IN THE NEWS- FORD EXPANDS AUTISM HIRING INITIATIVE

This article from Disability Scoop..

Just months after launching a pilot program aimed at hiring people on the spectrum, a major American automaker is looking to ramp up the effort.

Ford Motor Company brought in four employees with autism over the summer to work in product development at its Dearborn, Mich. headquarters.

All four workers were successful enough to earn regular positions on the company's payroll.

Now, Ford says it will add 12 to 24 additional people on the spectrum to its workforce in 2017.

:Our decision to expand the program was based on the success of the pilot; starting small enabled us to focus on implementing the right way- taking time to understand what worked well, and what processes could be enhanced for a larger-scale roll-out," said Kirstin Queen, diversity and inclusion manager at Ford.

All of those with autism who were hired have either a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree, depending on the nature of their work, according to officials at the Autism Alliance of Michigan, a nonprofit that's contracting with Ford to help the company integrate the new staffers through the FordInclusiveWorks initiative.

They are earning hourly wages equivalent to between $31,000 and $38,000 annually for positions in the company's tire lab, vehicle preparation area, design and advanced engineering lab, said Tammy Morris, chief program officer for the autism group. The positions coming available next year are expected to be in other departments.

Ford employees on-board through FordInclusiveWorks go through the company's standard hiring procedures and compete for jobs that are publicly posted. However, the Autism Alliance of Michigan identifies candidates on the spectrum who they believe would be a good fit for positions and helps support both the candidates and Ford employees throughout the hiring process to ensure that a person's disability doesn't get in the way of their potential.

Once on the job, Morris said that her group offers a wide range of individualized supports, both at work and beyond.

"For a lot of these guys, it's not the actual job performance, it's all of the other things like getting to work on time, dressing and being ready to focus that can derail an opportunity," she said.

Training managers and coworkers has been key to providing appropriate accommodations, Morris indicated. Some employees need checklists to stay on task, for example, while another has low muscle tone and may fall out of their chair.

So far, Ford has opened up new positions to workers with autism cautiously despite broad interest from managers across the company, Morris said, in order to ensure good outcomes.

Going forward, however, she expects the initiative to continue to grow to include people with other types of disabilities and possibly other ford locations across the country.

"The most exciting development of the work with Ford is that word is spreading," said Colleen Allen, president and CEO of the Autism Alliance of Michigan. "No single manager or current staff has been mandated to hire employees on the spectrum. These are just good employees, filling a business need."

CHIRPING BIRDS-Week 12

Summerizing the Eagles disappointing 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers..

Team Dumbass strikes again!!

The Eagles are a reflection of their coach..stupid, no passion, lack of discipline. Pederson uses his last challenge to question a play worth 2 yards. Flecther Cox again makes a stupid mistake with a roughing the passer penalty on a third down ..a costly penalty which extended a Packer drive.Brandon Graham goes off-side on a third-and four down which also extends a Green Bay drive. The coach says every week.."We gotta eliminate the mistakes", yet this team doesn't improve.

Pederson seems over his head. Along with the stupid decisions and dumb play-calling all season long, the coach again choked under the bright lights. He got away from running the ball by again having Carson Wentz throw the ball 40 times with a poor offensive line. Pederson also used his final challenge in the third quarter to gain TWO yards. Later, he couldn't explain why he challenged the play, mumbling and stumbling through his post-game press conference. He has no clue. Remember that no other team granted him a coaching interview during the off-season. The Eagles settled for an inexperienced, flawed guy because the front office wanted a puppet they could control, the anti- Chip Kelly. Jeffrey Laurie fails again.

Again, the Birds won the coin toss to open the game, and again, they deferred the ball to the second half. Doesn't it make sense to take the ball, with the crowd in a frenzy, against a reeling Packer defense, and get the early jump in a must-win game??

The Eagles don't deserve to even talk about the playoffs if they can't beat a woeful Packer team -at home-on a Monday night.It's team to see who can play, and coach, in the future. A last place finish assures an easier schedule next year.

Nolan Carroll illustrates why the Eagles need to make Defensive back a priority in the draft next spring.

The team activated WR Paul Turner, but never uses him?

No adjustments by defensive coordinator Schwartz. It's becoming clear why he didn't make it in Detriot and his other stops around the league.

Fletcher Cox got his $100 million contract and has been a no-show most of the season.Shame on him..no fire..no determination..like most of his teammates and coaches.

Thanks to Lane Johnson for helping to ruin a 3-0 start by being suspended.Looking back, the bye week came at an awful time..too early, and it destroyed the Eagles' momentum after a fast start. The NFL schedule-makers didn't do the team any favors either.

The bottom line is, the Eagles just aren't good enough. They are rebuilding and need at least 3-4 more drafts to compete. They are now a below-average team. Pederson claims they are "going in the right direction". It would be refreshing and I would have more respect for Pederson's honesty if he would admit-one time- that he screwed up. Everything is excuses and "it's a learning experience". It's frustrating and disappointing, but the fans need to see the forest through the trees. They are what they are- a below-average team

The Eagles play Cincinnati next Sunday. Even running the table- ending up 10-6- doesn't assure the Birds a playoff spot. They lose on many tie-breakers, thanks to a poor division and conference record.

Finally, it's frustrating to know that Dallas will only be two wins away from the Super Bowl. Weren't the Cowboys just 4-12 and rebuilding? A great draft and easier schedule turned around things really quick.

IN THE NEWS- CORPORAL PUMISHMENT

This article is from Disability Scoop...

Citing disproportionate use among students with disabilities, the U.S. secretary of education is calling for schools to stop relying on physical punishment to address behavior issues.

In a letter to governors and state education officials across the country, Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said corporal punishment sends the wrong message and should be halted in the 22 states where the practice is still allowed.

"School-sponsored corporal punishment is not only ineffective, it is a harmful practice, and one that disproportionally impacts students of color and students with disabilities," King wrote in the correspondence this month. "This practice has no place in the public schools of a modern nation that plays such an essential role in the advancement and protection of civil and human rights."

Already, corporal punishment is banned in 28 states, but it remains widely used elsewhere.

Education Department data indicates that 110,000 students were subjected to some type of physical punishment in school during the 2013-2014 academic year. The odds of experiencing corporal punishment were consistently higher for kids with disabilities and black children, disparities that King said "shock the conscience."

Though corporal punishment is intended to influence a child's behavior, King said that the practice often backfires, with research suggesting that it can prompt kids to become more aggressive or oppositional and can have long-term mental health consequences.

In many cases, King said that the punishments allowed in schools would be considered criminal assault or battery if applied to adults in the very same states. What's more, he said such practices have already been banned in U.S. prisons and military training facilities.

"While some may argue that corporal punishment is a tradition in some school communities, society has evolved and past practice alone is no justification," King said. "No school can be considered safe or supportive if its students are fearful of being physically punished. We strongly urge states to eliminate the use of corporal punishment in schools."

The Education Department correspondence comes as 80 organizations including the National Disability Rights Network, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the National Down Syndrome Congress issued a joint letter to policymakers urging similar action. The groups said that children with disabilities re often subjected to corp for exhibiting behaviors related to their special needs.

OLD-SCHOOL WHEELING- UNSUNG HEROES

This article appeared in The Phoenix on October 7, 2005

I had many "unsung heroes" while I was growing up, people who helped me get through life, especially with a disability.

Even now, I still have many unsung heroes in my world. I want to share a few with you, because I feel they deserve recognition, and I hope this can be a forum to highlight people who deserve many thanks but don't always receive enough appreciation.

Paratransit Drivers- This is how I get to work each day, by the paratransit. Before the ADA law was passed, the disabled could not use paratransit. Now we can, not only to get back and forth to work, but to go anywhere, for a minimal fee.

Most paratransit drivers are very friendly, despite the immense pressure and responsibilities of their job. They must deal with bad weather, congested traffic, irate riders, trying to stay on their schedules, helping the elderly and in firmed on their vans, tying down wheelchairs, radio-ing numbers, names, fees, and other various info into the office.

All of this with a smile while serving the public. Often these drivers are expected to be in more than one place at the same time. They do the best they can to meet their schedule, and often are underpaid.

I appreciate them very much. Many only last a short time. But there are many drivers on the job for years. They build friendship with their riders over time, and it is always mice to see a familiar face picking you up. It puts one at ease and there is a sense of trust that your ride is going to be a safe one.

My thanks to the paratransit drivers out there, who keep pushing, no matter what.

Nursing Assistants- Working in a nursing home as I do, it is very much a team effort. Everyone from nurses, to doctors, therapists, social workers, administrators, etc. Everyone tries to do the very best they can to take care of their residents.

I especially admire the nursing aides/assistants. They are the people who are often underpaid as well, yet they have the most hands-on, direct care of nursing home or hospital patients. They empty bedpans, wash the ill and disabled, help them get dressed, and generally care for all their needs.

Plus many nursing assistants I have known over the years go beyond their duties. They may just sit with a lonely or crying resident, offering support, comfort and cheer. They may bring in homemade cookies or just do that little extra thing to help put a smile on someone's face.

They are true heroes of their profession, and even though they are recognized formally quite often where I work, they are still unsung heroes to me.

I'm sure you can find some unsung heroes in your life as well. Just look around. All it takes is a "thank you" to make someone's day.

IN THE NEWS-TRAILS

This from the Philadelphia Inquirer...

Spin a wheel and watch a rainbow of colors whirl in front of you. Try another and hear the sound of rain.

Run your fingers over a grid of oversize marbles. Rock back and forth inside a spinning wheel. Beat your hands on multicolored drums.

Look up and you'll see tall trees, changing leaves, and maybe even a rare type of woodpecker.

The outdoor fun at Doylestown Township's new Sensory Trail, tucked into a wooded corner of its Central Park, might well appeal to all ages. But it's not your typical playground.

It is the only outdoor play space in the region- perhaps in the state, officials say- designed specifically for children with special needs. It might even be viewed as trailblazing- since its developers did not have standards from which to work, said Karen Sweeney, township director of parks and recreation. "We just kind of invented it as we went,"she said.

While typical playgrounds can be overwhelming for some children with autism or other challenges, the sensory trail is specifically designed to provide cognitive and physical benefits geared toward their needs. At the same time, its activities appeal to any child-or adult- so that kids with different abilities and their siblings and their siblings or friends can play in the same place.

And it fills a void often felt by families with children who have special needs. Sweeney said the area has a large community of those with special needs, in part because local school districts have strong special education programs.

"When you don't have playgrounds that meet your needs, you don't go to playgrounds," said Jill Schweizer, the Central Bucks School District's special education supervisor, whom the township consulted during the trail's development.

Now, she said, the trail provides "the kind of alternative play equipment that provides that motivation: "I like to play with this."

Kids can play at nine stations, or pods, on the wheelchair-accessible trail, each offering a different activity and type of stimulation.

They target skills that include core strength, cooperative play, motor skills, cognitive development, tactile or auditory stimulation, and communication, said Sweeney.

Sweeney said the idea has been well-received by the community since the play space opened this fall.

"This is a place in our parks system where everybody can go," Sweeney said as she walked along the trail, which glowed with afternoon sunlight filtering through the golden leaves.

The trail is set in a protected woodland area on the edge of the 140-acre park, and every piece of its equipment has a purpose, right down to subtle grooves in the boards that offer tactile stimulation for curious hands.

The concept for the $440,000 trail was born in 2012 with an idea for a braille trail, which soon turned into a broader "sensory" trail. Although it is particularly attractive to those on the autism spectrum, it can be beneficial for any child, including those with attention-deficit disorders or physical disabilities, Schweizer said.

Some of the trail's stations stimulate muscles or brain activity, such as cycling with hand sor listening to recordings of animals. Others, such as sitting in the semi-enclosed "cozy cocoon", soothe children. All offer opportunities for creativity.

"We'll look at this and say, "This is the purpose for this," but kids will look at it and find other functions and stories," Sweeney said.

The township hopes to expand the trail over time- Sweeney has ideas for projects community service groups could do along the trail- and hopes local groups will use it as an outdoor classroom.

Officials collaborated with community members and experts to develop it and brought in equipment from three playground companies. half of the funding came from a state grant and the other half was raised in the area, including donations from the Doylestown Lions Club, the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown and Foundations Behavioral Health, Sweeney said.

"I would love to see it replicated in other places," Schweizer said.

Township Manager Stephanie Mason said families like the idea of the trail.

"They have that opportunity to be in nature, which is sort of the ultimate sensory experience,"she said. "It moves beyond, say, four walls."

The trail can be accessed from New Britain Road at Central park in Doylestown.

OLD -SCHOOL WHEELING-MOUNTAINS

Another Wheeling Around Phoenixville article which appeared in The Phoenix on September 5, 2005..

Recently I got the following email: "Greg, how do you handle going to a place where there is no ramp(assuming you're not aware of that fact?). Do you just turn around and leave,look for assistance? I had a father in a wheelchair awhile, and it was very annoying to get somewhere and not be able to enter..."

I totally agree! My answer would be, depends on how many steps you have to tackle. Luckily, I haven't run into this situation often. I've learned, since I was a kid, to call ahead- to restaurants, movie theaters, etc, to see if there are any steps to contend with.

Things have gotten a lot better since the passing of the ADA law in the early 90s. More ramps, more cut curbs, more handicapped parking places. Now, all new buildings are required to be accessible. Any older buildings are required to at least try to become accessible, or prove why accessibility is impossible.

But, just because the ADA law exists, doesn't mean that things are perfect, as we will see. Sometimes the ADA law is used against accessibility.

To answer the question, if it's a place I really need to attend, I"ll look for someone to assist going up the stairs. Even a curb can be as high as a mountain to someone in a wheelchair, but it is not always easy to find someone willing or able to assist.

But going up a flight of stairs, or even down, you can imagine can be perilous, anxiety-filled experience. You're really in the hands of God, and the assistants helping you. one slip and...

That's why I always hold my breath and pray.

But I try not to find myself in those situations.

I was Best Man for my younger brother, Mark, almost ten years ago. Quite an honor, one which I still cherish and would never trade.

But until we arrived at the restaurant, I wasn't aware there were at least three flights of steep stairs to climb to get to the reception hall.

The reception was held locally, in an older restaurant. I was scared to death., yet I knew, somehow, someway, I had to get to the top of that mountain. Luckily, Tracy, the bride, has two very strong relatives. her brother Todd and her cousin Brad. Brad, an ex-professional football player, offered to carry me-and the chair- up the stairs and down again.

Brad is about 6'3 and close to 300 pounds of muscle, so it's good to have Superman on your side.

We made it, but there are times like that when you worry. Going down the stairs can be just as adventurous.

I have used other measures in the past to scale mountains of stairs. I have climbed up stairs on my backside, one step at a time. I have allowed someone to carry me up the stairs first, then the wheelchair. Both are not so dignified, but better then the humiliation I was offered once.

An ex-employer had their Christmas party at a place which was not accessible. First, my situation wasn't considered, and second, when it was finally brought to light, "What about Greg?" I was actually told I could ride the dumb waiter elevator to get upstairs.

I thought they were joking, but no, they were quite serious. I politely declined the offer, and couldn't believe the insensitivity of such a request. Luckily, most workplaces are happy to have a disabled employee, and go out of their way to comply, and go farther then what the ADA laws stipulate.

There aer new inventions out now, such as wheelchairs which will climb steps. Supposedly they work, and they might be a benefit in the future, but I don't know if I would be courageous enough to try one over a flight of stairs. It would be like jumping out of an airplane, only without a parachute.

Ramps are tricky too. Just because all ramps need to be "ADA eligible" doesn't mean they are correct and can be used.

I know from experience. My house was built before the ADA law was passed. All we told the contractor was that we needed two ramps-one for the front and another in the back- for a wheelchair.

Well, we got our ramps, but the one leading to the backyard still isn't accessible even some twenty-five years later. The sloping wasn't done correctly, so that when you reach the top of the ramp, you tip over, backwards.

The same situation exists on my street, Dianna Drive. There are cut-curbs at almost every corner, but are they usable? They were designed "within ADA specifications", but the ramps are too steep. They weren't graded properly. You can blame other circumstances as well, like the road. I can go all around Phoenixville and find ramps which may be in compliance with ADA regulations, but are just unusable in the real world.

Imagine the feeling of being trapped on your own street, unable to move off your own block.

There is a very easy way to test a new ramp or cut-curb. Have someone wheelchair-bound, either permanently or even a worker who is able-bodied, try the ramp to see if it is level and usable.

I know, money may be an issue. Sadly, as long as a ramp is in compliance, that's all that is required, usable or not.

Handicapped parking places are now a way of life. It's hard to imagine a time when there weren't handicapped parking places around. That's great. Trust me, coming from someone who needs them, they are a big help. And most places keep an eye on people who use them and don't have a handicapped card or license. There is nothing more frustrating than finding all the spots full, especially with people who aren't qualified to use them, but only park there "for a minute" to run in and out of a store.

There was a joke going around last summer before the Olympics about 76er's player Allen Iverson, who was found to have illegally used handicapped parking places in Philadelphia. When informed he had made the Olympic basketball team, his first reply was, "Do they have a lot of disabled people over in Greece?"

Anyway, the next time you step over a curb to cross a street, please don't take it for granted. Feel as though you have scaled Mount Everest, because that is exactly what it feels like for many disabled people each day.

IN THE NEWS- RESTRICTING GROUP HOMES

The following article is from Disability Scoop...

Homes where people with disabilities live should not face requirements or conditions different from those where typically-developing individuals reside, according to new federal guidance.

In a 20-page question-and-answer document issued jointly this month, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are clarifying state and local government responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act when it comes to zoning and land use laws.

The guidance is an update to a similar document first released in 1999. While it touches on housing discrimination broadly, more than half of the questions addressed focus specifically on the rights of people with disabilities.

The Fair Housing Act bars discrimination base don disability and that applies whether or not such individuals live in group home situations, the agencies said.

Local ordinances prohibiting group homes in single-family neighborhoods or limiting group homes for those with particular disabilities violate the law. Likewise, excluding people "based upon fear, speculation or stereotype about a particular disability or persons with disabilities in general" is not allowed, the guidance indicates.

States and municipalities may violate the law if they do not provide reasonable accommodations so that people with disabilities "have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling," the agencies said. This may mean bending rules on how many unrelated people may live together at home, for example.

Nonetheless, the guidance acknowledges that there are legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons that communities might question the location of a group home such as increased demand for on-street parking in a neighborhood where parking is limited. In these situations, local officials must allow the group home to address the concerns and weigh whether other types of dwellings would be denied accommodations in similar circumstances.

"The Fair Housing Act helps protect open, free and integrated communities," said Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.'Government officials, housing problems and the general public need to understand how land use and zoning decisions can create barriers to equal housing opportunity. We hope this guidance will help communities make these decisions free from discrimination."

CHIRPING BIRDS-Week 11

Sad thoughts about the Eagles sad loss to the Seattle Seahawks yesterday..

Team Dumbass strikes again!!!!!! Too many penalties..too many mental mistakes...Nelson Agholor is a headcase. He needs to be deactivated. Bring up Paul Turner from the practice squad..Could it be worse?...I said the Birds have no weapons before the season started..The team needs to totally revamp their wide receivers during the off-season. So much is invested in QB Carson Wentz...It's stupid not to give him the weapons he needs to excel..

So, with the Eagle's first round draft pick next spring, along with a corner back, the team needs to draft another receiver-again. Plus, sign a free agent WR (DeSean Jackson?)...Better wide-outs would not only stretch the field and open up the middle for the tight ends, it would make the running game better. Teams wouldn't be able to put eight guys in the box as often..

With every passing week it becomes more evident how Chip Kelly destroyed the franchise. It will take time-and several drafts- to rebuild. The 3-0 start was a teaser. The playoffs looked like a realistic goal. They still can be. Win out, and their record is 11-5, with four of the games in Philadelphia. The two road games are winnable, versus Baltimore and Cincinnati.

Enough excuses. Maybe the Eagles just aren't good enough? Winning in Seattle was not expected. But the Seahawks looked in a different class and showed just how far the Eagles have to go to be legitimate contenders.

For the Birds to have a shot at a wild card spot, they need to win out, plus they should root for the Lions on Thanksgiving against the Vikings. The Eagles beat Minnesota, so the Eagles would have the tie-breaker against Minnesota if both were vying for a playoff berth. The Giants or Redskins should garner the other wild card. Plus, every game the Vikings lose brings the Eagles a better first round draft pick in 2017.

If Coach Pederson saw that Nelson Agholor wasn't t lined up properly, thus costing the team a touchdown,why didn't he want to "burn a time-out"? He continues to make stupid mental play-calling mistakes, and the defense on the road is night and day than the D at home. Coach Schwartz lays back too much, not aggressive enough. And Greg Lewis sucks as the wide receiver coach. He wasn't that great of a player. These receivers cant separate and drop too many passes.

Again, Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry don't show up to play..Is it a coincidence they both signed big contracts before the season?

If the Eagles had lost the meaningless last game of the season in 2015 vs the Giants, they would've played the Rams in London earlier this year instead of the Seahawks in Seattle yesterday. The good thing about finishing in last place in the NFC East is, the Eagles would get a last place schedule next year. That would mean playing San Francisco, Chicago and Carolina/New Orleans   in 2017.

The Eagles play yet another season-saver game next Monday night against Green Bay. The Packers look awful. If the Birds can't beat them at home next week they don't deserve to get into the playoffs.

IN THE NEWS- SPECIAL OLYMPICS SNUBBED

From The Houston Chronicle newspaper...

Special Olympics, the Washington-based nonprofit that runs more than 108,000 sporting events around the world for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, has sued a Texas company for allegedly failing to pay $270,000 in promised sponsorship fees.

Special Olympics sued Dallas-based PR Nutrition last week for not holding up its end of a financial deal to sponsor three events, including the Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America, according to the lawsuit filed  in Houston. PR Nutrition, which sells nutritional products for athletes, promised to pay $250,000 to sponsor the 46-day relay that finished at the opening ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, but did not, Special Olympics alleged in the complaint.

PR Nutrition also reneged on two $10,000 sponsorship payments, according to the lawsuit.

"PR Nutrition used Special Olympics to further benefit PR Nutrition's bottom line, but refused to pay the sponsorship fees," Special Olympics said in the complaint.

PR Nutrition could not be reached for comment. In court papers, Special Olympics said PR Nutrition claimed that the executive who entered into the sponsorship agreement was not authorized to do so; Special Olympics, however, disputed that.

The opens a window to the usually hidden relationships between corporate sponsorships and good-works charity groups. Nonprofit groups depend on sponsors to fund their programs by organizing golf tournaments, fun runs or galas. Companies sign up for the sponsorships to affiliate with groups or causes that are important to employees, customers or executives.

In exchange for a promised contribution to Special Olympics, PR Nutrition was recognized as a Special Olympics sponsor, which allowed the company to use the Special Olympics logo in its marketing materials, the nonprofit group said in court papers. An executive of PR Nutrition even walked in the parade of athletes, a special honor bestowed on top sponsors, political leaders and other supporters.

But Special Olympics never received the money, according to the lawsuit. Nor did Special Olympics receive two $10,000 sponsorship promises for two other events, according to the lawsuit.

"This is a big donation for us," said Angela Ciccolo. chief legal officer for Special Olympics. The group, which had a 2014 budget of $110 million, depends heavily on volunteers and an army of sponsors, including Coca-Cola Co., Bank of America and ESPN.

Ciccolo said she can't ever recall another sponsor not paying what it promised.

For a charity auction, PR Nutrition promised to supply two tickets to the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship in January in Arizona between the University of Alabama and Clemson University. but never came through with the tickets, according to thelawsuit. A police officer who won the tickets by placing a $1,000 bid had to cancel his travel plans four days before the big game, and Special Olympics refunded the $1,000 donation, court papers said.

IN THE NEWS- DISABILITY HATE CRIMES & AUTISM APP

Two articles from Disability Scoop...

Despite an uptick in the number of hate crimes reported across the nation, new federal figures suggests that fewer targeted people with disabilities.

Data released this week from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program indicates that there were 88 reported hate crime offenses during 2015 related to disability bias. That's down from 95 the previous year.

The decline in disability-related cases comes as the FBI indicated that the total number of hate crimes rose. Overall, the agency documented 5,850 incidents last year.

Among hate crime victims, 1.2 percent were people with disabilities, the FBI said. In 52 cases, the offenses were motivated by a person's physical disability while 36 involved those with mental disabilities.

The FBI tracks the number of crimes prompted by disability as well as race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity.

The statistics are based on reports collected by nearly 15,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide.

********************************************************************************

A smartphone app could dramatically speed up the process of screening children for autism, potentially offering feedback in less than a minute.

Using eye-tracking technology, researchers say that they can determine with nearly 94 percent accuracy if a child as young as 2 is displaying signs of autism.

The findings come from a study looking at 32 kids ages 2 to 10, half of whom were previously diagnosed with the developmental disorder.

The app works by monitoring a child's eye gaze while they view pictures of social scenes.
Those on the spectrum have a scattered gaze, while typically-developing kids are more focused, the researchers said.

"The beauty of the mobile app is that it can be used by parents at home to assess the risk of whether a child may have ASD," according to Wenyao Xu of the University at Buffalo who worked on the study which was presented last month at the IEEE Wireless Health conference at the National Institutes of Health.

"This can allow families to seek therapy sooner, and improve the benefits of treatment," Xu said.

In addition to being accessible for families, the app-based screening is also quick, taking no more than 54 seconds, and does not present language barriers, the researchers said.

Though promising, however, the app is not quite ready for prime time.

"Right now it is a prototype. We have to consider if other neurological conditions are included, like ADD, how that will affect the outcome," said Kun Woo Cho, an undergraduate computer science and engineering major at the University at Buffalo who is the study's principle author.

Additional research on the app is expected to involve 300 to 400 kids.

IN THE NEWS-COLONIAL THEATER

I wrote this article for The Phoenix om August 19, 2005. Please read the update at the end...

I love Phoenixville. Born and raised here. Still live here and will probably die here. There's no place like Phoenixville.

A few favorite places during my childhood have faded away. Remember places like Grants department store? They had the best popcorn there! Charles Music Shop? Where you could get the latest 45s or LPs. Batts Toy Store? My first Monopoly game came from Batts. The Trio? They made the tastiest zeps!

Places that are gone, but never forgotten.

There is another Phoenixville favorite place that almost went extinct too, but resurrected, juts like the mythical Phoenix itself- the Colonial Theater.

What does the Colonial Theater have to do with a column about disabilities? It was one of the few movie theaters around when I was growing up that was accessible to a wheelchair. And this was way before the ADA law was enacted.

Because of it's street level entrance ( and exit, as the panicky audience did in the horror classic "The Blob", for which the Colonial will always be famous), it was easy access for a wheelchair. Sure, there weren't cut out sections of seats yet so you could sit in the middle of the theater. Had to sit in the back. But at least I could get inside without battling steps, as was the case in other theaters.

Drive-in movies were also an option, but they soon faded away, too. I saw "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Colonial (I was a big Bobby Rydell fan) and "Old Yeller" ( it made me cry)when I was  akid. The first summer blockbuster of the 1970s was "Jaws" and the Colonial was packed all summer.

My first "date" movie was the appropriately titled "Back to the Future" in 1085, which I will never forget ( for many reasons).

Then the Colonial closed, and I had to start going to movies in multi-screen complexes. They may have been more accessible, but not as much fun (and the popcorn wasn't as good).

Admittedly, I still frequent the bigger venues to see new movies. But there's nothing like the Colonial for its charm.Plus, it's affordable too.

I always imagined the Colonial being like our own little Keswick Theater or old Valley Forge Music Fair, bringing in big name acts to play. Unfortunately, lack of parking and other issues prevent this. But it's still cool to dream of The Temptations playing Phoenixville.

My only regret is not being able to see a movie in the balcony. That is the other advantage of the Colonial over these loud, gigantic theaters- the balcony! Who knows...maybe they will replay "Old Yeller" someday?

UPDATE: The Colonial Theater reopened shortly after this article appeared and it's been going strong ever since, featuring movies, both old and new, plays, musicals and concerts. The Colonial is currently being renovated and will  be new and improved come 2017- and for years to come.

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There is a documentary coming out in the fall called "Climb Higher,: which details mountain-climber Erik Weihenmayer's 2004 return to conquer Mount Everest. In fact, Erik has scaled The Seven Summits (the highest peaks on each continent), plus places like the fiberglass Matterhorn at Disney World.

Remarkable achievements in themselves, made even more remarkable by the fact that Erik is blind.

Sorts Illustrated did a recent article on Erik and his amazing life. Be sure to check it out as well as the documentary. Another example of determination and will overcoming any obstacle.

IN THE NEWS- AUTISM & COLLEGE

This article is courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer..

Joseph Brennan is a bright high school senior looking forward to college next year. But because he is on the autism spectrum, he struggles with the prospect of living on his own in a dormitory.

This year, he has a chance to practice- to cook, clean, cope with roommates, handle stress and ( tricky for any college student) manage his time. He and seven other teenagers are getting that dry run in a new boarding program at Hill Top Preparatory School that aims to ease the way into campus life for prospective collegians with milder autism.

A day school in Rosemont, Pa for children with learning disabilities, Hill Top began offering the all-year boarding program on Labor Day. The students, who hail from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, stay at the school Mondays through Fridays and go home on weekends.

"It was tough at first, living in a new environment with different people," said Brennan, a 19-year-old from Reading, Pa. "But we learmed to adapt and make the best of it."

Already, the experience has been trans-formative for Killian Herbison, 17, according to his mother. During his time at home in Eagleville,Pa, they no longer argue about homework-a huge relief that has made family life more pleasant. On top of that, "he's happy," said Margaret Herbison. "I would never have described him as happy before."

The increase in the number of young people diagnosed with autism has been staggering, from an estimated one in 150 in 2002 to one in 68 currently, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, more of them are going to college. Of those with autism who graduate from high school, about one-third pursue a two-or-four year college education, while others get vocational training, the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University reported. Its research shows that students with autism are more likely to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to start at a two-year college and transfer to a four-year one.

Just because students with autism may do well academically, however, does not mean they have the skills to navigate the halls of academe.

"One of the things they struggle with is being successful socially," said Thomas Needham, headmaster of Hill Top, which has 82 day students from fifth grade through a postgraduate year. Ninety percent of its graduates go on to college.

Students on the spectrum might miss social cues or misunderstand what's expected of them- perhaps, for example, being intolerant of a snoring roommate. They also tend to suffer from anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behavior. So house parent Damon Ross works with the boarding students- for the time being, all males- on reducing stress, respecting others, observing boundaries and listening.

"They're working on how do you live in a positive way with others," said Needham.

Hill Top is also looking beyond college to soft skills needed for jobs, such as making casual conversation around the coffee machine or asking about a colleague's weekend- a component that has become more important as the school focuses on high-functioning autism students.

Tuition at Hill Top is $42,000 a year. The boarding program is an additional $11,400.

Administrators hope to eventually build an actual dorm for boys and girls. In the interim, they spent $110,000 renovating the third floor of Hill Top's old stone mansion, which also houses offices and classrooms.

The three-bedroom apartment has a comfy living room with sofas, chairs, TV and an adjoining eight-seat dining table.

"We wanted it to look as inviting as we could for the kids," said Seth Straff, a board member who oversaw the project.

The light-filled bedrooms are decorated simply, with bunk beds, a single table with chairs, and a dresser. The kitchen, while not large, is well-equipted.

Everything is spotless, thanks to the residents, who do their own chores. Dinner is whipped up by Ross, but the students wash the dishes. They straighten up every day before leaving for class and clean on Fridays before going home.

:It's not that much different from living at home," said Devaughn Easterling, 16, from West Philadelphia.

Mornings can be hectic as students get dressed and ready for school, and make a hasty breakfast, such as Brennan's favorite, frozen waffles with peanut butter. His dorm mate, Ryan Wellock, 16, specializes in grilled cheese, eggs and French toast.



If there's a downside, the students say, it's not having enough personal space or time alone- just like at college.

Said a philosophical Brennan, "It's a huge change and adjustment."

PHILLY SPORTS CORNER-Vol. 6

My thoughts on Philly sports currently..

PHILLIES- The Phils lost in their gamble with pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. Hellickson accepted their offer of a 1-year deal for $17 million, foregoing free agency. He gives the team a solid, experienced starter next season, to go along with young arms (Jake Thompson) and questionable arms(Aaron Nola). Problem is that the Phillies were hoping Hellickson would've refused their offer and test the free agent market. The Phils would've received a compensation first-round pick next June. Hellickson may be traded to a contender in July, and probably won't play for the team after 2017. That first-round pick may have turned out to be a valuable piece in the rebuilding process. So, the Phils took a chance and lost. Are they regretting not trading Hellickson last July when he was in demand?

3 and 6 game ticket plans go on sale Friday, November 18. I'll get a 3-dame pack, and ad don later in the summer if the team is playing well. Attractive teams like the Cubs and Dodgers don't visit Philadelphia until late in the season.The Red Sox do come to Citizens Bank Park for a short two game series in mid-June.

Howie Kendrick, obtained form Los Angeles last week, will give the Phils a solid, professional hitter. He's a career .289 hitter, but had an off year in 2016. Kendrick immediately upgrades the left field position, and can also play second base (the Phillies are rumored to be seeking a possible trade to the Angels, sending 2B Cesar Hernandrz to Anaheim). Kendrick is on a 1-year contract with an option year in 2018 He won't block the young kids like Nick Willaims or Dylan Cozens, who should be in South Philly by late summer or in 2018. Kendrick is a stop-gap, and if he can help the Phils get to .500 this year, the deal will be a good one.

EAGLES- It would be really refreshing to hear Coach Pederson rightly criticize his awful wide receivers, I understand why he is making excuses for their dropped passes. And the Birds have little other options for now. They could sign Paul Turner from the practice squad. They could give speedster Bruce Treggs more playing time. They could continue to run the ball more often, controlling the clock and giving the wide-outs less chances to fail. They could rely on the tight ends and running backs more to catch critical passes. Otherwise, they aren't going to release a WR now, in the middle of the season, especially if that WR is making a ton of money. Better to bite the bullet, then clean house in the off-season. Draft another young wide-out, sign a DeSaun Jackson or Ashon Jeffries in free agency, and start over.

The Eagles chances this Sunday in Seattle improved with the Seahawks win over the Patriots on Sunday night. Seattle is the better team, playing at home, but the game is needed more by the Birds to keep up in the playoff chase than it is for the Seahawks.

FLYERS- Time has come for goalie Anthony Stolarz to finally play. With the current two goaltenders filing for free agency after this season, the Flyers need to find out if they have their future #1 netminder in Stolarz. The defense has been poor, but the play of the Philadelphia goalies has been the biggest disappointment so far in this early season.

SIXERS- Isn't it time to play Embiid and Okarfor together and see what happens? They need a point guard, and Ben Simmons may fill that bill when he returns from injury, but this season should be a chance to sort out the future. This squad may win more than 10 games, compared to last year, but I would be surprised if they win more than 14 games. The excitement of opening night has vanished. Coach Brown will probably be fired sooner than later. Maybe the Sixers do need a more positive outlook, starting form the coach on down. New players or not, after tanking so many seasons, the organization still has a losing mentality, and psychologically, they need a fresh perspective.

IN THE NEWS-COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Another article via Disability Scoop...

Medicaid officials are looking for ways to increase access to home and community-based services for people with disabilities and they're asking the public to weigh in with ideas.

In a notice published in the Federal Register this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS, said it is seeking suggestions about reforms and policy changes that the agency could pursue in order to grow availability of community-based services.

Already, the majority of Medicaid spending on long-term services and supports goes toward community offerings. But the notice said there are challenges to expanding community-based services including state budgets, provider availability and reliance on managed care.

"Home and community-based services spending for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities represented approximately three-quarters of Medicaid spending in 2014" though lower percentages were seen  for those with physical disabilities,older people and individuals with mental illness, Medicaid officials said.

"There is till work to be done by all levels of government and stakeholders to ensure that all Medicaid beneficiaries who wish to remain in their homes and communities have the services, workforce and supports to enable them to do so," the notice indicated.

CMS said it wants feedback from stakeholders on ways to further promote access to community options while continuing to ensure choice for those who prefer institutional care. Suggestions could touch on everything from the way benefits are designed to how they are paid for.

Medicaid officials said they want to know what more can be done to provide services that promote the health and safety of beneficiaries with minimal fraud, waste and abuse. In addition, the agency is seeking feedback on ways to strengthen the home care workforce to ensure that providers are available for a growing number of individuals needing support.

IN THE NEWS- TRANSPORTATION

I have encountered the problem detailed in the following article (thanks to Disability Scoop)...

Transportation is an all-important piece of the puzzle for people with developmental disabilities looking to access the community, yet new research shows that options remain limited.

In a review of 99 Medicaid waiver programs serving people with autism or other developmental disabilities across the country in 2013, a new study finds that most offered transportation services, but such rides were often only only available for specific purposes like getting to and from work.

Overall, 58 of the waivers reviewed provided transportation services and 71 included rides within other offerings like supported employment, residential or day services, according to findings published in the December issue of the Journal of Disability Policy Studies.

Meanwhile, 13 of the waivers offered no assistance in getting from one place to another.

Those with developmental disabilities face a host of barriers accessing public transportation, researchers said, meaning that rides provided through Medicaid waivers are often the only options for this population short of depending on friend sand family.

"People with intellectual and developmental disabilities may have particular trouble navigating the public transportation system compared with non-disabled people or people with other disabilities because they are often impaired in the very areas public transit most often requires," wrote researchers from the University of Illinois and The Council on Quality and Leadership in the study. "Navigating the public transportation system may require comprehension, memory, attention, time management, literacy, multitasking, and problem solving."

Moreover, they said many with disabilities simply lack the training to take public buses or trains and concerns about safety and stigma are often at play.

Nonetheless, non emergency medical transportation is the only type of ride that Medicaid programs must offer, the researchers noted.


"Transportation is a critical need for all people with disabilities," the authors wrote. "Although transportation for services like supported employment and residential habitation is very important, transportation for community purposes is crucial for people with disabilities to have equal access to opportunities."

CHIRPING BIRDS-Week 10

About the Eagles win over Atlanta yesterday...

The Eagles saved their season-for now- win their 24-14 win over the Falcons on Sunday. They are undefeated at home this season. They seem to be a totally different team at home. With a 5-4 record, they now have a path to the playoffs.The NFC East title is probably conceded to Dallas, but a wild card berth is obtainable Here's how:

The Eagles win their final 4 games at home- division revenge games vs, the Redskins, Giants and Cowboys. The Packers are beatable. Steal one game on the road from Seattle, Cincinnati and Baltimore- and you get to 10 wins, which should be good enough to secure a wild card spot.

Doug Pederson remains stupid. his play-calling, especially at the goal line yesterday, is still a question mark. He seems unsure of himself, which is understandable as a rookie coach. He doesn't give the fans much confidence. You hold your breath with his decisions. He gives you angina.

Team Dumb-ass strikes again. Nigel Goode made a really stupid penalty late in the game.Instead of the NFL fining Goode, the Birds should fine him. It may not make him smarter, but maybe it will make him think twice.

The receivers still suck. Nelson Ahgulor probably after the season. Jordan Matthews is the "best" wide out of a mediocre bunch, and he drops too many passes. The speedster Bryce Treggs disappeared yesterday. Why not promote WR Paul Walker from the practice squad and give him a chance? What do you have to lose?

The eagles went back to what worked early in the season: ball-control. The're an the ball, controlled the clock and kept the Falcon offense off the field. Plus, by having an effective ground game, that's less passes to the pedestrian wide receivers.

The Eagles travel to Seattle next Sunday to play the Seahawks. It's one of the toughest venues  for a visiting team to play in. But, keep in mind, Seattle has already lost this year to the lowly Rams  and tied the average Cardinals. So there is hope.

Minnesota continues to lose- four in a row- and with every loss, the Eagles' first round draft pick next spring-via the Vikings- gets better. They will need a high pick to select a solid wide receiver or corner back.

IN THE NEWS-ADA LAWSUITS

The following column is from the Houston Chronicle

A quarter-century ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act required businesses to provide access to patrons in wheelchairs, including accessible parking spaces, curb cuts and ramps. But instead of making the government responsible, the legislation left it to individuals to enforce the law.

That unusual provision has turned the ADA into a cottage industry for lawyers who recruit clients from independent living facilities or disability rights groups and file lawsuits by the thousands against businesses with bathroom mirrors too high or ramps too steep- ultimately settling for several thousand dollars per case. One Texas man alone, represented by an Austin, TX. law firm, has filed more than 300 suits over the past 8 months, according to court records.

"You can make 50 grand in an afternoon just by stopping by a few stores, " said David Warren Peters, a California lawyer who has defended more than 400 businesses in ADA lawsuits. "It's more profitable than narcotics."

Lawyers filing the suits insist they are protecting the rights of those with disabilities. But businesses say they absorb thousands of dollars in legal costs- and ultimately pass them on to consumers- for minor problems, such as lowering coat hooks, that they would fix with a phone call. At the same time, some advocates for people with disabilities worry the barrage of lawsuits will make it harder for them to work with businesses on improving access and ultimately limit their ability to file lawsuits for serious violations.

"It reflects badly on the disability community,"said David White, a disability rights organizer with ADAPT, an advocacy group. "When we ask for accommodations, all businesses hear is 'Oh, my God, how much is this going to cost me to go away?"

The wave of ADA-related litigation has spread from California, where a similar state law provides a minimum of $4,000 in damages for a person filing a successful lawsuit over public accommodation and some clients- dubbed "professional plaintiffs" by opposing lawyers- have filed as many as 2,5000 cases each over five years. Across the country, ADA lawsuits filed in federal courts have jumped more than 60 percent over the past year, growing to more than 3,400 in the first six months of 2016, compared with 2,100 during the same period in 2015.

In Texas, the number of ADA cases filed has increased fourfold over the past year, to more that 200 in the first six months of the year from less than 50 a year earlier. Texas ranks fifth in the number of such lawsuits filed, behind California, Florida, New York and Arizona.

James Van Winkle has been in a wheelchair since he rolled over his 1965 Plymouth Barracuda in a single-car accident 21 years ago. Over the years, he became an activist on issues affecting those with disabilities, including public accommodations.

Sometimes, he can't get to the restroom because of stairs. Or if he makes it to the facilities, he can't reach the wash basin after using the toilet. And too often, he said, when he and other people with disabilities ease concerns about such obstacles, they are dismissed.

"We plead. We ask, " said Van Winkle, age 60. "You get the runaround."

About four years ago, Van Winkle attended a rally for the rights of people with disabilities in Washington and met a lawyer with a law firm from Miami, Fla. This lawyer belonged to a firm which filed several lawsuits in Texas federal court on behalf of Florida residents who alleged disability discrimination while visiting Houston, TX.

The meeting turned Van Winkle from an activist into a serial lawsuit filer. In the past two years, he has filed 45 ADA lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Houston, suing department stores, shopping centers and restaurants. Van Winkle, still burdened my medical debt from the accident and getting by on Social Security and trips to the local food pantry, said he usually receives less than $500 per case.

Most of the money goes to lawyers, who Van Winkle said don't tell him the settlement details. Van Winkle's lawyer, John Fuller, did not return requests for comment.

Recently, Van Winkle showed the results of his legal activism at a small shopping center near Houston. One of the lawsuits, filed in September 2014 and settled three months later, forced the center to move parking for people with disabilities to a flat surface and reduce the slope of a wheelchair ramp.

"You can see all the new concrete, " said Van Winkle, pointing to cut curbs that now accommodate his motorized wheelchair.

ADA lawsuits are usually settled, without depositions or lengthy legal briefs, several lawyers said. What needs to get fixed is rarely disputed. The biggest obstacle in negotiations are legal fees sought by plaintiff attorneys.

The lawyers who file the cases typically negotiate fees between $5,000 and $20,000 to settle each case, said a local Houston lawyer who has represented local businesses accused of failing to meet ADA requirements.

Ronald Smeberg, who acts as Van Winkle's local counsel, scoffs that the cases are big moneymakers for lawyers. His arrangement with Fuller from Florida is to attend hearings in Texas. For that, he said, he earns $175 an hour, compared with his regular billing rate pf $275 an hour. Smeberg says he takes the cases more out of public duty than legal fees.

"The attorney general isn't out there prosecuting these cases," he said. "Neither is the federal government. If Mr. Van Winkle doesn't step up to the plate, no one will do it."

But businesses often are frustrated by the ;lawsuits. Many have no clue they're out of compliance. And, they said, they don't get an opportunity to fix the problems before the case goes to court.

Aster Manny's BBQ restaurant was sued by Van Winkle, the 100-seat restaurant agreed to boost the height of signs in the parking lot, lower the bathroom door hooks and made the wheelchair ramp easier to navigate. It also will remodel the men's bathroom, which is likely to cost upward of $10,000.

But the biggest expense? Legal fees, estimated to be as much as $21,000 in fees and other costs, most of it to Van Winkle's lawyers.

To pay the unexpected legal bills, the restaurant, which hasn't yet celebrated its second anniversary, had to cut back on sponsorship of youth groups and other community activities, as well as advertising.

But the small restaurant  had a financial incentive to settle. If the barbecue restaurant challenged the case and lost, under the federal disability law, the company would be responsible for paying whatever legal bills the plaintiffs ran up during a lengthy legal process.

One Texas man has filed 386 lawsuits in 19 months. Jim Harrington, a lawyer representing seven of these businesses that were sued, opted to fight rather than settle.

Harrington recently retired as director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, the statewide legal advocacy group. He said he wants to stop the flood of "shakedown cases" so they won't trigger congressional action that would make it harder to sue for more serious violations and eliminate incentives for businesses to comply with the law.

Harrington got involved in the cases after a taco restaurant in Texas was sued for having only one designated access area for wheelchair loading and unloading and a door threshold that was too high.

Harrington said the typical settlement request is for $7,000 to $8,000, and many businesses end up agreeing to pay $3,000 to $4,000, figuring it's cheaper than fighting.

"That's why this is such a scam," he said.

Over the years, Congress has considered legislation to require businesses to receive advance notice of violations before any ADA lawsuits are filed, but none has passed. One of the latest bills was introduced by U.S. Rep. ted Poe, R-Texas, who co-sponsored a measure last year to give businesses time to fix problems before they're sued. The bill is supported by several business groups.

In California, Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill allowing small businesses to avoid paying damages if they fix ADA problems quickly.

Van Winkle doesn't think much of these efforts to make it harder to file lawsuits to force businesses to provide legally mandated accommodations so people with disabilities have access to the same stores, restaurants and other businesses as all Americans. After all, he said, businesses have had more than 25 years to fix the problems.

"I call myself Don Quixote," he said, "and I try to tilt that windmill one at a time."

IN THE NEWS- TRUMP & DISABILITY

A timely article from Disability Scoop

Advocates are keeping tight-lipped in the wake of Donald Trump's surprise victory with little known about how the president-elect may shape policies vital to people with disabilities.

Notoriously short on specifics, Trump barely touched on disability issues on the campaign trail. However, now that he has won the White House and Republicans have control of both houses of Congress, many disability advocates are scrambling to grasp what's ahead.

Many advocacy groups contacted recently about the election were slow to respond. Autism Speaks declined to comment while others including The Arc and the National Down Syndrome Society offered vague statements pledging to work with the president-elect.

"We are one day after an epic surprise," said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility. "I don't want to pretend this is not a crisis because the fact is that President Obama and Hillary Clinton had very strong ties with the disability community and had very clear plans for the disability community. Mr. trump will have the opportunity now to engage with lots of people and hopefully this will become an important issue."

Health care could be the biggest ticket item for people with disabilities as Trump takes office, according to Mizrahi. Republicans have pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a law that currently bars insurers from excluding those with preexisting conditions.

Meanwhile, advocates are worried about Trump's proposal to convert Medicaid to a block-grant system, which would limit federal funding for the program and transfer significant control to states.

Trump has also raised alarm bells with comments as recently as last year linking autism and vaccines, a theory widely discredited by the medical community. And, video of Trump appearing to mock a reporter with a disability played prominently in attack ads during the campaign.

"One of the challenges her eis that the Trump campaign was not very specific about disability policy plans and those areas that they were specific about concern us," said Ari Ne'eman, president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

Nonetheless, Ne'eman indicated that disability issues have always been bipartisan and advocates have a long history of working together to protect special education and other critical programs.

"There's a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety but a lot of resolve to fight to protect the laws and programs that disabled people depend on to survive," he said.

OLD-SCHOOL WHEELING- MOVIES, ACCESSIBILITY, MANNERS

This article was published in The Phoenix on August 5, 2005


Id you are disabled and ever want to go to the movies, other than our own beautiful Colonial Theater in town, let me suggest you go to the Pottstown Theaters on Route 724, right across from the North Coventry Mall. Why there? Because if you're disabled, you can get in free with a companion! Movie tickets now run close to $10 each, so that could save you a lot of money.

The other thing I like about the Pottstown theaters are that if you're in a wheelchair, you can sit anywhere- in the back or up front- there are even cutouts in the middle of the theater. The theaters in Oaks are beautiful, but not handicapped friendly. You enter the theater from the front, and unless you want to climb a flight of stairs, you're more or less stuck in the front. And who wants to be in the front of the theater, your neck aching from looking up, your ears almost deaf from the sound, your eyes blurry from the screen?

Speaking of movies, we have really come a long way since I was a kid. I remember seeing films like "Bye, Bye Birdie"and "Old Yeller" at the Colonial otherwise, movie theaters were pretty much inaccessible for wheelchairs, so I really didn't see my first movie until 19850 I was 29-years-old- with a date ( other than my mom). Appropriately, it was titled "Back to the Future". I was amazed at the sights and sounds and just being with the crowd. Plus, it's still one of my favorite movies.

This year's Best Actor Oscar went to Jamie Foxx, rightfully so, for his portrayal of the late, great Ray Charles. If you take notice, usually portrayals of a disabled person win at the Academy Awards.  Look at Dustin Hoffman for his performance in "Rain Man".

But I think my favorite movie of all time regarding disabilities is a film from 1987 called "My Left Foot. " If you haven't seen it, rent it. Daniel Day-Lewis, who played Irish artist/author Christy Brown, gives another Oscar-winning performance. It is a story of Christie Browns' life of, coping with cerebral palsy. The only part of his body he could use was his left foot, thus the name of the movie. He painted while holding a brush in his left foot, and eventually wrote his life story. by painstakingly typing his story, letter-by-letter, with his left foot only.

What I really like about the film is that, yes, it's touching and has it's sad moments, but it is also funny and never mundane or melodramatic. It shows the pains as we as the joys of Christie's life. Most of all, it's very honest. It portrays Christy as the genius he was as an artist, but also shows the human side of Christy.

Whenever he was unable to cope with his life, he would escape to alcohol. The film shows that not every disabled person is a saint or a sinner. We are what we are- each person an individual.

Speaking of which, I never had a problem with the terms for being "disabled". I suppose the politically correct term now is "physically challenged:. I know some disabled people are very sensitive about this, whether using the word "handicapped", "crippled" or "disabled."

To me, I never really cared. I look in the mirror each day, knowing I can't walk, so it doesn't bother me.
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If you are in a wheelchair and want to see a  sporting event or a concert, what I do is call the venue ahead of time and find out if there is a special number to call for accessible tickets. Most venues now actually have people who handle accessible seating. It sure beats calling Ticket Master, who more often than not, are not sensitive to these accessibility issues. Plus, you have to wait in line, only to be ultimately transferred to several other people. Chances are if you get through in time, you may still end up with tickets in the middle row.

So try to find a contact person at each venue who handles accessible seating. Most likely the box office will give you an "inside number" of the person who handles the seating.

It shows how far we have come in society. Back in the old days, if I wanted to see a concert of Flyers game, the Spectrum's handicapped section wasn't very accessible. You were stuck in the back of the venue, and when the crowd stood up, you couldn't see anything.

Now, most new venues have their handicapped seating on elevated platforms, so if the crowd does stand up you can still see.

I know at the Wachovia Center, you are allowed to bring one companion to sit with you in that section. At the new Phillies ballpark, I sat with three other friends, all able-bodied, and the seats were great, not in the back.
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Finally, one of the questions I still get asked almost daily is, "Do you need a push?" This is a sensitive issue. Now in my situation, normally, unless it's a heavy door, I can make it up a ramp or hill. But it's nice when people ask if they can help. Most of the time, I will politely answer, "No, thanks.Good exercise."Most people are satisfied with that answer, some grab the wheelchair anyway and say "C'mon, let me do it!"

In that case, I'm at their mercy and let them push the chair up the hill.

I think most people are nice, not meaning to be rude. It is almost like they're " good deed of the day", so I don't fight in. And if you say no, it may discourage the person from asking to help the next disabled individual they meet.

So, if you ever wonder, "Should I ask to help?" I always say that it never hurts to ask. Always favor the helping side. You may hear whispers of "No, don't...they would rather do it themselves." But it is good to ask because you never know- it may be a steep hill or heavy door which someone in a wheelchair cannot handle alone.

You also never know when you may really need help. Being disabled is a minority anyone can join at any time. I remember years ago when President Bill Clinton had knee surgery and was confined to a wheelchair for several weeks. It was then he mentioned that he truly knew what it was like to be dependent on others.

Iv'e learned over the years to swallow my pride and ask for help if I need it. Most people are only too glad to pick something up off the floor for you, or whatever the request may be.

Once the issue of pride and fear of the unknown are broken, there is a special bond which develops- even temporarily- from even just opening the door.

NOTE: The North Coventry Movie Theater is currently closed.The Wachovia Center is now the Wells fargo center.

IN THE NEWS- CAREGIVER FRAUD WIDESPREAD

This disturbing story from Kaiser Health news...

An Alaska man developed gangrenous toes. A Philadelphia woman froze to death on the street. An Illinois woman died emaciated, covered in excrement.

These individuals suffered as their government -paid caretakers neglected them, collecting paychecks under a Medicaid program that gives people who are elderly and those with disabilities non-medical assistance at home. In some cases, the caretakers convicted of neglect were the victims' own family members.

The Personal Care Services program, which exceeded $14.5 billion in 2014, is rife with financial scams, some of which threaten patient safety, according to a recent report from the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The OIG has investigated over 200 cases of fraud and abuse since 2012 in the program, which is paid for by the federal government and administered by each state. These caretakers, often untrained and largely unregulated, are paid an average of $10 an hour to help vulnerable people with daily tasks like bathing, cleaning and cooking.

The report exposes vulnerabilities in a system that more people will rely on as baby boomers age. Demand for personal  care assistants is projected to grow by 26 percent over the next 10years- an increase of roughly half a million workers- according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The risks increase because the car takes place out of view in people's homes, and because neglected patients may not advocate for their own care.The OIG report describes a range of rip-offs, some of which involve caretakers caught up in the nation's opioid epidemic. In one Illinois case, a woman whose nursing license had been suspended for allegedly stealing drugs at work signed up as a caretaker. She billed Medicaid for $34,000 in caretaking services she didn't provide-including charges made while she was on a Caribbean vacation. In Vermont, a caretaker on probation for drug possession split her paychecks with the patient's wife- in exchange for stealing the patient's prescription painkillers, while he lay in visible discomfort.

In other cases, Medicaid beneficiaries colluded in hoaxes, faking disability so they could hire unneeded help.

In the worst cases, patients got hurt, sometimes fatally.

In Philadelphia, a 37-year-old woman with severe autism, froze to death on the street after her caretaker lost her in a crowded department store five miles away.

In some cases, elderly patients were neglected by their own children, who signed up for caretakers payments. In Idaho, a woman was hospitalized for severe dehydration and malnourishment after her son and caretaker neglected her. Investigators found the home they shared littered with drug paraphernalia.

In Illinois, a woman was found incoherent and covered in feces after her daughter and caretaker failed to show up for over a week. The patient, who lived crocheting and quilting, died seven months later at just 46.

Investigators provided no count of how many cases of fraud and abuse involved relatives, but it seems to be fairly common, said the OIG report.

In California, an investigation last year revealed widespread problems, as well as lack of training and oversight in the state's program, which is the largest in the U.S.In one disturbing Illinois case, a family member found a 62-year-old woman on the floor in her home- covered with feces, malnourished, with deep-bone ulcers and open wounds.

Her alleged caretaker, who herself had a disability, had billed Medicaid for six years using fraudulent names.

The negligence extended beyond the caregiver to the system, which failed to dig into the caretaker's criminal history. notice forged signatures or monitor the patient's well-being.

The inspector general's office, which has documented years of fraud and neglect in the program, urged federal action. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires no standard training-nor background checks- for personal care attendants. Fraud can be hard to track, because many states don't register caretakers, or even identify the worker in Medicaid c;aims, the OIG report found.

In the report, the OIG called on CMS to establish national qualifications, including background checks, and ensure every claim identifies the worker and time of service. It also called on CMS to require states to enroll all personal assistants, so they can be tracked by unique numbers.

That's just what Alaska has done. It began requiring enrollment for personal care assistants in 2011 and now has 8,000 workers assigned unique identifying numbers, used with every claim.

The system helped investigators determine that Good Faith Services, a large home health care company in Alaska, was billing Medicaid for half a million dollar'  worth of caretaker services never performed. Its workers made claims while they were out of the country, or after Medicaid benficiaries were dead. As part of a criminal prosecution that convicted 50 people, the company dissolved and its owner pleaded guilty to fraud. She was sentenced in 2015 to three years in prison, and ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution and fines.

That case couldn't have been cracked without the state database of workers' identifying numbers. The system enabled the state to see that one caretaker billed over 24 hours of service in a day. Another caretaker purported to be in Anchorage caring for one patient, just two minutes after caring for another patient in a town an hour away.



In one case, investigators visited the home of a 63-year-old man with diabetes who had signed up to receive home help. The man told her that no help ever came- though a man would knock on his window and ask him to sign paperwork he didn't understand. Without a caretaker to bathe him, dress him and remind him to take medications, the man's diabetes intensified and he grew gangrene on his toes. The window=knocker, who had been falsifying time sheets, was later charged with fraud, as was his wife, who claimed to  be the caregiver but never entered the home.

Alaska and Minnesota are among the states that now require caretaker enrollment . To detect impropriety, Illinois now requires personal assistants to call in at the beginning and end of each client visit; their phone calls are recorded in an electronic database.

Meanwhile, CMS is trying to strengthen the [program's integrity.Earlier in the year, CMS started training states to monitor fraud, waste and abuse. The agency also published a bulletin offering states several options, including creating a registry, where consumers could look up which caretakers meet state qualifications.

But disability groups have pushed back against stricter regulations, arguing they don't want to limit Medicaid beneficaries' access to caretakers. So CMS is treading lightly.

Instead of making background checks mandatory, CMS has granted $50 million to 26 states to set up background check programs.

And instead of requiring mandatory training, CMS has offered states the option of offering basic caretaker training-"without usurping beneficiary decisions on what skills are most appropriate for their business workers".

IN THE NEWS- EMPLOYMENT & TV

In the news ...thanks to Disability Scoop...

The number of characters with disabilities on prime-time television is  on the rise, with a new report finding such representation nearly doubled since last year.

Among series regulars appearing this season on scripted prime-time programs on ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC, 15 are expected to have disabilities.

By contrast, there were just eight portrays of disabilities on network shows last season.

The findings come from an analysis released this month , The annual report assesses representation of minority groups on television- including people with disabilities.

For the 2016-2017 season, the report found that characters with disabilities account for 1.7 percent of all series regulars on network t percentage recorded on TV since 2010.

There are five characters with disabilities appearing on Fox shows, four on NBC, three on ABC, two on CBS and one on the CW.

"As noteworthy as these numbers are, in comparison with previous tracked seasons, they lack far behind the actual representation of people with disabilities found in our communities nationwide, said the report. "The only way to create authenticity within entertainment television is if characters with obvious and hidden disabilities are included within every script and story line, just as they are found within the diversity of our everyday lived experience."

Network shows expected to feature disability portrayals include "Empire", "24 Legacy", and "Rosewood"on Fox; "Superstore," "Taken,""Trial & Error," and "This is Us" on NBC; "Grey's Anatomy," "How to Get Away with Murder," and "speechless" on ABC;" NCIS: New Orleans" and "Scorpion" on CBS and The CW's "The 100".

Meanwhile, on cable, Freeform's "Switched at Birth"and "Pretty Little Liars" and Showtime's "Shameless" will include Amazon's "One Mississippi" and "Transparent" and Netflix's "Wentworth" and" DreamWorks' Dragons".

*****************************************************************************

After improving significantly, the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is ticking back up as more people within this population look to join the workforce.

Numbers released recently from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate that the jobless rate for people with disabilities rose to 9.9 percent last month. (October 2016). That's up markedly from 8.7 percent in September.

The rise came as fewer people with disabilities were employed, but more sought to join the labor force.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the general population dipped just slightly to 4.9 percent as the economy added 161,000 jobs.

Federal officials began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.

Data on people with disabilities cover those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.

CHIRPING BIRDS-Week 9

My thoughts on the Eagles 28-23 loss to the Giants yesterday...

Doug Pederson panicked. He choked last week and panicked  yesterday. After falling behind 14-9 in the early going, Coach Pederson changed his game plan, and instead of going for easy field goals he took two chances on 4th down calls and failed, leaving 6 points on the field (the Eagles lost by 5).

 Rookie coach, making rookie mistakes. Let's not forget that the Eagles were the only team to have interest in Pederson during the off=season. Jeffrey Lurie was looking for an Andy Reid clone, plus someone the front office could control, unlike a Chip Kelly, who wanted total control. Pederson is a puppet- look what happened last week with the Josh Huff situation- and he screwed up time management and play-calling last year with Kansas City, so it shouldn't be a surprise when we see rookie-type, basic mistakes.

It's easy to say -again- how bad the Birds' wide receivers are. Bryce Treggs gives the team a much-needed speed threat. Still, the wide-outs need to catch the ball. There is no number one guy in this offense. Jordan Matthews is at best, a number two option. But they are what they are and this group can't be overhauled until the season ends.

The Eagles had the ball at the end of the game in all 4 of their losses, with a chance to win. Despite the mistakes, turnovers, penalties, etc..they had a chance to win. Carson Wentz has failed in all 4 chances. It hasn't been all his fault, but let the record show that in two-minute warning situations-with the game on the line- Wentz is 0-4 .

I mentioned the awful defensive backs before. Our first round draft pick next spring should be used to grab the best cornerback on the board.

Remember the days, not long ago, when the Eagles had an elite , number one running back and wide receiver? The days of McCoy, Jackson and Maclin seem so far away.

Before the Giant defeat, I thought the Eagles still had a shot at a wild card spot. And they still do, with 5 home games remaining, 3 of them divisional games, with the other two against contenders Atlanta and Green Bay. But now, math is against the Eagles. They are 0-3 in the NFC East and 2-4 in the conference. Beating then undefeated Pittsburgh and Minnesota was terrific, but since, how good are the Steelers and Vikings? It's hard to figure which Eagle squad will show up every week.

No turnovers , scoring first, and controlling the ball were all keys in the early Eagles season. Now, the opposite is true, and the team is losing. It seems like a simple formula: run the ball, keep the defense off the field, take care of the ball, and get off to fast starts.Since the bye week, everything has gone downhill. Throw in questionable coaching decisions, and that tells you why the record is 4-4

4-4 is average. That's the Eagles- average. Mediocre in a watered down league. Eight games remaining. Winning at least six games is a must.10-6 may insure a wild card slot. Despite this, this was deemed a "transition" year, a rebuilding year after Kelly destroyed the franchise. 8-8 brings them an average first-round draft pick. Everything is average about the Philadelphia Eagles. Nothing special.

Beating the Falcons next Sunday would be a good start to coming back. Even then, will the Eagles make the playoffs? Probably not. And if they do, will they go far in the playoffs? Probably not. They just aren't good enough.

Final point: Lurie will give Pederson lots of rope to hang himself this year. He won't pull the plug. He knows Pederson is a rookie coach and he knows the team just isn't good enough. The Eagles could end up 4-12 for the year and Pederson will be back next year.But one question remains: will Jeffrey Lurie EVER get it right?

I made it through week 9 of the WIP Last Fan Standing pool, when Kansas City beat Jacksonville. So far I haven't picked the Eagles, and I don't think I will use them. I don't see one team in the next eight games they can or will positively beat.

OLD-SCHOOL WHEELING- MOVIE REVIEW

The next article of Wheeling Around Phoenixville was originally printed in The Phoenix newspaper on July 29, 2005. Check it out...


Documentry about Disabled Sport Entertains and Inspires.


"Murderball"  is a recently released film that won honors at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Despite its gloomy title, "Murderball" is actually an exciting, entertaining and inspiring movie, :Hell on wheels" as one promotion goes.

The story follows Team USA through several seasons of wheelchair rugby, a smashing, crashing sport like a combination of football and demolition derby. The basic rules of rugby apply, cross the other team's goal line with the ball, only this sport is played in specially-designed, gladiator-like reinforced wheelchairs, which can sustain all the hammering and crashes. The athletes are strapped into their chairs. There are a lot of flying wheels, chairs tipping over and collisions going on. Yet knocking over a chair is not a foul, and is considered a tactic of the game, and no one has ever been seriously hurt in a game of wheelchair rugby.

The film works on several levels. First, it's a sports film, with a lot of action, passion and harrowing wheelchair duels. But most of all, "Murderball" tells the story of men outside the court, human beings seeking a purpose in life.

It is about guys who encourage questions about disability issues, who want to spread awareness, who yearn for acceptance away from their world of wheelchair rugby. On the court, players are on a level playing ground. Away from rugby, the real world is ever-present, with its share of prejudice and discrimination. Team USA does its best to try and ease these barriers, and not just on the court.

We see life through the eyes of a team of men, sharing their hopes, fears and dreams. We can imagine how these guys had to pick up their suddenly shattered lives, waking up in hospitals, being told they would never walk again. We experience the guilt, the grief and ultimately, the triumph of overcoming adversity.

We especially follow the world of Mark Zupan, probably the best wheelchair rugby player in the world. Mark was only 18 years old when he fell asleep in the bed of his friend Christopher's pick-up. The truck crushed and Mark was thrown into a canal, not found for 13 hours. He suffered a broken neck and instantly became a quadriplegic, unable to use any of his limbs.

Other than the grueling rehabilitation to regain control over his body, it took years for Mark to overcome his anger. Christopher ( who was unhurt in the accident) to overcome his guilt and for the two to become friends again.

We also follow the story of Joe, a polio survivor as a child, who came from a  working-class family. Joe wa son Team US A until he was cut in 2000 due to age. Bitter, Joe became coach of the rival Canandian team, which hadn't beaten the Americans in 12 years- until Joe became coach. it starts a heated rivalry, one which is chronicled over several years and ultimately, to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece.

We are also introduced to a young man who has been injured in Iraq and is now painfully undergoing the slow process of rehabilitation. We see him on the verge of giving up, a place where many of these guys have been, and Team USA trying to encourage him never to give up.

We learn about the interesting paradox in the sport of wheelchair rugby. There is a disability level rated on a scale from 0.5 to 3.5. Teams can have a total of 8 points on the court at once. It's interesting how these athletes have spent their lives overcoming and diminishing their disabilities and then hope for a higher handicap on the court.

it is also interesting that instead of escaping into alcoholism or drugs, these athletes escaped into sports. Instead of venting their frustrations on the world around them, they hammer on each other.

There is also a side story of Joe and his son. Joe wants his son to be an athlete. His son wants to play music, and there is a power struggle going on during the film, until,almost miraculously caught on camera, a sudden event changes both of their lives and attitudes.

One of my favorite scenes was during a school visit. An 8 year old biy displays the honesty and innocence of children when he asks a player named Bob, "How do you eat pizza?" Bob has no arms or legs. Bob proceeds to show him how, the same way Bob drives a car and dresses himself, all without limbs. Bob merely states, "no arms, no legs, no problem."

The players talk frankly about their lives and disabilities in an honest, refreshing manner. For instance, many people think that quads have no control over their limbs, but most retain some degree of movement. The guys also talk about sex and disability. They describe how they hate to be stared at, yet each movement is closely followed on the rugby court. It is information like this which enlightens throughout the movie.

As Mark says, "I'm a guy in a chair. I'm just like you, except I'm sitting down."

When the movie won Best Documentary at Sundance, Mark was there. He commented that the accident that left him with a disability was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. Hard to believe, but after seeing this movie, you do believe him. His disability made him take a hard look at himself and the world around him.

That is really the theme to "Murderball". We all have disabilities, sometimes of the spirit rather than the body. When you consider the bleak months and sleepless nights when these men first confronted the reality of their injuries, and now to see them in full force of athletic exuberance, one learns something valuable about the human will. I won't give away the ending, only to say that because the film is a documentary and all characters are real, it has an even more incredible and amazing climax, one which no screenwriter could better.

The reactions in the crowd were pretty interesting. Some people, mostly the younger people, cheered during the games, especially during the crashing scenes. Some people cried. Others seemed to feel uncomfortable, hearing and seeing certain aspects of the film.

Uneasy is good. It means awareness, enlightenment and understanding are occurring, the main objectives of this movie. Mark and the rest of Team USA would be happy.

As a person with a disability, I could relate to many scenes, especially when the players talked about wanted to be seen as people, not objects. I can relate to the long hours of depression and rehabilitation. I can relate to everyday life, as being "just like everyone else, only sitting down." I can't relate to the wheelchair rugby, as I would probably get killed the first time I played the sport.

But I look at mark and the others as heroes for having the courage and guts to even try. And I admire everyone who put this film together for bringing the topic of disability to the silver screen in such an honest and forthright manner. No cliches here. Just pure honesty and emotion.

IT'S ALL TRIVIAL TO ME-Vol. 4

Trivia to amaze all..

Both the tomato and the jellyfish are 95% water...More flower seeds come from Lompoc, Calif., than from anyplace else in the world...Christopher Columbus visited Iceland long before he ever set sail for America...People eat more sharks than sharks eat people...Left-handed players are barred from playing Polo..A fourth of the bones in your body are in your hands...Only one person in 50 has an I.Q. over 140...Amish children quit school after the eighth grade... Kilts originated in France, not Scotland...If typical, you have about 110 hairs in every square inch of skin on the back of your hand...Dreams ordinarily last about 20 minutes...Bees are most inclined to sting people on very windy days...Experts in the game of Poker say your opponents can't judge whether it's your policy to bluff or not if you don't bluff more than 6% of the time...Nobody can fold a piece of paper in half ten times.

TIME


Taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles? Consider this...

Mode of transport              NYC to LA (2,450 miles)

Feet                                    38 days, 3 hours
Bike                                    11 days,17 hours
Car                                      41 hours, 40 minutes
Bus                                      2 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes
Train                                    62 hours
Plane                                    5 hours


How often do we....?

Pray- 58% of Americans pray daily. Folks in southern states are most likely to say they pray, while those in the Northeast are the least likely. Young people pray less than older adults-only 46% between the ages of 18-29 say they pray daily.

Time Quiz

1- How much do you reduce your life by smoking  ONE cigarette?
    a) By a year
    b) By 3 months
    c) by 11 minutes
    d) by 1 hour and 10 minutes

2- Which country has the highest life expectancy?

    a) Japan
    b) Monaco
    c) United States
    d) Japan and Switzerland tied for first place

3- What's the worst month to be in the hospital?

    a) July
    b) January
    c) December
    d) August

4- How long did it take to build the Empire State Building?

    a) 1 year and 45 days
    b) 3 years, 2 months
    c) 6 years, 12 days
    d) 2 years

5- How long did it take for the Titanic to sink?

    a) 12 hours
    b) 3 hours and 10 minutes
    c) 35 minutes
    d) 2 hours and 40 minutes

Answers
1- c
2- b
3- a
4- a
5- d

Not So Trivia

* Lassie was never female. A series of male dogs played the part.
* Alcohol doesn't warm you. In fact, it helps cool you off, internally and externally.
* No witches were burned at the stake in Salem, Mass. Most were hanged.
* Autumn leaves actually do not turn color. They lose the color green, and show other colors they've had all along. The change is caused by the shortening of the days than by cooler weather,
People don't start most forest fires. Lightning does.
* The funny bone is not a bone but an exposed nerve.

IN THE NEWS- SEGREGATION AND ADA

The latest, via Disability Scoop...

Just as people with disabilities have a right to live in the community, the U.S. Department of Justice is warning states that the same rights apply to employment and other activities too.

In a 13-page guidance document issued recently, the federal agency says that the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies broadly.

"The integration mandate of Title II  of the ADA is intended to allow individuals with disabilities to live integrated lives like individuals without disabilities, including by working, earning a living and paying taxes," the guidance states.

"The civil rights of persons with disabilities, including individuals with mental illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities, are violated by unnecessary segregation in a wide variety of settings, including iin segregated employment, vocational and day programs."

Nationally, the Justice Department said that millions of people with disabilities spend most of their day as sheltered workshops or in other segregated programs. Many of these individuals could be successful in competitive work environments earning at least minimum wage, but have not been given the resources to pursue such opportunities, the agency said.

The rights of people with disabilities under the ADA to access services in the most integrated setting possible were affirmed by a 1000 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case known as Olmstead v. I.C. With  the new guidance, the Justice Department is making its viewpoint clear that the nearly two decade old ruling applies to more than where people with disabilities are housed, but also how they spend their days.

While state and local government offerings can include sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs, the Justice Department said that other opportunities need to be available and that individuals with disabilities must have an opportunity to "make an informed decision" about what setting is right for them.

The guidance come son the heels of two significant case where the Obama administration steppe din to pressure states to provide integrated employment options.

In 2914, the Justice Department reached a settlement with the state of Rhode Island to overhaul its system of sheltered workshops and day programs for people with disabilities after an investigation by the federal agency found that the state's approach to transition and employment violated the ADA.

More recently, federal officials helped broker a deal in a class-action suit brought by people with developmental disabilities who accused the state of Oregon of violating the ADA by failing to provide supported employment services.