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 |
Awareness Month 2002 materials available
In March 2002, the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities will launch a new Disability Awareness Month campaign to spread awareness about disability-related issues. Order your materials now by completing the order form included in this issue of On Target.
Materials include posters, bookmarks, buttons, T-shirts, coffee mugs and much more. Twenty-five different information packets are available to aid advocates in conducting awareness activities for the community. Topics range from special event planning to building awareness for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Some are updated versions of previous year's packets, and a new packet on volunteering is available. A theme-related activity guide will be included with all orders.
The 2002 Awareness Month theme is "Together, we can reach new heights." The artwork features several children playing in the branches of a tree lit by a splash of sun. Underneath the tree rests a basketball, a bicycle and a wheelchair. The campaign text reads, "Attitude is everything. In schools. In businesses. In your community. Positive attitudes are helping people with and without disabilities achieve. Together." Other Disability Awareness Month materials will carry the same artwork and theme.
Disability Awareness Month 2002 will be celebrated through community-based activities carried out by thousands of advocates and people with disabilities throughout the state. The activities are centrally coordinated by the Council and include awareness fairs, ADA training, essay contests and displays in schools, government agencies and businesses.
The 2001 campaign made millions of impressions on people with and without disabilities throughout the state, many through television and radio public service announcements or newspaper articles. In addition, tens of thousands of people were reached through grassroots efforts organized by advocates all across Indiana. Such events are critical to the success of every Disability Awareness Month campaign, and the Council hopes the materials it makes available will encourage such activities in 2002.
To place an order or for more information:
Please return order forms to Kim Dennison at Borshoff Johnson Matthews, 47 S. Pennsylvania Street, Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204; (317) 631-6499 (fax); or kdennison@bjmpr.com (e-mail). For direct questions, call Kim at (317) 631-6400 (voice).
Conference registration deadline approaching
Friday, Nov. 16, is the last day to register for the 2001 Indiana Conference for People with Disabilities. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 27-28, people interested in disability issues will gather at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis to discuss and learn about disability issues facing Indiana residents.
The Conference, "You Are The CEO Of Your Life," will feature business-themed workshops addressing issues such as employment, transportation, legislation, family services, Social Security, personal care and more. In addition, each daily opening session and luncheon will feature a keynote speaker discussing a disability-related issue. Exhibits will be available for viewing, and door prize winners will be drawn throughout the day.
To receive a registration form, contact the Conference coordinator at (317) 786-7272 (voice), toll-free at (866) 786-7272 (voice), (317) 786-7272 (fax) or SKH4HOG@prodigy.net (e-mail), or download the registration form from the Council's Web site, www.state.in.us/gpcpd.
Tight security affects travel
New security measures at airports across the country mean safer travel, but also more planning for travelers - especially people with disabilities.
Curbside parking has been eliminated at most airports, and only certain airlines are allowing curbside check-in. Passengers must have government-issued identification to check in, and non-passengers will not be allowed in the gate area.
To avoid potential problems with these increased security measures during holiday travel, ican.com and the Council suggest
the following tips:
- Medications - If you must carry syringes for your medication, carry your prescription and a letter from your physician explaining the medication's necessity and use. Make sure all medications and syringes have pharmaceutical labeling.
- Equipment - Carry bandage shears instead of scissors. They are much less likely to be used as weapons, but might still be confiscated. If so, consider buying another pair at your destination.
- Wheelchairs - Security personnel may want to disassemble your wheelchair to scan or X-ray its removable parts. If your equipment is damaged in this process, you can file a claim under the Air Carrier Access Act. You should also report the damage to the airport duty supervisor.
According to the Indianapolis International Airport, wheelchairs will be allowed through checkpoints, but will probably be rigorously searched. "They (people with disabilities) have to accept the fact that it may be pretty thorough," the representative said.
- Timing - Arrive three to four hours in advance of your flight to allow time for security personnel to open and search luggage. Remember that you might be waiting in line for a long time. People who wear leg bags or who have multiple sclerosis, a spinal cord injury or any neuro-muscular disease should drink less fluid than usual before arriving at the airport.
- Information you need - Before you head to the airport, check the State Department's "Travel Warnings" for international travelers at travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html. Also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, www.cdc.gov/travel, for required immunizations, vaccinations or precautions.
The most important thing to remember is that security personnel are working to meet stringent new requirements and might detain passengers who become enraged. Your patience will be required.
Transportation initiative celebrates anniversary
The Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities established the Community Transportation Initiative in 2000 to develop Indiana communities' ability to generate accessible transportation.
The primary focus in 2000 was the Transportation Academy, which helped Indiana communities develop innovative transportation solutions for people with disabilities. Jackson, Clinton, Lake and Porter counties completed the process that involved a three-day retreat in March 2001. Graduation in July included presentations of the teams' strategic plans addressing transportation issues in their communities.
As a result of Academy training, teams in Clinton and Jackson counties are moving
forward with feasibility studies of transportation initiatives for people with disabilities. Federal funding for both programs is expected within two to three years.
Three new teams have been chosen to participate in this year's Academy: Wayne County, Bartholomew County and a multi-county team consisting of Washington, Orange, Lawrence and Martin counties. The 2001 transportation initiative kicked off Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the second annual Community Transportation Initiative Conference. The Council's Indiana Conference for People With Disabilities, Nov. 27-28, will also feature a transportation session.
FSSA announces new leaders
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) welcomes several
new directors:
Marilyn Schultz is the new director of the Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
She previously held positions as vice president for planning and budgets and associate vice president for fiscal and legislative affairs at Indiana State University. She was also director of the Indiana Mental Health Association from 1987 to 1990 and served as a state legislator from 1972 to 1986.
Melanie Bella replaces Kathy Gifford as director of the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP). She was previously vice president of state and local solutions for Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. She also has worked with Indiana University School of Medicine, and was director of health policy/special projects coordinator for the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County from 1994 to 1997.
Evelyn Murphy has been named director of Long Term Care in the OMPP. Murphy's previous roles include assistant director of revenue enhancement for the FSSA Division of Mental Health, FSSA staff attorney, and policy analyst for managed care in OMPP.
White House Web site more accessible
When President George W. Bush launched his New Freedom Initiative, he told reporters that America's task was clear: "We must speed up the day when the last barrier has been removed to full and independent lives for every American with or without a disability."
To do its part, the White House launched a new and improved Web site, www.whitehouse.gov. The site includes several features to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities, including a current text-only version of the entire site, Web captioning of speeches, image descriptions and more. Best of all, the site has been tested by users with disabilities to ensure their needs are met.
The White House admits to one key accessibility problem. Screen readers can't always process types of "skip to content" links the site uses, and the White House is working with screen reader manufacturers to fix this problem.
Accessibility features
The revamped White House Web site includes a variety of features to ease navigation and browsing for people with disabilities, including:
- An invisible "go to content" button allows screen reader users to skip to the content of the page and bypass repetitive information.
- "Go to text" and "go to search" buttons increase accessibility by simplifying the navigation process.
- In addition to viewing speech transcripts, site visitors can view video of speeches - complete with closed captioning.
- "Alt tags" on photos and graphics give people who use screen readers a more complete, richer browsing experience. These tags use detailed descriptions to explain images on the site.
- Web forms, such as the appointments application, have been tested to ensure that drop-down menus function on screen readers. This is significant because drop-down menus are usually difficult to code for viewing by screen reader programs.
- To make tables more accessible, header fields clearly label all columns.
To view the redesigned Web site, visit www.whitehouse.gov.
Supreme Court to hear benefits case
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could make disability benefits available to more people than ever before. The central question facing the Supreme Court in Massanari v. Walton is whether Congress intended disability benefits to apply to people with long-term disabilities or merely to people with long-term unemployment because of a disability.
In December 2000, the fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided in favor of Cleveland Walton. Walton was denied disability benefits for schizophrenia because he held a job as a grocery store stocker less than one year after he was diagnosed. To follow the progress of this case, visit the Supreme Court Web site at www.supremecourtus.gov.
Gifts for children with disabilities
As people across the nation begin their holiday shopping, parents of children with disabilities face unique challenges in choosing appropriate and accessible gifts. One Web site, Minnesota-based www.GBkids.com, might simplify the process.
The site features an easy link to "special needs" items. These consist primarily of large, brightly colored switches that enable children to turn on remote-controlled toys, operate remote controls for televisions and more. Some switches allow users to record up to 20 seconds of sound to play back.
The manufacturer, AbleNet, markets these switches to educators. GBkids.com co-founders Jim Bergquist and Ron Goldstein hope to expand that reach to the average consumer.
"As a parent of a child with multiple disabilities, I have selected products for my child that allow her to fit in with her peers," Goldstein said. "We feature those same products on our Web site."
The site sells items such as strollers and toys that are playful, not clinical, in appearance. Some strollers are designed for children weighing up to 150 pounds, instead of the usual infant weight limit.
GBkids.com inventory is limited. As more people purchase products from the site, however, the site will provide a greater selection for this consumer niche.
Of Note
Voting initiative seeking project director
The Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities seeks a project director to direct and provide staff support to the "Count us IN" project. This project's goal is to increase the number of people with disabilities participating in the electoral process. Project duration is at least one year.
To view the job description, log on to www.state.in.us/gpcpd. People who are interested in applying should forward resumes to: The Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, c/o Ms. Brenda Wade, Administrative Assistant, 143 West Market Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or bwade@gpcpd.org (e-mail). You may also contact the Council at (317) 232-7770 (voice), (317) 232-7771 (TT) or gpcpd@gpcpd.org (e-mail).
Olmstead update
President Bush issued an executive order
in June establishing an Inter-agency Council required to produce a report on "Access
to Community Living" within 120 days.
The Inter-agency Council planned to present the report by Oct. 16. Sadly, the tragic events of Sept. 11 changed this. Many federal agencies previously working on the report are now focusing on meeting the urgent needs of disaster relief and heightened American security. The White House continues to make the enforcement of the Olmstead decision a priority and looks forward to receiving the report Dec. 3.
GPC to e-mail urgent news
To provide you timely information regarding disability issues, the Council will send urgent news via e-mail. If you are interested in receiving an e-mail newsletter, please e-mail Christine Dahlberg at cdahlberg@gpcpd.org.
Indiana Governor’s Planning
Council for People with Disabilities
150 West Market Street, Suite 628
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 232-7770 voice
(317) 232-7771 TT
E-mail: GPCPD@gpcpd.org
Web site: www.state.in.us/gpcpd
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