by Heiwa Salovitz

On Thursday June 22nd, 2017, over a dozen ADAPT Of Texas members did a die-in, at both Senator Ted Cruz, and Senator John Cornyn’s Austin offices, to demonstrate the need for Medicaid, and other vital Health Insurance. To also tell them to vote NO, on the American Health Care Act. Cutting and capping Medicaid is dangerous for people. Medicaid helps people with disabilities live productive lives in the community, just like everyone else. Less dollars equals less service. Also, housing someone with a disability in a nursing home is more expensive than paying for that person’s community and long term services. Slashing funds to state medicaid programs puts tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of the future of children, people with disabilities and seniors.

Fox 7 covered the protest

CBS story on the protest

The group marched from Senator Cruz’s office to Senator Cornyn’s office, chanting “Save Our Medicaid”, and “No Cuts To Medicaid”. A small group ADAPTers managed to speak with Senator Cornyn’s Staff who stated that they would tell Senators DC Office how critical Medicaid is for Texans! Our action was part of a larger simultaneous National ADAPT Action, where roughly one-hundred ADAPTers from all over the country protested at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Capitol Office, in Washington DC.

Rachel Maddow tells some of the history of ADAPT and the story of the protest.

Please get involved and evolved! Your voice makes a difference

Editor’s Note:  Since then Austin ADAPT has participated in a half dozen protests against the various variations of this bill.  Die In protest was just one. 

The 85th Texas Legislature Conference Committee is making decisions about the lives of people with disabilities and the community attendants that assist them in living independently.  Neither the House nor the Senate budget addresses the issues below.  Please call the telephone numbers below and tell them to fund:               

1. FIND FUNDING TO RAISE COMMUNITY ATTENDANT WAGES FROM $8 TO $13;
2. RESTORE $5 MILLION FOR RELOCATION SERVICES;
3. RESTORE $10 MILLION IN-HOME FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
4. RESTORE FUNDING TO REDUCE WAITING LISTS FOR STARPLUS and ALL 1915C WAIVERS

BUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. Senator Hinojosa  512.463.0120       McAllen, Texas      District: 956.972.1841
2. Senator Huffman  512.463.0117    Houston, Texas         District: 281.980.3500
3. Senator Kolkhorst  512.463.0118      Brenham, Texas    District:  979.251.7888
4. Senator  Nelson   512.463.0112      Grapevine, Texas     District:  817.424.3446
5. Senator Schwertner   512.463.0105    Bryan, Texas     District:  979.776.0222
6. Rep. Ashby   512.463.0508               Lufkin, Texas        District:   936.634.2762
7. Rep. Davis   512.463.0389              Houston, Texas    District:  713.664.7095
8. Rep. Gonzales  512.463.0670        Round Rock, Texas    District: 512.248.2558
9. Rep. Longoria   512.463.0645        Penitas, Texas     District:  956.580.6944
10. Rep. Zerwas    512.463.0657            Katy, Texas       District:  888.827.1560

Thank you for taking action to FREE OUR PEOPLE!

An Indecent Arrangement: Texas Attendant Services is a new video outlining the importance of attendant services, the unique relationship, and the effects of the low wages and no benefits.

click here to see the video.

The Texas Legislature is back in town and ADAPT is back at the Capitol to educate them on many disability issues and perspectives.  This is a participatory event that lasts 180 days.  And ADAPT wants you there!

Aside from the budget, which is super tight this time around, thanks to legislators dedicating large amounts of the state’s revenues to Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT), ADAPT is focusing on $13 an hour min. wages for community attendants; increases and improvements to community based services for people with disabilities; making sure TNCs (like Uber, Lyft, etc.) don’t discriminate against us; accessible, affordable, INTEGRATED housing (with no services required); and a host of other issues that will likely come up.  Also TX DOT is under Sunset Review and ADAPT wants to be sure they serve persons with disabilities in their future efforts, especially since they are being given so much dough ray me.

Visits, testimony at hearings, guerilla theater, the sky and our imagination are the limits.

Come join us. We believe the grassroots must be heard. You know more about all this than you think you do, and you can learn even more.  We meet at the Capitol Cafeteria (inside the Capitol on the E-1 level) every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10 am and you can just drop by and join us; but don’t be late — we move out for action pretty darn quick!

(photos by Kaye Beneke kaye@beneketx.com)

DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS!

(April 8, 2014 – Austin, TX) Disability rights advocates gathered to hold a press conference near the LBJ Presidential Library where a national Civil Rights Summit is taking place.  The Summit which the library is holding to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and acknowledge it’s legacy.  Presidents Jimmy Carter, William “Bill” Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama will be addressing the conference, among many others.

To commemorate the impact of the Civil Rights Act, workshops cover a variety of other topics, including: Gay Marriage, Immigration Policy, Music and Social Consciousness, LBJ and MLK, Fulfilling a Promise, Realizing a Dream, Leveling the Sports Playing Field, Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Social Justice in the 21st Century, Women: How High is the Glass Ceiling?, and Education: The Ultimate Civil Right.  Despite having been contacted over 2 months ago to see if disability was going to be included, Summit organizers were not planning to include this important legacy.  However, at the 11^th hour, thanks to the speedy and united response from the disability rights community from across the country, Summit Organizers finally found a place to include disability on one of the panels at the Summit.

So today members of the disability rights community and our allies gathered to celebrate this victory, the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act and disability rights movements. Speakers included: Bob Kafka – ADAPT, Regina Blye – TX SILC, Cema Mostroleo – SafePlace, Stephanie Thomas ADAPT, Dennis Borel -CTD, and Jim Harrington – TX Civil Rights Project.  We recommit to continuing our civil rights struggle.  In addition, we celebrate the ADA, great liberation legislation for 52 million Americans, which will see its 25th Anniversary next year.

Thank you to ALL who attended and all who wrote, called, emailed or otherwise contacted the Summit organizers.  AND thank you to Lex Frieden, one of the unsung heros of the ADA, who will ably represent us at the Summit on Thursday.

Nothing About Us Without Us!