonstration Grant was operational on July 12, 2011, and the first MFP participant was transitioned on July 18th. The Commonwealth has been transitioning people out of long term care facilities utilizing the existing resources that have been in place (ASAPs, ILCs, DDS, DMH, etc.) Staff currently are developing proposals for two new MFP waiver programs (24 hour residential and community living-non-residential) which we hope to have operational next fiscal year.
As of last week, 74 people have been identified as MFP qualified.
We will be sharing MFP data at our scheduled quarterly stakeholders meetings. Please feel free to join us at the next meeting on November 9th, 2011, 10:30-12:00 at the Worcester Public Library.
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Calendar: Para Transit Hearing
November 7 (3-7 PM) new extended time
State Transportation Building
Conference Rms. 1, 2, 3 (2nd Floor)
10 Park Plaza, Boston
For directions or other information, please visit the Commission's website at
www.mbta.com/execorder530.
Note that the time has been extended to 7 PM to allow people who work to share their thoughts.
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Calendar: HANDS OFF!
Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid
People with disabilities are invited to job our Elders in a Super Rally to encourage the Super Committee to do the right thing - but not cutting the programs that are the heart of the experience that makes America great.
Invest in job creation and Secure Retirement
Wednesday November 9, 2011
11 AM
Wang Theater
270 Tremont Street
Boston 02116
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Calendar: ADH Meeting
Adult Day Health Program
Stakeholder Feedback Forum
November 8, 2011 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM
The Adult Day Health Working Group will be holding a forum to collect critical feedback from community members on ways to improve the Adult Day Health (ADH) program in the Commonwealth. This Working Group is responsible for providing recommendations to the Legislature by December 31, 2011.
In order for the Working Group to develop these recommendations, we need your thoughts on the current and future adult day health needs in the Commonwealth!
November 8, 2011
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM
One Ashburton Place
21st Floor, Rooms 1 & 2
Boston, MA 02118
All feedback and comments received from this listening session will be shared with the Working Group and will help to inform their recommendations. We encourage you to attend this forum to share your ideas with members of the Working Group.
For more information on this effort and to share comments, please contact Suzanne Cray, Legislative Director at EOHHS, at 617-573-1608 or Suzanne.cray@state.ma.us. Additionally, if you need accommodations for the forum, please contact Suzanne. |
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On the Calendar: Emergency Alert
November 9 at 2 p.m. EDT
FIRST NATIONWIDE TEST OF THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
Test to Take Place November 9 at 2 p.m. EDT
Dear Colleagues;
We need your assistance in notifying everyone about the November 9th nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. Please help distribute this to all your stakeholders, as far and wide as possible, to ensure the entire community is aware that
As part of our larger efforts to strengthen our nation's preparedness and resiliency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct the first nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System on November 9th at 2pm Eastern Standard Time.
The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system established to enable the President of the United States, if needed, to address the American public during emergencies. It is another critical communications tool that can protect the public and strengthen our nation's resiliency. The National Weather Service, governors, and state and local authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency.
This national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential disasters both nationally and regionally. The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that are needed to build a new, modernized, and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.
To support the disability community, FEMA has developed a toolkit that will allow you to reach out to your constituents and local partners. The toolkits, attached here in multiple formats, allow you and your organization to quickly disseminate information about this test.
In addition, we're also releasing two new videos created to support the outreach efforts of our disability community partners. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has long been a champion of the whole community and ensuring that FEMA represents the diversity of the people we serve. In one video, Neil Mc Devitt, from FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination joins Administrator Fugate in outlining the need for the upcoming Emergency Alert System test and the accessibility challenges posed by the test. The video has American Sign Language, open-captions, and is voiced throughout. We're also happy to provide a Spanish version of the message with open-captions.
If you have additional questions for FEMA-Office of Disability Integration and Coordination questions, please contact our office at
Marci Roth
Director
Office of Disability Integration and Coordination |
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On the Calendar: MFP Meeting
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
10:30-12:00
Worcester Public Library.
Saxe Roomn
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Calendar: MFP Housing Meeting
MFP Waiver Topical Discussion Group meetingon residential services through the MFP waiver is scheduled for Friday, November 18th from 10:30 AM - 12 PM in Conference Room 4 at the Transportation Building located at 10 Park Plaza in Boston.
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from the Net: Health Care Help
A very comprehensive and informative video prepared by the New Hampshire Association of the Blind about assisting people with visual impairments in health care settings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlP7mCr3LmQ
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