2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, protecting individuals with disabilities from discrimination.

Help us commemorate this important historic milestone by participating in Disability Options Network’s Freedom Fair at Riverwalk Memorial Park in New Castle, PA on Saturday, July 24, 2010 from 11:00 AM till 4:00 PM.

Join area businesses, artisans, entertainers, community organizations, and the community as a whole in celebration of freedom for ALL people.

All proceeds to benefit the disabled community in Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer Counties.

More Info:

http://www.disabilityoptionsnetwork.org/freedomfair.php

The U.S. constitution guarantees every citizen age 18 and over the right to vote. Nineteen years after Congress passed the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), voter accessibility issues in Pennsylvania are still widespread.

The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act has required since 1984 "that all polling places for Federal elections are accessible to handicapped and elderly voters." Since 1992, Pennsylvania law has required polling places to be accessible for all State elections.

In a 2008 report to the General Assembly, roughly 21% of polling places in Pennsylvania remain inaccessible. In Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, this percentage may even be higher.

A partial survey of polling places in Lawrence County was done on Election Day, November 3, 2009. The survey found that an astounding number of polling places are still inaccessible in Lawrence County. Out of 30 polling places surveyed, 77% were found to be inaccessible even though the County claimed 100% accessibility.

In 2010 Lawrence County will consolidate voting districts, reducing the number of polling places.

Disability Options Network has set out to ensure that all polling places for the consolidated voting districts are accessible. This is the perfect time for Lawrence County to step up and comply with the law.

TAKE ACTION! Contact Lawrence County Voter Registration and Elections at lcvote@co.lawrence.pa.us and demand that they make sure that ALL Lawrence County polling places are accessible.

Information about polling place accessibility that will help you identify problems is available at http://www.disabilityoptionsnetwork.org/vote.php.

Subscribe to Disability Options Network E-mail Notices to begin receiving our free quarterly e-Newsletter, periodic action alerts, and news.

http://www.disabilityoptionsnetwork.org/subscribe.php

The health care reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives was only the first step toward ensuring all Americans have the choice to live in their homes and instead of institutions.

The House legislation includes the Community First Choice Option which gives states the option to receive more federal matching funds to support individuals with disabilities who live in the community. In exchange, participating states must eliminate caps on the number of individuals who can live in the community.

What Comes Next?

Two Senate health care reform bills were introduced in September. One by the Senate Finance and the other by the HELP Committee. The HELP Committee bill includes the Community First Choice Option.

Senate negotiators are merging the Senate Finance and HELP Committees' bills. Advocates are working to ensure that the Community First Choice Option is included in the merged Senate bill.

Take action now!

Please call the the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask your Senators to support the Community First Choice Option.

REPRESENTATIVE GLENN THOMPSON SIGNS ON

PA ADAPT attended a meeting with US Representative Glenn Thompson at his DC office in early September to ask him to sign on to the Community Choice Act (CCA). The Community Choice Act would provide people with disabilities and seniors with the option of receiving home support services rather than having to go into nursing homes and institutions. Representative Thompson was one of two Pennsylvania Legislators who had not signed onto the bill (HR 1670).

Representative Thompson promised to read the bill, and said he believes that all 50 states should have a mandate to provide community care instead of institutionalized care.

Representative Thompson has joined 116 other Representatives as a cosponsor of CCA on Wednesday, October 21, 2009. Please call his DC office at (202) 225-5121 and thank him for supporting real choice for people with disabilities to live in their own homes.

A CRITICAL MOMENT IN HEALTH CARE REFORM

With chances of the CCA successfully being passed being slim, ADAPT has been working to have the Community First Choice (CFC) Option included in health reform legislation. The CFC Option would get the key provisions of the CCA into health reform. The option would encourage states to provide Medicaid home and community based attendant services (rather than require them as the original CCA would do).

On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, the CFC Option was incorporated into the Senate Finance Committee bill.

Senators are meeting NOW to merge the Finance and HELP Committee health reform bills. They will be making decisions on whether to keep the CFC Option in the combined bill. The merged bill may go to the Senate floor to be debated as early as next week.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW! THIS IS URGENT!

Contact both of your Senators' offices today and ask for their support. You may call toll-free (thanks to Families USA): 1-800-828-0498 or use the Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121.