On Target

 Informing Indiana About Disability Issues

On Target is a monthly publication of the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities.

We welcome your suggestions for newsletter content and ideas concerning the actions of the Council. On Target is made available in accessible formats upon request.

Suellen Jackson-Boner
Executive Director

Christine Dahlberg
Associate Director

Paul Shankland
Grants Manager

Disability Awareness Month celebrated statewide

Governor Mitch Daniels has proclaimed March Disability Awareness Month in Indiana. More than 1,200 groups and individuals will be touched by grassroots awareness initiatives this month. Throughout March, statewide organizations, Indiana communities and individual advocates will host events that promote inclusion, independence and employment for people with disabilities.

One statewide organization that hosted an event this year is the Indiana Canine Assistant & Adolescent Network (ICAAN). On March 16 at the Indianapolis Women's Prison, ICAAN graduated nine certified service dogs. These dogs will serve as companion animals to Hoosiers with physical or emotional disabilities.

At the event, designed to coincide with Disability Awareness Month, an award was also presented to Commissioner of Correction J. David Donahue for his support of the ICAAN program within four correctional facilities in Indiana.

ICAAN is closely related to the 2006 Disability Awareness Month because this year's poster features an ICAAN dog recipient and his assistance dog.

As part of the ICAAN program, the dogs are trained over a two-year period by inmates who volunteer for the program. Prior to graduation, those trainers instructed the new dog handlers on their dog's commands, motivations and personalities.

During the ceremony, handlers shared insights about the dogs they trained and how the ICAAN program changed their perspectives on life. The trainers then handed the dogs over to their new owners.

"ICAAN serves so many diverse audiences," said volunteer Sherri DeCoursey. "Unlike some nonprofits that have more of a narrow scope, there are no losers in this equation with ICAAN. The handlers, recipients and volunteers all come out ahead."

Another Disability Awareness Month activity took place in Bloomington. On March 10, Indiana University's Student Recreational Sports Center and Bloomington's Council for Community Accessibility hosted Dynamic Differences Night. The event allowed attendees to participate in inclusive recreational sports and celebrate the unique differences of all people.

All community members were invited to participate, and hands-on disability awareness activities, arts and crafts, and screenings were also available to attendees.

Also planning activities for Disability Awareness Month was Joan Dart of West Terre Haute, whose oldest grandson has autism. Dart is a member of this year's Partners in Policymaking Academy class.

Dart planned two Disability Awareness Days for Marilyn Shaffer's first-grade class at DeVaney Elementary School in the Vigo County School Corporation. Dart's youngest grandson is a member of Schaffer's class.

"My goal is to grow the program and teach small children about awareness. At such a young age, they tend to be more accepting. Hopefully, they will carry the messages with them as they grow up," Dart said.

The Disability Awareness Days were held on March 14 and 15. As part of the celebration, the mayor of Terre Haute, Kevin Burke, read a disability-related story to the class. He also presented a proclamation stating March 14 and 15 as Disability Awareness Days in Terre Haute.

Vigo County School Corporation Superintendent Daniel Tanoos and DeVaney Elementary School Principal Christie Fenton also attended the program.

Event highlights included representatives from The WILL Center - an independent living center serving Clay, Parke, Putnam, Vermillion and Vigo counties - performing a show featuring puppets with disabilities, as well as having the class interact with a guest who practices sign language and a guest who uses a wheelchair.

Improvements in technology highlight Deaf History Month

Deaf History Month, which celebrates key events in deaf heritage, is observed annually between March 13 and April 15. Deaf History Month is believed to have started in 1997 when the Washington, D.C., public library held its first Deaf History Month event. The Library Friends Section of the National Association for the Deaf continues this effort.

Over the centuries, products and services for the deaf community have improved by leaps and bounds. Following is a timeline of pivotal dates for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing:

• 1620 - The first book on sign language was published by Juan Pablo de Bonet.
• 1755 - Abbé Charles-Michel de L'Épée of Paris founded the first free school for people who are deaf.
• 1817 - Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded America's first permanent school for people who are deaf, in Hartford, Conn.
• 1843 - The Willard School, Indiana's first school for children who are deaf, opened in Indianapolis. In 1846, it became the sixth state school for the deaf in the nation and the first state school to provide free education to deaf children.
• 1864 - Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts college in the world for people who are deaf, was founded in Washington, D.C.
• 1901 - The first electric hearing aid, invented by Miller Reese Hutchinson, was sold in Alabama for $400.
• 1964 - Robert Weitbrecht developed the teletypewriter (TTY).
• 1972 - Closed-captioning was available on public television for the first time. The first show to be captioned was "The French Chef" on PBS.
• 1984 - The FDA approved the cochlear implant for adults.
• 1991 - The Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation (InTRAC) was established to provide telephone relay service for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech impaired. InTrac, through Relay Indiana, provides free telephone captioning.
• 2001 - Nationwide relay service became available by dialing 711. However, Indiana users can still dial the 800-number to reach Relay Indiana.
• 2001 - CapTel, the first telephone that provides word-to-word captions of everything the caller says, was introduced to the public.

Today, InTRAC offers a variety of free services to Hoosiers who are deaf. Among these services, InTRAC distributes 10 free CapTel phones each month to people who are hard-of-hearing. To find out more about the CapTel phone, visit www.captionedtelephone.com.

To determine if you qualify for a free CapTel phone or to learn more about InTRAC, visit www.relayindiana.com or call toll free (800) 676-3777 (voice).

Budget bill approved

The hotly debated Budget Reconciliation Bill (also called the Deficit Reduction Act) passed the U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 1 by a vote of 216-214, with several members not voting.

This bill was passed by the U.S. House and Senate in late December, but had to be voted on again in the House following minor last-minute changes by the Senate.

In general, this new legislation threatens public policy for people with disabilities due to the scaling back of critical services and supports. It will cut human services entitlement spending by almost $40 billion over five years, with Medicaid cut by $6.9 billion. An estimated 13 million beneficiaries will face higher co-payments for medical services by 2015. And, 4.5 million of those beneficiaries are children who will face co-payments for the first time.

Of most concern is the estimation that 80 percent of the savings resulting from the increases in co-payments will come from decreased use of medical services, rather than from collection of co-payments.

Watch future issues of "On Target" for more information as it becomes available.

Council board member's family receives statewide award

Ed Bell, a Governor's Council board member, his wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Nellie, were recently named the Indiana Farm Family of the Year.

The award was presented by Andy Miller, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, at the Fort Wayne Farm Show. The award honors an outstanding Hoosier family for their contributions on and off the farm.

In addition to raising several varieties of fruits and vegetables, Ed is a motivational speaker and account representative for the Standing Wheelchair Company. Ed is also a consultant with Breaking New Ground, a center that serves as a source of information on rehabilitation technology relating to agricultural worksites, and has served as the executive director of the Eastern Indiana Center for Independent Living.

For more information about the Bell family, visit www.eatmorestrawberries.com.

Ed, Nellie and Debbie Bell (center) accept the Indiana Farm Family of the Year Award from representatives of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Polls to be more accessible for May primaries

Indiana's law implementing the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) called for every polling place in the state to be accessible by Jan. 1, 2006. Although 100 percent compliance has not been reached, significant improvements have been made in the past months.

In December, the Council conducted an informal survey to see what progress the state has made since the statewide polling place accessibility surveys were completed in November 2004. The informal survey found that the majority of Indiana counties are working hard to make their polling places accessible. Of those not yet compliant, almost all have shown improvement.

"Indiana is making steady progress," said Suellen Jackson-Boner, executive director of the Governor's Council. "However, there is still a ways to go before the state is fully compliant."

The survey showed 24 percent of Indiana's counties meet all federal standards. About 94 percent reported they would be in compliance by the May 2 primary election. Adjustments being made to polling sites include placing levers on doorknobs and erecting temporary accessible signs in parking lots.

According to County Clerk Laura Sterrett, Carroll County is compliant with all necessary changes. "The biggest challenge to making places accessible was not being able to see outside to the parking lots to help people," said Sterrett. "We are installing door bells on the entrances to these sites. The money for reimbursement from the state is making this possible."

To help Spencer County become compliant, many polling sites were moved to newer buildings, according to County Clerk Ann Jochim. Another tactic combined two or three polling spots into one building. "The biggest help were the signs, door thresholds and door handles provided to us by the Secretary of State's office," said Jochim.

Those who encounter a problem with voting accessibility are encouraged to call Indiana Protection and Advocacy for information on how to file a complaint. The organization can be reached at (800) 622-4845 (voice) or (800) 838-1131 (TTY).

Voter registration ends April 3

Primary elections in Indiana will take place May 2. Only registered voters can vote. Since the registration deadline is 29 days before the election, those interested have until April 3 to register. More information about how to do so is available from the Election Division of the Secretary of State's office, (317) 232-3939 (voice). Voter application forms in both English and Spanish, as well as absentee ballot forms, are available from the state's Web site at http://www.state.in.us/sos/elections/vote_reg.html.

Attain offers free computers

Attain Inc., an organization that helps Hoosiers with functional limitations gain access to assistive devices, offers a unique opportunity for Indiana residents with disabilities - the Attain-a-Computer program.

In the program that began last year, free recycled computers are given to people with disabilities who have no other means to obtain one for personal or business use.

Chris Duffer, director of information services at Attain, said the program has been very popular. "Last year, we gave out 75 computers to people with disabilities who otherwise would not have had the means to buy their own computer," Duffer said.

The computers used in the program are donated by individuals and businesses, and Attain reformats the equipment. The organization also installs licensed software and distributes the computer. For a fee, Attain will also provide installation, training and specialized software. Individuals must be able to show financial need and proof of disability to be eligible for the program.

To view requirements or to download an application, visit www.attaininc.org/attain-a-computer.php. For more information, visit www.attaininc.org or call (800) 528-8246 (voice).

If businesses or individuals are interested in donating computers and/or computer accessories, they should contact Duffer at (317) 486-8808 (voice).

Of Note

State library to host Vision Expo

On April 22, the Talking Book and Braille Library will host Vision Expo, a showcase of adaptive equipment available to people who are visually impaired. The event, which will be held from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the first floor exhibition hall of the Indiana State Library, will feature representatives from companies that offer adaptive equipment. For more information, call (317) 232-3684 (voice).

Reminder: complete the Council's survey

The "Tell It Like It Is" survey, which helps the Governor's Council understand how people with disabilities and their families feel about the current status of disability-related issues in Indiana, is still available online. The results from the survey will be used by the Council in shaping a five-year plan for 2007-2011. The survey is available on the Council's Web site at www.in.gov/gpcpd. For more information, contact the Council at (317) 232-7770 (voice).

Alito confirmed to U.S. Supreme Court

Although many disability advocates pushed for a filibuster, federal judge Samuel Alito was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 31 to serve as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Alito, a judge who once served as a lawyer for President Reagan's administration, will replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. O'Connor was widely seen as the swing-vote in cases on affirmative action, abortion, disability issues and assisted suicide.

Send in your Disability Awareness Month evaluations

Those conducting Disability Awareness Month activities during March are encouraged to complete and submit an evaluation form. The Council uses results from these evaluations to improve future Disability Awareness Month campaigns. Evaluations should be returned to Kim Dennison at (317) 631-6499 (fax) or 47 S. Pennsylvania St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN, 46204. Those returned by April 15 will be entered into a prize drawing.

Sign up for the Council E-News

Council E-News is a bimonthly newsletter featuring updates on public hearings, policy issues, conferences and other Indiana-related issues. To subscribe, send your name and e-mail address to cdahlberg@gpcpd.org (e-mail). For more information, contact Christine Dahlberg at (317) 232-7774 (voice).

on target is a monthly publication of the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities. We welcome your suggestions for newsletter content and ideas concerning the actions of the Council. on target is made available in accessible formats upon request.