March 24, Virtual Sprout Film Festival
Looking for a COVID-19 distraction? Please enjoy this free full-screen playlist of 10 popular short films, featuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, from the Sproutflix catalogue.
Jan, 27, Disability-Rights Movement Takes Spotlight at Sundance
NYTimes picked up Associated Press coverage and kept headline DISABILITY-RIGHTS MOVEMENT TAKE SPOTLIGHT AT SUNDANCE. This is a game changer!! Congrats Jim LeBrecht, Sara Bolder Nicole Newnham Malarkey, The Heumann Perspective with Judith Heumann, Denise Sherer Jacobson, Neil Jacobson, Corbett OToole, Ann Cupolo Freeman and the whole team at Higher Ground Productions. Lead On!
Sundance spotlight/tidal wave of advocacy includes authentic Deaf/disability leaders/storytellers - Lawrence Carter-Long, David Radcliff Nic Novicki, Jade Bryan, Danny Woodburn - thanks to The Ruderman Family Foundation for partnering with Sundance to insure accessibility.
As the nation ramps up to ADA30, CRIP CAMP is a cinematic milestone in the history of disability in media - the Disability Narrative Imperative at its very best -- check it out:
What Dalzell found was that employers were very interested in her on paper, right up until the moment she rolled into the interview with her wheelchair and revealed her disability: transverse myelitis, a neurological disease that affects the spinal cord. Eventually, Dalzell was forced to find work elsewhere, starting as a camp health director and then finding a school nurse job. She was thankful for the opportunities but felt defeated. Working in acute care had always been her ultimate goal.
After Covid-19 hit, that goal became reality. Hospitals across the country were inundated with patients, and there was an outcry for more nurses. Governors in states like California and New York, where Dalzell resides, publicly pleaded for retired and certified nurses to go back to work.
The Coronavirus pandemic has necessitated numerous alterations in the way that people live, work and function in the community. The implications of the virus are unprecedented in recent history and there was little guidance to turn to in terms of how people should respond and what the implications are. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) one of the major factors that leads to the spread of this highly contagious disease are water droplets generated during coughing, sneezing and everyday communication such as talking and signing. Research has shown that the use of Face Coverings significantly reduces the chance of exposure and thus, slows the spread of the virus.
June 9, Billions in federal COVID-19 aid is being withheld from those with disabilities
COVID-19 has created unique challenges and dangers for the most vulnerable in our population.
That includes the 6.5 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States – including roughly 750,000 in Arizona.
The strains and stresses of extended isolation have been highly disruptive or even life-threatening for people with such disabilities, noted Tia Nelis, policy and advocacy director for TASH, an international disability advocacy organization.
Social interaction for people with disabilities is critical because many rely on the assistance of direct support professionals to perform tasks that someone without a disability might consider routine.
April 30, Stimulus Payments May Be Extended To Dependents With Disabilities
Many people with disabilities will miss out on economic stimulus payments because they are counted as someone else’s dependent, but that could change under a proposal in Congress.
The government is currently sending cash payments to millions of Americans as part of a large package of relief efforts approved in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most individuals earning less than $75,000 annually will receive $1,200 and people making up to $99,000 will get a tiered amount. In addition, families who qualify will receive $500 per child under the age of 17.
April 15, Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here
Who will receive the Economic Impact Payment automatically without taking additional steps?
Most eligible U.S. taxpayers will automatically receive their Economic Impact Payments including:
Individuals who filed a federal income tax for 2018 or 2019
Individuals who receive Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits
Individuals who receive Railroad Retirement benefits
April 9, Disability Advocacy and COVID-19
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a national cross-disability civil rights organization that works to advance the political and economic power of the more than 60 million individuals with disabilities in this country. The COVID-19 pandemic occurring in the United States should be of utmost concern to every lawmaker in the country. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and additional public health experts have stated that people with disabilities are more vulnerable to COVID-19. Beyond the specific conditions or diagnoses that may raise susceptibility to the virus itself, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the broader social, civil, and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
April 6, Caregivers May Be Eligible For Paid Leave Under COVID-19 Relief Law
Parents who must stay home from work to care for their adult children with disabilities due to coronavirus-related closures may qualify for paid leave, federal official say.
The stimulus bill signed by President Donald Trump in March includes a temporary expansion of paid leave for workers in some circumstances. The provision was intended to address the needs of employees across the country who are unable to come to work or telecommute because they must care for children while schools and other child care providers are closed.
The law was largely mum on the needs of families of adults with disabilities whose typical daytime activities have been canceled. Now, however, the U.S. Department of Labor appears to be including parents of adults with disabilities in the groups that qualify for the expanded leave offering.
March 31, Maryland school closures extended a month due to coronavirus threat
Maryland schools will be closed for another 4 weeks due to coronavirus! We should not only be concerned about how many people will that will go without a paycheck, but also how many students will be thrown off track from being out off routine. This can be even more traumatic for those with disabilities, it can affect their behavior patterns and the whole family unit.
March 30, What is VESper™?
VESper™ is a unique ventilator expansion device that allows a single ventilator to support up to four patients during times of acute equipment shortages such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Produced using 3D printing technology, the device is developed with material already in use for medical devices and produced at minimal cost.
March 29, Disabled advocates warn coronavirus stimulus does not address pandemic's impact on community
Although the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package negotiated by the Senate and the White House is likely to pass the House after passing the Senate late Wednesday night, disabled activists and advocates are warning its provisions do not do enough for the community after resources for them have been strained by the pandemic.
“There is nothing that the disability community asked for in these bills,” Rebecca Cokley, director of the liberal Center for American Progress’s Disability Justice Initiative, told The Hill in an email.
March 26, SEEK, An Equal Education is a Civil Right
For all of the latest news on how school closures impact your child receiving special education services.
An Equal Education is a Civil Right.
March 22, Ed Department Offers More Special Education Guidance Amid COVID-19
As schools across the nation shutter in response to coronavirus, federal officials are giving educators additional insight on how to handle the needs of students with disabilities.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a webinar and fact sheet this week for education leaders aimed at ensuring that students’ civil rights are upheld while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
The webinar reminds school officials that distance learning must be accessible unless “equally effective alternate access is provided.”
March 22, Social Security Closes Offices Nationwide
Social Security offices are closing their doors due to coronavirus, but help with benefits is still available, the agency says.
The Social Security Administration said this week that its local offices across the nation are now closed to the public for in-person service.
Officials said the move will protect both the agency’s employees and its beneficiaries, many of whom are considered to be at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
March 22, MARYLAND CAN BILL MEDICAID BY AUDIO-ONLY
Today I issued an emergency order that will enable Medicaid providers to be paid for providing services remotely via telehealth. Remote health care services will play a crucial role as we work to prevent a surge on our hospitals.
March 22, How Coronavirus is Impacting People With Disabilities in N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- COVID-19 is impacting people around the world, from the elderly and those with immune deficiencies to small businesses and healthcare facilities. And experts say another critical group already being hit are people with disabilities and their caretakers.
March 21,
Today the Governor announced new restrictions on mass transit. If you are a person who uses para-transit services and needs rides to essential employment, please be sure to contact the customer service number of your transit provider to ensure rides are scheduled.
MTA: 410-764-8181 option 8
CMRT (RTA): 1-800-957-3600
Metro Access: 1-301-562-5360
March 18,
Giant Food is adjusting our store hours in order to better serve those in our communities who need it most.
Beginning Friday, all Giant Food stores will offer dedicated shopping hours for senior citizens, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Please visit our site for more details.
March, 18,
The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) developed guidance to assist the delivery of community-based services in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The DDA is working with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) to support our Community Providers during this challenging time. We are committed to providing the information, tools, and resources you need to succeed as the first line of defense for individuals with developmental disabilities in Maryland. Resources on how Community Providers can prepare for and manage the COVID-19 outbreak can be found in this TOOLKIT.
March, 15, Feds Weigh In On Special Ed, Medicaid Concerns Over Coronavirus
“If (a school district) continues to provide educational opportunities to the general student population during a school closure, the school must ensure that students with disabilities also have equal access to the same opportunities.”
March, 14, How The Disability Community Can Respond to COVID-19
Many people with disabilities are at increased risk of serious or fatal complications from COVID-19 (coronavirus). In an active community outbreak, the safest option may be to self-isolate at home, perhaps for weeks or longer. In order to prepare for this possibility, the CDC is currently recommending that people at high risk stock up on necessities, including maintenance prescription medication.
The Ford Foundation today announced the launch of its first-ever grantmaking program focused on advancing the rights of people with disabilities in the United States, with an annual budget of $10 million. From 2018 to 2020, Ford has invested more than $50 million toward projects and organizations focused on disability and an additional $125 million to social justice organizations working toward disability inclusion. The launch of the U.S. Disability Rights program marks the next stage of Ford's sustained commitment to the community and wider efforts to transform the foundation toward disability inclusion in all of its operations and grantmaking.
Federal officials are firming up rules for a relatively new type of account that allows people with disabilities to save money without jeopardizing their government benefits.
The Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations this month spelling out details about how ABLE accounts should operate.
The accounts, which were established by the 2014 ABLE Act, allow individuals with disabilities to accrue up to $100,000 without risking eligibility for Social Security and other government benefits. Medicaid can be retained no matter how much money is saved in the accounts.
September 24, Ginsburg Remembered For Impact On Disability Rights
Best known for standing up for women’s rights, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also played an outsized role in ensuring the rights of people with disabilities, advocates say.
Most notably, Ginsburg, who died Friday at the age of 87, wrote the majority opinion in the landmark 1999 ruling in Olmstead v. L.C. The decision affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in the community.
“This big moment, and (Ginsburg’s) staunch affirmation of the human dignity of people with disabilities and their rightful place in the community of their choice, fundamentally changed the course of the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.
September 22, Voters With Disabilities Face Barriers in 2020 From COVID-19
The world is on fire and I’m choking on fear and rage. In 2020, two aspects of my life have been politicized and thrust into the spotlight: ventilators and voting by mail. It’s wild to see how two things I have relied on for years are suddenly under threat in this political climate. They may seem like an odd pair, but they both enable me to participate in society as a disabled person.
The pandemic has exposed a number of truths: The nation’s infrastructure is inadequate, leadership from the White House is responsible for the preventable deaths and suffering of hundreds of thousands, and some people, including Black, brown, Indigenous, disabled, older, immunocompromised, and those who are overweight, are viewed as disposable and less worthy of care.
August 3, Mindset Matters: The New Wave Of Disability Culture Beyond The Americans With Disabilities Act
The next wave of disability advocates does not solely lie in the political arena, but rather in the realm of the artistic minds of their creators. Film and television are becoming the next platform for the evolution of disability culture. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the community is facing a new set of challenges, a way to amplify the many voices and narratives that shape the disability experience.
June 16, The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is proud to announce POWER: The Disability Vote.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is proud to announce POWER: The Disability Vote, a national, non-partisan disability and election virtual summit on June 22 and 23 from noon to 3:45 pm EST. Both days will include panels, presentations, and a national call-to-action to disability voters and allies. Please note, registration is free and you are able to register for one or both days.
WHO: DC Metro ADAPT
WHAT: Disability Rights Activists Send a Message to Administrator Verrma: No Block Gants to Medicaid!
WHERE: Health and Human Services Headquarters 200 Independence Ave. SW Washington
WHEN: January 30, 2020, 10:30am EST
Seema Verma, Administrator of the federal Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services, will release guidelines for states to follow in requesting block grant funding for their Medicaid programs Thursday, January 30th.
DC Metro ADAPT, as part of ADAPT’s network of grassroots disability activists, OPPOSE block grants in any aspect of the Medicaid program, state or federal.
“Block grant” is nothing more than a rationing system that reduces federal obligations to states while allowing States “flexibility” to “relax” or avoid entirely certain federal requirements and rules. These federal requirements are lifelines to people with disabilities, older Texans and people with chronic health conditions who are living in their own homes and communities, or want to do so.
Block grants target people with disabilities and people with chronic health conditions as “highest need beneficiaries” and limit the care available to us by restricting funding for necessary services and supports. These funding restrictions allow States to limit types of services, cap benefits, set funding caps per person and so on. Block grants set the federal funding for states at a level amount, offering budget certainty, but severely restricting any anticipated growth from people aging into the program, and with a tradeoff of the health, safety, and freedom of our people. Medicaid currently provides health insurance coverage, and in Texas, long term services and supports, all of which serve to keep people healthy and independent in their own homes.
DC Metro ADAPT is delivering a message to Administrator Verma at the HHS Offices at 200 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC at 10:30 EST, demanding the administration abandon efforts to block grant Medicaid, and begin a long-overdue conversation with the grassroots disability community to work instead on ways CMS can develop programs, policies, and supports for the integration of people with all types of disabilities fully into community life, including investment in community infrastructure and workforce development.
DC Metro ADAPT is joining ADAPT Chapters from across the country who are sending their messages of opposition to Medicaid block grants to the regional CMS Directors Thursday.
July 29, Senior Citizens Recreate Iconic Music Album Covers While in Quarantine
Senior care facilities around the world have been under lockdowns since COVID-19 became a pandemic. Keeping spirits high during this time can be a challenge, which means that the activity coordinators for these places have to get creative with what they plan for their communities.
April 15, MoMA Is Now Offering Online Art Classes for Free
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) isn’t going to let a global pandemic get in the way of it enriching the lives of art lovers. In addition to virtual tours of its vaunted collection, the New York museum is now offering free online courses as well.
Realizing that people may want to do more than just look at art, MoMA has launched a series of five free classes for those interested in better understanding the 91-year-old museum’s collection, according to i-D. Covering contemporary art, fashion and photography, the courses aren’t just a glorified video clips, either. Instead, they’re comprehensive beginner courses with corresponding readings and exercises that will take anywhere from 12 to 38 hours to complete.
Feb, 12, A new Xbox adapter lets people turn their power wheelchairs into game controllers
The Xbox Adaptive Controller already expands the usability of Xbox for gamers with disabilities, and today, a third-party add-on takes that controller to the next level, allowing gamers to turn their power wheelchairs into game controllers. Called the Freedom Wing Adapter, the box connects the Xbox Adaptive Controller to a wheelchair through its 9-pin port. This means a joystick that controls a wheelchair every day can be turned into a controller, which is particularly useful for people who are already used to their joysticks and buttons.
The Xbox Adaptive Controller already expands the usability of Xbox for gamers with disabilities, and today, a third-party add-on takes that controller to the next level, allowing gamers to turn their power wheelchairs into game controllers. Called the Freedom Wing Adapter, the box connects the Xbox Adaptive Controller to a wheelchair through its 9-pin port. This means a joystick that controls a wheelchair every day can be turned into a controller, which is particularly useful for people who are already used to their joysticks and buttons.
Jan, 30, Mother opens bakery to help son and others with special needs find employment
A common concern for parents of children with disabilities is what will happen when their children become adults. It’s difficult for adults with disabilities to find employment — not because they aren’t capable, but because they are often exploited or overlooked because employers think they aren’t capable. Increasingly, people with disabilities, or their families, are taking control of their own futures. One Illinois mom is the latest, opening a bakery for her son, and hopefully others with disabilities in the future.
Originally Posted November 18, 2015
I have been asked by Autism Speaks to post about what I am thankful for. Really that is a quite easy question to answer.
I am thankful for the networks that I developed in each stage of my life to help me achieved the successes. They range from being fully educated to having a thriving career as an Artist. With their help and believe in me, I have been able to show the world that people with disabilities can do anything that we want to.
I can still call the producers of King Gimp and tell them I am a bit stuck with something and we will figure it out. I can email my professor at Towson University for advice, or to get help on my latest projects.
Then you have the people as Smoot, Brianna, and countless others who support me during the studio madness. Most viewers look at my artwork and see what I created, but not the assistants who help in the studio. Sure they help with mixing paints, prepping the canvas, but also snacks and hydrations. Then there are the days that the magic is not happening, so we go do something ridiculous to recharge the creative batteries.
Although I will keep reaching for my next stage of life, there will always be a team of ninjas supporting me.
My name is Dan Keplinger. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I have been painting since I was 16 years of age. Many years ago (2000), I was the subject of an Academy Award winning film entitled King Gimp filmed by William A. Whiteford and Susan Hannah Hadary, and was written by me was made about my life. It showed my struggles, especially my desire to become an artist. I feel that my life with a disability and my mainstream education as an artist has allowed me to explore the disability visual culture from both vantage points, those of an insider and outsider.
I had my first gallery show at the Phyllis Kind Gallery in New York City in 2000. I have had two additional solo exhibitions since then at the same gallery. (Figure 1.) This portrait was done during my Senior year of high school, when I was experiencing a lot of turmoil, like most other teenagers. My first solo show consisted of mostly self-portraits, but they were done in away that was not expected from a person with a disability. They were dark and thought provoking; the viewer could see that I tapped into raw emotions.
When installing this show, Phyllis took into account that I was in a wheelchair and that this fact would attract other wheelchair users to her gallery. So the paintings were hung at eye level for people in wheel chairs, rather than the usual 60 inch midline. Many people with disabilities came to see the exhibition.
A few years into my art career, I began to have problems with my feet that kept me from working on my art for weeks at a time. Since I produce my art kneeling on the floor, my podiatrist said a permanent solution would be foot surgery. I put it off until 2004 for fear that it would change, or end how I produce my work. However, this fear has led me to new imagery. I started to re-invent my visual vocabulary. For example, I began to morph my foot into the front wheel of my chair. My current work is comprised of both painting and printmaking and in these concurrent bodies of work I explore this new foot/chair iconography (Figure 2.). Also the idea of the places I cannot physically get to, would they be better places or not?
Also, during this time I had to switch to a new doctor who did not know anything about me, or my success. She suggested that I try drug therapy to help control my movement. I refused to take the medicine because it would not only have changed who I am but my artwork as well. I am happy with who I am and what I am able to accomplish. My ability, the way the world perceives me, and the unique way in which I produce my work are an integral part of my artistic identity and vocabulary.
My work is deeply personal. Everything I create is an attempt to convey my experience to the viewer. I want the viewer to understand my physical as well as psychological experience in the world. I might paint a wheelchair climbing a set of stairs in an attempt to reveal some of the physical barriers I encounter in everyday life. In other words, I incorporate the image of a chair, which I anthropomorphize by giving it hands and feet. This image is meant to impart some of the psychological aspects of my life. Most people upon first seeing me do not see me as an individual but rather see only my chair. Although my work is about my own experience, I feel that it deals with the challenges in life, which can be experienced by anyone, regardless of his or her physical or psychological realities.
In the painting Who’s Town 2006 (figure3.), I become the architect of my own town, to make it more conforming to my needs. Everyone always talks about taking control of their lives, they should be disabled for a week. Then they would really get since of lack of control.
For a few years I have felt as if the Disability Movement has been slipping back words, especially when the moment King Trump took office. In fact, as soon as he took office, the White House Disability site went down, and it is still down to this day. Please check for yourself at https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/disabilities, if he does not acknowledge our struggle for our basic human rights than why should I respect him as the P********? The next two acts against the Disability Movement were trying to cut Medicaid and making the ADA so weak that it is useless. Let us take the ADA, there is no government agency to enforce it. It is up to the everyday person to file a complaint, wait until a court date, and prove the case. Then we do not really know if the problem will ever get “fix.” The ADA was not signed into law to punish people, but to create a universal design to make our communities accessible for all.
Most people think Medicaid just pays for medical issues and PCA so PWDs can live safe and independent lives, but did you also know Medicaid also helps pay for program in special education? These all are basic human rights for everyone, that is why we get so passionate and will do anything for our voices to be heard. I am not really the type to go protest in a crowd, although when I have it feels good and always lose my voice. The thing I do question about protest, is my voice really being heard because that has been my arch nemesis throughout my life. So, I would rather use my art to raise awareness of the fight we face daily. Just as when I go speak even if I can change the mind of one person out of hundreds, I achieved my goal. It can be one squeaky wheel that can bring an assembly line to a halt.
