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Disability Policy Consortium Weekly Update
Dear Member,
I'm opening today with a big Congratulations to Kristen McCosh. Kristen started work as the new City of Boston Disability Commissioner working with the Mayor's Disability Commission that was appointed a year ago. Good luck and please call on the DPC for assistance if you need it.
We have to also take the time to acknowledge Steve Spinetto's retirement from the City of Boston. Steve worked for the Mayor for years and we wish him well as begins the next chapter of his life.
The response to our opening letter last week for editorials and other opportunities was certainly underwhelming. We did have one volunteer and I want to thank Girard Plante again for his offer.
If time and energy allows we will be adding an occasional publication on Emergency Preparedness. The DPC used to publish a fairly regular distribution to our list that includes emergency planners, first responders, state agency personnel and advocates. The changes in FEMA brought about in large part because of Marcie Roth's influence offers a reason to renew the publication soon.
Today's issue includes an Editorial from Judy Meredith. Judy is the founder of The Public Interest Group, author of Lobbying on a Shoestring, longtime lobbyist for the Poor People's Campaign, founder of One Massachusetts and a good friend.
Jon Dosick, long time advocate for Fresh Air in mental hospitals and fighting to put teeth into the Five Fundamental Rights gives us some information on a new Blog open to the psyche-survivor community and friends.
Finally, our member piece this week spotlights Alan Gifford as promised last week. Alan and his wife Elaine have been active with the DPC for about a year. He is a testimonial to what can happen to a person who has been frustrated with his/her disability status when he finally gets good information and encouragement.
Enjoy the rest of the short week.
Bill Allan
Disability Policy Consortium
wfallan@dpcma.org| 617-542-3522 |
Editorial: Judy Meridith, 10/08/10
Aaaah, the politics of kindness and moderation...
I was surprised to get a group email from good friend recommending a column in the New York Times by David Brooks - the designated voice of conservative Republicans on NYT who wrote from California.
Tom Joad Gave Up.
Sometimes it's hard to remember what good government looks like: government that disciplines itself but looks to the long term; government that inspires trust; government that promotes social mobility without busting the budget.
That kind of government existed for decades right here in California. Between 1911 and the '60s, California had a series of governors - like Hiram Johnson, Earl Warren, Goodwin Knight and Pat Brown - who were pro-market and pro-business, but also progressive reformers.
They rode a great wave of prosperity, and people flocked to the Golden State, but they used the fruits of that prosperity in a disciplined way to lay the groundwork for even more growth. They built an outstanding school and university system. They started a series of gigantic public works projects that today are seen as engineering miracles. These included monumental water projects, harbors and ports, the sprawling highway system and even mental health facilities.
They disdained partisanship. They continually reorganized government to make it more businesslike and cost effective. "Thus," the historian Kevin Starr has written, "California progressivism contained within itself both liberal and conservative impulses, as judged by the standards of today."
Of course all of us know what happened next.......California passed in 1978 the daddy of all tax cut referenda - Proposition 13 , sending the state to hell in a hand basket and, not incidentally, sparking a national epidemic of tax cut referenda, including our own Proposition 2 ½ in 1980.
(Get more from Judy at her Real Clout Blog).
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Greeting friends and fellow advocates
I am pleased to announce several new initiatives and resources designed to enable better communication and strengthen our advocacy. We hope that you will take advantage of one or more of these as part of our historic effort to demand accountability for civil rights violations at psychiatric facilities.
1.) BLOG SITE:
Civilrightspsychiatrichospital@blogspot.com
This blog will be a hub of information and discussion on our activities here in Massachusetts - with background information on the Five Fundamental Rights and Fresh Air efforts, and the Arbour Project, which is well on the way. We will hold Arbour Hospital publicly responsible for the horrific rights abuses it's known for. The blog is under construction (I am reading "Blogger for Dummies"), but we'll gradually be getting information posted.
2.) ARBOUR FEEDBACK FLYER and EMAIL ADDRESS:
We have developed a powerful and eye-catching flyer designed to encourage folks to submit personal stories of abuse and mistreatment at Arbour Hospital. These stories are necessary to make a strong case against Arbour. That flyer is attached to this email as a .pdf document: PLEASE copy, snip the bottom so people can tear off the stubs, and distribute WIDELY, especially in the Boston area!
The flyer gives an email address, Arbourstories@yahoo.com, with the express intent of collecting stories.
3.) FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS WORKGROUP: NEW LOCATION IN GREATER BOSTON:
The Fundamental Rights Working Group is moving to Cambridge or Somerville - the exact location is not determined yet, but we need to be in a much more accessible location than Waltham. We will still have our meetings from 6-8 on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month (or perhaps another if it works better for people), and the next meeting is still tentatively on for Oct. 5. We may have to meet in a temporary place on the fifth (i.e., restaurant) if nothing is found by then. Please let us know if you are aware of any locations close to the MBTA and preferably with parking. PLEASE JOIN US - we will show the public the appalling inequalities and injustices our population faces, which will be a powerful tool to demand our freedom and dignity.
Times are tough, but I am confident that we can exercise our incredible strength to make positive change!
Onward,
Jonathan Dosick
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Public Policy Institute
The Public Policy Institute's mission is to help nonprofit organizations working for social and economic justice interpret the current political scene, successfully promote positive policy change, and build their organizational power - all at the same time.
For more information on how we can help you or your organization, please contact me today!
Peace in Hard Times,
Judy Meredith
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What One Advocate Can Do!
(and did do!)
In July, Governor Patrick declared a state emergency on the mosquitoes in southeast Massachusetts when numerous tests resulted positive in EEE or infected mosquitoes. Announcements were made in English, Spanish and Portuguese, but not in sign language.
We reported this to the Kingston Board of Selectmen in third week of July, and were informed that the Plymouth County Sheriff Dept handled the Reverse 911 calls to notify the residents.
Plymouth County Sheriff Dept contacted me and a meeting was set up for Tuesday, Sept 7.
Result of the Meeting:
Discussion of the Reverse 911 System and capabilities
Tour of the 911 system
General discussions on citizens with disabilities and methods of communications, tdd's, e-mails, videophones, vrs (video relay services)
Detailed review of residents phone numbers (mine, several others)
Sheriff Dept requested for me to be on their advisory committee to come up with solutions
Modified the sign-up form so that people can fill out forms to include text messages or e-mails
Presented to the Sheriff Dept a report containing the estimated population of citizens with disabilities by towns.
Information presented were information about DPC and Mass Office on Disabilities and how to get interpreters on the local level.
Sub-committee of the emergency preparedness team to include people with disabilities to cover areas of concern not known by people without disabilities.
Actions to date:
Contacted Sorenson Communications of Salt Lake City who manufactures 85 % of the videophones for the hearing impaired in United States.
I have joined NEMA (911 advisory panel ) and am in process of finding more info.
Sent Task Force report on Emergency Preparedness sent out by Bill Allan to Sheriff Dept.
Will meet again in a few weeks
Sheriff Dept will test using my communications system and try to send messages through videophone, tdd and blackberry. Test will be conducted very soon like this week.
State Representative Tom Calter was notified of progress and he requested to be included.
Alan Gifford
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Governor's Reponse
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE · BOSTON, MA 02133 (617)725-4000
DEVAL L. PATRICK
GOVERNOR
TIMOTHY P. MURRAY
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
September 27, 2010
Mr. John Pirone, President
Mr. William Allen, Executive Director
Disability Policy Consortium
P.O. Box 77
Boston, MA02133
Dear Messrs. Pirone and Allen:
Thank you for your letter of September 9. I will look forward to working with you to implement our commitments to the Olmstead decision. I have asked Assistant Secretary Terry Dougherty and Assistant Secretary Jean McGuire in HHS to follow up with you on specific recommendations.
Sincerely yours,
Deval Patrick |
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Updates
Governor Deval Patrick responded on September 27 letter the DPC sent on September 9 regarding invigorating the Olmstead Plan with some real detail and accountability. The Governor's response is published below in its entirety.
(Is it fair to point out that this is the first direct response we've had from the Governor in 3 years and 10 months?)
Two weeks ago we included the text of an email sent to William Lynch, US Department of Just Civil Rights Division regarding our May 20 Title II complaint. I'm sorry to report there wasn't a response from Mr. Lunch to that or a subsequent email inquiry.
Attorney General Eric Holder is next on the list.
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Vote No, No, No!![vote no]()
In this time of deep and continuing Recession, another BIG threat to our communities and families looms in November, and we as a sector need to do everything we can to ensure that it does not happen.
The threats are the questions on November's ballot. Question 1 would eliminate the sales tax on alcoholic beverages, costing the state $110 million in tax revenue that's now dedicated to drug and alcohol treatment programs. Question 2 would repeal Chapter 40B, which allows developers to circumvent exclusionary zoning laws to build affordable housing in communities where there is none or very few units available. Question 3 would cut the state sales tax to 3%, thereby costing the state $2.5 billion in tax revenue which would mean even more huge state and local budget cuts.
All of these questions have a negative impact on poor and working people. We already had $1 billion in budget cuts last year and we had $1.6 billion again this year. On top of that because stimulus funds are used up, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation predicts a $1.5-$2 billion budget deficit for next year's budget that again could force more big budget cuts. If on top of these two years of cuts and possibly a third year of cuts, we have an additional $2.5+ billion in state revenue loss forcing more cuts, what will be left of programs and services we care about?
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DPC Needs your Help!!!
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The DPC uses the PayPal PayFast system for your tax deductible charitable donations. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this system because credit card payments are also accepted.
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Donate by Mail
Make check or money order payable to:
Disability Policy Consortium
59 Temple Place, Suite 669
Boston, MA 02111
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