Laura
11-23-2007, 11:27 PM
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071123/OPINION/711230318/1015/OPINION01
Uniting in one voice
(Original publication: November 23, 2007)
Divide and conquer? Or unite and prevail?
Instead of going solo, advocating for their constituents and often exhausting themselves and their resources, groups that advocate on behalf of area residents with disabilities have joined forces. Leaders of several organizations recently announced forming a partnership to educate the public and advocate for disability rights by targeting arenas where the most frustrations, and violations, lie: in housing, employment, health care, public education, access and community inclusion. It is a coalition that deserves the support of the Lower Hudson Valley community.
The new Westchester Disability Advocacy Partnership already has about 40 member organizations, co-chairs Liz Mark and Lisa Tarricone told the Editorial Board this week. The genesis for the effort: Despite gains in understanding the needs and rights of people with disabilities, the road toward full access to American life remains filled with barriers.
"Despite enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (15 years ago) and advances in access, technology and employment opportunities, people with disabilities still have an unemployment rate that is hovering close to 70 percent, as well as a poverty rate that is three times that of the population at large,'' the co-chairs said in a statement announcing the coalition. Mark is a longtime advocate for disability and youth services. Tarricone is systems advocacy director for the Westchester Independent Living Center, with offices in White Plains and Carmel.
Government effort
Of course, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam each have established county offices offering varying types of assistance for people with disabilities. But even they must face funding battles annually. Out of Putnam's recent budget battle, the county's Office for People with Disabilities lost a part-time post for an assistant coordinator, saving taxpayers $27,589 a year - and leaving one employee in the office. Legislator Tony Hay, R-Southeast, said in an article published Sunday that with the mandate from Putnam taxpayers to cut taxes, "We can't afford to keep everything on the payroll. Something has got to go.''
Out of a $130 million county budget, the amount is negligible. County Executive Robert Bondi vetoed the Legislature's elimination of the post, but, by a 7-to-1 vote, the Legislature overrode the veto. "To tell our mentally and physically disabled residents that they warrant only one county employee to address their needs is an insult,'' Bondi wrote to county lawmakers in his veto message. Indeed.
Meanwhile in Putnam, jobs in adult protective services and help for those with mental illness in managing their fiscal affairs remain unfilled, according to Michael Piazza, Putnam's commissioner of social services, who oversees such areas. Westchester and Rockland lawmakers are in the midst of reviewing their proposed 2008 county budgets.
Agencies must fight
If government offices must grovel for annual funding, imagine what nonprofit and not-for-profit advocacy agencies must do to stay afloat, serving constituents, never with enough staff, while advocating for legislation and funding. Indeed, leaders of the fledgling Westchester Disability Advocacy Partnership know their next major hurdle is securing funding for their effort from foundations and other sources.
In addition, they are organizing a film series to educate the public about the lives and humanity of people with disabilities. They plan to focus direct advocacy efforts on two issues, emergency preparedness, particularly for disabled students in public schools; and the desperate need for accessible and affordable housing. The partnership, leaders say, is modeled on the successful Disabilities Network of New York City.
Local organizers note that more than 20 percent of Americans have disabilities and roughly 30 percent of families have at least one family member with a disability - and those numbers will grow rapidly as the population ages and lives longer.
Forcing people with disabilities and their advocates to have to fight for rights they are entitled to is foolhardy and unfair. Putnam Legislator Sam Oliverio, D-Putnam Valley, the lone legislator to vote against cutting the part-time disabilities position there, said its paltry savings couldn't be justified. He estimated keeping the position would have cost each Putnam family 20 cents a year - just one example of how much disabled people are valued, and how much their advocates are up against.
A Journal News editorial
Uniting in one voice
(Original publication: November 23, 2007)
Divide and conquer? Or unite and prevail?
Instead of going solo, advocating for their constituents and often exhausting themselves and their resources, groups that advocate on behalf of area residents with disabilities have joined forces. Leaders of several organizations recently announced forming a partnership to educate the public and advocate for disability rights by targeting arenas where the most frustrations, and violations, lie: in housing, employment, health care, public education, access and community inclusion. It is a coalition that deserves the support of the Lower Hudson Valley community.
The new Westchester Disability Advocacy Partnership already has about 40 member organizations, co-chairs Liz Mark and Lisa Tarricone told the Editorial Board this week. The genesis for the effort: Despite gains in understanding the needs and rights of people with disabilities, the road toward full access to American life remains filled with barriers.
"Despite enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (15 years ago) and advances in access, technology and employment opportunities, people with disabilities still have an unemployment rate that is hovering close to 70 percent, as well as a poverty rate that is three times that of the population at large,'' the co-chairs said in a statement announcing the coalition. Mark is a longtime advocate for disability and youth services. Tarricone is systems advocacy director for the Westchester Independent Living Center, with offices in White Plains and Carmel.
Government effort
Of course, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam each have established county offices offering varying types of assistance for people with disabilities. But even they must face funding battles annually. Out of Putnam's recent budget battle, the county's Office for People with Disabilities lost a part-time post for an assistant coordinator, saving taxpayers $27,589 a year - and leaving one employee in the office. Legislator Tony Hay, R-Southeast, said in an article published Sunday that with the mandate from Putnam taxpayers to cut taxes, "We can't afford to keep everything on the payroll. Something has got to go.''
Out of a $130 million county budget, the amount is negligible. County Executive Robert Bondi vetoed the Legislature's elimination of the post, but, by a 7-to-1 vote, the Legislature overrode the veto. "To tell our mentally and physically disabled residents that they warrant only one county employee to address their needs is an insult,'' Bondi wrote to county lawmakers in his veto message. Indeed.
Meanwhile in Putnam, jobs in adult protective services and help for those with mental illness in managing their fiscal affairs remain unfilled, according to Michael Piazza, Putnam's commissioner of social services, who oversees such areas. Westchester and Rockland lawmakers are in the midst of reviewing their proposed 2008 county budgets.
Agencies must fight
If government offices must grovel for annual funding, imagine what nonprofit and not-for-profit advocacy agencies must do to stay afloat, serving constituents, never with enough staff, while advocating for legislation and funding. Indeed, leaders of the fledgling Westchester Disability Advocacy Partnership know their next major hurdle is securing funding for their effort from foundations and other sources.
In addition, they are organizing a film series to educate the public about the lives and humanity of people with disabilities. They plan to focus direct advocacy efforts on two issues, emergency preparedness, particularly for disabled students in public schools; and the desperate need for accessible and affordable housing. The partnership, leaders say, is modeled on the successful Disabilities Network of New York City.
Local organizers note that more than 20 percent of Americans have disabilities and roughly 30 percent of families have at least one family member with a disability - and those numbers will grow rapidly as the population ages and lives longer.
Forcing people with disabilities and their advocates to have to fight for rights they are entitled to is foolhardy and unfair. Putnam Legislator Sam Oliverio, D-Putnam Valley, the lone legislator to vote against cutting the part-time disabilities position there, said its paltry savings couldn't be justified. He estimated keeping the position would have cost each Putnam family 20 cents a year - just one example of how much disabled people are valued, and how much their advocates are up against.
A Journal News editorial