On March 24, 2009 Representative Danny Davis (D-IL) [H.R. 1670] and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) [S. 683] reintroduced the Community Choice Act (CCA) in Congress. This bill would provide people with disabilities and seniors with the option of receiving home support services rather than having to go into nursing homes and institutions.
In the United States, it’s your entitlement to live in a nursing home and have the costs paid for by Medicaid. It’s not your right to choose to live at home. Because of this disparity, the disabled are more or less being incarcerated without ever committing a crime.
People with disabilities – both old and young – even those with severe mental and/or physical disabilities want services in the most integrated setting possible. Overwhelmingly, people prefer community services so they can stay in their own home.
During his campaign last year, President Obama promised the disability community that if elected, he would work for prompt passage of the CCA. Instead of working to accomplish prompt passage of the CCA, however, the Obama administration has indicated that it wants to address health care reform first.
This is not just another political issue that can be pushed aside. It is a matter of basic human rights and needs to be treated as such. Health care reform cannot be complete without addressing the institutional bias that currently exists.
On March 24, 2009 Representative Danny Davis (D-IL) [H.R. 1670] and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) [S. 683] reintroduced the Community Choice Act (CCA) in Congress. This bill would provide people with disabilities and seniors with the option of receiving home support services rather than having to go into nursing homes and institutions.
Our long-term service system must change. Created over forty years ago, it is funded mainly by Medicare and Medicaid dollars; medical dollars not originally meant to meet people’s long-term care needs. We must think out of the box to empower people and allow REAL choices.
Our country needs to give people with disabilities and seniors the real choice of living in their community, and the Community Choice Act would do that. Community choice would also create jobs for people who can work as personal care attendants.
People with disabilities – both old and young – even those with severe mental and/or physical disabilities want services in the most integrated setting possible. Overwhelmingly, people prefer community services so they can stay in their own home.
The Community Choice Act would guarantee individual choice as well as provide a real savings in economically troubled times. The CCA will protect the human right of people with disabilities to live in their own homes, instead of being forced into institutions or nursing homes. It will also save America money because community based supports cost far less than what it takes to live in a nursing home. We can no longer deny our citizens the right to live where they choose.
Let your federal representatives know that you support the Community Choice Act. If they’ve already sponsored the bill, thank them and ask them to make sure it included in health care reform. If they haven’t sponsered it, let them know you would like them to sign on to the Community Choice Act and make it part of health care reform this year.
How do you spell power? A-D-A-P-T. I became very familiar with this alternative spelling last week during the ADAPT Action in Washington DC.
This was my first experience with ADAPT. As Communications Director for Disability Options Network, a CIL in New Castle, PA since November, I’m fairly new at the Independent Living movement. Although I know a little about ADAPT and it’s culture I was completely unprepared for what I was to experience in DC.
I realized that ADAPT is the “militant” wing of the disabled rights movement. I didn’t realize, however, the level of commitment that these folks practice. It was a very powerful experience. Seeing people in wheelchairs handcuff themselves to the White House fence pretty much blew my mind.
These people mean what they say. They back it up with action. Sometimes such action is required to get the point across. They definitely got their point across in Washington D.C. last week.
I enjoyed the experience immensely. I learned a lot from some of the most experienced people in the IL movement, I made a lot of new friends and I became part of the ADAPT family.
Oh, I also learned that power is spelled A-D-A-P-T.
