09-10-07

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Bob Kafka (512) 431-4085

Marsha Katz (406) 544-9504



80 ADAPT Disability Activists Arrested Attacking Segregation in Chicago



Chicago, IL--- More than 500 ADAPT activists from around the country converged in Chicago September 8th-13th to take action against a crisis in Illinois that is the poster child for a larger national problem. The crisis is directly caused by a record of bad decisions made by Illinois state officials, and the institutional bias built into the way the nation’s long term care system is funded.



Today activists made “house calls” to the American Medical Association. Thus far, 80 have been arrested. Their demands are as follows:

Demands are to

1. Endorse Community Choice Act and actively promote passage (e.g. include on AMA website and on advocacy agenda)

2. Work with ADAPT to develop action plan to assure that people with disabilities and seniors get REAL CHOICE in services/supports and are able to live in most integrated setting. Provide membership with continuing medical education programs about community-based alternatives to institutionalization

3. Require that AMA Board of Trustees and leadership divest themselves of all financial interests in nursing facilities, etc.

4. Develop AMA ethics policy that all AMA member MDs must full disclose their financial interests in any facilities to their patients when discussing issues, and not refer any patient to an lTC facility in which they have any financial interest





ADAPT will assure that Gov. Blagojevich knows that his plans to reopen a state institution for persons with developmental disabilities and his lack of support for Money Follows the Person legislation are actions of segregation and in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. ADAPT will also challenge the Illinois Congressional delegation to take a leadership role nationally in eliminating the institutional bias so people with disabilities and older Americans can live at home with dignity.



Currently, Illinois ranks 41st in the nation for providing the community-based services that will allow disabled and older citizens to stay in their own homes. Illinois’ long record of being in the bottom ten states puts it among the worst when it comes to human rights in general and disability rights in particular.



“It turns my stomach to know that my state, historically a home of civil rights in America for people of color, is the same state that is one of the worst civil rights performers in regard to people with disabilities,” said Chicago native Larry Biondi, an organizer with Chicago ADAPT



While in Chicago, ADAPT will hold a national housing forum that will be attended by HUD Fair Housing Assistant Secretary Kim Kendrick, and state and local officials. At the forum, ADAPT will reveal its national housing agenda; take testimony from people across the country who have had difficulty finding affordable, accessible, integrated housing; and distribute information on pending visitability legislation, and the redirection of HUD’s 811 Supportive Housing program funds to projects that are integrated. Currently, the 811 program primarily funds segregated housing situations for people with disabilities.



“As we have begun to make progress in getting people out of institutions, and preventing people from being forced into institutions, the lack of affordable, accessible, integrated housing in typical neighborhoods has become glaringly apparent,” said Beto Berrera, a member of Chicago ADAPT and a Chicago housing expert. “We are hosting this national housing forum so that federal officials can hear just how bad the situation is, and to gain their support in working with us to right this wrong.”