SILC NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2015
Sharing Information Loud and Clear
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
While policymakers focus on passing the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which will provide options for Californians with disabilities to live and work independently, the California State Independent Living Council (SILC) and Independent Living Centers (ILCs) focus daily on such options as top priorities.
Their priorities are highlighted at SILC quarterly meetings, in tailoring programs and options for older individuals with blindness and in educating policymakers and the public about the importance of passing the federal ABLE Act in California. Their education efforts also include spreading the word about celebrations and milestones, such as the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, #ADA25, which will take place on July 26, 2015.
The following articles in this edition of Sharing Information Loud and Clear highlight some of the SILC’s and ILCs’ efforts as they pave the way to independence and bolster the voice of people with disabilities throughout California:
· Independent Living Centers Pave the Way for Older Individuals with Blindness to Live Independently
· ABLE Act Proposes a Better Economic Future for Californians with Disabilities
· Advancing Independent Living Options for Californians at SILC’s Quarterly Meeting
· Disability Rights are Civil Rights – Counting Down to ADA25
We hope you enjoy this edition of Sharing Information Loud and Clear. If there are any topics you would like us to cover in future editions, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Eli Gelardin
Chair, SILC
INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS PAVE THE WAY FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS WITH BLINDNESS TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY
More than ever, older Californians are facing the threat of blindness from age-related eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataracts andglaucoma. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, close to 800,000 individuals in California have visual impairment, a majority of whom are 55 years of age and older. Recognizing the gravity of these statistics, the Independent Living Center of Kern County (ILCKC) took action in October 2014 and paved the way for these individuals to live and work independently by implementing an Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program.
“Our OIB Program focuses on what each individual wants to accomplish,” explained April Garrett, ILCKC’s OIB Program Specialist. “With a grant from the California Department of Rehabilitation, we offer our consumers low-vision training, communication and independent living skills training, self-advocacy, peer counseling and transportation assistance to improve their independence.”
Although there are similar OIB programs in Kern County, ILCKC’s program is unique in that it’s open to the public. Other programs require financial or medical records for eligibility before consumers receive services. ILCKC’s program eliminates daunting qualification processes for individuals seeking assistance.
Photo: April Garrett at the Apple Accessibility Workshop
ILCKC also incorporated its successful Assistive Technology Program into the OIB Program to train individuals on navigating computer software and programs. Consumers can learn voice-over programs and screen touch commands; how to use e-mail programs, braille dot location, smartphones and iPads; and various types of adaptive equipment and assistive technology devices specifically designed for visual impairment and blindness.
“For many people, technology can be overwhelming and challenging,” noted Jimmie Soto, ILCKC’s Executive Director and California State Independent Living Council member. “Both sighted and non-sighted older individuals are bombarded with technical language and products they may not understand. This can be a deterrent for them to compete in the workforce and live independently. Our goal is to address those challenges, so they can be successful.”
Photo: April Garrett Working with Two Participants in the OIB Program on NonVisual Desktop Access Screen Readers
For example, a retired teacher of the blind, who qualified for the OIB Program, asked ILCKC for help with the speech-recognition software, Dragon Naturally Speaking, to write her memoir. She was familiar with many products and programs for the blind; however, she didn’t know how the software worked. After a few months of training, she created and saved several chapters of her memoir.
Photo: April Garrett Assisting a Participant at the Apple Accessibility Workshop
“Her excitement about achieving her goal was phenomenal,” noted Garrett. “It’s gratifying to witness such excitement and observe firsthand the positive results of our OIB Program.”
ILCKC’s serves all of Kern County, which covers 8,063 miles. Most service organizations and public-assistance offices are in Bakersfield. This presents a real challenge for residents who could benefit from ILCKC’s programs and services. To address this challenge, ILCKC is spreading the word about the OIB Program by partnering with other agencies such as the Kern County Area Agency on Aging, the California Department of Rehabilitation and the California Alliance for Retired Americans.
“We also actively promote the program on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest,” said Garrett, “and we’ll continue to leverage the power of the Internet and word-of-mouth referrals to reach more individuals and help them achieve their goals.”
ABLE ACT PROPOSES A BETTER ECONOMIC FUTURE FOR CALIFORNIANS WITH DISABILITIES
For the first time, many Californians with disabilities may be allowed to save more than $2,000 without losing their eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and other public benefits. If legislated in California, the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, enacted in December 2014, will allow individuals whose disabilities occurred before age 26 to open one tax-exempt ABLE savings account to spend on qualified disability expenses. The ABLE Act supports the independence of people with disabilities in pursuing an education, buying a car or house, paying for assistive technology and personal support, setting aside funds for unexpected healthcare expenses and more.
“We’ve worked on the ABLE Act for a very long time,” said World Institute on Disability’s Deputy Director Thomas Foley. “Providing people with disabilities the chance to work and save money for the future without restrictive asset limits is huge.”
Many individuals with disabilities and their families rely on state and federal benefits to cover living expenses. Without the ABLE Act, they are limited to no more than $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple) in assets, such as cash savings, investment accounts and other personal assets, before government support programs are reduced or suspended. That asset limit is too constraining for people with disabilities who face unexpected medical expenses, transportation fees and daily living expenses and hinders their ability to live independently.
Representative Ander Crenshaw, who championed the ABLE Act, summed it up succinctly in The Boston Globe article, “You can save money to go to college or to retire, but [people with disabilities] couldn’t save money to use for disability expenditures.... It was forced impoverishment.”
Enactment of the ABLE Act in California is moving forward in: Assembly Bill 449 introduced by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and Senate Bill 324 introduced by Senator Fran Pavley. The Act is under consideration in 29 states and recently was passed in Virginia.
Photo: #pass the ABLEact
Modeled after 529 college savings plans, interest earned on ABLE accounts is tax free. Qualified individuals, their family members and friends can deposit $14,000 (the annual gift-tax exemption) annually in ABLE accounts up to $100,000 without risking SSI eligibility. Each state can establish a higher annual limit corresponding to their 529 account limits. Balances up to $300,000 will not affect Medicaid coverage eligibility.
“Educating the public about the importance of passing the ABLE Act in California will be a top priority for California’s Independent Living Centers,” noted Liz Pazdral, Executive Director, California State Independent Living Council. “Without these accounts, many people with disabilities have limited avenues for true independence. Through resources, such as the ‘Understanding ABLE’ free webinar presented on March 26 and information on Youth Organizing! Disabled and Proud’s website, the public can learn about the ABLE Act. And we need to share real-life stories with our policymakers on how the Act will improve the lives of Californians with disabilities.”
ADVANCING INDEPENDENT LIVING OPTIONS FOR CALIFORNIANS AT SILC’S QUARTERLY MEETING
Photo: SILC Members at the Quarterly Meeting
The California State Independent Living Council’s (SILC) quarterly meeting took place on March 5-6 at the Holiday Inn-Sacramento Capitol Plaza. Following is a recap of the first day’s presentations and discussions on expanding opportunities for Californians with disabilities to live independently:
After updates by SILC committee members and public comments, the meeting featured several informative discussions and presentations by state partners and other attendees such as:
· Joe Xavier, Director, California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), who provided an update on the DOR’s recent activities and projects. He described where the SILC, ILCs and other individuals intersect with his vision for change, particularly in employment, as they work together to increase accessibility and independence for Californians with disabilities. He also discussed bringing benefits counseling into DOR to be handled by staff and shared noteworthy state and federal news.
Photo: Director Joe Xavier, California Department of Rehabilitation
· SILC’s Executive Director Liz Pazdral updated members on the budget, operations considerations, upcoming events and more.
· R. Michael Paravagna, Commissioner, California Commission on Disability Access (CCDA), reported on the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Paravagna summarized what has happened because of the ADA and what still needs to happen such as ensuring building officials understand how access affects people with disabilities and helping employers understand how people with disabilities can “get the work done.” He also talked about inaccessible websites, public meetings that are not captioned and untrained workers at election polling sites. The CCDA offers several resources on its website such as the “Disability Access Tips” video.
Photo: Commissioner R. Michael Paravagna, California Commission on Disability Access
· Teresa Favuzzi, Executive Director, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), gave an overview of CFILC’s 2015 public policy agenda. CFILC is supporting the following: Reform of California Disability and Aging Services establishing the California Department of Community Living (bill number pending); the DOR’s budget to support Independent Living network infrastructure; restoration of assistive technology funding for ILCs and the Assistive Technology Hub; and funding to maintain a minimum of seven traumatic brain injury sites. CFILC is opposing the following: Senate Bill (SB) 128, End of Life Option Act; Assembly Bills (AB) 52 and 54 and SB 67 relating to the erosion of ADA access in public accommodations; and DOR’s Benefits Planning Initiative since funding should, in part or whole, support the existing infrastructure of ILC benefits planning.
· Paul Hosley, ACS Quantum Strategies, shared his “social media recipe” on how to maximize and grow social media through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Hosley highlighted the SILC’s social media efforts initiated in October 2014, including 173 Facebook “likes” and 29 Twitter followers as of the meeting date. After encouraging participants to “like” and follow SILC, the numbers rose to 204 and 37 respectively.
· Ed Ahern, Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), Options Counseling Program Manager, California Department of Aging, presented an update on options counseling and person-centered planning.
· The first day of the quarterly meeting concluded with SILC members and staff reporting on meetings and conferences they’ve attended.
Photo Collage of SILC’s Quarterly Meeting in Sacramento
The second day of the quarterly meeting included reports from the following state agencies’ representatives on program changes and budget implications for the disability community:
· Lora Connolly, Director, California Department of Aging.
· Denyse Curtright, Chief, Work Services Section, California Department of Developmental Services.
· Jay Harris, Chief, Independent Living and Assistive Technology, DOR
· Deirdre Wheeler, Policy Analyst, California Department of Social Services.
Photo: SILC Quarterly Meeting Participants
Following the agency updates, the following individuals presented on a variety of topics:
· Yvonne Walden, ADRC Grants Project Manager, SILC, gave an update on the SILC’s ADRC project.
· Jack D. Hailey, Ph.D., Senior Project Director, Government Action and Communication Institute, discussed the California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports, of which the SILC is a member.
· Ted Jackson, Community Organizing Director, CFILC, talked about recent Disability Organizing Network activities.
· Ann Johnson, Community Advocate, and Marilyn Golden, Senior Policy Analyst, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), discussed DREDF's opposition to SB 128, California’s proposed End of Life Option Act.
The quarterly meeting concluded with a “check-in” on the day’s topics as well as SILC member and staff comments.
The date of SILC’s next quarterly meeting in San Diego has yet to be determined. Visit the Meeting Notices section on our website at www.calsilc.org for information.
[CALL-OUT BOX]
DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS – COUNTING DOWN TO ADA25
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990, promotes equal opportunity for people with disabilities. This civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation and all public and private places open to the general public. The ADA also requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations.
Join the California State Independent Living Council in counting down to ADA25 on July 26, 2015, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. #ADA25.
Photo: Logo of the ADA 25 Americans with Disabiltites Act 1990-2015
Find your nearest ADA center by visiting the ADA National Network website. And sign the ADA pledge to lend your support to continue the ADA for another 25 years and beyond!