Tell your Senators to Ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) !

as shared by American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), and Ability Chicago completely supports...

We need you to take two minutes to tell your Senators to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Opponents of the treaty continue to work to stop ratification, and we need advocates like you to stand up to them. We need more U.S. Senators like Senator Robert Menendez (NJ-D) and Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) to support this treaty, so we need your help! The CRPD provides a vital framework for creating legislation and policies around the world that embrace the rights and dignity of all people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was the model for the CRPD. On December 4, 2012 the Senate considered the ratification of the CRPD but fell 5 votes short of the super-majority vote required.  In addition to sending them an e-mail today, it is important for you to contact your Senators and let them know that you support the CRPD.  We need every U.S. Senator to be contacted and to know that the disability community is leading the movement for U.S. ratification of this international disability treaty and our voice matters. We particularly need to contact Senator Robert Menendez (NJ-D) and Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) this week! We encourage you to call and meet with your Senator or his and her staff. If your Senator is unavailable, find out if your Senator is holding a public meeting or town hall as they often do when they are back home. Go to a local event where one of your Senators will be and tell them why CRPD is important to you and that they should vote for ratification. Go here to find your Senators' contact information and tell them: I am a person with a disability (I am a family member/friend/supporter of a person with a disability) and I want you to support the disability treaty, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) The Senate needs to fight for the 57 million Americans with disabilities, 5.5 million disabled American veterans, and the 1 billion people with disabilities around the world Ratification of the disability treaty is supported by hundreds of disability organizations, civil rights groups, faith organizations, veterans groups, and major business groups including the Chamber of Commerce The treaty will not cost the federal government any additional funds The treaty has been reviewed by both Republican and Democratic Attorneys General and by past Counsel to Presidents. They confirm that it does not threaten the sovereignty of the U.S. nor does it require any new legislation to comply with the treaty. The treaty will not harm the rights of parents with children with disabilities and would not interefere with home schooling.  The treaty does not endorse abortion rights nor abortion funding around the world. This treaty is good for American business and for the world. It will allow us to bring our knowledge and our products that help make society accessible to the whole world Failure to ratify the treaty is embarrassing for the US.  We need to show the world that we support the rights for all individuals with disabilities around the globe. Please take two minutes to send them an e-mail and contact them your Senators today. I called! What else can I do to help? Forward this alert to others in your community to lift up their voices on this important issue.    Add your voice by joining the petition! TWEET! You can also join the conversation on Twitter by following #ISupportCRPD and tweeting to Senator Corker at @SenBobCorker and Senator Menendez at @SenatorMenendez To find out more, please go to http://www.disabilitytreaty.org. You can find one pagers, myth/facts, and access a new community webinar.

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OPINION, as submitted to 'Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force' by ABILITY CHICAGO Ex. Dir. Jim Watkins

OPINION, as submitted to 'Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force'...

With Illinois Gov. Quinn appointing a Task Force to examine Public Transit in Northeastern Illinois. With longtime questions of the responsibility and oversight of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA); the continuing issues and any real oversight of Metra; the on-again/off-again  service issues and again oversight with both Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Pace Suburban Bus (and Paratransit services). The examining of the Board of Directors, Senior Staff, and departments and their roles at RTA, CTA, Metra, and Pace.

As a Public Transit Advocate (and public transit geek) over the last decade for People with Disabilities having served on various Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Advisory Committees/Boards for RTA, Pace and CTA, Pace Paratransit Blue Ribbon Committee, RTA AD-Hoc Paratransit Transition Committee, and as past Chair of the RTA Regional ADA Advisory Committee (2006-2010) there must be at least the understanding of public transit in general, and the relationships with the public.

The Transit Agencies of Northeastern Illinois also have different forms of Advisory Boards/Committees such as Citizens and ADA Advisory Boards/Committees. The formation, responsibility to, and treatment of such Advisory Boards/Committees vary from purpose, responsibility, and oversight with the transit agencies, and their Board of Directors. The acknowledgement and responsibility of the transit agencies are diverse, even with there own Advisory Boards/Committees purpose. The appointments to such Advisory Boards/Committees vary from transit agency, and within each transit agency itself. By definition members of such Advisory Boards/Committees are ‘officers’ of the transit agencies, and at the minimum the transit agencies have the responsibility of complying with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, and Illinois Code of Ethics Act’s. The responsibility of the Transit Agencies vary, and with no one verifying if such accordance is within place at the transit agencies.

In closing, while the purpose of the Task Force is to examine the diverse and complicated Public Transit entities, consider that diverse Advisory boards and committees within our system. The Board of Directors, and senior staff of the transit agencies have responsibility to the public, and one of the relationship’s are the Advisory Committees/Boards that can and do offer opinions for the public transit system of Northeastern Illinois.

Sincerely,
James Watkins; Exec. Director
Ability Chicago
jimwatkins@abilitychicago.info
Sept. 09, 2013
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For the 'Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force' webpage: CLICK HERE

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Adults with disabilities hop on the bus : Pace Suburban Bus travel training program

Hop On The Bus to Independence professional trainers and Our Place of New Trier Township workshop participants | Submitted photo

Facts

Learn more about the Hop On The Bus To Independence workshops.

www.jjslist.com

Pace Suburban Bus and JJ's List teach public transportation skills to Our Place of New Trier Township.

Young adults with intellectual and learning disabilities got a hands-on learning experience last week when a real Pace bus and a team of five professional trainers from Pace, jjslist.com and RTA arrived at their Wilmette space.  The team’s mission?  To teach the basics of riding Pace Suburban Bus fixed-route buses.

During the interactive workshop, called “Hop on the Bus to Independence,” learners boarded the Pace bus and learned about bus features, such as how to read the signs and what to do with the yellow cord.  Then, learners stepped into an Internet classroom, where they learned the ins and outs of planning a trip using www.rtachicago.com.

“One of the greatest barriers to employment and community inclusion for people with disabilities is their ability to take public transportation,” said JJ Hanley, Director of jjslist.com and creator of the Hop on the Bus program.   “Through this intensive, hands-one experience, learners build confidence and skills to ride the bus safely and successfully.

Hop On The Bus to Independence is sponsored by Pace Suburban Bus in partnership with jjslist.com.  The workshops are available free to any public or private school, agency or service provider located within the six-county region served by Pace Suburban Bus (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will).

“What a great experience today,” said William Johnson, Executive Director of Our Place of New Trier Township.  “I was totally impressed by the program. It has already inspired the staff to think of activities/programs that will allow our participants to practice and develop the skills they learned today.”

article from 'WILMETTE LIFE' September 06, 2013...

http://wilmette.suntimes.com/submit-content/adults_with_disabilities_hop_on_the_bus_-WIL-09062013:article

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guinness wheelchairs basketball commercial - video

YouTube Published on Sep 3, 2013 by Edward Heising

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"Best Kept Secret" PBS - NJ public school staff race the clock for graduating Students with Disabilities future

WATCH THE TRAILER

PBS Premiere: September 23, 2013

Check local listings »

Online: Sept. 24, 2013 – Oct. 7, 2013

Synopsis

At a public school in Newark, N.J., the staff answers the phone by saying, "You've reached John F. Kennedy High School, Newark's best-kept secret." JFK provides an exceptional environment for students with special-education needs. In Best Kept Secret, Janet Mino, who has taught a class of young men for four years, is on an urgent mission. She races against the clock as graduation approaches for her severely autistic minority students. Once they graduate and leave the security of this nurturing place, their options for living independently will be few. Mino must help them find the means to support themselves before they "age out" of the system. (90 minutes)

Read the full film description »

http://www.pbs.org/pov/bestkeptsecret/

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Why the CTA's Stroller Policy Irritates Me as a Mom : or (the world owes me)

Megan Cottrell

Chicago journalist and writer

Posted: 06/27/2013 

Why the CTA's Stroller Policy Irritates Me as a Mom

I avoid taking the CTA these days. For one, it's a big hassle with Teddy. How exactly am I supposed to hold down the button for the disabled entrance, push open the heavy door and drag the stroller through at once? Unclear.

Then there's the CTA's stroller policy, complete with these signs. I have no problem with being courteous, but these rules just don't make sense:

One: keep strollers clear of aisles and doorways. I don't know if these folks have ever traveled the CTA with a stroller, but if I don't stay near the door, I will never be able to get out when my stop comes. Second, if I'm not going to be in the aisle or the doorway, where exactly do you want me to go? Should I pick up the stroller and put it on a pair of seats?

Two: move if a senior or disabled person get on. Yes, good point, but that just seems like common courtesy. There are plenty of single riders who don't do this. Sometimes, people are less than courteous, like the guy who didn't wear deodorant on that sticky July day or the lady whose iPod is turned up so loud that you can easily sing along to her favorite playlist. ATribune story on the stroller policy noted a man who wouldn't let an old lady off because he was trying to get his kid's stroller on. I agree that that was rude, but I think it's the guy who's to blame. The stroller was just an accessory. He would have probably been trying to push that poor old lady out of the way whether he had a kid in tow or not.

The next one I have no problem with. I am happy to buckle my kid so he doesn't try to perform an escape act while on transit.

The last two really get me though.

"If the bus or train is crowded, you may be requested to fold your stroller before boarding or wait for the next bus or train"

Fold my stroller? And do what with it, exactly? How am I supposed to hold my nearly 30 lb. toddler and the stroller, plus any other crap we may be carrying -- diaper bag, purse, groceries, etc.? I think what they're saying is that I should have two parents on the train, one to carry baby, one to carry stuff. Good idea, but that is not a luxury I always have.

And why should a person with a kid have to be the one to wait for another bus or train? That just seems mean. I don't think we should get special privileges, but it seems odd to single someone out to be left behind because they have a stroller.

And last, the umbrella stroller. Again, good idea, except an umbrella stroller has its problems. First, you can't put a little baby in an umbrella stroller. A kid has to be at least four to six months old, so they can sit up on their own. Second, an umbrella stroller might be fine for a trip to the mall or the zoo, but it's quite impractical for most city travel. You get stuck on every bump in the sidewalk. Umbrella stroller versus snow? No contest. And there's no room for me to stash anything, like my groceries or shopping bags, which are tough to carry, since I'm pushing a stroller and trying to keep my kid happy.

A baby carrier can be a good option sometimes, but not always. Having a baby strapped to me on a hot summer day? No thanks.

A lady once told Liz that parents should always carry their kids, until the kid could walk, and then they should hoof it. I'm guessing that lady never tried carrying a 20-pound butterball of a baby for several hours straight nor has she climbed the millions of stairs at the Argyle red line with a person who takes each stair one at a time.

I understand that some people are rude, and rude people are a bummer. But most parents are just doing their best. They want to stay out of your way. They do not appreciate your stink eye. More than anyone, they don't want their kid to start screaming on the train. They are good citizens, trying to raise good citizens. Can we get the benefit of the doubt and a little understanding that traveling the CTA with a little one is not the easiest of tasks? The trouble with rude people is that they are not conscientious or self-aware. They don't read signs and think to themselves, "Oh! Perhaps I should stop being rude for the benefit of humanity!"

You don't want us to clog up the streets or steal parking spaces with our family-friendly vehicles. But you don't want us to take the CTA either. Should we bike? Then again, a lady recently rolled down the window of her Cadillac to tell me I shouldn't be cycling with Teddy down a quiet residential street. What gives? I guess I should just stay home.

Again, I agree that we should all be courteous. But these little signs make me feel less courteous, not more. Sharing space with others means that sometimes, we get in each other's way. Things are not always easy. Kids cry. People talk too loud. Someone is eating a very smelly sandwich. And kids need to ride in strollers most of the time.

Let's make a deal: I will try to stay out of your way with my giant stroller, and in return, you try to understand that I'm doing my best. Remember how you're always saying that motherhood is the hardest job in the world? Me with a stroller on the CTA is no exception, and I need your kindness, not your scorn.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-cottrell/stroller-policy-irritates-me_b_3511253.html

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Ms Cottrell,

Is it right that other passengers for access to the bus aisle to the rear of the bus, or even the front of the bus must crawl over your "30 lb. toddler and the stroller, plus any other crap we may be carrying -- diaper bag, purse, groceries, etc.? "

Is it right that the SUV Stroller parks itself in the "Priority Seating" which  by Federal Regulations is intended for for People with Disabilities (of all ages)? 

Is it right that our seniors, people with disabilities (and those with unseen disabilities) will crawl over the Suv Stroller, or have to stand for there journey, (which can cause injury to them selves, as well as others if they fall), or wait for the next bus.

As a person that uses a wheelchair, I have been told I have to wait for the next bus, and have witnessed other wheelchair users told the same - because a SUV Stroller is in Priority Seating.

The CTA is enforcing (hopefully, maybe, sort-of) its own Stroller Policy finally after 10 years.

Sorry you feel less courteous because of 'these little signs'. 

Sorry you feel that is you used a umbrella stroller would be a in-convenience to you.

I will offer a suggestion for you though, the article could of been titled "ME ME ME"

Sincerly;

Jim Watkins, Ability Chicago

FOR MORE POSTS ON CTA & BABY STROLLERS: CLICK HERE

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CTA Stroller Policy:

Children in strollers

Children in open strollers are welcome on CTA, however we encourage parents to be considerate of other customers and adhere to these rules when traveling with a stroller.

Keep strollers clear of aisles and doorways aboard buses and trains.

Seniors and customers with disabilities have priority use of the Priority Seating area aboard buses and trains. If these seats are not in use, open strollers may be parked in this area. This will help you to avoid blocking the aisle. Please yield this space if a customer with disabilities, a senior, or a person using a mobility device wishes to board. On buses, you may request use of the access ramp or lift to help you board and exit.

Please fold your stroller in the event that a bus or train becomes crowded, in order to make room for others. Be aware that in the event that a bus or train is crowded, a CTA employee may ask you to fold your stroller or wait for another vehicle. Please follow their instructions. Also, during certain periods of high ridership, we may require that all strollers be folded before you board.

Children in an open stroller should be seated and secured in the stroller before boarding the bus or train.

Note that strollers are never allowed on escalators. If traveling with an open stroller in a multi-level facility, please use elevators or ramps where available. On train station platforms, position your stroller parallel to the platform edge (not facing it), use wheel locks/brakes and stay with it at all times.

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Survey Finds 7 in 10 with disabilities say they’ve been abused

Survey Finds Disability Abuse Widespread

By SHAUN HEASLEY

September 4, 2013

Disability ScoopText Size  A  A

More than 7 in 10 with disabilities say they’ve been abused, according to a new national survey, and in many cases individuals say the problems occur repeatedly.

In what’s believed to be the largest survey of its kind, over 7,200 people with disabilities, family members, advocates, service providers and other professionals were polled between May and October 2012.

The findings, released this week, suggest that abuse of people with disabilities is widespread across the country and often overlooked.

More than 70 percent of those with disabilities polled said they had been abused and over 60 percent of family members indicated that their loved one with special needs had been mistreated.

In about half of cases, victims said they experienced physical abuse. Some 40 percent reported sexual abuse and nearly 90 percent of those who said they had been violated indicated they were verbally or emotionally harmed. Neglect and financial abuse were also frequently cited.

“Too many people are abused too much, with very little on the response side to help in the aftermath,” said Nora J. Baladerian, director of the Disability and Abuse Project, which conducted the survey. “The extent of abuse is epidemic, and the inadequate response is disturbing.”

Among those who were victimized, more than 9 in 10 said they were abused more than once with 57 percent indicating they had experienced mistreatment more than 20 times, the survey found.

Incidents of abuse were not reported in about half of cases and even when authorities were alerted, survey results indicate that arrests were made only about 10 percent of the time.

Findings from the survey are expected to be presented next week at the National Center for Victims of Crime conference in Phoenix and at a joint conference of the American Bar Association and the American Psychological Association in October in Washington, D.C.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/09/04/survey-abuse-widespread/18652/

For DISABILITY SCOOP website: CLICK HERE

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