Annual Legislative Breakfast

27TH

ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST

INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER OF THE NORTH SHORE & CAPE ANN, INC. WITH THE

AGING AND DISABILITY

RESOURCE CONSORTIUM OF THE GREATER NORTH SHORE, INC.

INDEPENDENT LIVING AND ADRCGNS, INC: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES

MAY 9, 2014

9:00 AM TO 11:30 AM

SALEM WATERFRONT HOTEL & MARINA

Legislative Breakfast Co-Hosts US Congressman John Tierney

Senator Joan Lovely

Representative John Keenan

The Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, Inc. (ILCNSCA) is the regional service and advocacy agency serving North Shore and Cape Ann, following the federal standards and assurances as a center for independent living, as defined in the Rehabilitation Services Act.

We are committed to full civil rights for those of us living with disabilities, including choice, autonomy, the right to self-determination, to have a choice of living in our own home in the community and to receive all necessary services at home, not in an institution.

We are an agency run by and for those who have all types of disabilities and are of all ages.

We collaborate with our partners in the aging and disability communities through the Aging and Disability Resource Consortium of the Greater North Shore, Inc. (ADRCGNS).

Today’s annual event gives us all an opportunity to hear the status of services and supports to live as independently as we choose in the twenty-five municipalities of the North Shore and Cape Ann:

Beverly; Danvers; Essex; Gloucester; Hamilton; Ipswich; Lynn; Lynnfield; Manchester; Marblehead; Melrose; Middleton; Nahant; North Reading; Peabody; Reading; Rockport; Rowley; Salem; Saugus; Stoneham; Swampscott; Topsfield; Wakefield; Wenham.

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

Opening Welcome

Midge Dawicki, President, ILCNSCA Board of Directors

Importance to All of Us Today

Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director, ILCNSCA, Board President, ADRCGNS, Inc.

ADRC of GNS, Inc.

Paul Lanzikos, Executive Director, North Shore Elder Services (NSES) and Board VP, ADRCGNS, Inc.

Congressional Perspective

US Congressman John Tierney (Rosalyn Frontiera)

US Senator Edward Markey (Kate Machet)

MA Legislature Perspective

Co-Hosts: Senator Joan Lovely and Representative John Keenan

Independent Living Perspective

Rebecca Gutman, VP Homecare, 1199SEIU

Al Norman, Executive Director, Mass Home Care Association

Stephen Higgins, Executive Director, Independence Associates

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

State Legislators Attending

Senators:

Thomas M. McGee, Lynn

Bruce Tarr, Gloucester (Barry Pett)

Representatives:

Leah Cole, Peabody

Brad Hill, Ipswich

Donald H. Wong, Saugus

Robert Fennell, Lynn

Jerald A. Parisella, Beverly

Lori A. Ehrlich, Marblehead

Theodore C. Speliotis, Danvers

State Agency Speakers

Kerri Zanchi, Asst Comm., MA Rehabilitation Commission

Commissioner Heidi Reed, MA Commission of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Secretary Coleman Nee, MA Department of

Veteran Services

Karen Langley, EOHHS

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

2014 Award Recipients:

Gil Adrien Outstanding Advocacy Award:

Jerry Halberstadt, recognized for his advocacy for developing legislation on Anti-Bullying of Seniors and Persons with Disabilities living in subsidized housing, currently identified as S604. Joan Adrien, ILCNSCA Board member and Shawn McDuff, Presenters

Family Support Award

Christine Hansen, nominated for her support and advocacy by her mother, Patricia Hansen.

Mary Margaret Moore and Shawn McDuff, Presenters

Certificates of Appreciation

Mayor Kim Driscoll, Salem, recognized for her advocacy to pass an amendment extending protection from discrimination in public accommodations for persons of the transgender community. (Accepted by Kristian Hoysradt)

Representative John Keenan, Salem, recognized for his support of independent living for people with disabilities on the North Shore and Cape Ann since 2005. We will miss him and we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors beginning in January 2015.

Mary Margaret Moore, Presenter

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

LILLITH’S INDEPENDENT LIVING SUCCESS STORY

Date: 4/30/2014 Written by: Mary Margaret Moore and Lillith

Consumer’s First name: Lillith Age: 57

City of residence: Beverly Referred by: MRC Salem VR and self

Disability, Primary: Disability, Secondary:

Emphysema/COPD Anorexia/Depression/Anxiety/Gender Dysphoria

Services requested and why:

Lillith was seeking assistance with SSDI application, housing application, public assistance application, refurnishing new apartment. Lillith was referred to ILCNSCA by MRC VR Salem office in April, 2010 for assistance with education/training, housing search and benefits. She was having to move, facing economic challenges, coping with her gender transformation, and looking for connection, respect, housing, transportation, SSA benefits, medical benefits and resources to obtain a viable home for her.

What services were provided and by whom:

Initially Lillith received connection with ILCNSCA to address her goal of learning about available housing, obtaining assistance with her storage needs and transitioning to living in a shelter while exploring her housing options. She received the assistance to apply for health and social security benefits. She was able to obtain medical insurance to assist her with medications and her complex doctor/hospital needs as well as overall health. She then tackled applying for public housing to transition out of the shelter and within 11 months Lillith received a movable housing

voucher and shortly thereafter secured her first home in a Beverly apartment.

While Lillith was in the homeless shelter, her health disparity took a drastic

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

negative turn. She decided to start the SSDI application process and with input from her IL Peer Guide, Lillith completed and submitted her application for Social Security Disability Insurance, and was denied. Despite being very upset, the very next day Lillith started her own appeal process and submitted it, and many months later she received confirmation that her appeal was a success.

Over the next 18 months her health continued to decline, her breathing was compromised, and her mobility became limited so that she was now in need of wheelchair accessible housing. She worked with ILCNSCA staff to find a subsidized building with wheelchair access, elevator service, laundry facilities, handicap grab bars in the bathroom, a hand held shower attachment, secure patio, and all utilities included in the monthly rent and cable with HBO. She found ‘affordable, available, accessible’ housing to meet her needs.

Lillith also applied for and received access to para-transit services, pursued her desire to start a non-profit agency assisting Transgender people (NETA Inc.), obtained 501(C) 3 status for NETA, ran for the ILCNSCA Board, become Chair of the ILCNSCA Board Development Committee, and attended the National Council of Independent 2013 Conference, Washington, DC, speaking on their historic panel titled: ‘Independent Living and LGBTIQ’ in July 2013.

How did these services improve the consumer’s daily living:

The above services in combination have improved Lillith’s quality of life. She now has a PCA/CNA to help her with her daily living needs, assist with transportation to and from doctor appointments and grocery shopping. She recently adopted a small service animal to help with tasks such as retrieving inhalers, bringing her oxygen canella and plastic medication box. Lillith’s PCA/CNA services and her service animal have distinctly enriched

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life

her life. She is able to give back to the community through her work with

NETA Inc. and ILCNSCA Board. Lillith has been a consistent member of the ADRCGNS, Inc. Partners group and for the past two years an individual member of the National Council on Independent Living.

Lillith served as a Marine and is a Vietnam Veteran. She has 3 grown children, her two sons are veterans and her daughter is studying in college. Lillith as a Transsexual woman facilitates a support group meeting for the LGBTIQ community through NETA, Inc., which is a support and advocacy organization, which collaborates with the ILCNSCA. She is a strong advocate of LGBTIQ people living with disabilities seeking respectful services as well as an example of one ADRCGNS, Inc. success story in 2014.

Services and Advocacy for an Independent Life