Remarks from Marca Bristo at the White House Celebration commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the ADA

By Lead On: Chronicling the work of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago

An Editorial by Joel Sheffel, Executive Director West Suburban Access News Association, and an individual with a disability.

11 years ago there I was, after 18 months as a patient in the nursing home I was told I could leave. I had no idea how I was going to live, or even find a place to live but that slowly began to work itself out after getting connected with the Center for Independent Living which served the western suburban area.

I  began to be aware of programs which are out there to assist individuals with disabilities and even today am getting to know of programs and services which are out there.

I have become a very strong advocate for individuals with disabilities and founded this organization. We have established contacts all the way from the White House to state and local legislators and organizations.

What disturbs me the most is that we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signing of the ADA and let suits need to be filed to bring cities and states into compliance of the ADA. Individuals with disabilities and seniors today still are not aware of all of the programs and services available to them.

We need to be a nation where there are persons who as soon as a person becomes disabled work with them to be sure that they do get all of the services and programs to which they are entitled to. 

ADA In Your Community POLL

Nearly 20 years have passed since President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. Great strides have been made toward improving the physical environment, expanding opportunities for community participation, increasing employment options, providing accessible transportation and ensuring effective communication. Yet we continue to see areas across the country and our communities where people with disabilities are denied equal access and opportunity as well as hear stories about the lack of physical accessibility.

The DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center is interested in learning more about the perceptions of people with disabilities, their family members and individuals who work with people with disabilities regarding the implementation of the ADA in their communities. To this end and in anticipation of the 20th Anniversary of the ADA you are invited to participate in a poll about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The purpose of this poll is to ask people with disabilities, family members, and people in the disability field to share their thoughts about the ADA and to grade their community’s efforts in following the law. The results will help us better understand how communities are doing in complying with the ADA.

The results of the poll will be used to “grade” your community on its response to the ADA and will become a tool to educate policy makers, administrators and the public about the ADA. This poll is being conducted in the six states served by the DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center which include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

We hope that you will join us in this effort to learn more about your communities response to the ADA. The survey will be conducted during the entire month of May. Watch this website for more information as the poll unfolds and we begin to get results. The final “Community Report Card” will be available sometime in late June or early July.

To take the poll go to www.adareportcard.org .

New Book on Service Dogs
Thursday, February 25, 2010

“Every Dog Has a Gift”

In Every Dog Has a Gift, Rachel McPherson draws on her experience as the founder and executive director of the Good Dog Foundation, the largest animal-assisted therapy organization on the East Coast, to share the amazing stories of dogs that bring hope and healing into our lives.

Much has been said about the heroic roles dogs played following September 11 and Hurricane Katrina in providing support and comfort for the families and victims of these terrible tragedies, but the truth is that millions of dogs around the world are heroes every day. These therapy and service dogs (and often quite ordinary “uncertified” dogs too) can:

• serve as the perfect audience for kids who need help with practicing and improving their reading skills;

• hold troubled families together;

• provide a calm and centering presence for children with autism; and

• help individuals who have lost the ability to walk to more easily navigate the world.

The book also includes a story of a single mom and her son with autism who adopt a service dog named Chad. Almost immediately, the 11-year-old made incredible strides: his meltdowns subsided, he began communicating with ease and his self-confidence soared.

The book will be released March 18, and is now available for pre-order. Learn more at Amazon.com.

From one of our new Sponsors-12-13-09

If They Only Knew: Without Expert Help, Disability Applicants Report Facing Foreclosure, Lost Health Insurance, Drained Retirement Savings and Worsening Illness

 Allsup survey finds 85 percent of applicants say the SSA should explain assistance options at beginning of Social Security Disability Insurance application process

 Belleville, Ill – Nov. 17, 2009 – An overwhelming majority of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applicants face grave setbacks and wish they would have known from the start that expert representation to assist them was available, according to a national survey. People with disabilities experienced financial crises, extreme stress and declining health while stuck in the federal disability backlog, according to results compiled and released by Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare services.

 Arthur Blair, of Gaithersburg, Md., was a program manager at a group home before a combination of osteoarthritis, severe back pain and depression made it impossible for him to keep working. During his two-year wait for SSDI benefits, Mr. Blair tapped deep into his savings and had to sell his home after he and his wife were unable to make their mortgage payments. His condition also worsened. 

 “I think the process takes away our humanity,” said Blair. “There are no resources to help you.  You are in a financially devastating position, and by the time you’re approved, you have accumulated so much debt and lost everything you’ve worked for. It’s almost impossible to recuperate what you lost.”

 A survey of nearly 300 successful SSDI claimants who came to Allsup after having their initial disability applications rejected by the SSA finds:

• Nearly 80 percent of respondents reported facing “barriers to handling the SSDI process on [their] own,” including problems with understanding (48 percent) and completing (61 percent) the necessary forms.

• Three-fourths (75 percent) said the level of stress they experienced while applying for SSDI benefits was either “extreme” (39 percent) or “significant” (36 percent).

• Only half (51 percent) of all applicants knew third-party representatives could help them apply for SSDI benefits.

 In addition, almost 90 percent of applicants said they faced negative repercussions while waiting for their SSDI award. These included:

• Stress on family – 63 percent

• Worsening illness – 53 percent

• Draining of retirement/savings – 35 percent

• Lost health insurance – 24 percent

• Missed mortgage payments – 14 percent

• Foreclosure – 6 percent

• Bankruptcy – 5 percent

 Almost nine in 10 (85 percent) survey respondents said they would have found it useful for the SSA to inform them in advance of their options for receiving help with their SSDI application. Another 83 percent would have found it helpful or valuable if the SSA had provided them with a list of authorized third-party representatives to choose from.

 “Because applicants too often don’t know help is available, too many initial claims are denied for simple mistakes that have nothing to do with the applicant’s disability status,” said Jim Allsup, president and CEO of Allsup. “If they only knew third-party assistance was available to professionally review their application and help properly document their disability, thousands of claimants could get through faster and avoid painful financial and personal repercussions of getting stuck in the system.”

 Allsup conducted the survey by mail June 29 through Sept. 4, 2009. For more information and full survey results, please contact Colleen O’Boyle, (703) 683-5004, ext. 122, coboyle@crcpublicrelations.com.

 About Allsup

Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, Medicare and workers’ compensation services for individuals, employers and insurance carriers. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009, Allsup employs more than 600 professionals who deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. The company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, visit www.Allsup.com.