- enforce the ADA and Olmstead Act (secure funding)
- demand better enforcement of public transportation services
- close down the nursing homes, except for those who wish to be there
- improve the wage of personal assistant services and the quality of care received by the clients
- find more accessible affordable housing
- enforce the Air Carrier Act
- give all healthcare services free to low-income people and people with disabilities
- start small businesses or customized employment and improve higher education
- provide more public education for those who need it
- make disability studies a major in all universities, public and private
- better train people on assistive technology and devices
- teach people how to navigate through the benefits system
- have action teams set up to deal with any situation for persons with disabilities
- more community involvement and more sensitivity training
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Our Perpetual Responsibilities of Advocates with Disabilities
We have to find a way over the coming years to:
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Trying to get a Bite of the American Pie
Across the country millions and millions of people with disabilities want to work and have the skills and education to do so but are being forced to choose between work and Medicaid benefits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 14.8% of people with disabilities are not employed in this country.
With the American economy in shambles and the federal government trying to revitalize the economy, it would be in their best interest to bail out not the auto industry, not the banks, but bail out the thousands of people with disabilities who want to work but cannot. Those people should be given free educational opportunities and housing with career incentives for them to be able to support their own services and needs. Social Security would be less of a long-term problem because more people would be paying into the system. The horrible conditions of states would be improved, and the U.S. deficit could be reduced. Statistically, it has been proven that disabled people who work are reliable, productive workers who work for longer periods of time. This is because they are able to get a sense of self-worth, a sense of pride, and full inclusion into our society. Full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society has been a law that federally is an unfunded mandate since 1999 supported and committed by the Obama administration.
Too many times, there are employers who are told not to hire people with disabilities because of the costs surrounding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and having to reasonably accommodate the individual. This is a bad myth because not only is the ADA there for employees with disabilities, but also gives employers creative ways to accommodate people with disabilities very economically.
People with disabilities who start their businesses are running into the same problems as the rest of America struggles with paying taxes, higher workman’s compensation rates, and a general decline of customers as a result of not having enough money. The Obama administration seems to mumble on and on about reinvigorating small businesses and getting people back to work. We must remember that people with disabilities could help reinvigorate the economy if we can get rid of all of the disincentives that get in the way of workers with disabilities. People who need job skills or higher education should get these amenities with the understanding that when they start making money the U.S. government also makes money. I have friends who I know across the country that have jobs and work, and they are constantly bombarded with meaningless redetermination for their benefits, despite the fact that these people are permanently disabled and just want to do their job. I happen to be one of those people. As disabled people’s services get cut back and they begin to lose the quality of life worth living, they begin to lose hope.
As I sat down at the Thanksgiving table this year and looked at the pie on the table, I could not help thinking to myself about all of the graduates I know from UC Berkeley who don’t have jobs but have unbelievable skills in all areas, including economics, genetics, law, public policy, art, writing, playwriting. I hope my words have demonstrated my severe frustration with the American Dream for people with disabilities and how they miss out on the taste of the American pie. We have a lot to be thankful for, but we all have a long way to go.
Nicholas Feldman resides in Berkeley, California with his fiancée. Nicholas received his B.A. and minor from UC Berkeley and currently runs Dare to Dream Attendant Services, a home care service that provides in-home care to all people with disabilities.
Public Advocates: Do they help or do they hurt?
Having a disability and having to navigate through the systems of Medicaid and Social Security almost always brings people with disabilities to a point where an Independent Living Center (ILC) is necessary to navigate through information requested by our government in order to maintain appropriate benefit status.
In a world where the economy is in the toilet, people with disabilities are feeling this also, from threatening cutbacks to Medicaid services and Social Security. Of course these cuts are targeted at people with disabilities who are on a fixed income and could work if given the proper information and assistance. Every ILC will pledge to have benefits counselors, information referral specialists, technology assistance, and independent living skills training. When the dust clears from the person getting to their local ILC, they are disappointed because the person who is supposed to help is overwhelmed, underpaid, and sometimes even undereducated. They tell people myths that if you work, you will lose your benefits, so just sit back and collect their benefits and do nothing. When people with disabilities find themselves face to face with an advocate, the advocate will typically meet with the person and basically make the person do all of the legwork (pardon the pun). It seems to be that the only way people get this solved is not with the help of the advocate, but eventually the perseverance or severity of the situation.
Almost every ILC that I’ve been to had a job placement counselor, but they just make people look through classified ads, fill out a master application for employment, and send them on their way. They do not prep people with disabilities for interviews, call potential employers, or, most importantly, tell people with disabilities their rights to work. People in today’s world need to be able to work now. In my past I’ve had people tell me “Oh, we will not have any job placement counseling available for two years.” They just said that my disability was severe, and what job would I get if I need a personal attendant? They never told me about work incentive programs or other resources that would have been helpful in obtaining a job. Typically, it is assumed that disabled people don’t want to work because of the lack of incentives and the threat of losing benefits, or even housing. Advocates need to stand up and realize that people with disabilities need to work now, and that legislation needs to be put through so that people’s benefits are not interrupted by constant threats to loss of benefits and loss of Social Security. I do believe that if someone is making over $80,000 a year, they have every right and responsibility to help pay for their care, but should be able to buy in to their benefits. These days, some advocates just seem to want statistics and not really help the clientele that they serve. It is important to recognize that ILC’s are drifting away from the reality of what people with disabilities really need. There is no more funding for peer support and horrible cutbacks across the board in the State of California and other parts of the country as well. I guess it’s time for advocates to look at themselves and say “Advocates: what are we good for?” I will hope the answer will not be “absolutely nothing.”Nicholas Feldman resides in Berkeley, California with his fiancée. Nicholas received his B.A. and minor from UC Berkeley and currently runs Dare to Dream Attendant Services, a home care service that provides in-home care to all people with disabilities.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
For all those who have not been listened to
Please Listen ~ a poem by a survivor
When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen! All I ask is that you listen. Don't talk or do - just hear me.
Advice is cheap; 20 cents will get you both Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper, and I can do for myself; I am not helpless. Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and inadequacy. But when you accept as a simple fact that I feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can stop trying to convince you and get about this business of understanding what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious and I don't need advice. Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what's behind them.
Perhaps that's why prayer works, sometimes, for some people - because G*d is mute, and he doesn't give advice or try to fix things. G*d just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.
So please listen, and just hear me.
And if you want to talk, wait a minute
for your turn - and I will listen to you.
by Author Unknown and adapted by A.E.S.T.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Foster Care
To Whom It May Concern,
At this time we are requesting to foster a child, and special needs are not an issue. This is a very big decision for both me, Nicholas Feldman, and my partner, Vanessa Castro. We have always wanted to have children while leading our successful lives.
Vanessa and I feel that now would be the perfect time for us to make the choice to foster a child. Vanessa is currently thirty seven years old and I am currently thirty five years old. We have been together for eight years, and the only reason we are not married is due to our own disabilities, which the government restricts us from marriage with income penalties.
Vanessa and I both have majors from UC Berkeley, and minors in education. UC Berkeley is the first place that we met and developed our own relationship. Vanessa and I were both founded on the principles of strong family ethics, morals, and to try and live the American dream. We know how many children from our places of origin in the United States are suffering without having a solid family unit. Vanessa and I have not only gotten our higher education, but we have succeeded at having a future, and living independently. We have both worked extensively with kids. Vanessa and I have both taught independent living skills, and Vanessa has worked in a classroom of children with special needs. Currently in my line of business, I work with over nine children who have Developmental Disabilities. There is nothing more in the world we would like right now than to be able to support and help a young person succeed who would otherwise fall through the cracks of the bureaucracy. We are very responsible and respectable members of the Berkeley community. There is nothing we can’t handle. A good example of this is my Cerebral Palsy, and Vanessa’s Cerebral Palsy. While Vanessa has more mobility than I do, she has a speech impairment that takes a while to get used to. Oftentimes, Vanessa will help me out with physical tasks that are difficult for me, and I will help voice what she is trying to say for those who might not understand right away what she is trying to say. I think ever since college Vanessa and I have had the Berkeley disability attitude of there is nothing we can’t do, and there is nothing that will stop us. We both manage our own care staff to help us with our own needs. We have both mentioned to our staff that we are considering foster care. They always smile and say “That’s all that’s missing in your lives!” We have a zest for life and an understanding of reality. We both understand that this is a big undertaking, and not to be taken lightly. We also know that a child would be mutually beneficially in our lives and also in his or her life. Our determination, our sense of humor, our ability to resolve conflict would all be cultivated in the growth of a child. We have the education; we have the resources to make it happen. We long for a child who needs us as much as we need them. We believe that having a child is a giant step towards our goal of extending our happy family. We have a large support network of family and friends. I should also mention that we have thousands of friends who keep in touch with us through email, facebook, around the world, and in our local community.
If you give us this opportunity, we are more than willing to take the love on and face any challenges to come. We understand what it means to be young, and what it means to go through everything that a child goes through due to the various demands in this life of ours. We certainly hope that if you give us a chance to succeed, we will give back so much more.
We look forward to hearing from you soon. If you need to call us, you can call us at (415) 407-9297 or if you would like to email us you can email nessnessva@gmail.com .
Sincerely yours,
Nicholas Feldman and Vanessa Castro
At this time we are requesting to foster a child, and special needs are not an issue. This is a very big decision for both me, Nicholas Feldman, and my partner, Vanessa Castro. We have always wanted to have children while leading our successful lives.
Vanessa and I feel that now would be the perfect time for us to make the choice to foster a child. Vanessa is currently thirty seven years old and I am currently thirty five years old. We have been together for eight years, and the only reason we are not married is due to our own disabilities, which the government restricts us from marriage with income penalties.
Vanessa and I both have majors from UC Berkeley, and minors in education. UC Berkeley is the first place that we met and developed our own relationship. Vanessa and I were both founded on the principles of strong family ethics, morals, and to try and live the American dream. We know how many children from our places of origin in the United States are suffering without having a solid family unit. Vanessa and I have not only gotten our higher education, but we have succeeded at having a future, and living independently. We have both worked extensively with kids. Vanessa and I have both taught independent living skills, and Vanessa has worked in a classroom of children with special needs. Currently in my line of business, I work with over nine children who have Developmental Disabilities. There is nothing more in the world we would like right now than to be able to support and help a young person succeed who would otherwise fall through the cracks of the bureaucracy. We are very responsible and respectable members of the Berkeley community. There is nothing we can’t handle. A good example of this is my Cerebral Palsy, and Vanessa’s Cerebral Palsy. While Vanessa has more mobility than I do, she has a speech impairment that takes a while to get used to. Oftentimes, Vanessa will help me out with physical tasks that are difficult for me, and I will help voice what she is trying to say for those who might not understand right away what she is trying to say. I think ever since college Vanessa and I have had the Berkeley disability attitude of there is nothing we can’t do, and there is nothing that will stop us. We both manage our own care staff to help us with our own needs. We have both mentioned to our staff that we are considering foster care. They always smile and say “That’s all that’s missing in your lives!” We have a zest for life and an understanding of reality. We both understand that this is a big undertaking, and not to be taken lightly. We also know that a child would be mutually beneficially in our lives and also in his or her life. Our determination, our sense of humor, our ability to resolve conflict would all be cultivated in the growth of a child. We have the education; we have the resources to make it happen. We long for a child who needs us as much as we need them. We believe that having a child is a giant step towards our goal of extending our happy family. We have a large support network of family and friends. I should also mention that we have thousands of friends who keep in touch with us through email, facebook, around the world, and in our local community.
If you give us this opportunity, we are more than willing to take the love on and face any challenges to come. We understand what it means to be young, and what it means to go through everything that a child goes through due to the various demands in this life of ours. We certainly hope that if you give us a chance to succeed, we will give back so much more.
We look forward to hearing from you soon. If you need to call us, you can call us at (415) 407-9297 or if you would like to email us you can email nessnessva@gmail.com .
Sincerely yours,
Nicholas Feldman and Vanessa Castro
Yo Mr. Cube
Yo Mr. Cube,
I am writing to you with a heart-wrenching story. My company provides services to people with special needs. I have recently run across a beautiful sad 7 year old boy, with a serious developmental disability.
Recently, overnight, the boy’s caregiver died of pneumonia overnight. This left him in a state of grief with a disability that will not let him express himself at his young age in a constructive way.
The boy loves to dance and move, particularly to your music. It actually livens him up and calms him down. He would love nothing more than to dance all day. This boy is challenged not only by his disabilities, but having to go to school in a very urban environment which causes him to act out.
I have an idea to regain his beautiful smile, if you could take a little time out of your busy schedule to go get down with him at school, it would lift his spirits and leave memories that would last a lifetime.
As for me, I am 31 and I own my own business. I have a physical disability called Cerebral Palsy and have been going to college perusing a career and I deal with my own disability on a daily basis. I have lost people in my life before, role models, good friends, and yes, like this little boy, I have lost a few care-givers. There is no real description to the grief. Except to say, that you lost someone who has helped you out and you will never get a chance to see them or to talk to them again.
From your music and your lyrics, I know that you know about death and dying in the African American Community. In all my years of doing this type of work, I see no one better than you as a role model for this child.
Please help him,
Nicholas Feldman
I am writing to you with a heart-wrenching story. My company provides services to people with special needs. I have recently run across a beautiful sad 7 year old boy, with a serious developmental disability.
Recently, overnight, the boy’s caregiver died of pneumonia overnight. This left him in a state of grief with a disability that will not let him express himself at his young age in a constructive way.
The boy loves to dance and move, particularly to your music. It actually livens him up and calms him down. He would love nothing more than to dance all day. This boy is challenged not only by his disabilities, but having to go to school in a very urban environment which causes him to act out.
I have an idea to regain his beautiful smile, if you could take a little time out of your busy schedule to go get down with him at school, it would lift his spirits and leave memories that would last a lifetime.
As for me, I am 31 and I own my own business. I have a physical disability called Cerebral Palsy and have been going to college perusing a career and I deal with my own disability on a daily basis. I have lost people in my life before, role models, good friends, and yes, like this little boy, I have lost a few care-givers. There is no real description to the grief. Except to say, that you lost someone who has helped you out and you will never get a chance to see them or to talk to them again.
From your music and your lyrics, I know that you know about death and dying in the African American Community. In all my years of doing this type of work, I see no one better than you as a role model for this child.
Please help him,
Nicholas Feldman
Home Care Leads
One of my frustrations which I hope all my readers can help me with is how to find leads for my home care business.I really need to find people who can pay our rates and have a somewhat regular schedule. It's a lot to ask for, but if you could throw a few of these my way I would be really grateful.
Nick
Nick
Holiday Hell has Arrived
I hate the holidays. Too much family, too many expectations, and too much food. Not to mention the whole materialistic thing. I just don't understand why people won't stop believing in Santa Claus when in reality Santa Claus does not exist. And so...bleh!
My business seems to stop over the holidays. I've heard others say the same before. Traveling people everywhere. Kids, because there's no school. People get wacky because of the anxiety of it all.
That's all I've got to say about it.
My business seems to stop over the holidays. I've heard others say the same before. Traveling people everywhere. Kids, because there's no school. People get wacky because of the anxiety of it all.
That's all I've got to say about it.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Interesting...
The below article about Governor and the people in power is really cool... I like the author and his point of view.
The Governor’s Depraved Cuts To IHSS
By Jack Bragen
Thursday February 11, 2010
Arnold Swartzenegger, and his longtime hero Clint Eastwood, are finally getting their fondest wish, which is to rid the state of what they believe to be a mere nuisance: The coexistence of disabled people in the community. If at all possible, these two anti-disability activists would have anyone with a significant disability be forced to live in state institutions, and out of their sight.
Clint Eastwood, who Arnold once said was his childhood hero, has been known for years to be an anti-disability-rights activist. Numerous articles in “Ragged Edge Magazine” (no longer in print) have described his bigoted activities and his attitude toward disabled people.
Arnold, following in the beliefs of Clint, is the Governor and the one to which the voters have given authority. So far he has used this power to pencil out large parts of the In Home Supportive Services, and this has caused many disabled persons to go without the caregivers who have allowed living in the community.
My wife and I have been recipients of these services and were getting help with our dishes and laundry; this service made our existence much easier. Our mental health issues made it hard to wash the dishes and do laundry. If you have experience with mental health, you will understand this difficulty as well as how much some outside assistance helps.
We recently had the experience of being discontinued from IHSS, on the basis that we were not in imminent danger of going to a skilled nursing facility. While it will be a hardship for us to compensate for the absence of our workers, we do not expect to be institutionalized as a result. And that’s now the criteria of no longer receiving these services.
Most IHSS recipients have physical disabilities, not mental ones, and the services they receive, which include very basic care, are essential for them to continue living in their homes.
The social worker who reviewed my wife and I told us that the governor hopes to eliminate IHSS entirely. This would leave numerous disabled people in California without hope of continuing an independent and therefore tolerable existence.
Apparently Arnold believes that disabled people are scum, are freeloaders, and all ought to get a job or else disappear into an institution. Because he is a multimillionaire, he believes it makes him inherently superior, and he deems himself worthy to make such a judgment. Like many who have made fortunes in society, he seems to think he is better than everyone rather than the reality that he is blessed with good fortune.
Of course, the above paragraph involves “reading in” to Arnold and is not fact. It is my interpretation of this seemingly pompous man based on how I have seen him behave.
This is one reason why society is crumbling in our country: we have a small percentage of people who hoard most of the wealth, and who apparently can never get enough wealth and power to satisfy them. This group of people inflicts cruel acts on other human beings, and on the earth itself in the course of their quest for more. The extreme hoarding disrupts the fabric of the economy since the regular people, including those who work and produce things, cannot afford to pay for the basics.
The above paragraph might explain why the governor must cut benefits for people who are less fortunate, while he refuses to raise taxes on people who can well afford to pay something back after being blessed with the best, materialistically speaking, that society has to offer.
Jack Bragen is a Martinez resident.
The Governor’s Depraved Cuts To IHSS
By Jack Bragen
Thursday February 11, 2010
Arnold Swartzenegger, and his longtime hero Clint Eastwood, are finally getting their fondest wish, which is to rid the state of what they believe to be a mere nuisance: The coexistence of disabled people in the community. If at all possible, these two anti-disability activists would have anyone with a significant disability be forced to live in state institutions, and out of their sight.
Clint Eastwood, who Arnold once said was his childhood hero, has been known for years to be an anti-disability-rights activist. Numerous articles in “Ragged Edge Magazine” (no longer in print) have described his bigoted activities and his attitude toward disabled people.
Arnold, following in the beliefs of Clint, is the Governor and the one to which the voters have given authority. So far he has used this power to pencil out large parts of the In Home Supportive Services, and this has caused many disabled persons to go without the caregivers who have allowed living in the community.
My wife and I have been recipients of these services and were getting help with our dishes and laundry; this service made our existence much easier. Our mental health issues made it hard to wash the dishes and do laundry. If you have experience with mental health, you will understand this difficulty as well as how much some outside assistance helps.
We recently had the experience of being discontinued from IHSS, on the basis that we were not in imminent danger of going to a skilled nursing facility. While it will be a hardship for us to compensate for the absence of our workers, we do not expect to be institutionalized as a result. And that’s now the criteria of no longer receiving these services.
Most IHSS recipients have physical disabilities, not mental ones, and the services they receive, which include very basic care, are essential for them to continue living in their homes.
The social worker who reviewed my wife and I told us that the governor hopes to eliminate IHSS entirely. This would leave numerous disabled people in California without hope of continuing an independent and therefore tolerable existence.
Apparently Arnold believes that disabled people are scum, are freeloaders, and all ought to get a job or else disappear into an institution. Because he is a multimillionaire, he believes it makes him inherently superior, and he deems himself worthy to make such a judgment. Like many who have made fortunes in society, he seems to think he is better than everyone rather than the reality that he is blessed with good fortune.
Of course, the above paragraph involves “reading in” to Arnold and is not fact. It is my interpretation of this seemingly pompous man based on how I have seen him behave.
This is one reason why society is crumbling in our country: we have a small percentage of people who hoard most of the wealth, and who apparently can never get enough wealth and power to satisfy them. This group of people inflicts cruel acts on other human beings, and on the earth itself in the course of their quest for more. The extreme hoarding disrupts the fabric of the economy since the regular people, including those who work and produce things, cannot afford to pay for the basics.
The above paragraph might explain why the governor must cut benefits for people who are less fortunate, while he refuses to raise taxes on people who can well afford to pay something back after being blessed with the best, materialistically speaking, that society has to offer.
Jack Bragen is a Martinez resident.
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