- Page 4 Resources I

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"Governors will never be aD awed by the voice of the people, so long as it is a mere

4 Disability Culture Caste 1 voice, without overt acts. " System - p. 8 I - - Jaseph Priestley

Access Press SOURCES

Local Company Features Adaptive Computer Technology . -.-, 3=. . ,

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Address Metro Mobility ~%d-

PCA Wage Question- ereisfielastinstallment maximum wage paid is withoutp&lic&sit, ma t i s of ACCESS PRESS'S $8.25 an hour, and many -;one of the reasons I support

series of disability-related earn less. Light Rail Transit, and will in- :e questions submitted to the sist that whatever type of rail 1998gutKmatT,ria1candidares. Read their answers carefully ar and configuration is cho-

following background infor- ~crnber3~! rf

disabled community.

--b Ea& candidatemceived the and remember to VOTE No en dso make*- - -- -

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ti# &miws rPim- &fie:& g e t b w WM ca- brtrme3 Iocd agencies that ptiq oa ,qrurdways and psoGjde PCA semicef. With $kc%& r g ~ g r s e r n a t - - P ~ Y W . m W l m s + para sef 4~ she sga~e, the rods h i t wauld b~ n&d ~ a ~ ~ m ~ ~ - (=rnt. p. $ /. .

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2 October 10, 1998 Access Press

Metro Mobilitv -

*Phone Service Disrupte I I Handicabs Affected

At glitq?f a ihe,pbone sys- viderfrom reservingrides. Th em Se$t4 8 Gevented day after Labor Day custom

MetroMobilitycustomerswho who called Handicabs to re- I .- use Handicabs as their pro- serve a ride got a busy signal or "We deeply regret the jig~&-

I venience to our customers," said Metro Mobility General Manager Dave Jacobson. "Fortunately, customers promptly informed our Cus- tomer Services Department so we could get an early start on working to resolve the prob- lem withU.S. WestandLucent

Walk For Justice Raises Funds For Community Groups

S ponsored by the Headwa- important step formany people particular, Larry Lubbers ters Fund, the thirdannual in doing something they've Lisa Schultz, have been

Walk far Justice was held on neverdone before. It's great to lenging each other to see who Sunday,September13atBoom hearACTmemberssay things can raise the most money. Island Park in Minneapolis. 93 like 'Ican go and askpeople for They each raised over $400 groups participated, including money now and they give it to this year. And, it's alot of fun." several disability organiza- us."' While pledges are still coming tions. Headwaters sponsors in, to date ACT has raised the Walk as a way to assist Raising m 2 i ;~ l a l than $1,500 from this year's local organizations to raise change is a constant struggle. w&. h funds, while also drawing at- The Walk for Justice benefits tention to the important work many organizations that are The Walk for Justice supports 9 of small, grassroots groups. too small to sponsor a suc- Headwaters' mission of pro- :*

cessful fundraiser of this kind moting progressive social Advocating Change Together on their own. Often, organiza-

L . The Fund also pro- ,

ACCESS PRESS a to restore the graves of people includes photos of individuals self-advocacy and the cem- withdisabilities who have died and stories, in their own words, etery restoration project. If

;Co-FounderIPublisher (1990-1995) ................................................................. . m ? A . Smith, Jr. in state institutions and were of the differences in their lives you would like more informa- ~ i t o r / ~ u b l i s h e r / ~ ~ ~ o u n d e r ......... .. .... , ........ , ........................................ .. .......... Chrles F- Smith buried in numbered graves. in and out of institutions. Ten tion please call Rick at Advo-

Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed.

Paid advertising is available at rates ranging from $14 to $18/column inch, depending on size and frequency. Classified ads are $8.00, plus 35 cents/word over 20 ~ o r * ~ - - ;I. w ~ k ~ - ~ ~ i .

-+, .-$.hk+.-+i:.+ 2 Advertising and editorial deadlines are the 30th of the month preceding pu6liiatlon; specla1 scheduling available for camera-ready art.

Access Press is available on tape. Call MN State Services for the Blind, 642-0500 w 800-652-9000.

Inquiries should be directed to: ACCESS PRESS 1821 University Ave. W. Suite 185N St. Paul, Minnesota 55 104 (65 1) 644-21 33 Fax (65 1) 644-2136

SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATIOPJ

529-501 9 483-91 43 C A ~ ~ MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER

Access Press uctol~er IV, ~ Y Y O

FREEDOM - contfrom p. 1 I tivecomputer technology rec- assistivecomputer technology Avenue in south Minneapolis ognize FOS as a leader in the for learning disabilities. For a in July.FOS isnow moreacces- - . field and solicit its sugges- person who quadriplegic, sible local clients. "We I tions for product improve- forerample,ane~vironine& wanted to integrate into the 1 Arc M i n nesota's State Convention ment. Mark is often called control unit gives him voice culture we serve," explains - upon as a learning disabilities control over his telephone, Mark. Their handicapped-ac- This year's convention is be- morning-longsession on Con- with the annual meeting. For expert. computer, lights, thermostat, cessible building is on an ac- ing held on Friday and Satur- sumer-Owned Housing; in- moreinformationortoregister,

electric bed and doors, W a n d cessible city bus line. day, October 30-3 1,1998, atthe cludes workshops, awards, and call 612-827-564 1 ortoll-free 1 - "If you want to really serve an VCR. Mark also teaches learn- Kelly Inn in St. Cloud, MN. meetingsforchapterandstate- Wk582-5256.

I industry, you need to have ing-disabledclients tousesoft- FOS offers what the staff feels The convention opens with a wide leaders; and concludes people who can understand ware such as Kunweil3000, are themost effective adaptive .

that industry," says Mark. which magnifies text onto the computer hardware and soft- That's why he recruits em- screen while reading the words ware packages available from 1 ~dvisory Council Positions ployees who came to him as aloud in synthetic speech. The various manufacturers; includ-

Council on Mental Health and makes recommendations to the about 1 :Wpm. Formore infor- its Subcommittee on Child- Council on policies, laws, regu- . mation or to request applica- ren's Mental Health. The Ad- lations and servicesrelating to tion materials, contact Bruce

reen readers and en- largers, Braille sys-

visory Council advises the children's mental health. Weinstockat 65 1-297-4 163, fax

positions," he ex- governor and heads of state tems, voice recogni- 65 1-296-773 1, or e-mail

plains. "And it's bene- departments about policies, The four-yearterms will begin Bruce.Weinstock@state.mn.us. tion products, opti-

ficial to us because programs and services affect- in January and meetings will be cal character recog-

they have the experi- nition systems, and ence of being the end Election Judges Needed user, of knowing what it's like to live with a disability. If someone fits clients with ergo- calls and knows nomic furniture that they're talking to a suits their special user, it makes a bigdif- needs. They sell mo- ference." torized, adjustable,

moveable computer Director of Technical tables, bed tables, er- Library Adds Adaptive Equipment Support Jon Pierson, blind from birth, was eSt.PaulPub1icLibrary has color, high-contrastelectronic sual conditions. The Readers

tuningpianos afterlos- ing his job as a radio broadcaster and writer. Now he teaches blind and low-vi- One of FOS's central goals is right products for their needs

magnifyingthe image on a full- prove readability for some vi- Wilcox, 266-7071.

taneously punching it into a Braille bar. Accordin about 30 percent of blind people are employed, and about 30 percent of the work- ing blind use computers at work.

Shaping Your Child's Fu- Health Care and Probate, . ture by Dr. Sam Goldstein, November 2 and 2,7-9pm. Thursday, October 22, 1998, --3p.

November5,6:30- 9:30pm. --* Getting to Wotl-, Thursday,

7-7770 (TN); 1-800-537- The In& 37 (toll-free); or fax at 61 2- tion Program,

mance. Videotapes oftheinter- who don't need the late tober27,6:30-9:30pm. view can then be shown to greatest models. Assistive Computer Tech-

nologist JonTellekson ("J.T.") is a former math teacher who developed hand problems and turned to voice recogni- tion software. He now is the voice recognition expert at FOS, teaching people to oper- ate their computers, dictate documents and play games by speaking into a micro- phone, with little or no hand movemerit.

employers. TO learn more about Freedom 1 Clayton VaIIi Performance

original ASL poetry Friday, call 624-3275 (voice). FOS will be able to train more people with the addition of its new training center. Begin- ning in mid-October, FOS will offer group classes on using adaptive technology. Previ- ously, training was done only on an individual basis or through video tape. The train- ing room is equipped with an assortment of adaptive ergonomic furniture and 10 cutting-edge assistive com- puter stations running Win- dows 98 (or oneMac) and live- timeT-l+internetaccess. Class fees are low, and students can retake a class twice without charge within six months.

of Speech, visit its web site at Well-known Deaf poet www.freedomofspeech.comor call (612) 544-3333..

Clayton Valli will perfOrm his October 16,7:30 p.m. at the Earle Brown Center on the St. General ticketprice $5.00,$3.00 Paul Campus of the U of M. for members of S..4.S.E. &for dmid Interpreters provided. Addi- studentslstaff of the U of M, tional disability accommoda- free tomembers oiThe Friends tions available by calling 626- of St. Paul Public Library. 1333 (voice/tty). Ford i t ions

M.I.L.S. 1 HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICE I 11 24 HOUR ON CALL SERVICE Ill Advocacy Video Released Business Manager Tim'

Dallmann had back problems that made him prone to repeti- tive stress injuries and cre- ated barriers to employment. He now works comfortably in his ergonomic office at FOS.

Ill Specializing in Full Home Care Service Ill A new videotape, entitled "SELF-ADVOCATE," has re cently been released by Ex- press Yourself of Minnesota, Inc, (EYM). The 30minute vid- eotape shows people who use augmentative communication devices overcoming barriers to independent living through self-advocacy. It provides an overview of communicative exchanges between verbal in- dividuals and those who use augmentative communication devices to independently in- teract with society.

group members. It is hoped that a glimpse into the lives-of some me-mbrs ni ight inspire and assist others w ho are strug- gling with commu~nication is- sues in their own lives. @

Personal Care Assistants Home Health Aides Homemakers Live-in Caretakers Skilled Nursing

Rehabilitative Services i Mark's strongest expertise is

in environmental control and All proceeds from the sale of this video will significantly aid the mission of EYM, which is to empower peopl~: to become independent communicators in their daily lives. A VHS copy of "SELF-ADVOCATE is available from Peg Johnson, Express Yourself of Minne- sota, Inc., POBox 19227,Min- neapolis, MN 55479-0227 for $24.95 (US dollars) plus $3.95 shipping and handling.

i

111 Physical 1 Occupational /Speech Therapies 111 "Your Key to Freedomn

Comfortable Sedan Transportation for those with Special Needs

MA Recipients

PCA Provider Organization Medicare CertifiedIMedical Assistance

Waivered ServiceslPrivate

2010East Hennepin Avenue, Bldg. #5 Minneapolis, MN 5541 3

"SELF-ADVOCATE" was p m duced by EYM's augmenta- tive communication support

4 October 10, 1998

On Mental Illness Access Press

ISouthwestern Center For - - - -

Maps For The Labyrinth by Peter Feigal

Independent Living (SWCIL) by Steve Thorson

0 ne of the biggest ob- Hennepin county CrisisHome Minnesota Depressive & stacles for those battling progrrun(612)347-3 170. short Manic-Depressive Associa- he Southwestern Center sit system serving these towns, having a consumer be able to

mental illness/brain disorders tern dultfostercare for people tion(MDMDA)(612)379-7933. for Independent Living providing services is a chal- move from a nursing home to

is simply how to find the help who don't need hospitali- Free education and support (SWCIL)isaprivate,nonprofit, lenge. Because of the travel an apartment and be able to

they need. With literally hun- zation. groups by people W ~ Q have consumercontrolled, nonresi- involved in serving our rural attainormaintaintheirdesired

dreds of organizations and pro- been there. dential, community based or- area, SWClL has four full time level of independent function- ganization whose direction is staffthatworkfromhomebased ing.

grpms in theTwinCities done, Ramsey County Crisis (65 1) trying to find the one most 298-4545. Phone counseling MinnesotaBio-BrainAssocia- determined by and for people offices. The home basedoffice

suited to your needs within outreach intervention. 8 tion (612) 922-6916. Freesup with disabilities. Emphasis is allows shorterdistance for staff SWCIL also conducts several

this labyrinth can become a am-midnightM-F, 11 am-7pm port groups with additional placed on improving the qual- totravel allowing more time to social recreation groupactivi-

emphasis on the holistic ap- ity of life for all people with serve consumers and less tiesthroughouttheyear. Some huge undertaking. 1 personal- weekends. ly remember being in despair proach, very respectful. disabilities who live in south- stress for everyone involved. of these group activities in-

western Minnesota. Indepen- clude: Christmas party, Valen- and crisis, needing help NOW The Crisis Connection (612) or just someone to talk to, and 379-6363. 24-hourc~sisphone People,Incqomted (65 1)774-

dent living services through SWCIL has two part time staff tine party, Halloween party

001 1. Hennepin & Ramsey SWCIL promote personal con- members that workas outreach and a Summer party. The

county drop-in centers, edu- trol, individual choice, societal persons in Nobles and Murray social recreation group offers inclusion and equal access. counties. These staff mem- the opportunity to gain team

almost too much to attempt. tdlyf11~m(651)645-2g48. ness, blindness), crisis houses. bers provide people with as- building experience, develop

Free&ocacy, education, and They are the best kept secret in Independent living programs sistance with general informa- cooperative relationships, and offer a wide range of support- tion and referral available increase interaction with 0th.

Recently r v e h d t h e o ~ ~ o r t u - , support groups around the city MN- ive services that are provided through the Center represent- ers. nity to speak to some of the andst&;afreel2+r&course ment a1 health groups at fo r f ami lymembdedLm- Vail Place H~pkins Clubhouse as a means to assist people ing local, regional, statewide

Fairview Riverside hospital, ' ily toFamily;" and st&ngthis (612)%&%22,VailPlaceMin- with disabilities in obtaining and national resources. Infor- Public education and aware-

4 telling the folks about the re- fall, a f ~ e ~4-weckcOUTSefor neapolisClubbouse(612)824- and maintaining the greatest mation andreferralisavailable nessis acrucial service offered

mwxsavailable to them once fightingmental ill- 8061. Safe drop-in Centers, control over their lives. Our to anyone interested in secur- by SWCIL. This service in-

the HMOs kick them out of the ness/brain disorders called multi-program~&emplopent coreconsumer services include ing disability related informa- cludes seminars and work

oasis and back into the cold. "Bridp." opportunities. Advocacy, Cross-Disability tion or in accessing an appro- shops on a variety of topics to

jm hard world. Remembering my PeerIGroup Counseling, Inde- priate resource referral. inform agencies and the pub. pendentLiving Skills Training lic of pertinent disability is-

vices, we offer a wide array of one basis and in groups. The bility . Seminar and workshop other independent living sew- majority of the groups take topics include disability aware- ices which are available based place at schools in aclass room ne~s/sensitivity training, the on individual need. setting. The service for the Americans with Disabilities

wood, Murray, Nobles, Cot- nesota Building Codes. tonwood, and Jackson, with Our services are designed to services being expanded to meet the specific needs of per- Ifyou wouldlikemoreinfonna~ Lincoln and Pipestone coun- sons with all types of disabili- tion about SWCIL and the ties. Requests for individual ties. Consumers are respon- services we provide, please servicesoutsideofthesecoun- sible to develop and control contact us at: Southwestern ties are considered on an indi- their own independent living Center for Independent Living vidual basis. The largest town goal plans. Staffmembers pro- (SWCIL);109 S Fifth Street, in our area is Marshall with a vide assistance, support, and Suite700,Marshdl,MN56258 population of approximately encouragement to the consum- Phone: 5071532-2221 (VflTY) 12,000. Since southwestern ers in establishing and achiev- 1-800/422-1485 (V-FAX:

an agricultural area with many goals. This may range from means.net Web site: http:/l smallcities/townsandnotran- personal daily living skills to www.macil.org/swcil/.

calls for the suicide helpline. beginning ofthe shift to sign in for an appointment. MA TO Cover Viagra

Handi Medical Supply 2505 University Avenue West St. Paul, Minnesota 551 14

At Hwy. 280 & University Avenue

Visit ~ u i ~ a r g e , Fully-stocked showroom open to the public.

Wheelchairshith complete Commode & shower chairs repair service Ostomyland wound care ~alkers/canes, crutches Blood pressure equipment Bathroom safety aids Diabetic supplies IncontinentRlrological supplies

GREAT SERVICE & PRICES We offer 24 hr. Emergency Service exclusivelv to our regular

customers. Free UPS and deliveries to Mpls., St. Paul & Suburbs.

We bill M.A., Medicare. Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Media nad lmnv other insurances

innesota will provide The decision stems fiom a re- bate Program (Minnesota re- provisional coverage of quirement of the federal Health ceives $3 1 million annually in

kgra under its Medical As- CmFinancing Administration rebates), are required to cover :ance (MA Medicaid) Pro- (HCFA). States participating Viagra for Medicaid (MA) re- m,effective Sept. 21,1998. in HCFA's Federal Drug Re- cipients, or lose their funding

c* HOME HEALTH CARE

Home Care Services Available 24 hours per day

Specializing in the care of Children* Adults* Elderly

We provide Personal Care Assistants Home Health Aides Homemakers Live-in Caregivers Nursing

Our Rehabilitative Services include: Physical/ Occupational/Speech/Respiratory Therapies

PCA Provider Organization MAIWaiverlMedicare Certified

544-0315 or 1-800-231-0315

The state will postpone cover- age under General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) and MinnesotaCare health care programs (primarily funded by the state) until mid-April of 1999, pending legislative re- view and review by the state's Drug Formulary Committee.

Those who qualify to receive Viagramust be male and 18 01

older and have a medical diag- nosis justifyingthedrug. Prioi authorization is required and dosage will be limited to six tablets a month. .

Access Press October 10, 1998 5

I I Reliuion & Disability Hello Nicole: Good Religion - Bad Religion by Rich Johnson

y role as achaplain is to Good religion helps people their questioningminds lead help people access and to assess their situation hon- them. In good religion, there

use their own spirituality in estly and realistically and areno stupid, illegitimate, or order to enhance healing and helps them to adjust to the heretical questions. rehabilitation. And although 1 challenge of the disability believe that all persons are without retreating into fan- 4) Simplistic thinking. Good spiritual regardless of whether tasy or magical thinking. religion helps people tusee or not they are religious, more the complexity of life and often than not religion is a pri- 2) Uncompromising judgmen- reminds them that there are mary vehiclefortheexperienc- tal attitudes. When religion no easy answers. Too often

ng of people's fosters hateful, condemning people withdisabilitieshave attitudes toward those of been given simple answers: differing faiths, it is bad reli- You have a disability' be-

Unfortunately, not all religion gion. Good religion fosters cause God is punishin&ou is good religion. I have ob- love and openness to 0th- oryourparentsforsometer- served that there is a potential ers. Good religion recog- riblesin; you haveadisabil- in religious systems to work nizes that we can all learn ity to teach you some great harmaswellasgoodinpeople's from one another in our lesson such as humility, pa- lives. And with regard to dis- searchforultimatetruth. Itis tience, or faith, you have a ability, it seems tobe more true people who are insecureand disability baause t$e h i 1 that people can be harmed by uncertain that need to play worked mischief in your r - -,,-. - certainreligious beliefsorprao the game of "my religion is body; you have a disability

I better than your religion." so that others may have the Tolerance, the genuine opportunitytopracticechar-

In Father Leo Booth's book, appreciation of differences, ity or good works. These When GodBecomesa Drug, he is the product of good reli- kinds of answers are unsat- lists some symptoms of what gion. isfying and sometimes in- he calls "religion addiction." I sulting. As the book of J& choose to call these symptoms 3) Inability to think, doubt or teaches us, bad things do "badreligion." Iwouldliketo question information or happen to good people. elaborate on some of the ones authority. Good religion Good religion cannot be re-

encouragestxitical thinking duced to slogans and and allows people to exam- bumper stickers. We need

I ,- 1) Magical thinking that God ine, evaluate, question, and to struggle and work at ti& .

will fix you. Many people challenge doctrines and challengethatdisability p with disabilities have fallen practices. If you belong to a sents to our bodies, minds, prey to this kind of religious religious group that makes and spirits. thinldng,eitheroutofdenial you check your brains in at

the severity m p m m ture of their disability

g or believing ourspiritual growth. When and peace that emerge , sopething to be me does we are truly free to seek &&pkiWty y d good reli- not make it tm. S- with truth, we ane en&&w- gion. .

1 . disabilities have blamed the truth that makes us free.

Getting Into She: themselves for lack of faith Bad religion restricts and Rich Johnson is ;he Chaplain when they are not "cured." forbids people to go where at Coumge Center.

by Rosalind K. Sampson

Y ou see them everywhere -on billboards and tele

vision, in magazines, movies, health clubs, etc. What are they? Hard bodies that are chiseled and sculpted to per- fection.

In aworld wherethe physically fit body is glorified, it can be intimidating for someone with a disability to enter a facility where the perfect body is manu- factured. However, in July, 1997, I decided to be coura- geous and start my personal journey toward physical fit- ness at a health club. My de- cision to get into shape was encouraged by a good friend and triathalon competitor, Laura, who also recommended a personal trainer to me.

I am not a typical client. I share many of the same concerns: losing weight, developing more muscles, increasing stamina, and enhancing self-confi- dence, but I am a 1 Cyear post spinal cord injury T4/T5 with partial paralysis who uses a wheelchair. Prior to the injury I sustained at the hands of a drunk driver, I was an intrepid

jogger, but I had not exercised regularly since.

My trainer met thechallenge of training me with great vigor and zeal. Even though he had not trained anyone with a mo- bility impairment before, Bradley's upbeat personality and willingness to train me through some unconventional and experimental methods, helped me to release some of my trepidation toward train- ing. After a physical assess- ment and plenty of dialogue on my goals andexpectations, we chose the fitness center at the YWCA. This facility provided me with a handicapped friendly environment and the opportu- nity toexplore various avenues to physical fitness.

My journey toward physical fitness is somewhat limited by my inability to use my lower extremities independently. So the challenge was to find ways tostimulatemy cardiovascular system usingmy upperextremi- ties. To my surprise there were more options for me than I was aware of. Bradley helped m: to design a format that included

the rowing machine, the UBE and wheeling laps inmywheel- chair. My regimen included working out in the weightroom 2-3 times a week.

Approximately 4 months into my fitness program I had no- ticed some positive changes in my body. My stamina had increased, I had lost approxi- mately 10-15 pounds, my muscle mass was taking on form, and I was feeling won- derful about working out. But, I had been overworking my upper extremities, resulting in a shoulder injury. My 3 times a week of vigorous physical training was converted to physical therapy.

After about 3 months of physi- cal therapy the shoulder had responded very well and I slowly eased back into my fit- ness training. I have been working out for the past three months and usually go to the YWCA 4-6 times a week. My new method of exercising has become one of my greaterjoys in life. I have found out that having a physical disability doesn't always exclude you

from physical exercise. If you are willing to explore, adapt, and abandon your mental inhi- bitions, you may be totally sur- prised at all theexercising you can do.

Recently, I accepted an invita- tion to compete in the Veterans 5K Roll/Run/Race. This was my first competitive wheelchair

race and I was the first and only woman to enter the race in their 12 years of racing. I applaud myself for having the fortitude tocompete with the men. That experience has inspired me to consider participating in fu- ture races for the purpose of staying in shape.

The knowledge I have ob-

tained through physical train- ing has been a combination of trial and error, experimental, and innovation. I learned that physical exercise programs can be designed to accommodate your abilities. My journey to- wards physical fitness is in- complete, perhaps it's not a journey anymore, but a l i fe style. .

HOUSING AND PERSONAL CARE SERVICES

Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI) offers subsidized one and two bedroom apartments for individuals with physical disabilities. We have housing in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, St. Cloud, Brainerd, GrandRapids, Hibbing, Austin, Marshall, Willmar, andDuluth.

The apartments are fully wheelchair accessible and each building has a central laundry room, large community room, secured entry and an on-site s( caretaker.

-

AS1 also offers shared personal care services 24 hours a day, at most locations, for adults with a physical disability andtor traumatic brain injury who qualify for Medical Assistance.

For more information call (65 1) 645-727 1 or (800) 466-7722. For services or housing call Leigh, for employment as apersonal care attendant call Sean.

fi 1 1 Accessib*e Space, Inc.

Y

4lYb inn

I 6 October 10, 1998 Access Press 8 I' 1 GOVERNOR- ~ont.tromp. 1 -

- L r - . -_ sion, the legislature also a p A' question is answered, we need

= ' propriated a three percent cost- to look at the feasibility of ap- ; of-living adjustment for pro- plying that solution to the sub-

;C

viders of services to the dis- urbs. More people who use abled, which again included MetroMobilityliveinconcen-

what can be done based upon the problems that are limiting availableresourcesrather than the numbers of people enter- our wish list. This may mean ing the PCA field. that individuals with disabili-

majority of members of the Metropolitan Area Special Transportation Service board are actually users of the sys- tem. I will work to increase Metro Mobility's capacity by ensuring that it is efficiently and properly funded.

Q1: If elected; what would you do to improve Metro

Mobility service?

ties who wish to rely upon Metro Mobility may be forced to live in the inner metropolitan area, but this is the same type of limitation that able bodied persons who do not have cars accept when they choose to rely upon the bus system. I wish1 could promise to signifi-

We would create a committee of disabled people within the Metropolitan Council to set the course for how Metro Mobility can be more respon- sive to the needs of the com- munity it serves.

. - PCAs. This has translated into trated areas in the inner met- - an eight percent increase in ropolitan area. This means that .: salary and benefits over the the system can schedule pick-

past two years for PCAs. As ups and drop-offs in a timely Governor I will support the manner, withlimiteddown time

., . . . - current legislative practice of between stops. In the sub- - providing COLAS for PCAs urbs however, people are more . and other providers of services scattered which often means - .. to the disabled and elderlv. thetripscovermoremiles, take

. . I - * a _ - longer and there is more down

Q2: If elected, what would you do to improve

thePCA situation? Policy goals for the service would:

Create aquicker more accu- rate service that is as avail- able as a bus or a taxi. Purchase more vehicles and

' hire needed drivers, paying them a living wage. Funding for and making the MTC more responsive to people with disabilities.

cantly expand the Metro Mo- bility system, howeverIdonot believe that either the person- nel or the money is available, and1 will notmake a campaign promise that Idon't think Ican keep.

Personal Care Assistants offer people with disabilities the opportunity to live in their own homes, where they can live as independently as possible and be in control of their own lives. It is unconscionable that people are being forced out of their ~ w n homes and back into nursing homes because PCA services are not available.

.+

time for the vehicles between dropping one person off and picking another person up. This means that either Minne-

I sota will have to spendsignifi- cantly greater sums to pur- chase more vehicles and hire more drivers and mechanics to transport small numbers of

Q1: If elected, what would you do to improve Metro

Mobility service? 42: If elected, what would you do to improve

thePCA situation? Transportation for people with disabilitiesmust bereliable and affordable. Without good paratransit services, we deny people with disabilities the possibilities for recreation, education and employment. Unfortunately. Metro Mobil- ity is too often inefficient and riders are not treated like re- spected customers. People continue to complain about trip denials and long waits forrides.

42: If elected, what would you do to improve

thePCA situation?

people with disabilities in and around the suburbs, or that

. .. - . . services will need to remain somewhat limited.

There is no easy answer to thii question. The pay that PCAs receive is comparable to that received by nursing assistants. If the state increases the sub- sidies it pays to PCAs, it will draw more of the people now working as aides in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices and couldexacerbate their per- sonnel shortage throughout the state. To prevent this, 1

As governor, I pledge to begin addressing this problem immediately. But first I will gather firsthand information from thosemost affected. I will workto ensure that MNmoves forward into the 21n Century by unleashing the human po- tential of every person. In my vision of the future, every per- son wili have the opportunity to work at a good job, live in a

We want to give disabled people full dignity by stay- ing in the home, maintaining their independence. The Department of Human Services would pay living wage jobs with benefits to Personal Care Attendants based on per capita spend-

? '*z-,~ ~ 1 : If elected, what would In an ideal world we would i'- ,?<. - {* - you do to improve Metro have the resources to provide

Mobility service? Metro Mobility whenever and wherever it is needed in the

: yg*L The first question is what h a p entire expanding metropolitan pened over the past two years area. Unfortunately both to improve the service within money and personnel are lim- theinnermetroarea. Oncethat ited, and we have to decide

believe the state needs to do Recently I heard about a decent home, and be treated ing county by county. more advertising for PCAs woman who has a good job at with dignity and respect. We would recruit PCA work- throughout the state and even a Minneapolis-based com- ers withincentives formedi- in other areas of the country pany. Last summer she had an where unemployment is still accident,nowsheusesawheel-

111 . 111 on welfare. The pay is higher She willlose Her job dthout ' I sion of need would be be- - ___ _____ __ - _ MENT M~~~ than the minimum wage posi- transportation. This is unac- I tions many are now currently ceptable. 1

5 , AWM~CIPLENTS: seeking, the emotional feed-

tween the patient and doc- I tor. There would be a state mini-

, m,:,, , ward: Wilderness Inquiry back is high and it could lead As 'governor, I will seek the I m w floor forPC& based on - - many individuals into careers advice of Metro Mobility rid- - p& capita'- spending county :ar (ZOO+ employees): . - . - . healthcare field. ers. I will make sure that the . b- bv countv. 4-, .

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T t ' s .&p over eeight years was complete y stoned every nancewilhpe6plewhoiha Asince-'president George . time he came to work, and ap or could, be allies. 2

Bushsignediritolaw WAmerl: 'pard to be incompetent to cans with Disabilities Act .bsuot, the beleaguered boss (AD-A). This landmark civil- couldn't firehim beause "the rights legisl@tion, modeled af- government" (read; the ADA)

'"terthe~ivilkights~ctof 1964, wouldn't let him. Do the writ- is aimed a t i e m ~ v i n ~ , @ ~ ~ - . ; ers think that supporters of the ers thatmake it difficult br fm- ADA intend for a bunch of possible fsr $eople with $is.- activedrug addicts and incom- ~abiIitiesti3participateinAmd~ petents to be protected by fed- a n life. Whocould argue with eral law? Not only is that i&a

,.-<thafnoblagaal? It seems that, outrageous in itself, but it's F- many-people could, and their also based on incorrect infor-

attacks on the ADA can be mation. The actual text of the heard and seen wherever you ADA includes the following: look. What is the nature of- "...the term 'individual with a

l'hireis a second aspect to the "Good Law Gone Bad" attack that is pdcularly dangerous. If the public fails to see the ADA as an expression of the legitimatecivil rights of an im- portant segment of the soci- ety, and instead sees it as yet another example of Big Gov- ernment run amok, then the stage is set for a public back- la& agaipst the law. Since the ADA is so closely associated with the struggle for disability

these attacks on the aDA,md disability' does not include an rights, such a bac- could when do may onne fmm? individual W ~ O is currently evolveintoageneralimiback- D R A G n e t R e - o r g a n i z i n g -

engaging I'. the illegal use of lash against .U aspects o f h t struggle. The parallels with the battle over "welfare as we Services Continue

This was the: W l i n e of an Thi "disabling America" h o w it" are clear. -81' .nicle in ~orbes maiiuine re- genre inclwim c1PMs that the ess than 69 days after an- the week of October 5,1998. Mr. Gillesby's

cently, d i s an e x a m I ? ADA is thra&hing s a y in Writer Prsd Pcllca pointedout L -;w- nouncing it was suspend- based On 8- dimkiping 1m

6, "Isn'tfbb~;razy?"attaCkf~rm. ,thew--. h thisv*,we in The Humanist m ~ d in ingoperadom, DmGnethw The co&y has accw to coalitions with as yet mdis- , ere's the basic approach: dig hear hat employers are being 1996 that, although olher ma- EWmed its refurbkw corn- sow& of used cowut- closed ~gahizations. *%le

a upsomeexamples ofmay law--. M B Z Y ' f d by the ADA to retain ior civil-rights legisbion is ~ ~ r p l ~ n t ~ w h i 1 e ws md is now able to offer it's too earw to go into details, .,-L. . suits or regulat~ly efforts workers who are somehow currently seen as politically con(ining its reGg&tion ezpanded =hrMshing, tah- thssc arr vh pasifive devel-

wo&& extremely in & past rF;S days to . !.? :'

-., L

make up the largest minority group in the Nation?: -

Undoubtedly a few of them website is only one of many in phone calls to the television were frivolous, but that's this category, whichJ call the station, speaking up at h e The last day to register to vote before hardly the fault of the ADA. "Good Law Gone B e ap- meeting, orwheseves~o~ms election day is October 15. Frivolous suits are sometimes proach. (That same headline Three major types of attack filed under the First Amend- also appeared on a Reader's hawbeenident i fdb. Per- menttotheconstitutionaswell, DigestarticleabouttheADA.) haps you will seeothers. The If you haven't registered before election day, go to your polling but calls for abolishing it are Thisstyleof attackisabitmore important thing is that we all place on November 3 bring proof of address for where you are

- rarelyheard. , - sophiJtieafcdy with a Of a*lutenvre'ves What living on election day. The following are acceptable forms of prooE condescending sympathy for we have and the threats to it, the "cause" of "the dis- m&up~urmh&~dosome- Minnesota Driver's License, harner Permit or ID card; someone

- - abled." ~ w . we Rave the ar- mg, and johr w u otbrs to who is registered at the precinct where you live who can vouch for ticles that lament how such make a d i i ~ n c e . Educate, you at the polling place; a school fee statement with your address

tional Review magazine. Icall good-hearted people as those organize, agitate. this category of attack whodraftedfheADAcouldbe "They're ruining it for every- so naive or tbick-headed as to Future generations may look one." Also known as "What thinkthatafastatutecould back on the passage 'of the do they want from us?" It's a cause anything but problems. Americans with Disabilities broad categoFy, but the argu- ~ c t as asmall stepin ap&s ment is summed up well by This is a more sophisticated of fundamental change in the Walter Olson, the author of a attack for a couple of reasons. livesandcultureofpeople with book called "The Excuse Fac- One is k t there is some truth disabititiesintheUnitedSg&s. tory," who says that "ADA to thecharge that afederal law Or @aps it will be remem- has the potential b farce the by itselfis not worth the paper bere$ as the bigh point of s rethinking-andwateringdown it's printed on. No matter noble but losing fight. If Mr. .of every imaginable standard what the law says, if the soci- Pelh is right, and the rights of of comperenee, whether of eQ in which the law exists is peopiewithdiSabilidesarethe mind, body, or character" in largely ignarant of or pmju- most politidly l v u l d k of theU.SA. HopefirllyMr.Olson diced against the legitimate. anyme's right now, then dis- ismoreextremethanmost,but needs and desires of people ability rights activists t d y

In the preiinct &ng with a photo ID; or a student ID card with your address on it.

Election Day is November 3!

I Justin Dart, Godfather of the Americans with Disabilities Act says:

This is your life, your responsibility as a citizen of the United States -

variatim on this theme do with disabilities, or any other have -their work cut out for seem t o a p p e a r ~ d y r e ~ y group that law won't be en- them. l in the mainstream media fa& (Manydisability-rights

Get involved in politics as if activists say that &is is what Jeff I v y ~ Natiofial Writ-

For example, last spring tinis we are seeing right now with ers union; social .%c~(rity your life depends upon it, writer saw apopular~~sikom the ADA.) So an attack wsbg P w op? Mn, Box 14354, in which the benevolent boss the them of ws is B law that Minrturlpolis, MNSSS~. V O ~ because it does! h i a major dnrg rrser. Dc- is trying to do something that 612-33ZWVQ Fa' 651444- sDitcthefacthtthisemolo~ee it cannot do" has some re9o- 2136 wren@wmeredwt -

8 October 10, 1998

Disability Culture

Crip Caste -Owning Up To The Pecking Order And Prejudice Within The Disability Community by Victoria Medleys

Culture Editor Lolly Lijew- much-fatter-person-with- ski's Note: The following the-Oreos-in-his-cart. As a thinker, he seems to have

r . article is the first half of a few boundaries. As a writer, longerarticleby Medleys. The Or the calculated once-over no topic is too sacrosanct for second half will be published given to fellow job applicants disclosure or comment. As a in this column in November. I knowing full well -all other humorist, he jokes that he's welcome your comments and things being reasonably equal now a member of the "geezer ideas about this topic. -themostattractivelynormal caste." But as a man, Milam

person will probably get the held tight to his secret sense of

W hat's"better?'Apump job, especially if it's not one superiority for 15 years after ing para-body or one covered by affirmative action. becoming disabled by polio in

I

that's' cerebral-palsy spastic? his late teens; held tight to his Skin that's light black or dark It's the same king-of-the-hill "g1amourboy"post-polioiden- black? behavior kids with subtle tity, a condition President

disabilities sometimes indulge Franklin Roosevelt had given What's "better?" facial de- in when they come up against a certain social cachet. formity or a missing limb? A another "special" kid, maybe fat, soft body or a trim, hard thk one who drools over the From the beginning, Milam's one? front of her shirt. The one they status taught him about the

call "retard" at lunch. "entitlement" of those who What's "better?' A mindtag- inhabit the top tier; it taught ged mentally retarded or one It's also the kind of nasty pri- him the value of being-or at labeled gifted? A hook nose or vate ranking afriendand1 took least pretending to be -"bet- one that's small and "refined?" to extremes when we played a ter than" all others whose dis-

game of politically incorrect ability was more apparent or What's usually a given is this: truth or dare: "Would you "less noble." Human judgments concerning rather have acid thrown in your what'shotandwhat'sndcross face or have to use a wheel- But once he reached his 30s all racial, economic, gender, chair?' We took the wheel- and the effects of post-polio religious, age and ability lines. chair. As women, we knew the syndrome took hold, that same

gender score. With a chair, top-tier position brought him -. 2' What's a little harder to get we'dstillrank. to his emotional knees and to

people to admit, let alone terns with what his privilege -r p u b E i % . i i s cost both personally and po-

great un"speken - sea of is equal within the disability litically. He says today with

plating the subject of caste, especially when he considers the pain such disclosure could bring to some of his friends. Progress aside, Milam says he occasionally catches himself automatically sizing-up others, then silently calculating how theirpublic behaviormightre- flect on him.

Gallagher. He says his accep- tance level has evolved over the last 45 years as he adjusted - like his long-time friend Lorenzo Milam - to the reali- ties of post-polio and life in a wheelchair. Gallagher admits that until 10 years ago he felt uncomfortable with, and often went out of his way to avoid, people withdisabilities dissimi- lar to his own - especially those with cognitive disabili- ties.

is about changing the world, and this internal ranking is part ofall that, whether we like it or I not."

Although somewhat less ve- hement in his approach, Will- iam G. Stothers, editor of the San Diego-based magazine "Mainstream," echoes Gwin's basic philosophy. I "Being honest about this makes

me feel cruel, crass, moreinhu- man than I am. It makes me sound as if I'm standing on the corpses of the lower caste." Forty-five years into his dis- ability, Milam says he's sur- prised there's a subject left that can make him flinch.

"From a collective view, I'd sav this internal ranking has " denied us unity, power and influence," says Stothers. "Fromapersonal point of view, it diminishes our own possi- bilities. From adisability press point of view, it probably costs us in terms of circulation and advertisers in so far as we don't cover other groups."

"As I've come to know people from different strains ofdisabili- ty, I'vegotten to know them as people and not as labels," he says. "We are a disparate group that comes in all shapes and sizes, but, based on my own education and evolution, I'd say I'm optimistic that many of these artificial boundaries

By Trust Betrayed

Hugh Gallagher is no stranger to the cost of crip caste as defined by the nondisabled world.

Stothers says he remembers are disappearing." learning thepower of crip caste

from early on. 'When I w k a Editors on Caste kid at camp, I was definitely in

a higher caste and I subcon- "If someone denies the exist- sciously exercised that power ence of a caste system within against others. When I was the disability community," backin thenondisabledvBo$if, I

says Lucy Gwin, "they're flat I was once again on the low

As the author ofBy Trust Be- trayed: Patients, Physicians and the License to Kill in the Third Reich, Gallagher chronicled the extermination ofthedisabled by Hitler's medi- cal henchmen. With chilling clarity, he told the story of German physicians who pro- vided "final medial assistance" to anyone they deemed "unworthy of life."

out lying." I

discriminatiin - the internal- cokpunia. reluctant but se&ng honesty,

I .Is#, ized ranking found within each e, 'What all that privilege meant human subgroup, disability Crip Zen Revisited was intolerable suffering for

As editor of "Mouth," the less-than-timid Rochester, N.Y.-based magazine, Gwin says readers regularly com- ment on the publication's cross-disability perspective and the feedback's not always positive. "I hear it all the time: 'I'mnotlike them. Why are you saying I'm like them?' We're all trying to stay on top of our own little pile, but until all of us get and give respect, none of us will get any," Gwin says. "This internal caste system is so deeply ingrained in all of us that we'll go to any length to insist we're not retarded, we're not crazy, we don't drool."

"Unfortunately, we do to &&9 . ers who share our condition of disability what we complain others do to us," says Stothers. "We in the disability press ra- tionalize not dealing with these issues, but we have to chal- lenge ourselves. At some poipt, it means you have to deal orcith your own discomfort."

*up: Whether people are dealing with their discomfort or simply learning to be more sensitive to the political climate is amat- terof conjecture for writer Mary Johnson. Editor of "The Dis- ability Rag" for 15 years and now editor of its reincarnation, 'The Ragged Edge." Johnson says she's seen a change over the past 10 years. Before that, people with physical disabili- ties didn't hesitate to voice their displeasure at being in any way connected to people with cognitivedisabilities. It's not something she hears so much today.

I included - that often keeps the house divided as much as or more than any external po- litical, historical or economic forces.

I After all, most of us aren't comfortable admitting that

- =-;*we frequently rate ourselves some way over other human

eings. You know, the kind of smug assessment one makes while standing in line at the grocery store eyeing that

others, so I didn't have to ac- knowledge those parts of my- self of which1 am most afraid."

At his best, Lorenm Milam is a writer with atrue gonzo spirit.

Yet Gallagher, also the author of FDR's Splendid Decep- tion and the in-press Black Bird Fly Away, is less sure about the existence of a caste system within the disability community today. "If there is an internal caste system, it doesn't leap forward at me," he says. "That's one of the things that attracted me to the disabil- ityrightsmovement. I seemost people working together."

Now in his &s, Milam -the author of Crip Zen, The Cripple Liberation Front Marching Band Blues andThe Blob That Ate Oaxaca, as well as dozens of other books and articles on sex, disability and small "p" poli tics - takes on controversial subjects the way a matador takes on a bull.

Milam says years of therapy and personal exploration have allowed him to be more accept- ing of those very human thoughts, and to claim his place in the disability community. Finally, Milam says, he can relate to others whose condi- tion is seen by both disabled and nondisabled people as less acceptable.

T h r e are more: thaiz IQ,ODQ numbered graves S R Mi rtnetsoto.

Even so, Milam admits he isn't entirely comfortable contem- It wasn't always so for Gwin's assessment of the cost

of such polarization?

"Everydung. We've been colo- nized by the charities, colo- nized by the agencies, colo- nized by our own behavior. How f-ing stupid. How f- ing stupid that we buy into it."

RlEiiu-SUES L SERVICE - REPAIR I Gwin admits her own bigotry occasionally gets her into trouble and, when she man- ages to catch herself in the act, she says the behavior out loud. "Just bringing your own per- sonal prejudice to light helps deal with it. As for our maga- zine, I know the fact that we don't deal with specific infor- mation on specific disabilities cuts into our circulation.

"Idon'treally know what [they] think inside, but my sense is that, within the disability com- munity at large, there is alittle tiny, tiny bit more solidarity," says Johnson. "At least most are willing to admit that the problem of ranking exists.".

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