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The Council for Disability Rights |
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June 2006
Most Disabled Americans Have Jobs By Stephen Ohlemacher WASHINGTON — More than half the nation's disabled people hold jobs, but they often have lower incomes and less education and are less likely to have health insurance than people without disabilities, the government said Friday. Nearly one in five Americans — about 51 million people — had physical or mental disabilities in 2002, according to the Census Bureau. About 33 million of them had severe disabilities. The likelihood of disabilities, not surprisingly, increased with age: Fewer than one in 10 people 15 and younger had a disability, while more than half of those 65 and older - and 72 percent of those 80 and older - had them. "The primary obstacle that people with intellectual disabilities face is the attitudes of people around them," said Chris Privett, a spokesman for The Arc, a service and advocacy group for people with disabilities. "Once people understand that someone with an intellectual disability is not as different from anyone else as they would assume, things get simpler." The Census Bureau surveyed 26,800 households for the report, asking people about their health and if they had difficulty performing various tasks, said Sharon Stern, chief of the bureau's poverty and health statistics branch. People were classified as disabled if they had difficulty performing tasks such as seeing, hearing, bathing or doing light housework, or if they had conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or autism. They were considered to have severe disabilities if they were unable to perform any of those tasks, or if they had severe cases of specific conditions. About 56 percent of disabled adults, ages 21 to 64, had jobs in 2002. Among those with severe disabilities, 43 percent had jobs. "People are starting to look more at people's abilities instead of their disability," Privett said. "But in the advocacy community, our work is far from finished." The first President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, outlawing discrimination against people with disabilities and promising them access to buildings, services and transportation. Since then, schools have added elevators, private companies have erected Braille signs and employers have been prohibited from denying jobs to disabled workers. Karen Wolffe, director of professional development at the American Foundation for the Blind, credits the law with raising awareness of people with disabilities. "I can remember when I was a kid. We didn't have cutouts in the sidewalk for people with wheelchairs," Wolffe said. "Now, people are accustomed to Braille in the elevators and they are accustomed to ramps." Wolffe, however, said many employers still are wary of hiring disabled workers because they are worried about getting sued if they later discipline them or deny them a promotion. Among working age adults who were blind or had limited vision, 55 percent had jobs in 2002, according to the census report. Among all working age adults, 83 percent had jobs. Among the report's other findings:
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More Than 50 Million Americans Report Some Level of Disability About 18 percent of Americans in 2002 said they had a disability, and 12 percent had a severe disability, according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Among people with disabilities, more than half of those 21 to 64 years old had a job, more than 4-in-10 of those ages 15 to 64 used a computer at home and a quarter of those age 25 to 64 had a college degree. "The demographic snapshots contained in this report help planners and decision-makers assess the needs of this important segment of our population," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon. Americans with Disabilities: 2002 [PDF] was compiled from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Approximately 51.2 million people said they had a disability; for 32.5 million of them, the disability was severe. About 56 percent of people ages 21 to 64 who had a disability were employed at some point in the one-year period prior to the interview. People with a severe disability status reported the lowest employment rate (42 percent). This compared with the employment rates of people with a non-severe disability (82 percent) and those with no reported disability (88 percent). Similarly, 32 percent of people ages 25 to 64 with a non-severe disability and 22 percent with a severe disability were college graduates. The corresponding rate for those without a disability was 43 percent. Among other findings, people with a severe disability had an increased likelihood of having Medicare or Medicaid coverage, living below the poverty level, reporting their health status to be "fair or poor," receiving public assistance and having a household income below $20,000. For instance, the poverty rate for people 25 to 64 with no disability was 8 percent, compared with 11 percent for those with a non-severe disability and 26 percent for people with a severe disability. The report defines a person as having a disability if they have difficulty performing a specific activity such as seeing, hearing, bathing or doing light housework, or had a specified condition, such as Alzheimer's disease or autism. People are considered to have a severe disability if they are completely unable to perform one or more of these tasks or activities, need personal assistance or have one of the severe conditions described in the report. Other highlights:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office, (301) 763-3030, US Census Bureau News, US Department of Commerce Washington, D.C. 20233 VSA arts and Volkswagen of America Call for Entries "Destination Anywhere" is a national exhibit for young artists with disabilities. Applications must be postmarked no later than July 14, 2006. VSA arts and Volkswagen of America are seeking artwork from young Artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, living within the U.S. "Destination Anywhere" challenges artists to consider the picture plan as a destination, a place where the viewer might take a trip they never expected. Fifteen finalists will be awarded a total of $60,000 during an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill and artwork will be displayed in a nation-wide touring exhibit that will debut at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Awards will be distributed as follows:
Eligible media includes paintings, drawings, fine art prints, photography, computer generated prints, and mixed media. Artwork must be presented in two dimensions and should not exceed 60 inches in either direction. There is no fee to apply. Visit the site or call for additional information and entry instructions or contact Jennifer Colaguori, visual arts coordinator (800/933.8721 ext. 3885 or jenniferc@vsarts.org). Alternative formats for entries are available upon request. VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 
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Virginia Woman Knows All About Overcoming Adversity Richmond VA, 4/5/06 — Linda Fields knows about pain. She deals with constant pain every day. Some days are better than others and some are unbearable. But it is considerable improvement over how it used to be. With help from a company called Allsup Inc., she was able to end a two-year battle to obtain her entitled Social Security disability insurance benefits. Those benefits have given "my financial life back to me." Ms. Fields, known as Red to her friends, suffers from a degenerative disc disease that began in 1985 and is irreversible. Unable to work, she manages the pain and lives life the best she can. After rupturing a disc in her lower back, she did physical therapy and went back to work in a management capacity for a transportation company. Always active and on the go — she once was involved in martial arts training — Ms. Fields had bouts with pain from time to time but it wouldn't stop her from living life. "I was a workaholic. I worked through the pain because I had a job to do and I loved my work," the spirited 54-year-old said. "I would go to work when I was sick or when my back was hurting. I saw my doctor, did what he recommended and it would help. But eventually, things got worse. Things got worse in many ways. The pain increased and so did her medications. Fields left the management job to take a customer service position with a Richmond cell phone company that was less hours and less stress. Eventually, she had to stop working because her body stopped responding to the medication. That's when the real trouble began. "I couldn't do much of anything and I still can't. If I don't take my pain medications, it's like having a jackhammer pounding my lower back. The pain radiates out my hips and runs down my legs feeling like red hot needles," Ms. Fields said. "When I was terminated around Memorial Day in 2002, I lost all my benefits including health insurance. I had the option to obtain COBRA coverage, but it is very expensive and so I went without health coverage for the next two years. I have a wonderful doctor and he does everything he can for me, so in that respect I am incredibly lucky." While Ms. Fields has learned how to manage her back pain, it was the pain of having to fight for her benefits that really stung. Disability insurance is a partial replacement of a person's wages if they are incapacitated by illness or injury. After filing the necessary paperwork with the Social Security Administration and waiting several months for a decision, she was surprised when the agency rejected her request, then shocked when her second request was denied. It was now November 2004, over two years since she last worked. Nearly two of every three people who apply for disability benefits — which are paid for out of a worker's FICA taxes --experience this dilemma. Most people appeal or re-file the paperwork, or eventually give up out of frustration with the process. Not Linda Fields. It's not her style. Her long-term disability insurance company recommended calling Allsup, so she did. Fields learned that Allsup knew how the system worked. Company founder Jim Allsup left the Social Security Administration in 1984 because he figured there was a better way to help people. Headquartered near St. Louis in Belleville IL, Allsup Inc. has helped over 70,000 people obtain more than $1.2 billion in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Allsup's success rate is a staggering 97 percent, as opposed to an average of 33 percent initial application award rate for those who apply without assistance. Allsup Inc. is the nation's first nationwide private Social Security disability claims services company. "We make the Social Security disability process less confusing, less intimidating and more convenient for people with disabilities." "They walked me through each step of the process," Ms. Fields said, recalling her experience with Allsup's claims consultants Samantha LaFlen and David Bueltemann. "They are my guardian angels and I don't know what I would have done without them. They were very professional, with Samantha taking care of the questionnaires and David handling details with the administrative law judge. Mine was a case of all or nothing. Thankfully, because of David's written presentation, the judge understood that with my medications I would not be able to return to work. I was declared disabled within three weeks. Because the judge awarded Ms. Fields her benefits "on the record", she never appeared at a hearing. Ms. Fields now receives a monthly check and she's on Medicare so the award provides her health insurance. Previously, she existed only on a paltry amount from her long-term disability insurance. She still can't lift a 14-pound bag of dog food for her pet Rottweiler. "Thank God for my neighbors" and the weather dictates which days will be better than others, even with her medication. But she knows her situation is better because the judge's decision brought stability back to her life. "I have a limited income but I am sustaining myself and that's a huge relief," Ms. Fields said. "I've adjusted my lifestyle but I have my home and I can eat again. I know what's it like to be hungry. There were times before my case was settled when I had to decide between food and my medication; no one should ever have to make that call. I know what a $1,200 medication bill looks like, so there is no room for error. "My pain medications provide me some satisfaction and allow me to get around the best I can," Fields concluded. "I miss the martial arts but I do crafts and like to paint, even though I can't sit or stand long. I'd love to go back to work because I miss it. But I've gotten good with my computer and someday, I plan to write a book."
For more information about Allsup Inc., visit the site.
NCD Monthly Report: Supreme Court and IDEA NCD chairperson Lex Frieden released a statement regarding the US Supreme Court's April 19 oral arguments in Arlington Central School District v. Murphy (No. 05-18), a special education case about the award of fees for the use of experts at special education due process hearings. The Arlington school district argues that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal special education law, does not authorize the award of fees for experts, because the law makes no explicit reference to them. The Murphys (parents) contend that since IDEA states that attorneys' fees may be awarded to parents as part of the costs of the dispute, such fees are not the only possible costs that can be awarded. The Murphys also state that it is nearly impossible for parents to win cases under IDEA unless they have experts on their side, and that only the possibility of getting back some of their expenses for such help would allow parents to challenge school districts. NCD is concerned that the Supreme Court's ultimate decision in Murphy could harm 6.5 million children and youths with disabilities. Requiring parents to shoulder the financial burden of expert fees at hearings would place parents at a tremendous disadvantage, and many may forego the services of experts because of the costs involved. Too many parents already have difficulty navigating the IDEA maze, from identification and evaluation of their children through hearings and court actions.
Read the full statement and links to supporting documents.
Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee NCD appreciates the public response to its recruitment of new members for the Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC). From a pool of more than 80 applicants, the new members have been selected as follows:
ADA Comments Sought The national network of ADA and IT Technical Assistance Centers, also known as DBTACs, seeks your comments on experiences with ADA. Your feedback on experiences with employment, building access, or access to public services will help the Centers identify training gaps and issues needing increased technical assistance. Tell them what has worked for you, what barriers you still encounter, and how ADA has made a difference in your life. The form is short and simple. Comment only on topics of interest or concern to you. Comment as often as you like on any of the several categories. There is no identification necessary or requested other than the state in which you live to help ensure we are reaching all parts of the country. To fill out this brief survey, visit the site. White House Staff Update Congratulations to Ollie Cantos, who is leaving his new position as Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to become the next Associate Director on Disabilities of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Based on his superior DOJ performance, people with disabilities can expect only the best from Ollie while he is at the White House. Source: Mark S. Quigley, Director of Communications, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004 Several Groups Challenge States Vote Plan in Court The American Council of the Blind of New York, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Catskill Center for Independence, Chinatown Voter Education Alliance, Young Korean American, Service and Education Center, National Voting Rights Institute, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, New York Public Interest Research Group, New York State Independent Living Council, Voters and Disability join efforts. In Albany last week, a group of voter-eligible citizens -which includes individuals with various disabilities and limited- English-proficient Asian American voters joined a broad coalition of disability, civic and civil rights organizations in filing a motion to intervene in the lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against New York State and its election officials. These individuals and organizations seek an injunction requiring the State to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and interrelated New York law, to submit an effective compliance plan with the court, and to ensure a legal implementation process that will vindicate the rights of all eligible voters, including those with disabilities and limited English proficiency. Enacted by Congress in 2002, HAVA is essentially a voters' new "Bill of Rights" and remedy for problems that surfaced in the 2000 presidential elections. Four to six million voters did not have their votes counted across the country in that year; large numbers lost the opportunity to vote due to problems in the registration process; limited-English-proficient voters were often denied the option of a provisional ballot; and 21 million voters with disabilities did not cast a vote. Among its provisions, HAVA required that by 2006 all voters have the right to vote independently and with privacy and that every polling place have improved voting machines that are fully accessible for voters with disabilities and comply with additional protections such as those under the Voting Rights Act. To avoid the loss of the right to vote, the law also mandated voter registrations systems capable of producing accurate voter rolls for Election Day. In filing suit against New York, the Justice Department chastised the State for its "abject failure" to comply with these and other HAVA provisions. It went on to add that New York "until recently categorically failed to take even the most rudimentary steps toward HAVA compliance." Nevertheless, the groups charged that the Justice Department has now taken a very limited view of what the State must do to improve its elections, ignoring major elements of the Help America Vote Act and New York law that create new individual voter rights and indeed denying that such rights were enacted in HAVA. They contend that the intervention of voters who have experienced real problems at the polls, including voter-eligible citizens with disabilities and limited English proficiency — and groups that represent them - is essential for vindicating the individual voter rights enacted on their behalf and on behalf of all voters. The citizens and groups further stated that they offer invaluable experience, expertise and insights for helping craft an effective plan that will remedy long-standing election problems in New York and for assisting the court in overseeing the successful implementation of such a plan. The groups are moving to intervene in a federal court case first filed last March. They are the American Council of the Blind of New York; The New York State Independent Living Council; The Catskill Center for Independence; Chinatown Voter Education Alliance; Young Korean American Service and Education Center; and the New York Public Interest Research Group. The individual plaintiff-interveners include voters with limited physical dexterity, sight impairments, Chinese and Korean voters with limited English proficiency, and a registered voter who experienced difficulties in voting at his polling place due to failings of the voter registration system. The legal organizations providing representation to various plaintiffs in the case are AALDEF, NYLPI, and NVRI, together with private pro-bono counsel Proskauer Rose, LLP. For more information contact
Newsletter of The Department of Disability and Human Development Last July the United States Surgeon General issued the Surgeon General Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities in recognition of the disparities in health care and health promotion experienced by people with disabilities. It emphasized the need to learn more about ways to prevent secondary conditions, to promote healthy behaviors, improve access to health care, and to remove barriers to full participation of people with disabilities in their communities. This issue of the Alert features several research projects at the Institute on Disability and Human Development/ Department of Disability and Human Development (IDHD/ DHD) that chart new territory in examining the health of people with disabilities. The new project on "Health Empowerment Zones" takes an innovative approach by studying obstacles to community participation in Chicago's Near West Side, including grocery stores, health clubs, and public transportation. In the second phase it will study the impact of improvements in accessibility on the health and community participation of people with disabilities. An ongoing project using the Exercise and Nutrition Health Education for Adults with Developmental Disabilities is looking at new models of increasing long-term fitness changes among adults with developmental disabilities through train-the-trainer programs at community agencies and through the use of web-based training options. The research brief introduced in this issue focuses on obesity rates of adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community. It points to the alarmingly high rates of obesity and its long-term consequences. We are most excited to announce the publication of the five volume Encyclopedia of Disability by Sage. It is the first attempt to bring international authorities together to provide a historically grounded reference resource on the world of disability. Gary Albrecht was the general editor. Sharon Snyder and David Mitchell were associate editors along with Jerome Bickenbach and Walton Schalick III. I served as one of the content editors and the volumes contained 40 entries from DHD faculty, staff, and students. An international editorial board of 74 editors from the Americas, Europe, Australia, India, Japan and China developed these volumes resulting in a multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural resource tool. We have revamped the site, and welcome your feedback regarding the website or any of our programs.
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Source: Tamar Heller, PhD, Professor, Director/Head Check It Out! WhoWillCare.net's "American Worker"-an American Idol spoof that pits a teenage fast food worker against a caregiver-is taking America by storm! In just two weeks, WhoWillCare.net has had over 25,000 page hits, and thousands of letters have been sent to Congress! Have you watched it yet? It's a funny cartoon with a serious message. Watch "American Worker" at WhoWillCare.Net now. Then please take action and tell Congress you support quality, consistent care for people with disabilities. Oh, and pass this on. Your friends will like it too!
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Chicago Housing Authority offers Job Training CHICAGO (March 17, 2006) With headlines and want ads proclaiming a shortage of health care staff, truck drivers, bank employees and increasing pressure for those who receive public aid or housing to find gainful employment, the Chicago Housing Authority and the City Colleges have created a partnership to address the "skill gap" between un- or under-employed Chicagoans and the changing job market which requires highly trained workers. Through the partnership all those who reside in or have recently moved from a CHA development are eligible for cost-free learning in the City Colleges' Bridges to Careers programs. Through the Bridges to Careers programs, individuals who lack the reading, math or other skills to enter college or gain 'career track' employment, are offered the opportunity to both improve basic skills and/or begin preparation for jobs that require college level reading or math skills or specialized training including training for jobs in the banking, nursing, transportation, cosmetology and hospitality industries. Terry Peterson, CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority, explains that the partnership was initiated as part of the Authority's Plan for Transformation which is intended to transform CHA-financed housing from structures that isolate low-income residents to those that provide opportunities for success for individuals and communities. Our goal is not simply to rebuild bricks and mortar structures, but to offer individuals the opportunity to better their lives. Already more than 6,000 CHA leaseholders have found jobs. Through Bridges, CHA leaseholders will have the opportunity to get the skills needed to compete for better jobs in today's job market — whether that be sharpening of their basic skills or mastery of a trade. Individuals interested in participating in Bridges to Careers begin by attending an orientation session, where their interests and skill levels are ascertained. With the help of counselors provided both by the Colleges and the City of Chicago's Department of Human Services, CHA- leaseholders can then enroll in one of the various courses offered. Because many of those seeking to participate are adults who are anxious to work, courses are taught in an accelerated format that allows students to learn more and complete courses faster to get their careers started as soon as possible. In operation since spring 2005, Bridges to Careers has already trained over 260 students, with more than 100 finding job placement. Orientation sessions are held every month on the second and third Wednesdays at the Dawson Technical Institute at 3901 South State Street. The orientations begin at 9AM and last about 3 hours. When low-income residents receive the training and job coaching they need to enter the workforce, the transition is smooth. With a career, more than just temporary work, families can work to end the cycle of poverty that is often difficult to break. "Banking, nursing and other fields offer growth within the field, something that many residents have never experienced," said City Colleges Chancellor Wayne Watson. "In fact," he continued, "Bridges to Careers has a higher retention level than most first year college programs for all colleges." While Bridges to Careers is offered free of charge to CHA-leaseholders, the program is open to all who seek to bridge the gap between their current skill levels and those needed for a desired career. CHA residents seeking to enter a Bridges program orientation can call 312/747-0977. ADA Celebrations The IL Dept. of Human Services will celebrate the 16th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 20th from 10 am to 3 pm on the plaza at the IL State Building, 100 W Randolph in Chicago, and in Springfield at Old State Capitol Plaza. For more information, contact Martha Younger White at 312/793.1575. The City of Chicago will hold its celebration on Navy Pier on July 12th from noon to 7 pm. For more information, call the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities at 312/744.7209. NCD and its federal partners are pleased to announce "A National Dialogue on the State of Disability," a town hall meeting and seminar to observe the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The event will be held July 26, 2006, 9 am to 1 pm at the National Press Club, National Press Building, 529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC. This meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Space is limited. The event will also be webcast and archived for later viewing. For more information:
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