This issue contains:

Title II Cancer Screening?

Let Freedom Ring

Universal Design…It’s Simple

Court Access Determined A Constitutional Right

Exercising Your Right To Vote

Two Powerful Advocates Remembered

Creating One Community

Feedback

Gwinnett County Hits a Homerun!

Upcoming Events

Title II and Cancer Screening?

In addition, in keeping with the administrative requirements of the ADA, we are helping these departments conduct extensive marketing to women with disabilities in their counties.

To date, we have trained the staff at three departments and have found the staff very eager to provide high quality disability friendly customer service. Each department receives a resource manual and all staff in the women’s health section participate in a practical hands-on workshop. Together we discuss and evaluate policies and facilities. We explore preconceptions about people with disabilities and practice good disability etiquette. Participants learn the key ADA concepts of non-discrimination, effective communication, and physical access.

Since it is not enough to train staff, we are also trying to get the information out to women to encourage them to come in for good services. We convened a fifteen member focus group of women with a variety of disabilities, ages, and backgrounds to ask them which approach we should use to reach women with disabilities. Our informational brochures and posters are being designed now. We are trying also to connect local disability organizations with the health departments for whom we are providing assistance. Our long term goal for this project is to increase the utilization of county health department screening services by women with disabilities. This project is a collaboration of state and local government, private non-profit agencies, and most important, women with disabilities; all seeking to end the day when a woman in a wheelchair says, "I haven’t been to the doctor in years because it is too horrible to take the trouble to get there and find out you are not welcomed, you are expected to bring your own assistant to whom the doctor can talk, and you can’t get on the examining table."

[picture with this article: A nurse from the Bibb County Health Department with three advocates from disability connections in Macon.]

Let Freedom Ring

I recently attended a national ADA symposium where I attended a session led by an attorney from the Justice Department. She asked all of us to go back to our communities and proclaim that the Americans with Disabilities Act is not a building code, but a powerful civil rights act. The ADA gives Americans with disabilities equal rights as are available to all other Americans. I am constantly frustrated by government agencies, private non-profits, and private businesses who actually work hard at making their facilities accessible, but never consider the other two important obligations of the ADA: non-discrimination and equally effective communication. I assume that it is easier to follow specific building code requirements one time than to look at non-discrimination issues over and over again. Thinking about non-discrimination and effective communication require a level of understanding-that disability includes many people not usually thought of as people with disabilities. It includes people with mental illness, autism, cognitive impairments, diabetes, brain injuries, sleep disorders, seizure disorders, etc. Fifty-four million Americans do not all have mobility impairments, but all of us are protected by the ADA. Sign language interpreters and printed materials available on cassette are just as important as curb cuts. Explaining printed materials to a person with a cognitive impairment and keeping in mind an employee with autism may need extra preparation for schedule changes are both requirements under the ADA. Most agencies serving people with disabilities would not dream of being physically inaccessible but they will think nothing of having printed business cards that are inaccessible to people with low vision. Not one county in Georgia has a plan for law officers taking people with mental illness who are out of control to a mental health facility. They take these people to jail until some family member or advocates can get them moved to the appropriate place. This too, is a clear violation of the ADA. Over half of the 54 million people with disabilities in this country have mental rather than physical impairments. The number of people with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders and autism is increasing at alarming rates. How many businesses and agencies have policies for accommodating these workers or customers? Too many Georgians with disabilities work for below minimum wage. Too many Georgians with disabilities are not able to follow the complicated autocratic maze from which they could receive financial or medical benefits. Too many Georgians with disabilities are arrested by policemen who have not had sufficient training on serving citizens with disabilities when these citizens should be helped to get appropriate care.

The ADA has been law for fourteen years. Too few Americans with disabilities have benefited from its passage. The ADA is all about giving the blessing of freedom and liberty to all Americans whether they were born with disabilities, became disabled in an accident or illness, or became disabled fighting for liberty. I challenge all Georgians to work diligently to make all of our communities places where people with disabilities have equal opportunity to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Nancy W. Duncan

Nancy W. Duncan

Executive Director

Universal Design…It’s Simple

Hartwell Georgia is a small town about two hours northeast of Atlanta. Many of its five thousand citizens grew up in Hartwell and many of its citizens retired and moved there to enjoy the easy-going, friendly community on the beautiful lake. In 2003, Hartwell and Hart County celebrated its 150th birthday. As part of the planning for this year-long party, citizens began thinking about revitalization of the downtown area. Like many small communities, the downtown was suffering from a new strip mall on the edge of town and a super Wal-mart. The county began beautifying the traditional town square around the courthouse. Part of these improvements included providing physical access to the building. One of the retirees in Hartwell, Charley Brown, complained loudly to the city officials that the courthouse grounds were great but that he couldn’t get to any other downtown establishments in his wheelchair. The city and county provided support for a Downtown Development Office and its director, Mary Alice Applegate remembered Mr. Brown’s complaints and suggestions about the downtown. With grants from the Department of Community Affairs Georgia Main Street Project, Hartwell hired a design team to improve the downtown, making it pedestrian friendly and fully accessible. Part of this new design will include areas for small gatherings, park benches for enjoying the view, and an air of leisure and neighborliness. It is a place for mothers with babies in strollers, retirees chatting about their affairs, and antiques shoppers. The funds from the Department of Transportation provided money for the construction. Mr. Brown’s suggestions and leadership in the community are making sure, along with DOT requirements, that the new Hartwell downtown will be disability friendly. One small town and one insistent voice are creating a community where all citizens are welcomed.

ADA and Small towns is an excellent guide for smaller municipalities on the Title II requirements in the law. Copies are available at the Regional ADA Resource Office by calling 800 949-4232

[pictures with this article: 1.) Nancy Duncan, director of the exchange, and Charlie Brown, advocate in Hartwell. 2.) Courthouse with no steps and curb in front. 3.) Ace Hardware with a smooth sidewalk and a curb cut in front.]

Court Access Determined A Constitutional Right

The U. S. Supreme Court ruled in a five to four decision that equal access to the judicial system is a constitutional right for all Americans. The Tennessee vs. Lane case presented issues of the constitutionality of Title II of the ADA. Tennessee contended that Lane did not have the right to sue the state because of the Eleventh Amendment. Lane declared that the state was in violation of Title II in that he could not gain physical access into the courthouse for his hearing. The Supreme Court did not rule on all the aspects of Title II but simply affirmed the right of people with disabilities to use and participate in the judicial system in the states. As part of the evidence for this case, advocates across the country gathered stories about exclusion and unfair treatment in the judicial system of people with disabilities. They sent thousands of pictures of inaccessible courthouses and courtrooms to Lane’s attorneys. The Bazelion Center has a complete summary of the case including briefs from several key advocacy organizations (www.bazelon.org) Judicial officials in Georgia took some important action on disability access long before the Lane case was decided. The Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts was established to review and improve upon Georgia’s judicial system. The Taskforce on Access, a subcommittee of the Commission, has been meeting with Mike Galifianakis, State ADA Coordinator, to develop a training curriculum for judicial officials that will help them become more aware of the needs of people with disabilities who may be involved in the judicial process. The curriculum will also help the officials learn to develop practical solutions to barriers that they identify in the system.

Exercising Your Right To Vote

In the 2000 presidential election over twelve million Americans with disabilities voted. Over twenty five million people with disabilities did not vote. About fifty percent of Americans who are eligible to vote actually vote. Only thirty percent of people with disabilities vote. If fifty percent of people with disabilities had voted in the last presidential election, two million extra votes would have been cast. The Georgia Secretary of State’s office is working hard to make it easier for people with disabilities to vote in our state. They hired the Exchange to provide training to key election officials from every county in the state. An excellent video produced by Georgia Public Television will be available for poll worker training in July. The Secretary of State’s office staff have sought guidance from advocates with disabilities for every step of the process. All of the more than two thousand polling places have been surveyed for physical access and every attempt is being made to help counties come into compliance with the ADA and Georgia Access Code. Check out the Exchange website for an excellent guide for voting developed by the Secretary of State’s staff. It is now so much easier to get registered, find out about and obtain absentee ballots, and vote in person. Many disability organizations are working hard to get people with disabilities registered and help them learn about the candidates and issues. Let us know if you want to put on a voter registration drive in your community and we’ll be glad to help you get started.

Decatur County wants its voting to be fully accessible to people with disabilities. They have demonstrated their commitment to this and their understanding of full community inclusion. County election officials asked Stancil Tootle, a staff member from BAIN Center for Independent Living, in Bainbridge, to serve as a poll worker. Stancil, who is blind, attended poll worker training. His poll supervisor went over the various jobs with him so that he could find a job he could perform well. Stancil worked at the March primary. He took up voting cards and handed out stickers. He was very visible and met every person who voted. Stancil's presence at the voting site sent a clear message to everyone in the precinct that people with disabilities are welcome.

I urge everyone reading this newsletter to find two unregistered Georgians; help them register; and help them cast their ballot. Thousands of Americans fought for the right to vote. Thousands of Americans fought for the right of people with disabilities to cast their ballots. Celebrate their efforts by voting and helping others to vote.

Two Powerful Advocates Remembered

Georgia lost two wonderful advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities within the last six months.

In December 2003, Will Morales died after a short hospital stay. He lived his life as a testimony to independence and bravery. He loved to joke and laugh. Will was the training coordinator for the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center. Will worked to increase the outreach to cultural minorities. He chose to push himself to be as typical as possible. We will all miss his corny jokes and his strong stand for equal opportunity for all.

In June of 2004, Linda Davis died following years of fighting diabetes and all its complications. Linda was a tireless volunteer advocate. She was unable to work for most of the last years, because of her medical situation and her need for Medicaid coverage of her condition; but she helped parents solve problems over the phone. She fought for many years for the rights of children and young people to receive an appropriate education. Linda had a wealth of knowledge, both legal and practical, about working with and fighting school systems. We will miss her down-to-earth advice and tireless commitment to equality.

Creating One Community

In the fall of 2002, the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the Project of National Significance: Creating One Community. The Georgia ADA Exchange took over the management of the project in late October 2003. Our mission at the Exchange is to work on bringing about full inclusion for all Georgians in every aspect of community life. Similarly, the overarching goal of PNS is to increase inclusion in high schools and thereby the community in which the high school are located. The project addresses more than the placement of students with disabilities in "regular" classes. What we want to see is a shift in attitude throughout the school from administration to the student body which encourages full acceptance and full participation of all students in the daily life of the school and community.

Through the work of Local Coordinators there are currently seven schools throughout Georgia who are committed to PNS. They are Flowery Branch High School in Hall County; Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County; Madison County High School; Lowndes County High School in Valdosta; Seminole County High School; Union Grove High School in Henry County; and, Northwest High School in Dalton.

The schools have established advisory teams, begun offering self-determination and goal setting curriculum, started school sponsored social service clubs such as Partners clubs and 4H groups whose memberships include students with and without disabilities working side by side in leadership positions. Another important aspect of this project includes working on person-centered transition plans which encourage students and their families to include community resources in planning their life beyond high school.

It has been exciting to see changes take place in the lives of the students involved in PNS. Both students with and without disabilities have been given a wonderful opportunity to understand the world in a new way. We hope that the projects will continue in these schools long after the grant has ended.

Feedback

I wanted to take a minute of your time and let you know how impressed I am with your Special Ed staff and the Partners Club they have implemented. My daughter, Ashlyn Stewart, is involved in the new club thanks to Mrs. Oliver and Mrs. Rothschild, and she loves it!!!

I was so pleased to be asked to serve on the Partners Club Advisory Board and to see how much time and effort is being put into teaching the self-determination curriculum. Everyone from Cindy Saylor to Teresa King to the classroom teachers are doing a great job. It’s great to work with such caring group of people!

It is so great to see not only a caring staff from your Special Education Department but I’m also so impressed with the students that have become involved. Friday night a group of your students escorted a group of special ed kids to dinner and a movie. In this day and time it’s not often you would find a group of typical teenagers that would take the time to do something so positive and kind for a group of kids that rarely get to enjoy these kinds of activities with anyone but their families. That simple gesture of kindness speaks volumes about the kind of students who attend Flowery Branch High.

I’m sure I speak for all the parents involved in saying THANK YOU for supporting this opportunity for all the kids!! I know that both groups of kids are going to get a lot out of this program.

Sincerely,

Georgia Stewart

Gwinnett County Hits a Homerun!

In addition to upholding the law of Title II of the ADA, Gwinnett County went further to capture the spirit of the ADA where people with disabilities are fully included.

[picture with this article: About 20 kids dressed in Atlanta Braves baseball uniforms. – several children have visible disabilities]

Anne Ladd Program Coordinator