Attention shoppers, bargain hunters, and just plain ADAPT supporters. September is ADAPT month at the amazing, fantastic, Treasure City Thrift Store 2142 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702 (Robert Martinez and E 7th Sts.). All month a portion of the proceeds will benefit ADAPT. BUT on September 23rd from 5 to 7 pm we are holding a shopping party! So come on down. You will find bargains (I’ve been looking for one of these for ages!). You will find one of a kind items (what the heck is that cool lookin’ thing). You will find fabulous fashion statements (look it fits perfectly!) You will find great companionship among some of the nicest, most caring folks in town. And even if you can’t make it then check out Treasure City, you won’t be sorry you did!

National ADAPT is headed back to DC September 17th – 23rd to fight for disability rights and services. ADAPT’s fearless warriors will tackle various powerbrokers who should be doing more to enhance the rights and services of people with disabilities. Keep your eyes peeled here, on our ADAPT of Texas Facebook page, on National ADAPT Facebook page and in various other spots in the social media because doubtless, amazing stories will unfold! More details to come…

The Texas Disability Issues Forum (TDIF) is back for the 2022 midterm elections! Join us Monday September 19, 2022 in Austin to find out what major party candidates have to say on your most pressing issues, from healthcare to elections to education, and more!

To register click on this link

Candidates for Governor, Lt Governor, Attorney General and this year for the first time, Agriculture Commissioner will share their positions on disability issues.

Want to be a part of the action? Volunteer slots are still needed! Call Cathy at 512-442-0252. TDIF wants you to be prepared to cast your ballot in November, so they’re providing multiple ways to learn about the candidates and their stances on issues of interest to Texans with disabilities. Whether you want to be in the room when it happens, be a part of the event, or do some reading on your own time, they’ve got you covered.

We are entering the season of disability rights. One of them anyway. June 22nd marks the 23rd anniversary of the Olmstead decision where the supreme court said people with disabilities have the right to services in the most integrated setting. Thank you Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson (the plaintiffs). And just one month later, July 26th, is the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We haven’t made it all the way but we need to celebrate how far we have come.

 A short video and discussion designed to outreach and

build the Power of the Disability Vote.

Sat  June 11th 3pm – 5pm 1300 Lavaca Austin, Texas

Family Life Center of the United Methodist Church

ASL Interpreter provided  Snacks and Beverages

Bus lines #7 #20 #803

Y’all Come

www.revuptexas.org 

REGISTER TODAY FOR THE DISABILITY VOTE SUMMIT

June 29 – 30, 2022, 1:00-4:00pm ET  |  Virtual  |  ASL, CART, Spanish

Click here to Register Today https://aapd.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=08dab5cd58ad9250c3f56519f&id=e64bd2abe7&e=8258983e50

Travis County Housing Authority (different from Austin’s HACA, yes we have 2 housing authorities here, City of Austin and Travis County) has announced that they are opening their Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8 voucher) list:

Housing Choice Voucher
Waiting List Opening 7/1/2022- 7/8/2022

Pre-applications for placement on the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list program will be accepted starting Friday July 1, 2022 @ 8:00 AM, through Friday July 8, 2022 @ 5:00 PM. If interested in applying for the HCV waiting list, visit https://www.waitlistcheck.com/TX1128-3917.

If you need affordable housing DO NOT LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS. This happens once in a blue moon and if you don’t jump on it you will be waiting for YEARS for another chance. It’s a lottery so you never know who will get lucky – so go for it!

At our last ADAPT meeting we were discussing the problems of late getting your wheelchair or other DME fixed. The local go-to spots have been bought out by mega-corporations which seem to care little to none about our waiting weeks or months with broken equipment waiting on the world to change and these behemoths to get off their you-know-whats, get the parts, make an appointment, and fix the equipment. And van repair is much the same these days.

Well it seems this is not just an Austin issue. Mother Jones has an article on this problem (click here to read more). The article talks about National Seating and Numotion but here in Austin, the another part of the problem is Rehab Medical. First you must weave your way through a labyrinth of telephone answering messages and options. Then you must convince them you need help, Then you must wait for an appointment – and I do mean wait, like for a month or more. Then you must get your service request approved – again waiting and waiting. Then you wait and wait for parts. Then wait, wait, wait for another appointment and hope the parts they got are the right ones. I haven’t made it any farther than this so far, and don’t know anyone else who has either, so I’m not sure what happens after that.

Check out this e-magazine BorderLore. As I understand it, the e-magazine is about border culture and this issue is about disability culture. It’s called Cripping BorderLore. The editor Alisha Vasquez contacted me about using a picture from the ADAPT Online Museum and that’s how I learned about it. Click on this link to see the e-magazine! (Alisha will be a guest on Barrier Free Futures Radioshow this Saturday June 11 and as will all BFF shows it becomes a postcast afterwards.

https://dhttps://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/barrierfreefuturesirectory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/barrierfreefutures

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Independent Living Services (ILS) Program is seeking your input about the independent living services available to Texans with significant disabilities. Your thoughts and experiences regarding the ILS program, the Centers for Independent Living (CIL) contracted to carry out the ILS program and the work of the State Independent Living Council (SILC) are vital.

Using an internet browser, please log on to http://www.PRCsurvey.com/begin/HHSC

If you have any questions for the HHSC ILS Program regarding the study or its implementation, please contact HHSC at BlindandGeneralIndependentLiving@hhsc.state.tx.us