The National Advisory Board advocates for the rights of older adults and people with disablities to live healthy, independent lives at home.
LATEST UPDATE
In this week’s blog Kyle Kleist, Executive Director of the Center for Independent Living of Western Wisconsin (CILWW) and NAB Member Billy Altom, Executive Director of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), walk us through some of the issues and barriers to accessible transportation as well as some of the methods to make transport accessible to all.
This week: How to COVID-19 pandemic spotlights inequalities for older Americans, disability inclusion on the NASDAQ and STEM, AND the digital divide, PLUS the Disability Community recognizes the Disability Day of Mourning in What We’re Reading!
Former FOX 5 anchor breaks ground with 1st digital deaf network
www.fox5atlanta.com
Former Good Day Atlanta anchor Karen Graham has been a pioneer in broadcasting with her digital network offering the news in American Sign Language.www.politico.com/news/2021/03/03/white-house-insurers-vaccinations-473101
White House taps insurers to boost vaccinations among vulnerable communities
www.politico.com
The Biden administration will announce a new initiative with health insurers to ensure some of their most high-risk customers get vaccinated against Covid-19.During March we recognize Women's History Month. Crushing Colonialism is releasing each of the five events on their Youtube channel on each Monday in March in honor of Women’s History Month. The first video, titled “Native 101,” will debut March 1 and will offer viewers an opportunity to learn about Indigenous peoples throughout the so called Americas. “The Three Rs: Realize, Recognize, & Reconciliation” is a unique event focused on the ways in which Indigenous reproductive systems, matrilineal, and multi-gendered ways have been systematically attacked over the last 500 years. mailchi.mp/a63ae46eb4af/womens-history-month-tune-in-to-the-3rs
March is #WomensHistoryMonth -- a time to celebrate the contributions women have made to our world and re-dedicate ourselves to fostering inclusive spaces where women are able to thrive, achieve, and shine! womenshistorymonth.gov/about/
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – NACDD
www.nacdd.org
Each March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and our partners work together to create a social media campaign that highlights the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities. The campaign seeks t...A Disability Day of Mourning: Remembering the Murdered and the Vulnerable
www.thenation.com
On March 1 every year, communities gather to read aloud the names of disabled people killed by their caregivers.This week: How to COVID-19 pandemic spotlights inequalities for older Americans, disability inclusion on the NASDAQ and STEM, AND the digital divide, PLUS the Disability Community recognizes the Disability Day of Mourning in What We’re Reading! declarationforindependence.org/what-were-reading-march-1-2021/
What We’re Reading: March 1, 2021 - Declaration for Independence
declarationforindependence.org
This week: How to COVID-19 pandemic spotlights inequalities for older Americans, disability inclusion on the NASDAQ and STEM, AND the digital divide, PLUS the Disability Community recognizes the Disability Day of Mourning in What We’re Reading!Every year on March 1st, the disability community gathers across the nation to remember disabled victims of filicide–disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers.
As our friends at The Autistic Self Advocacy Network remind us, "We see the same pattern repeating over and over again. A parent kills their disabled child. The media portrays these murders as justifiable and inevitable due to the “burden” of having a disabled person in the family. If the parent stands trial, they are given sympathy and comparatively lighter sentences, if they are sentenced at all. The victims are disregarded, blamed for their own murder at the hands of the person they should have been able to trust the most, and ultimately forgotten. And then the cycle repeats."
On this day let u s honor the memory of those that have been lost and renew our pledge that the lives of individuals with disabilities will be heled with the same reverence, care, and value that we ascribe to all life - no matter what.
www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-20/disability-advocate-retires-at-84-after-decades-activism
At 84, this fierce champion of people with disabilities has decided to retire — sort of
www.latimes.com
Norma Jean Vescovo is retiring after decades of working to improve the lives of people with disabilities.www.startribune.com/fever-partners-with-anthem-inc-to-further-social-causes/600026407/
Fever partners with Anthem Inc. to further social causes
www.startribune.com
Indiana Fever President Allison Barber wanted to find a way to continue the work her team and the rest of the WNBA did last summer in the fight for social justice.www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/02/23/2180573/0/en/Disability-IN-and-AAPD-Urge-SEC-and-Na...
www.globenewswire.com
Institutional investors also voice support for measuring and reporting disability diversity in the corporate boardroomcurrent.org/2021/02/fast-forward-challenges-viewers-to-have-the-tough-conversations-about-aging/
‘Fast-Forward’ challenges viewers to have tough conversations about aging
current.org
A documentary debuting March 24 follows millennials and their boomer parents as they navigate an “aging boot camp.”fortune.com/2021/02/24/covid-inequities-discrimination-ageism-rebuilding/
Commentary: COVID is ‘shining a spotlight’ on the inequities facing older Americans
fortune.com
The good news, says the CEO of AARP: The recovery from the pandemic gives us a chance to build a more equitable society.www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/22/966291447/when-does-covid-19-become-a-disability-lon...
When Does COVID-19 Become A Disability? 'Long-Haulers' Push For Answers And Benefits
www.npr.org
Many patients suffering from long-term effects can no longer work and want the Social Security Administration to provide guidance on who qualifies for disability benefits.www.marketwatch.com/story/britney-spears-and-her-toxic-conservatorship-case-highlight-a-nightmare...
Britney Spears and her ‘toxic’ conservatorship case highlight a nightmare for older Americans
www.marketwatch.com
The pop singer has been under a conservatorship for more than a decadewww.ehn.org/disability-inclusion-in-stem-2650512380.html
LISTEN: Krystal Vasquez's push for disability inclusion in STEM
www.ehn.org
"Bringing awareness is one thing, but then we have to ask what can we do about it?"www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/black-americans-should-face-lower-age-cutoffs-to-qualify-for-a-va...
Opinion | Black Americans should face lower age cutoffs to qualify for a vaccine
www.washingtonpost.com
It only makes sense for vaccine allocation to acknowledge these health inequities.www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2021/02/20/its-time-to-stop-even-casually-misusing-disability-...
It’s Time To Stop Even Casually Misusing Disability Words
www.forbes.com
avoiding offensive language throughout organizations isn’t just about preventing bad publicity. Curbing use of stigmatizing and problematic language makes workplaces safer for diversity, more productive for employees, and friendlier to customers and clients.This week: The #DisCo prepares for the Disability Day of Mourning, POTUS makes his pick for Medicaid chief, we continue to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth AND the effect of Rush Limbaugh on political discourse in hat We’re Reading! declarationforindependence.org/what-were-reading-february-22-2021/
What We’re Reading: February 22, 2021 - Declaration for Independence
declarationforindependence.org
This week: The #DisCo prepares for the Disability Day of Mourning, POTUS makes his pick for Medicaid chief, we continue to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth AND the effect of Rush Limbaugh on political discourse in hat We’re Reading!www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-documentary/an-aging-burlesque-dancers-unlikely-romance
An Aging Burlesque Dancer’s Unlikely Romance
www.newyorker.com
“Coby and Stephen Are in Love” traces a partnership forged late in life and steeped in art.www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/17/biden-medicare-chiquita-brooks-lasure/
Biden picks another Obama veteran to oversee Medicare, Medicaid
www.washingtonpost.com
If confirmed, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure would lead $1 trillion agency.New National African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence
Promoting Behavioral Health Equity for African Americans
Morehouse School of Medicine February 15, 2021
As the past year has demonstrated, many factors can affect human health and access to effective health services. This is no less true for behavioral health—mental health and substance-related conditions. Now a new source of training and information is available to help professionals and communities address health disparities and support the equity, effectiveness, and appropriateness of behavioral health services for African Americans.
On October 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS, SAMHSA) established the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (AABH-COE). The new Center of Excellence is a project of Morehouse School of Medicine, one of only four medical schools among the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
According to Principal Investigator Dawn Tyus, PhD, LPC, MAC, the new Center’s charge is to create and provide training, written resources, and technical assistance to service providers in behavioral health and allied fields. There will also be information and tools for community partners, families, peer supporters, and individuals living with behavioral health challenges. (Watch the AABH-COE website, africanamericanbehavioralhealth.org.)
Health disparities have been defined as “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health.” 1 “In human lives,” said Dr. Tyus, “this includes the chronic stressors that can make people more vulnerable to disease or give them more serious symptoms and consequences if they do get sick. It can also mean people run into more obstacles on the way to getting the services they need. Or maybe the only help they can get is in service settings where they don’t feel welcome or safe.
“In some cases, said Dr. Tyus, “people are even misdiagnosed or denied appropriate treatment because of some old mistaken beliefs about African American people— beliefs that their providers might not even know they had.”
According to Dr. Tyus, the job of the AABH-COE is, not only to name and understand these disparities and their many effects, but also to prepare the field to correct the disparities and address their effects. This will require a deep appreciation for the field, a firm grounding in the science, willingness to try innovative approaches, and support for the transformation of behavioral health systems, organizations, practices, and practitioners.
The new Center’s agenda is ambitious, Dr. Tyus admitted, “but we have Morehouse School of Medicine behind us, plus an Executive Advisory Board full of distinguished national experts, a nationwide network of strategic partners, and a council of organizations with ties to the amazing diversity and resilience within African American communities.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to go straight to the center of what’s diminishing the well-being of so many wonderful people,” said Dr. Tyus. “We’re ready to take this on.”
For more information, visit africanamericanbehavioralhealth.org/
African American Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities
africanamericanbehavioralhealth.org
Responding to the urgent need for greater equity and effectiveness in behavioral health services for African Americans, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has established a new National Center, the African American Beh...Our colleagues T Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) offer you some ideas on how to best recognize #BlackHistoryMonth!
CWLA Celebrates Black History Month
Founded as Negro History Week by Carter G. Woodson in 1926, in 1976 Black History Month became a month-long celebration to recognize African American history and culture in the United States. CWLA would like to celebrate a few Black voices that are well-known and familiar. Happy Black History Month 2021!
Prominent African Americans who have profoundly impacted history include Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, President Barack Obama, and Vice President Kamala Harris. In celebrating Black excellence, we recognize Madam C.J. Walker, the first U.S. woman to become a self-made millionaire; Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress; The Honorable Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court; and Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball.
Here are several ways you can celebrate Black history this month:
1. Support a Black-owned business
2. Read a book by a Black author
3. Sign up to mentor a Black child in your community
4. Donate to an HBCU
5. Learn about an unsung hero of Black history
6. Call out racism and prejudice in your community
7. Read Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech
8. Visit a Black History or Civil Rights museum in your local area
9. Engage in healthy conversations about Black history on social media
10. Explore music written by African Americans
11. Form a racial healing group
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - "The time is always right to do what is right."
ktla.com/news/california/from-ca-farmworkers-to-elderly-cuban-americans-in-fl-latinos-face-barrie...
From CA farmworkers to elderly Cuban Americans in FL, Latinos face barriers to getting vaccines
ktla.com
Rigoberto Montesinos, a veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, was so worried about side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine that he initially wasn’t going to get it, relenting only when ...thehill.com/policy/international/538767-watchdog-says-uk-patients-with-learning-disabilities-were...
thehill.com
A watchdog group has said that patients in the United Kingdom with learning disabilities who contracted the coronavirus were given unnecessary "do not resuscitate" orders.A CRIP CAMP LOVE STORY | Netflix Film
www.youtube.com
Ann Cupolo Freeman and Sam Freeman recount their love story. Jim LeBrecht (Co-Director of Crip Camp) speaks with them both about identity, acceptance and fin...www.ajmc.com/view/dr-burcu-zeydan-explains-how-aging-impacts-multiple-sclerosis
Dr Burcu Zeydan Explains How Aging Impacts Multiple Sclerosis
www.ajmc.com
Timing of relapses in multiple sclerosis is one of several interactions among aging, the trajectory of progressive disease, and worsening disability, according to Burcu Zeydan, MD, assistant professor of neurology, assistant professor of radiology, at the Mayo Clinic.www.americanprogress.org/issues/disability/news/2021/02/12/495740/sexual-violence-disability-comm...
Sexual Violence and the Disability Community Discussion Guide - Center for American Progress
www.americanprogress.org
Conversations around sexual violence must use justice frameworks to center the intersection of gender and disability violence.Even with all that is going on we can still Laissez les bon temps Roulez! Wishing you a Happy and Safe Mardi Gras!
How New Orleans Turned Mardi Gras Into ‘Yardi Gras’ | TODAY
www.youtube.com
After the pandemic canceled traditional Mardi Gras parades and celebrations, residents of New Orleans and beyond decided to keep the Mardi Gras spirit alive ...www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/learning/what-does-your-countrys-national-anthem-mean-to-you.html
What Does Your Country’s National Anthem Mean to You?
www.nytimes.com
Does the song reflect the beliefs you have about your country? How might it be changed to include more perspectives and experiences?www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/dallas-mavericks-short-lived-national-anthem-policy-shows-issue-persi...
Dallas Mavericks' short-lived national anthem policy shows issue persists
www.nbcnews.com
"If you think the anthem needs to be played before sporting events, then play it before every movie, concert, church service and the start of every workday at every business,” New Orleans Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy said.Lots of celebrations this week – President’s Day, Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day with Mardi Gras on the way AND AAPD announces the winners of the Hearne Awards AND reflections on the national anthem PLUS the world says goodbye to Larry Flynt and Chick Corea in What We’re Reading. declarationforindependence.org/what-were-reading-february-15-2021/
What We’re Reading: February 15, 2021 - Declaration for Independence
declarationforindependence.org
Lots of celebrations this week – President’s Day, Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day with Mardi Gras on the way AND AAPD announces the winners of the Hearne Awards AND reflections on the national anthem PLUS the world says goodbye to Larry Flynt and Chick Corea in What We’re Reading.www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/12/mark-cuban-national-anthem-games/
Perspective | Mark Cuban had the right idea: It’s time to rethink how we use the national anthem
www.washingtonpost.com
To maintain the national anthem's power, it's time to reimagine its use.www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/12/967190126/people-with-intellectual-disabilities-are-...
People With Intellectual Disabilities Are Often Overlooked In Pandemic Response
www.npr.org
Without federal tracking, no one knows how many people in disability group housing have fallen ill or died from the virus. And few states are prioritizing them for vaccination.www.indiewire.com/2021/02/framing-britney-spears-disability-rights-1234615596/
‘Framing Britney Spears’ Doesn’t Bring Up Disability and That’s a Problem
www.indiewire.com
Spears is physically able-bodied, beautiful, and successful. It's not what disability narratives have historically prized throughout the years.As the poet laureate of the sitcom, Lucile Ball reminds us, "Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."
Happy Valentine's Day!
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/08/best-vaccination-strategy-is-simple-focus-americans-65...
Opinion | The best vaccination strategy is simple: Focus on Americans 65 and older
www.washingtonpost.com
Yes, essential workers are at risk, but older Americans should be prioritized first.www.cnbc.com/2021/02/06/how-covid-led-to-unemployment-for-older-americans.html
They went bust in the Great Recession. Now, in their 80s, the pandemic took their jobs
www.cnbc.com
Dan and Grace Porte, like thousands of other seniors, lost their jobs during the pandemic. Older Americans tend to be unemployed for longer periods than others.nypost.com/2021/02/11/cuomo-aide-admits-they-hid-nursing-home-data-from-feds/?fbclid=IwAR3KwfIyCg...
Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa admits they hid nursing home data so feds wouldn’t find out
nypost.com
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top aide privately apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding the state’s nursing home death toll from COVID-19 — telling them “we froze” out of fear t...Wishing you all good fortune as we celebrate the Year of the OX! Gung Hee Fat Choy!
www.cnbc.com/2021/02/09/covid-vaccine-60percent-of-nursing-home-staff-refused-shots-walgreens-exe...
About 60% of nursing home staff declined Covid vaccines, Walgreens exec says
www.cnbc.com
The declined vaccines indicate another challenge that the country will face: Persuading the majority of Americans to get the lifesaving vaccine.thehill.com/homenews/administration/537954-biden-covid-19-adviser-on-drop-in-cases-time-has-not-c...
Biden COVID-19 adviser on drop in cases: Time has not come 'to breathe a sigh of relief'
thehill.com
A top aide to President Biden said on Tuesday that Americans and public health experts should not take a recent decline in daily coronavirus cases and hospitalizations as a signal to relax as the government works to get the pandemic under conLooking for information on when you can accss the COVID Vaccine. This helpful dashboard is a as a starting point for understanding how each state is prioritizing the disability community in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and intends to help people with disabilities determine when they qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine in their state.
COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard – The Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center
disabilityhealth.jhu.edu
COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard This dashboard was created as a partnership between the Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center and the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities as a starting point for understanding how each state is prioritizing the disability....This Week: Aging in Place, how seniors are dealing with the pandemic and accessing the vaccine AND Nike develops a hands free sneaker PLUS Jessica Long reps disability and Paralympics in the latest Toyota Super Bowl Ad all in what we’re reading! declarationforindependence.org/what-were-reading-february-8-2021/
What We’re Reading: February 8, 2021 - Declaration for Independence
declarationforindependence.org
This Week: Aging in Place, how seniors are dealing with the COVI-crisis and accessing the vaccine, Nike develops a hands free sneaker PLUS Jessica Long reps the DisCo and Paralympics in the latest Toyota Super Bowl Ad all in what we’re reading!www.cnbc.com/2021/02/03/covid-vaccines-all-i-did-was-cry-elderly-americans-struggle-to-set-up-cov...
'All I did was cry:' Elderly Americans struggle to set up Covid vaccine appointments
www.cnbc.com
Americans age 65 and older who are now eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine have been tirelessly trying to secure an appointment for the drug for weeks.www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/02/04/design-tips-incorporating-aging-in-place-elements-into...
Design tips for incorporating aging-in-place elements into your home
www.washingtonpost.com
TOWN SQUARE | Adding some safety features to your home can make it easier to live there as you age, but seniors often worry that incorporating those features will be unattractive.www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/health/doctor-disabilities-perceptions-wellness/index.html
Many doctors have negative perceptions of patients with disabilities, study finds
www.cnn.com
Researchers found that negative perceptions of patients with disabilities are widespread among physicians -- to a degree they say is "disturbing" and calls for more training about disability at all levels of medical education.www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/02/second-vaccine-side-effects/617892/?utm_campaign=the-a...
The Second COVID-19 Shot Is a Rude Reawakening for Immune Cells
www.theatlantic.com
Side effects are just a sign that protection is kicking in as it should.Your Stories
“Disability doesn’t make you exceptional, but questioning what you think you know about it does.”
-Stella Young
Join us and declare your independence!
Together we can make a difference in health – our care, supports and services, and how we access and navigate between them. Join the movement for independence, and the ability to choose our own health solutions so that we and the ones we love can age gracefully and healthfully.
Join the National Advisory Board (NAB) on Improving Health Care Services for Older Adults and People with Disabilities in its effort to modernize the health care infrastructure in America and drive long-term supports and services to the forefront of health care transformation. Declare your independence!
Sign our Declaration to give older adults and people living with disabilities the right to health independence at home.
Download the Full Report
Learn how we can support health care that meets the needs of people with disabilities and seniors
Take Our Survey
We’d like to learn more about you and your views on independent living.
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Speak up for independence by sharing your experience and stories. Let your voice be heard!
Declaration for Independence
Six Principles to Modernize the Health Care Infrastructure
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Enhanced Self-Care, Improved Coordination
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Encourage Community Integration and Involvement
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Expand Accessibility of Services and Supports
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Uphold Personal Preference
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Empower People to Participate in the Economic Mainstream
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Investment in Improved Technology
SIGN OUR DECLARATION
to give older adults and people living with disabilities the right to health independence at home.