N.O.D. E-Newsletter - May 3, 2007
FYI.
----- Original Message -----
From: National Organization on Disability
To: List Member
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 2:49 AM
Subject: N.O.D. E-Newsletter - Thursday, May 3, 2007
E-Newsletter - Thursday, May 3, 2007
Welcome to the e-newsletter of the National Organization on Disability, bringing you the latest from www.nod.org!
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Our Board of Directors and the entire National Organization on Disability family join in expressing our deep sorrow at the loss of our dear friend and loyal, longtime Board member, Jack Valenti. Jack never failed to respond to our many requests no matter how minor in the scheme of his action-packed life. We at NOD and people with disabilities throughout the world owe our great gratitude to the many contributions of this caring and sensitive gentleman.
Our loss is tempered by our admiration for his life so creatively and energetically lived. We miss you Jack, but join your legion of admirers in a heartfelt salute.
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NEWS FROM N.O.D.
http://www.nod.org
2006 NOD Annual Report: Celebrating 25 Years
The 2006 NOD Annual Report is now available on the NOD web site. The report, which commemorates NOD's 25th anniversary, includes a special section chronicling the main events and achievements in NOD's quarter century history.
Conference on the New UN Disability Rights Convention Held at American University on April 9
On April 9, 2007, the disability, human rights, and international development communities gathered together at the American University College of Law to examine the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, its guarantees, and its implications for US law and foreign policy. Strategies were considered for encouraging US government and public support for the Convention, and for ensuring continued US leadership in the international protection of disability rights.
NOD's World Committee on Disability was a co-sponsor of the conference along with the American Association of People with Disabilities and the World Institute on Disability. World Committee Vice Chairman and former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh was the Keynote Speaker.
NOD's Start on Success Program Holds 2007 Annual Conference
On April 12 and 13, NOD's Start on Success Program held its Annual Conference at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. In 1994, NOD launched the Start on Success Program to provide high school students with physical, mental or sensory disabilities the opportunity for paid interships at nearby universities, hospitals and corporations. The program currently has sites in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Alabama, Ohio and Connecticut, and the program's newest site was recently launched in Newark, New Jersey. Representatives from the various sites were on hand to share ideas and to report on their progress.
N.O.D. Board Member Robert David Hall Honored by American Association of Community Colleges
At a Gala Dinner of the American Association of Community Colleges, which took place in Tampa, Florida on April 16, N.O.D. Board Member Robert David Hall was honored as an Outstanding Alumnus for his work as an advocate for people with disabilities. Hall, a cast member on the hit television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, is the only actor with a disability who has a continuing role in a network television series.
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CALL FOR ENTRIES: 2007 NOD National Partnership Awards
The National Organization on Disability is proud to announce a new competition for 40 eligible major non-disability associations from across America to recognize their work on behalf of people with disabilities. The associations are invited to demonstrate, via a special awards competition, their leadership in supporting local initiatives that benefit people with disabilities.
"America's associations have long been overlooked as a productive vehicle in national efforts to expand opportunities for those of us with disabilities," said Nancy Starnes, vice president of NOD "The association community through its work has great potential for furthering the mission of achieving full participation for people with disabilities both within their central organization structures and through their networks of state and local chapters and affiliates."
The competition, which is sponsored by Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the National Organization on Disability. To enter the competition, an eligible association must complete an official entry form and submit it to NOD no later than August 31, 2007.
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ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION
http://www.nod.org/economic
Expert Panel Faults U.S. Policies on People with Disabilities
According to a report by the Institute of Medicine, outdated U.S. policies are keeping many Americans with disabilities from getting the assistance they need. The report examined a range of issues, including accessibility of building and other places, gaps in funding for wheelchairs and scooters, and health insurance coverage. The Institute's panel urged the government to modify rules keeping people with disabilities from getting equipment and services that would help them with work and other activities outside the home.
John Williams Column: What Can They Do?
In this article, assistive technology columnist John Williams gives a simple, three part answer to the most common question he receives from employers: "What can an employee with a disability do?"
Special Needs Require Financial Management
In the second of a series of articles on financial planning for families with special needs, Chris Sullivan, Vice President of Special Needs Financial Services Group within Merrill Lynch, discusses the importance of good wealth management in providing lifelong financial support for a child with special needs.
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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
http://www.nod.org/emergency
Emergency Preparedness a Challenge for Older Americans
According to a survey commissioned by AARP, about 13 million people ages 50 and older say they will need help evacuating in the event of a natural disaster, and about half say they will need that help from someone outside of their households. Once evacuated, many older Americans will face unique challenges and require more assistance than the rest of the adult population. Some may need to go to special needs shelters, created specifically for evacuees with disabilities and serious medical conditions, but not every state has planned for such shelters, nor are they necessarily required to.
Home Readiness Shows Significant Erosion
According to a new survey done for the American Public Health Association, home owners are less prepared for emergencies than in the past. In the national survey of 925 adults, 40 percent said that although they had once taken steps to prepare for an emergency, they have let those arrangements lapse. Forty-six percent said they have no disaster supply kit. And while 27 percent claimed to be ready for a public-health crisis, only 14 percent said they have a three-day supply of food, water and medication on hand.
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RELIGIOUS PARTICIPATION
http://www.nod.org/religion
May is Mental Health Month
In preparation for Mental Health Month this May, Mental Health Ministries is offering two free, downloadable flyers. The first contains general information on mental illness, and is available in both English and Spanish; the second is for children and adolescents. According to the Surgeon General, one in every five Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year and half of all Americans have such disorders at some time in their lives.
Retirement Research Foundation Provides Grants for Accessibility Improvements in Chicago Area Houses of Worship
Through the Accessible Faith Grant Program, the Retirement Research Foundation makes funds available to Chicago area houses of worship for accessibility improvements to their facilities to allow increased participation of elderly persons and people with disabilities in the programs, services, and activities of the facilities.
Albanian Christian Leaders Trained on Working with Children with Disabilities
Church leaders from a variety of denominations gathered in Elbasan, in Central Albania, for a two day training on helping children with disabilities integrate into mainstream society. The training, which was held under the auspices of World Vision, also served as an awareness raising tool to mobilize communities to fight for the rights of their children with disabilities. In Albania, 7 percent of children are reported as having disabilities, but the numbers could be higher as many Albanian parents never allow their children to leave the home due to feelings of shame and embarrassment.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
http://www.worldcommitteeondisability.org
81 Countries and the European Union Sign U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
In an unprecedented show of support for people with disabilities worldwide, representatives from 81 countries and the European Union signed the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in a ceremony at U.N. Headquarters on Friday, March 30. Only 19 more ratifications are needed before the convention comes into force, and speaker after speaker at the Friday ceremony urged speedy approval.
The Convention marks a watershed moment in the development of an international understanding of the role that the world’s more than 650 million people with disabilities play in global society. The convention is a major step towards universal acceptance of the rights of people with disabilities to equal civil and political participation and protections, as well as access to educational opportunities, employment and healthcare.
Cambridge, MA Declares Its Support for UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Accessible America 2005 winner Cambridge, Massachusetts continues to serve as a role model for promoting inclusion for people with disabilities, at home and abroad. The City Council has passed a resolution expressing their official support for the United States' adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
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ACCESS TO INDEPENDENCE
http://www.nod.org/access
Giving Wounded Warriors The Hope They Deserve
At Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a group of military wives rallied around one of their own when her husband returned from the Iraq war severely wounded. What emerged was 'Hope for the Warriors', a grassroots effort to ease the transition for returning wounded soldiers and Marines into a new lifestyle with a new set of challenges. For these wounded warriors, the program has been a dream come true.
Senator Tom Harkin Introduces Proposal for Training and Placement of Closed Captioners
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) recently introduced into Congress 'The Training for Realtime Writers Act of 2007', a bill that would authorize $100 million in grants to expand training and job placement for closed captioners and court reporters. Beginning in January 2006, the federal government required 100 percent of all new television programming to have closed captioning, leading to a shortage of qualified captioners to handle the surge in demand.
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HOUSING ACCESS
http://www.nod.org/housing
Housing Discrimination Complaints at Record High
According to a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Housing Assistance Program, a record number of Americans are complaining about housing discrimination, with disability and race as the leading reasons for filing a complaint. In 2006, Fair Housing Assistance Program agencies received 10,328 housing discrimination complaints, 40 percent of which were disability related.
Free Design Help for People with Disabilities
Do you or someone in your household have a disability? Do you need to install a ramp, or make a kitchen or bathroom accessible? Home Free Home, a new non-profit organization, may be the place to go to. Founded in 2006 by a group of volunteer architects, contractors and students, Home Free Home's goal is to create barrier-free designs for small construction projects, such as ramps, accessible bathrooms and kitchen remodeling. The organization hopes to complete two pilot projects in 2007, but they are in need of donations to cover start-up costs and to buy materials for the pilot projects.
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HEALTH CARE ACCESS
http://www.nod.org/healthcare
99 Arrested as ADAPT Demands U.S. House Hearings on Community Choice Act
On April 29, 99 disability activists were arrested during a demonstration by ADAPT at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. The activists were pushing for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health to hold a hearing on the Community Choice Act, which would remove the institutional bias in the Medicaid program by allowing Medicaid to pay for the services and supports people need to remain in their own homes.
Fitness a Struggle for People with Disabilities
Due to a common misperception that disability and poor health go hand in hand, people with disabilities face significant barriers when it comes to health and fitness, ranging from health clubs that view people with disabilities as liabilities to public health campaigns that bypass people with disabilities entirely. The result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that people with disabilities are, in general, far less healthy than the average American.
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TRANSPORTATION ACCESS
http://www.nod.org/transportation
U.S. Access Board Releases Draft Update of Guidelines for Buses and Vans
On Wednesday, April 11, the U.S. Access Board released, for public comment, draft updated guidelines to the Americans with Disabilities Act provisions covering buses and vans. The updates, which includes specifications for the accessible design of buses and bus stops, are based on input from an industry roundtable in January as well as a series of public meetings involving disability groups, transportation operators, vehicle manufacturers and other interested stakeholders. Comments on the current draft can be submitted the Access Board by June 11, 2007.
Blind Pilot Flies From London to Sydney
Miles Hilton-Barber, a blind British pilot, landed in Sydney, Australia on March 30 to complete a record-breaking flight halfway around the world. Hilton-Barber left London on March 7 and flew over 13,500 miles in an effort to raise funds to fight blindness in developing countries. Hilton-Barber flies with a sighted co-pilot, but relies on speech output from his navigation instruments to steer his course, directing the plane from a wireless keyboard.
Stephen Hawking Flies Weightless
On April 26, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking fulfilled a lifelong dream of floating weightless on a zero-gravity jet, a step he hopes leads to further space adventures. Hawking, a mathematics professor at the University of Cambridge known for his groundbreaking work on black holes and the origin of the universe, has ALS.
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SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
http://www.nod.org/social
Paralympian Long Wins Sullivan Award
Jessica Long, a 15-year Paralympic swimmer from Middle River, Maryland, was named the 77th winner of the Sullivan Award. Sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union, the Sullivan Award recognizes the nation's top amateur athlete. Long, who was born without fibula bones and whose lower legs were amputated at age 18 months, won 3 gold medals at the 2004 Paralympics and another 9 gold medals at the International Paralympic Committee's World Swimming Championships in Durban, South Africa last December.
Matt Phillips to Compete in National Spelling Bee
Matt Phillips, a fifth grader at Wiley Middle School in Abilene, Texas, will compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC on May 30 and 31, 2007. Matt, who has osteogenesis imperfecta, beat spellers from 27 schools to become a regional spelling champion. The link above is to a short interview with a local news station.
Deaf Audiences Can 'See' Dialogue
With the help of government grants, more and more theatres in England will be able to offer captioned performances for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Over the next three years, 60 venues will benefit from new equipment and trained operators, in order to increase the number of performances that are 'audio described'.
ADA Compliance Stymies Campground Progress
In Kaua'i County, Hawaii, County Council members are debating whether three campsites at Lydgate Park comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Because the county failed to consult with its ADA coordinator, Christina Pilkington, and the Mayor's Advisory Committee for Equal Access, the potential use of the campsites has been left in limbo indefinitely. In a memo sent to the director of the county's Department of Parks and Recreation, Pilkington recommended removal of existing camping platforms at the three campsites, resdesign of one platform with materials that can withstand Hawaii's beach environment, having an advisory group review the design of the structure, and having the county follow state law regarding ADA compliance.
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EDUCATION
http://www.nod.org/education
OSERS Announces New Regulations For More Accurately Assessing Students with Disabilities
On April 4, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced new regulations under No Child Left Behind allowing states to test certain students with disabilities using an alternate assessment that more appropriately aligns with their needs and yields more meaningful results for schools and parents. The new regulations provide states and schools with greater flexibility by allowing them to more accurately evaluate the students' academic progress and tailor instruction based on their individual needs.
Inaccessible College Campuses
This opinion piece, written by Justin Burniske, a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, eloquently addresses the need to prioritize wheelchair accessibility at the UT campus. However, Burniske's piece also reflects the inaccessibility of college campuses across America, which continues to present a formidable barrier for college students with disabilities.
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day 2007 Focuses on School-Based Mental Health Programs
On May 8, the National Alliance on Mental Illness will celebrate National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day with a briefing at the U.S. Capitol. National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day was established to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. This year's Awareness Day will focus on effective school based mental health programs.
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For more disability-related news stories, visit N.O.D's Disability News page.
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N.O.D.'s work is funded by your contributions.
Help support N.O.D.'s mission by donating by mail or online today. You can also urge your town, group or business to join one of our membership programs: the Community Partnership Program, the National Partnership Program, and the CEO Council.
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The National Organization on Disability encourages organizations to link to our homepage or specific items on our website. We will review requests for permission to repost or reprint articles on a case-by-case basis.
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The National Organization on Disability promotes the full and equal participation and contribution of America's 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Feel free to forward this email to others who may be interested in it. They can register by visiting our E-Newsletter Web Page.
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