Please forward this information so others can take action too. Lots of different kinds of things you can do here!
Electronic Visit Verification
Tell Senator Cruz and Senator Cornyn to support S. 3740
S. 3740 is the COVID-19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act
This bill will “delay the implementation of the Electronic Visit Verification requirement until 6 months after the end of the national public health emergency in order to eliminate barriers to care in the home and keep people out of congregate settings.”
We all know that people with disabilities and Seniors are dying in the institutions due to the corona virus. Tell them to help our people.
Call and/or email:
Senator Cruz Central Texas 512.916.5834 or D.C. 202.224.5922
Click this link to email him: https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=form&id=16
Senator Cornyn Austin 512.469.6034 or D.C. 202.224.2934
Click this link to email him: https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/contact
Congress has a House and a Senate Bill addressing rental housing.
The Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act
S. 3685 and H.R. 6820 would put $100 billion into rental assistance. The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act
(HEROES Act) H.R. 6800 has been passed by the House. The Senate needs to pass it now to address in-home services and safety. We need things from the Bill like the additional funding for Home and Community Based Services and hazard pay for Attendants.
Please contact Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz on this issue. Their email and office phone numbers are at the bottom of #2.
#ADAPTANDSURVIVE
Congress is making decisions about our lives right now.
Congress must take action to support the lives of our community. Send a message to Congress and the world why your life is not disposable during COVID-19 and worth saving.
Please do a one minute video and/or photo using the hashtags and messages below.
Once completed please send your photo and/or video to Josue Rodriguez or Laura Halvorson for photo description and the video for captioning. Below is their email info.
#DisabledNotDisposable
#LifeWorthyofLife
#ADAPTandSURVIVE
Community Attendants are #EssentialWorkers
Click on this National ADAPT link below if you want to view examples of videos made, like Latoya Maddox’s, ADAPTandSurvive video.
ADAPT DEMANDS Congress support our right to live in the community by funding home and community based services, supporting our Community Workforce, making personal protective equipment available, and ensuring we have affordable, accessible, integrated housing.
ADAPT has sent an Open Letter to Congress demanding action. We must ensure Congress pays attention and responds to our needs!
Post on social media, write an email, organize a car parade around your Congress members Offices! In any way you can, tell Congress:
- Unnecessary institutionalization has been illegal since at least 1990. Now the COVID pandemic has exposed further dangers of congregate living.
- Forcing people into institutions is not only a violation of our rights, it is a DANGER to our safety, well-being, and our LIVES.
- We need the services and supports that allow us to safely shelter-in-place in the community.
- Community services must be available to keep people from being institutionalized in congregate settings.
- Programs, services, and supports must be available to allow people to move back into the community to live in the most integrated setting.
- Direct Service and Support Workers are essential to keeping us alive, safe and healthy. They deserve to be recognized and protected by receiving increased wages, overtime pay, hazard pay, and protective gear.
- The number one barrier to home and community living is lack of affordable, accessible, integrated housing. Housing must be developed. The shortage of housing that is affordable, accessible and integrated is past the critical stage. Likewise rental subsidies must be vastly increased.
PPEs for PCAs (Attendants)
Below is something we did in Austin. You are welcome to use it as a template to take action in you local area.
Call and/or Email your City Council members about Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Mask and Gloves
Contact your City Council Member and let them know you are an individual with a disability and work with a personal attendant and are in need of PPE
Ask your attendant to call their city council member and ask for PPE also.
Tell them the home care agencies are not giving enough masks and gloves to your attendants and they are having to use the same one multiple times which is not a good way to keep the virus from spreading.
Below is the list of Austin Council Members with their phone numbers to call. If you click on their name you can also send an email to the council member. (If you live outside Austin just google your City Council or County Commissioners).
| Name | Phone |
| Mayor Stephen Adler | 512-978-2100 |
| District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison | 512-978-2101 |
| District 2 Council Member Delia Garza | 512-978-2102 |
| District 3 Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria | 512-978-2103 |
| District 4 Council Member Gregorio “Greg” Casar | 512-978-2104 |
| District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen | 512-978-2105 |
| District 6 Council Member Jimmy Flannigan | 512-978-2106 |
| District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool | 512-978-2107 |
| District 8 Council Member Paige Ellis | 512-978-2108 |
| District 9 Council Member Kathie Tovo | 512-978-2109 |
| District 10 Council Member Alison Alter | 512-978-2110 |
Askin’ For Maskin’ Campaign
Hello Texas ADAPTers,
Below is the “Dear Governor letter” campaign for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Please take time to mail a clean glove, or drawn/traced hand to Gov Abbott. Include a message asking for a commitment for PPE for our Disabled Community and Attendants. Have fun and write your message on the glove.
I have attached the letter with the ADAPT/PACT logo. For those that have a printer you are welcomed to use the logos.
Hope you all are doing well. Stay healthy. If you have any questions please feel free to call me.
Free Our People!
Community Attendants Equal Independence!
Cathy
512.650.6543
***
PACT Logo
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
(Include date)
Dear Governor Abbott,
Across Texas the number of cases of COVID-19 is growing. Yet, the needs of Personal Attendants and People with Disabilities in the community are being ignored. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are either difficult or impossible to find thus endangering our Community.
Governor Abbott, commit to providing PPE to essential community healthcare workers and the people with disabilities they work with and assist.
“We’re asking for masking. If you love us, glove us!”
(Please add your signature here)
*******************************************
Thank you for taking action to assist our community!
Free Our People!
Community Attendants Equal Independence!
Cathy Cranston