To chronicle the progress of those with disabilities in America and the world.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Voices of Disabilities: DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and v...
Voices of Disabilities: DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and v...: Staff from the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center and some of the people who the nonprofit serves tour the Detroit Institute of Arts ...
DIA opens hearts, doors to disabled, seniors and veterans
Staff from
the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center and some of the people who the nonprofit
serves tour the Detroit Institute of Arts before trying classes to make ceramic
art. / DIA/File
By Jerry Wolffe, For Digital First Media
Posted: 10/05/15, 4:17 PM EDT | Updated: 2 hrs ago
The Detroit Institute of Arts is bringing discovery, joy
and art to the lives of those with disabilities, seniors, and veterans with its
Community Group Program.
The program provides meaningful experiences through art
with gallery tours and hands-on art making. The last class this fall for those
with disabilities will be Thursday.
During September and early October, the DIA invited 15 to
18 people with disabilities who the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center serves to
visit the Institute to create artworks, says Patty Sims Sunisloe, MORC’s
project director.
“They are opening their doors and hearts to people with
disabilities and changing lives to a great extent,” says Sims Sunisloe, who
added individuals MORC serves attended classes in the Walter Gibbs educational
studio on Sept. 17, 24 and Oct. 1.
The MORC attendees have made painted masks and
lithographs and will frame them at their last class this week, Sims Sunisloe
says. DIA spokesman Larisa Zade said the artworks from last year’s session are
on display in the teaching studio.
“The DIA has been proud to partner with local social
service agencies for over 20 years through the Community Group Program,” says
the DIA’s Director of the Studio Program Charles Garling. “We strive for
diversity in the organizations with whom we seek to partner, working to serve
individuals across all ages and physical and cognitive abilities.”
Projects during the past year have been multimedia
self-portraits, clay masks, drums and pots, printmaking, bookmaking and wood
sculpture.
Current groups in the program besides those from MORC
include veterans from the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and Piquette Square
for Veterans and seniors from the Hanna House, all of Detroit, according to a
statement from the DIA.
“One of our goals is to help people understand that the
Detroit Institute of Arts is for everyone, regardless of your abilities or
background with art,” Garling says. “Through the Community Group Program, we
strive to provide safe space for individuals, who might otherwise be
marginalized, to explore and express through art-based discussions and art-making
experiences. Year after year, program participants have happily expressed their
appreciation of the program, noting an increase in their confidence and
openness to communicate with others.”
To facilitate these classes, DIA teaching artists such as
Byron Nemela utilize a learner-centered, process-oriented teaching practice
which uses motivating questions and topics that allow participants to create
something personally meaningful, Zade says.
Sims Sunisloe adds, “The feedback I consistently get from
families, parents and caregivers is that this program is changing lives. We
really appreciate how warm, welcoming and hospitable the staff at the DIA has
been to everyone.
“The staff’s ability to find a way to reach inside those
with disabilities to express their talents is something quite extraordinary,”
she says. “(There are) no boundaries to their abilities to be expressive or
show who they are as an individual.”
The DIA paid for materials and for transportation on a
private bus from MORC facilities in Clinton Township or Auburn Hills to the
DIA.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and
advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at
586-263-8950.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Sheltered workshops being phased out
DEPEW, N.Y. (WIVB)- For some, it’s the only job they’ve ever had, and only job they can get.
Every day, people with developmental disabilities show up for work at Southeast Works in Depew, N.Y. and prepare products to be sold in stores like WalMart or Office Depot. But what makes this ‘sheltered workshop’ different is that all the workers have a disability and don’t work alongside the non-disabled.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a plan to phase out sheltered workshops like this to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that ensures everyone the right to work in an integrated setting, according to a report from a Depew, New York TV station.
New York State Sen. Robert Ortt, Republican-North Tonawanda, hosted a public hearing about the issue at the University at Buffalo’s Center for Tomorrow.
Speaker after speaker tried answer the big question about what will happen to most of the clients if the State actually does close sheltered workshops, like Southeast Works in Depew, where people with developmental disabilities prepare products to be sold at WalMArt of Office Depot, but they do it for less than minimum wage.
Paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage for working is also legal in Michigan.
“We should give them the opportunity to advance competitive employment elsewhere so that they can not just sustain themselves, but flourish.” said Jennifer Monthie of Disability Rights New York. She would rather the State programs work individually with each client to help them get jobs that are suited for them in the traditional workplace.
“You’re gonna find people that are gonna stay employed longer, they’re gonna advance in the their employment because they’re in an area where they can shine.” said Monthie.
But not all of these clients can flourish outside, like Tim Powers, who is 56 and has a disability.
“If you offered him a one dollar bill and a five dollar bill, he wouldn’t know which one is worth more.” said his father Martin Powers. “He lives in a group home because we’re gonna die, and he has to have a place to live, and he now has a place to live and a place to work and we’ve spent our entire life working this whole process out and now you wanna say, “Nope that’s not good.” well how are we going to deal with this in the future, I don’t know.”
The State Office of People With Developmental Disabilities plans to put out guidelines in late October that will give these families a better idea of what the transition will be like as the sheltered workshops are phased out by the year 2020.
Every day, people with developmental disabilities show up for work at Southeast Works in Depew, N.Y. and prepare products to be sold in stores like WalMart or Office Depot. But what makes this ‘sheltered workshop’ different is that all the workers have a disability and don’t work alongside the non-disabled.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a plan to phase out sheltered workshops like this to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that ensures everyone the right to work in an integrated setting, according to a report from a Depew, New York TV station.
New York State Sen. Robert Ortt, Republican-North Tonawanda, hosted a public hearing about the issue at the University at Buffalo’s Center for Tomorrow.
Speaker after speaker tried answer the big question about what will happen to most of the clients if the State actually does close sheltered workshops, like Southeast Works in Depew, where people with developmental disabilities prepare products to be sold at WalMArt of Office Depot, but they do it for less than minimum wage.
Paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage for working is also legal in Michigan.
“We should give them the opportunity to advance competitive employment elsewhere so that they can not just sustain themselves, but flourish.” said Jennifer Monthie of Disability Rights New York. She would rather the State programs work individually with each client to help them get jobs that are suited for them in the traditional workplace.
“You’re gonna find people that are gonna stay employed longer, they’re gonna advance in the their employment because they’re in an area where they can shine.” said Monthie.
But not all of these clients can flourish outside, like Tim Powers, who is 56 and has a disability.
“If you offered him a one dollar bill and a five dollar bill, he wouldn’t know which one is worth more.” said his father Martin Powers. “He lives in a group home because we’re gonna die, and he has to have a place to live, and he now has a place to live and a place to work and we’ve spent our entire life working this whole process out and now you wanna say, “Nope that’s not good.” well how are we going to deal with this in the future, I don’t know.”
The State Office of People With Developmental Disabilities plans to put out guidelines in late October that will give these families a better idea of what the transition will be like as the sheltered workshops are phased out by the year 2020.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Grant allows for Fraser park to be place of fun for all kids, including those with disabilities
For information on the Oct. 5 opening day, call Anna Cameron (586) 294-4847
By JERRY WOLFFE
A $300,000 grant from the state is being used to turn a Fraser park into one that is accessible to all children, including those with disabilities, a member of the Fraser First Booster Club says.
"The park will not be exclusive to youngsters with disabilities because all kids will be encouraged to play there, too," said Anna Cameron, 75 and vice president of the booster club, of McKinley Park.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the park at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, with local dignitaries such as Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, said Cameron.
The park will include a pavilion with space for 10 picnic tables, a labyrinth, gardens, a mile-long asphalt-covered walking path, an airplane, fire engine and police car, she said.
There's also an accessible bathroom and a parking lot with a turnaround area large enough to accommodate a bus.
The park is located at 31470 Grove Street in Fraser, north of 13 Mile Road.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.
By JERRY WOLFFE
A $300,000 grant from the state is being used to turn a Fraser park into one that is accessible to all children, including those with disabilities, a member of the Fraser First Booster Club says.
"The park will not be exclusive to youngsters with disabilities because all kids will be encouraged to play there, too," said Anna Cameron, 75 and vice president of the booster club, of McKinley Park.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the park at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, with local dignitaries such as Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, said Cameron.
The park will include a pavilion with space for 10 picnic tables, a labyrinth, gardens, a mile-long asphalt-covered walking path, an airplane, fire engine and police car, she said.
There's also an accessible bathroom and a parking lot with a turnaround area large enough to accommodate a bus.
The park is located at 31470 Grove Street in Fraser, north of 13 Mile Road.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Warren church reaching out to minister to the disabled
To find out more information, call (586) 751-1721 or
visit www.firstofwarren.com
By JERRY
WOLFFE
A Warren church will start an “inclusion ministry” program
on Oct. 1 to focus on helping fulfill the spiritual and social needs of people
with disabilities.
“Jesus was the first advocate for people with disabilities,”
said Marijo Hockley, who has earned a Master’s of Divinity degree and will
coordinate the ministry.
“We want to get people like myself that haven’t (felt
included in a faith community) and help them feel more comfortable about coming
to services and talking about God,” said Hockley of Madison Heights. She uses a
power wheelchair because she has arthrogryposis,
a congenital disability where two or more joints in the body are frozen,
eliminating range of motion.
Currently, “four
or five people with disabilities” attend the accessible church, The First
Presbyterian Church of Warren, which is located at 3000 East 12 Mile Road in
Warren.
The open house
will be from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 and attendees will have a dinner,
see a video, “God’s Beautiful Creation,” and have a time for fellowship,
Hockley said. Inclusion meetings will then be held the first Thursday of every
month thereafter.
“We want to make
sure everyone feels comfortable,” she said. “We’re hoping this program will
create a faith-space within our church that will let people with disabilities
learn to express their own unique voices as part of God’s good creation.”
The Rev. Julie
Delezenne of First Presbyterian helped Hockley win a grant from the Detroit
area Presbytery to fund the program for a year.
“When I first
started out in ministry, I didn’t want to be the ‘disabled pastor,’ but God
called me to do something and I need to show people I have been called to do
God’s work,” Hockley said.
Register on the
website or call so the church can prepare enough food for those in attendance,
Hockley said.
Jerry Wolffe
is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional
Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Warren church reaching out to minister to the disabled
Box: To find out more information, call (586) 751-1721 or
visit www.firstofwarren.com
By JERRY
WOLFFE
A Warren church will start an “inclusion ministry” program
on Oct. 1 to focus on helping fulfill the spiritual and social needs of people
with disabilities.
“Jesus was the first advocate for people with disabilities,”
said Marijo Hockley, who has earned a Master’s of Divinity degree and will
coordinate the ministry.
“We want to get people like myself that haven’t (felt
included in a faith community) and help them feel more comfortable about coming
to services and talking about God,” said Hockley of Madison Heights. She uses a
power wheelchair because she has arthrogryposis,
a congenital disability where two or more joints in the body are frozen,
eliminating range of motion.
Currently, “four
or five people with disabilities” attend the accessible church, The First
Presbyterian Church of Warren, which is located at 3000 East 12 Mile Road in
Warren.
The open house
will be from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 and attendees will have a dinner,
see a video, “God’s Beautiful Creation,” and have a time for fellowship,
Hockley said. Inclusion meetings will then be held the first Thursday of every
month thereafter.
“We want to make
sure everyone feels comfortable,” she said. “We’re hoping this program will
create a faith-space within our church that will let people with disabilities
learn to express their own unique voices as part of God’s good creation.”
The Rev. Julie
Delezenne of First Presbyterian helped Hockley win a grant from the Detroit
area Presbytery to fund the program for a year.
“When I first
started out in ministry, I didn’t want to be the ‘disabled pastor,’ but God
called me to do something and I need to show people I have been called to do
God’s work,” Hockley said.
Register on the
website or call so the church can prepare enough food for those in attendance,
Hockley said.
Jerry Wolffe
is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional
Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Robotic exoskeleton helps those paralyzed walk again
By JERRY WOLFFE
BLOOMFIELD HILLS – A 52-year-old Army veteran was on his
feet and crossed the “threshold from impossible to possible” by taking a few steps
while wearing a robotic exoskeleton.
Gene Laureano of the Bronx incurred a spinal cord injury in
2001 that left him paralyzed from the waist down when he fell 20-feet off of a
ladder while working on a welding project in Manhattan.
In early 2013, Laureano joined a clinical trial of the
device at the VA Medical Center in his hometown. After being told he’d never
walk again, he used the exoskeleton and “stood up. I knew I was about to cross
the threshold from impossible to possible.”
He demonstrated the $77,000 exoskeleton at the Oakland Hills
Country Club in Bloomfield Hills to the media in mid-September.
After putting on the 50-pound device, he pressed a button
and he was lifted up. The exoskeleton is like braces that surround each leg and
there’s a thick strong waist harness that holds the torso upright. Laureano
uses crutches when walking with the exoskeleton to keep his balance.
The demonstration was sponsored by Fitness Therapy Unlimited
of Troy, a provider of massage, land
and aquatic therapy for those with
chronic and acute physical conditions or disability caused by auto accidents or
chronic conditions, said CEO Greg Kirk.
Craig Peters of Milwaukee, a physical
therapist for ReWalk Robotics, Ltd., said the exoskeleton was approved after
four years of effort by the FDA on June 26, 2014.
“It’s the only one of its kind cleared
for use in the home or in public,” he said in an interview. “It does take a
fair amount of upper body strength.”
Fitness Therapy works with potential
users of the exoskeleton to get their trunks, arms, and shoulders strong enough
to help balance themselves using crutches. The high-tech device has several microprocessors
to control motion of the joints in the hips, knees, and ankles.
“Some people spend a large majority of
their day in the device and others use it for exercise,” said Peters. “The
maximum use per day is usually 3.5 hours.”
Kirk of Fitness Therapy said the
advantages of the exoskeleton include getting a person’s body back in motion, reduced
pain, improved bladder, and bowel function, increased bone density, reduced chance
of developing decubiti ulcers on the buttocks and the psychological benefit of
being able to stand up and look someone in the eye.
The device was invented by Israeli
founder of Argo Medical Technologies, Dr. Amit Goffer who has quadriplegia. The
only manufacturer in the United States is ReWalk of Marlborough, Mass. Other manufacturers are in Germany and Israel.
Two Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will cover
the cost of the device, Peters said, but refused to say where the insurers were
located. However, he said efforts are under way to get “approval from No Fault
insurance for purchase of the exoskeleton” so more people who have paralysis
can get back on their feet.
Jerry
Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland
Regional Center.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Some $120,000 raised in community to keep Lahser respite home open
By Elizabeth Scussel of C&G Newspapers
BEVERLY HILLS/ROYAL OAK — The Lahser Respite Home, in Beverly Hills, will remain fully operational for the upcoming year, Judson Center officials say.
The announcement was made three months after news that the home may close its doors indefinitely.
Kelli Dobner, vice president and chief development officer for the Judson Center, said that thanks to donations from the community and a number of local businesses, they were able to reach their goal of $120,000 — the home’s yearly operating cost.
“We even had kids coming out of the woodwork to help,” Dobner said, explaining that one young boy came in and emptied his piggybank, while another girl gave a single dollar for the cause. Another group of children, she said, held a drive and collected 6,000 bottles and cans — resulting in a $600 donation.
“It’s really inspiring and energizing. It’s heartwarming,” Dobner said. “We never thought this could happen — this outpour from the community, this fundraising campaign. We realized we’re not alone in this. People really care about the services we provide.”
For more than nine decades, the Judson Center has offered services to aid children, adults and families impacted by autism, developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, abuse and neglect.
Annually, the Judson Center helps more than 6,000 people through programs for children and adults, including counseling and therapy, social groups, vocational services, foster care and more.
While private pay is an option at LRH, financial aid is offered through the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center — a state agency providing services and support for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Due to a decline in mental health funding, state money covers about 50-60 percent of the yearly operating cost of the home, and LRH must raise the additional funds to keep the home running.
The LRH serves as Judson Center’s only respite home in Oakland County and assists 45 families, which, due to the budget cuts, is a decrease from last year’s 61 families. The home also serves as the only respite home in Oakland County for youth ages 18 and younger.
Comfort, care and activities are provided at the home, offering a break to family members and caregivers.
The services provided at LRH, Dobner said, are a necessity, as caring for someone with a mental or physical disability can be unbelievably taxing on families.
News of the home remaining open is travelling quickly around the community.
“(The families) are just overjoyed,” Dobnew said. “A number of the parents were crying. Tears were coming to their eyes immediately. They were just overwhelmed. Lahser is a lifeline for many of these families. One parent actually said, ‘It fills my heart to the point of bursting.’”
One woman overjoyed with the news is Nora Bushman, whose 21-year-old son has frequented the home for more than a decade.
“When I heard it was staying open, I burst out in tears,” she said.
Bushman’s son, Blake, has had a neurological disorder since birth, is nonverbal and portrays autism-like characteristics.
The home, she said, not only allows her extra freedom, but it also exposes her son to other situations and environments.
The closing of LRH would not only send a ripple through the lives of the parents and their children, Busman said, it’s also a matter of the home’s care staff losing their jobs.
“We love the staff,” she said. “Everyone there has been so supportive, and there’s not a huge turnover rate. You see the same faces there for years.”
Bushman said she — as most parents are — was hesitant and leery of leaving her son in the care of someone else.
For parents feeling that way, Bushman said to take baby steps.
“Once I became comfortable sending him there, I thought, ‘Why didn’t I use this before?’ she said. “Just give it a try.”
As of now, annual fundraising efforts must be made in order to keep LRH fully functional, but as far as future fundraising is concerned, Dobner said she’s feeling confident because of the communal outpour they have already received.
“We just have the most immense and deep gratitude at the Judson Center for these true community efforts. My words cannot do it justice, just so much gratitude for how much they care.”
LRH offers accommodations for six children between the ages of 5 and 17, and their stays can last anywhere from four hours to several days. If a child begins service at LRH before the age of 17, the home will provide services until he or she reaches the age of 26.
BEVERLY HILLS/ROYAL OAK — The Lahser Respite Home, in Beverly Hills, will remain fully operational for the upcoming year, Judson Center officials say.
The announcement was made three months after news that the home may close its doors indefinitely.
Kelli Dobner, vice president and chief development officer for the Judson Center, said that thanks to donations from the community and a number of local businesses, they were able to reach their goal of $120,000 — the home’s yearly operating cost.
“We even had kids coming out of the woodwork to help,” Dobner said, explaining that one young boy came in and emptied his piggybank, while another girl gave a single dollar for the cause. Another group of children, she said, held a drive and collected 6,000 bottles and cans — resulting in a $600 donation.
“It’s really inspiring and energizing. It’s heartwarming,” Dobner said. “We never thought this could happen — this outpour from the community, this fundraising campaign. We realized we’re not alone in this. People really care about the services we provide.”
For more than nine decades, the Judson Center has offered services to aid children, adults and families impacted by autism, developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, abuse and neglect.
Annually, the Judson Center helps more than 6,000 people through programs for children and adults, including counseling and therapy, social groups, vocational services, foster care and more.
While private pay is an option at LRH, financial aid is offered through the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center — a state agency providing services and support for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Due to a decline in mental health funding, state money covers about 50-60 percent of the yearly operating cost of the home, and LRH must raise the additional funds to keep the home running.
The LRH serves as Judson Center’s only respite home in Oakland County and assists 45 families, which, due to the budget cuts, is a decrease from last year’s 61 families. The home also serves as the only respite home in Oakland County for youth ages 18 and younger.
Comfort, care and activities are provided at the home, offering a break to family members and caregivers.
The services provided at LRH, Dobner said, are a necessity, as caring for someone with a mental or physical disability can be unbelievably taxing on families.
News of the home remaining open is travelling quickly around the community.
“(The families) are just overjoyed,” Dobnew said. “A number of the parents were crying. Tears were coming to their eyes immediately. They were just overwhelmed. Lahser is a lifeline for many of these families. One parent actually said, ‘It fills my heart to the point of bursting.’”
One woman overjoyed with the news is Nora Bushman, whose 21-year-old son has frequented the home for more than a decade.
“When I heard it was staying open, I burst out in tears,” she said.
Bushman’s son, Blake, has had a neurological disorder since birth, is nonverbal and portrays autism-like characteristics.
The home, she said, not only allows her extra freedom, but it also exposes her son to other situations and environments.
The closing of LRH would not only send a ripple through the lives of the parents and their children, Busman said, it’s also a matter of the home’s care staff losing their jobs.
“We love the staff,” she said. “Everyone there has been so supportive, and there’s not a huge turnover rate. You see the same faces there for years.”
Bushman said she — as most parents are — was hesitant and leery of leaving her son in the care of someone else.
For parents feeling that way, Bushman said to take baby steps.
“Once I became comfortable sending him there, I thought, ‘Why didn’t I use this before?’ she said. “Just give it a try.”
As of now, annual fundraising efforts must be made in order to keep LRH fully functional, but as far as future fundraising is concerned, Dobner said she’s feeling confident because of the communal outpour they have already received.
“We just have the most immense and deep gratitude at the Judson Center for these true community efforts. My words cannot do it justice, just so much gratitude for how much they care.”
LRH offers accommodations for six children between the ages of 5 and 17, and their stays can last anywhere from four hours to several days. If a child begins service at LRH before the age of 17, the home will provide services until he or she reaches the age of 26.
LHR is located in Beverly Hills. For more information on the Judson Center or to get involved, visit www.judsoncenter.org. To reach the LHR, call (248) 646-1297.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
DOJ issues guidelines on testing for those with disabilities
By JERRY WOLFFE
The Justice Department today issued
technical assistance on the obligation of testing entities, both private
and public, to ensure that the test scores of individuals with disabilities
accurately reflect the individual's aptitude, achievement, or the skill that
the exam purports to measure, rather than his or her disability.
The
document discusses who is entitled to testing accommodations, what types of
testing accommodations must be provided, and what documentation may be required
of the person requesting testing accommodations. The document also discusses
prohibited flagging policies and how test scores for test-takers receiving
disability-related accommodations should be reported.
For a copy of the Guidance Document or to
find out more about the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice
Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383
(TDD).
Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Micghigan job recovery "still a myth"
Labor Day report shows Michigan’s economic recovery still a myth
Despite the continued decline in Michigan’s unemployment rate, a new report finds the economic recovery many are celebrating, overlooks those who have quit looking for employment.
The Michigan League for Public Policy’s report released Sept. 3, “Labor Day Report: Economic Recovery Eludes Many Michigan Families,” found that many Michigan workers have simply given up looking for work or have left the state to pursue employment elsewhere.
Many of those employed in the state have had to take part-time or low-wage jobs and are still struggling to make ends meet, and unemployment and low wages continue to disproportionately affect people of color, it said.
The latest jobless rate in Michigan was July when 5.3 percent of the state’s workforce was unemployed. More recent figures are to be released later this month.
By contrast, 71 percent of people with disabilities are not in the workforce, according to
“I am as happy as the next person to see our state’s unemployment rate go down, but we can’t all put on rose-colored glasses and lose sight of the real economic struggles that are persisting in Michigan,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, MLPP President and CEO.
“A third of our state’s unemployed have been out of work for more than half a year. Our state has lost nearly half a million workers since 2000. Unemployment for African-Americans is nearly 10 percent higher than it is for white workers, with their median wages almost $5 less (an hour). That doesn’t sound like recovery to me.”
The report makes several policy recommendations to bring true economic recovery for all to the state, including modernizing the unemployment system, more funding adult education and training, restoring financial aid grants for older students and raising the minimum wage.
Unemployment is down and the number of jobs is up in Michigan, but a closer analysis reveals that many of the jobs created in recent years have been low-wage, part-time jobs. Currently, 25 percent of adult workers are in low-wage jobs and 32.4 percent of working families in Michigan are low income, perpetuating the high poverty rate in the state. Michigan’s long-term unemployment rate is also still steep, with 34.8 percent of jobless workers in the state being unemployed for six months or more, said Jacobs.
In looking at the racial disparities in unemployment and wages, the Labor Day report showed that in 2014, unemployment for white workers was at 5.7 percent, with unemployment for African-Americans being almost 10 percent higher at 15.8 percent. Unemployment for Hispanic workers was 8.8 percent. In addition, for 2014, the median wages for African-Americans were $11.79 an hour, or $4.32 less an hour than the media wages for white workers.
“If we are going to truly turn our state’s economy around, we have to look at the big picture,” Jacobs said. “We need policies that reduce unemployment by creating jobs, not losing workers, and close the gap between low-income workers and the rest of the state.”
For more information, visit www.mlpp.org.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.
The Michigan League for Public Policy’s report released Sept. 3, “Labor Day Report: Economic Recovery Eludes Many Michigan Families,” found that many Michigan workers have simply given up looking for work or have left the state to pursue employment elsewhere.
Many of those employed in the state have had to take part-time or low-wage jobs and are still struggling to make ends meet, and unemployment and low wages continue to disproportionately affect people of color, it said.
The latest jobless rate in Michigan was July when 5.3 percent of the state’s workforce was unemployed. More recent figures are to be released later this month.
By contrast, 71 percent of people with disabilities are not in the workforce, according to
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“A third of our state’s unemployed have been out of work for more than half a year. Our state has lost nearly half a million workers since 2000. Unemployment for African-Americans is nearly 10 percent higher than it is for white workers, with their median wages almost $5 less (an hour). That doesn’t sound like recovery to me.”
The report makes several policy recommendations to bring true economic recovery for all to the state, including modernizing the unemployment system, more funding adult education and training, restoring financial aid grants for older students and raising the minimum wage.
Unemployment is down and the number of jobs is up in Michigan, but a closer analysis reveals that many of the jobs created in recent years have been low-wage, part-time jobs. Currently, 25 percent of adult workers are in low-wage jobs and 32.4 percent of working families in Michigan are low income, perpetuating the high poverty rate in the state. Michigan’s long-term unemployment rate is also still steep, with 34.8 percent of jobless workers in the state being unemployed for six months or more, said Jacobs.
In looking at the racial disparities in unemployment and wages, the Labor Day report showed that in 2014, unemployment for white workers was at 5.7 percent, with unemployment for African-Americans being almost 10 percent higher at 15.8 percent. Unemployment for Hispanic workers was 8.8 percent. In addition, for 2014, the median wages for African-Americans were $11.79 an hour, or $4.32 less an hour than the media wages for white workers.
“If we are going to truly turn our state’s economy around, we have to look at the big picture,” Jacobs said. “We need policies that reduce unemployment by creating jobs, not losing workers, and close the gap between low-income workers and the rest of the state.”
For more information, visit www.mlpp.org.
Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.
DOJ issue guidelines on rights of those living with HIV/AIDS
By JERRY WOLFFE
The Department of Justice has published a new tri-fold brochure, Protecting the Rights of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS | (PDF), to explain the rights of persons with HIV/AIDS under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the requirements of the ADA for employers, businesses, non-profit agencies, and State and local governments with respect to persons with HIV/AIDS.
The two-sided brochure (print using “Tablet” setting) summarizes the more detailed Questions and Answers: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Persons with HIV/AIDS |PDF. Duplication and wide distribution of both is encouraged.
To find out more about the Department’s efforts to fight discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, including how to file a complaint of HIV/AIDS discrimination, visit ADA.gov/AIDS or call the Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).
Jerry Wolffe is the advocate-at-large, writer-in-residence at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
TRIBUTE TO A MAN WHO INSPIRED OTHERS
(Editor's note from Jerry Wolffe: Michael Marchand, who died July 4 at age 48, was the son of Tom Marchand, one of the first parent advocates for children with disabilities, and the late Sylvia Marchand. This is a tribute a friend wrote.)
[
"Tribute to Michael"
He loved to go for a long car ride,
always the first to hop inside,
awkward of gait and powerless to speak,
along with the car he broke free to seek,
Momentum, Grace, Power and Direction,
some thought him luckless in the Game of Life,
denied a vocation, children and wife,
Still his very being bore a special purpose,
Though not apparent at the surface,
Like all good and worthy souls,
Michael had much to teach us
about enjoying life and reaching goals."
[
"Tribute to Michael"
He loved to go for a long car ride,
always the first to hop inside,
awkward of gait and powerless to speak,
along with the car he broke free to seek,
Momentum, Grace, Power and Direction,
some thought him luckless in the Game of Life,
denied a vocation, children and wife,
Still his very being bore a special purpose,
Though not apparent at the surface,
Like all good and worthy souls,
Michael had much to teach us
about enjoying life and reaching goals."
Monday, August 24, 2015
Labor secretary to join fight for $15 an hour minimum wage
(credit: The Huffington Post)
WASHINGTON -- Fast-food workers who are
hoping to raise the minimum wage will find an ally in the Obama White House
this week, with Labor Secretary Tom Perez traveling to Detroit on Tuesday (8.25) to
show his solidarity with the so-called Fight for $15.
"I'm proud to stand with the Fight for
15 movement," Perez told The Huffington Post Monday. "And it really is a
movement. It's for shared prosperity."
The union-backed Fight for $15 and
its allies have roiled the service sector with intermittent strikes over the
past three years, demanding a $15 wage floor and union recognition. The sight
of large-scale protests has helped spur vast increases in the minimum wage in
cities and states around the country, most recently in New York, where the state's wage board moved
to set a $15 minimum for fast-food workers.
Some Michigan workers have a vested interest in the outcome. For example, the hourly pay of caregivers of those with disabilities or mental illness in Michigan is only $9.06 an hour. And, as funding from Michigan's general fund and Oakland County Community Mental Health is diminished, the chances of higher wages becomes more improbable, Jerry Wolffe, an advocate at large for those with disabilities added.
Perez' support of the workers shouldn't be
read as an endorsement of a federal $15 wage floor -- the White House and Labor
Department instead back a $12 proposal recently put forth by Congressional
Democrats -- but the labor secretary said he views the Fight for $15 as a model
for how workers can boost wages by banding together.
"People are increasingly understanding
that they're taking it on the chin at work," Perez said. "If you
battle your boss alone, it's a heck of a lot harder to succeed. But when you
work in concert with fellow workers not just in your workplace but across
sectors, that's how you succeed."
Perez plans to meet with Detroit workers from
various fast-food chains as well as officials from the local branch of the
AFL-CIO labor federation on Tuesday. Labor unions, and in particular the
Service Employees International Union, have been instrumental in the fast-food
strikes and local wage campaigns, pumping money and organizational support into
them.
President Barack Obama has occasionally made
a point of acknowledging the recent successes of fast-food workers in his
economic speeches, but Perez' trip to Detroit may be the White House's clearest
endorsement yet of the Fight for $15 campaign. The labor secretary's trip
dovetails with a summit the White House will host in October around the
concept of "worker voice," where officials plan to highlight the
value of collective action in the workplace, including including ways that
don't formally include labor unions and contracts.
That would presumably include the Fight for
$15. Although backed by unions, the campaign so far has not unionized any
fast-food restaurants. Instead, its success has come most explicitly through
legislatures and the ballot box. While a $15 minimum wage seemed practically
inconceivable not long ago, it is fast becoming the law in liberal cities such
as Seattle and Los Angeles. Many states have rushed to pass more modest but
still significant raises, with a majority of states now having a higher minimum wage than
the federal level of $7.25. Michigan's minimum wage is $8.15 an hour, except for those who receives tips on their jobs.
With a federal minimum wage hike blocked by
Republicans, the White House has been trying to encourage cities and states to
raise the wage floor on their own in lieu of congressional action. Perez said
he believes the $15 measures in large cities have been "very
appropriate," though he added that local jurisdictions should know what's
proper for their own economies.
"I believe the folks in those areas are
in the best position to know what's best for their communities," he said.
"I think we need a federal floor that gets people above the poverty line,
but we also need actions elsewhere."
He added that the doomsday predictions about
higher minimum wages haven't come to pass, pointing to Seattle, which he
visited as the city enacted its $15 measure. By most accounts, the service
industry is learning to live with the city's rising wage floor.
"I didn't see restaurants closing
down," Perez said. "If the critics are correct, I should have brought
a bag lunch."
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Voices of Disabilities: Futures Foundation Gala set for Oct. 9 in Troy
@Voices of Disabilities: Futures Foundation Gala set for Oct. 9 in Troy: The Futures Foundation's 17 th Annual Giving Back to the Futures Gala will be held on on Friday, Oct. 9 at the San Marino Club i...
Futures Foundation Gala set for Oct. 9 in Troy
The Futures Foundation's 17th
Annual Giving Back to the Futures Gala will be held on on Friday, Oct. 9, at the San Marino Club in Troy.
The foundation is the fundraising arm of the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, the second largest nonprofit in Michigan which provides services so some 5,000 people with disabilities and mental illness can live in the community.
The RJ Spangler Jazz Quartet will perform during the cocktail hour and The Pulse Band will fill the evening hours with music.
This year’s Gala will feature a silent auction. In the past, many MORC staff and/or departments contributed to the
auction by submitting baskets representing a diverse array of items.
If you plan to submit an item, please let the Futures Foundation's Interim Executive Director Lindsay Calcatera or Director of Development Janaea Smith know as soon as possible so they can better plan for the event. Also, if you know of any friends, businesses, or contacts who may be willing to submit an item for the silent auction, please let us know those as well.
Tickets for the event are $100 apiece. Call Smith at (586) 464 2610 to order tickets or any other information about the gala.
If you plan to submit an item, please let the Futures Foundation's Interim Executive Director Lindsay Calcatera or Director of Development Janaea Smith know as soon as possible so they can better plan for the event. Also, if you know of any friends, businesses, or contacts who may be willing to submit an item for the silent auction, please let us know those as well.
Tickets for the event are $100 apiece. Call Smith at (586) 464 2610 to order tickets or any other information about the gala.
Jerry Wolffe, the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at MORC can be reached at (586) 263-8950.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Former President Carter says U.S. no longer a democracy
Former President Jimmy Carter (1976-80) says the Supreme Court case, Citizens United "violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it's just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to governors and U.S. senators and congress members.
"So now we've just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election's over," Carter continued, according to The Intercept. "The incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody's who's already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody who's just a challenger."
(posted by Jerry Wolffe)
"So now we've just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election's over," Carter continued, according to The Intercept. "The incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody's who's already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody who's just a challenger."
(posted by Jerry Wolffe)
Friday, July 31, 2015
About 20 percent of Amerians have a disability, USA Today says CDC reports
(posted
by JERRY WOLFFE)
Jennifer Calfas, USA TODAY9:54
a.m. EDT July 31, 2015
278CONNECT 135TWEET 29LINKEDIN 11COMMENTEMAILMORE
CDC: 1 in 5 American adults live with a disability
One in five American adults have at least one kind of
disability, according to a report from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday.
The study, drawn from 2013 data, says 53 million Americans
have a disability.
“We know disability types and related challenges can vary,” said
Elizabeth Courtney-Long, a health scientist with CDC’s National Center on Birth
Defects and Developmental Disabilities. “In order to understand and address
their needs, we need to understand their diverse circumstances. This report
provides a snapshot into that.”
The findings come days after the 25th anniversary of the
implementation of the Americans
with Disabilities Act , which prohibits the discrimination of someone
because of his or her disability in the workplace, transportation, telecommunications, and places of public accommodation, said Jerry Wolffe, an ADA Phase II Implementer who was trained by DOJ and EEOC to help implement and teach the law after it was signed 25 years ago.
The researchers defined a disability as a self-reported
impairment in one or more of five areas: vision, cognition, mobility, self-care
or independent living. For people to have one or several of these disabilities,
the study says they have to identify with the specific qualifications the
researchers defined in questions.
The study defines a disability with vision as blindness or
difficulty in seeing with glasses on. A disability for the cognition category
means having a hard time with memory or making decisions due to a
physical, mental or condition. For mobility, a disability entails having
difficulty while climbing stairs. A self-care category means needing help
dressing or bathing, and an independent living disability was defined as
needing help to run errands.
The study is also the first state-by-state analysis of
Americans with disabilities from CDC. The report found Southern states often had
higher percentages of people with disabilities. For example, in Alabama,
Mississippi and Tennessee, 31.5%, 31.4% and 31.4%, respectively, of the state
adult population has a disability.
Southern states are also more likely to have chronic diseases,
including heart disease and diabetes.
The percentage of Americans in Midwestern and Northern states
were nearly half those from Southern states. In Minnesota and Alaska, 16.4% and
17.7% of state residents, respectively, reported a disability.
The report also found adults who have lower education levels,
lower income or are unemployed were more likely to have a disability. Broken
down by race, the study revealed African American and Hispanic Americans were
more likely to have a disability than white Americans.
Carol Glazer, president of the National Organization on
Disability, a non-profit dedicated to the disabled community in the U.S., told
USA TODAY the findings should be viewed to see how disability affects income
and unemployment levels.
The non-profit's research has found that 20% of people with
disabilities have a job, while 69% of people without disabilities are employed.
However, younger Americans with disabilities have nearly the same access
to education as children without disabilities, Glazer said. Glazer is
optimistic that more educated and disabled individuals will lead to more
employment among the disabled community.
"Where education goes, employment will follow,"
she said.
The CDC partners with several national and state disabilities
programs, including the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program and the
National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability, among others.
Courtney-Long, a co-author on the CDC report, said she believes
the report will allow public health officials to understand the prevalence
of Americans with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act, which President
George H.W. Bush signed into law on July 26, 1990, opened doors
to people with disabilities to enter the workforce without discrimination
and creation of more accessible locations and working conditions.
“By prohibiting discrimination and ensuring opportunity, the ADA
has opened doors and brought dreams within reach,” said Attorney General Loretta
Lynch at an anniversary event on July 23. “It has made our
workforce stronger and our society more inclusive. And it has enhanced our
nation’s understanding and recognition of all that Americans with disabilities
can achieve when they are given more and nothing less than an opportunity to
contribute on equal terms.”
The findings also come during the Special Olympics World Games
held in Los Angeles. About 6,500 athletes from 165 countries gathered this
year for the event, which has occurred since 1968. Individuals with
intellectual disabilities participate in the Games each year.
“My husband and I have seen Americans unite in so many ways
across the country,” said first lady Michelle
Obama at the Opening Ceremony on July 25. “These Games are a
perfect reflection of that unity. They show us that we’re all in this together
– that we can lift up our friends and neighbors, and that we can bring out the
best in each other to reach even higher heights.”
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Program to employ those with disabilities found to be fraudulent
From Cable News Network
Jerry Wolffe's Voices Blog
Jerry Wolffe's Voices Blog
The nation's premier federal program that provides work for people who are severely disabled is mired in widespread corruption, financial fraud and violations of the law, numerous sources tell CNN. And instead of helping the severely disabled find work, the taxpayer-funded agency is at times allowing jobs to be taken away from the disabled, the sources say.
AbilityOne, along with the nonprofit agency that manages its program for the severely disabled, SourceAmerica, are being investigated by authorities for illegal operations, financial fraud, mismanagement, operating in violation of the law, steering of contracts, and possibly obstruction of justice. Several inside sources tell CNN the program is among the worst cases of its type they've ever seen in a federal agency.
CNN has learned the U.S. Department of Justice has begun its own investigation into the various allegations. In addition, at least four separate inspectors general offices have active investigations into AbilityOne and SourceAmerica. The OIG from the General Services Administration, Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration are among those investigating, all led by the Office of Inspector General from the State Department.
What is AbilityOne?
The AbilityOne program was first created with ambitious, altruistic goals by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress in 1938 to help give jobs to the blind.
The AbilityOne program funnels about $3 billion per year of taxpayer money to fund contracts for goods and services across the country. For a company to get a contract with AbilityOne, 75 percent of that company's work must be performed by blind or severely disabled employees, who cannot work in a normal job.
But CNN has learned that as many as half the companies contracting with SourceAmerica under AbilityOne may be operating in violation of the law, without enough severely disabled employees, according to sources with knowledge of the program. There are no such allegations of wrongdoing with AbilityOne's contracts for blind people.
What this means is the program responsible for making sure severely disabled people are being hired with taxpayer money through federal contracts is not enforcing or following the law, according to numerous inside sources with knowledge of the organization.
AbilityOne is run by a commission made up of presidential appointees. While they must approve all contracts, sources tell CNN they are essentially a "rubber stamp," for the referrals sent to them by SourceAmerica, which essentially operates independently with contracts for the severely disabled. So, one key allegation is that SourceAmerica, a nonprofit agency with virtually no oversight other than AbilityOne, largely decides how roughly $2.3 billion in U.S. taxpayer money is spent, according to numerous sources.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Many automakers both domestic and foreign will help pay for hand controls to drive...
By JERRY WOLFFE
It's not supposed to be a secret but it seems that way: Many automakers will pay between $500 and $1,000 to help a person with a disability pay for hand controls or to offset the cost of a wheelchair lift if he or she buys a vehicle.
Here's a quick list of the companies and how to contact them, as posted on the Florida company Website of Harmar
[
It's not supposed to be a secret but it seems that way: Many automakers will pay between $500 and $1,000 to help a person with a disability pay for hand controls or to offset the cost of a wheelchair lift if he or she buys a vehicle.
Here's a quick list of the companies and how to contact them, as posted on the Florida company Website of Harmar
[
Mobility Reimbursement Program
Many automobile manufacturers offer mobility programs established to provide cash reimbursements for the installation of adaptive equipment in any new vehicle purchase or lease. Please call the manufacturer's or visit their websites for more information.Acura Mobility Program
The Acura Mobility Program is proud to support the mobility needs of drivers and passengers with physical disabilities. For more information, contact Acura Customer Service at 1-800-382-2238Chrysler Automobility Program
The Chrysler Automobility Program provides up to $1,000 in financial assistance toward the installation of adaptive equipment on new Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Please contact Automobility Program Headquarters at (800) 255-9877 or any U.S. Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep dealership for more details.Ford Mobility Program
Ford Mobility Motoring offers financial assistance of $1,200 toward the cost of the installation of adaptive equipment on a new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle. The program also offers Ford Credit Mobility Financing and comprehensive Roadside Assistance. To begin the Ford Mobility Motoring process, contact the Ford Mobility Motoring Customer Care Center at 1-800-952-2248.GM Mobility Program with OnStar
Get up to $1,000 reimbursement ($1,200 on Chevy Express/GMC Savana vans) PLUS 2 extra years of the OnStar safety and security service when you buy or lease an eligible new GM vehicle (except Cadillac) and install eligible adaptive equipment (e.g., hand controls, scooter hoist, wheelchair lift). Vehicle must be adapted and a claim submitted within 12 months of the vehicle purchase/lease date. To learn more, please visit our web site or call us toll-free at 1-800-323-9935 (TTY users 1-800-833-9935).Honda Mobility Program
In addition to the printable format of the form on the Honda web site, forms are also available at your local Honda dealer or upon request from Automobile Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009.Jaguar Mobility Program
The Jaguar Mobility Headquarters can assist in locating assessment centers, equipment dealers and installers, and potential resources for financial assistance. For further information on the Jaguar Mobility Program call 1-800-207-5517 or TTY 1-800-833-0312 .Lexus Mobility Program
This offer applies to all purchased or leased new 2001 and later Lexus vehicles. Leased vehicles require advance written approval from the lessor of adaptive equipment installations. Questions? Please call Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-255-3987 or 1-800-443-4999 (TDD).Toyota Mobility Program
The Toyota Mobility Program supports the mobility needs of Toyota owners and/or family members with physical disabilities. Please contact the Toyota Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-331-4331.Volvo Mobility Program
Mobility by Volvo is a logical extension of the Care by Volvo philosophy that travels from the Volvo retailer to your driveway. The goal is to assist persons who are mobility challenged or hearing impaired so their transportation needs can be met within the extraordinary comfort and safety of a specially adapted Volvo. To begin the process and learn more, you can contact the Mobility by Volvo Center at 1-800-803-5222.Volkswagon Mobility Program
Volkswagen will refund up to $1000 on the purchase or lease of a new Volkswagen vehicle if vehicle access or ramp equipment is installed. For more information, contact Volkswagen of America at 1-800-DRIVE VW.
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