Transcript: 3 Yr. Plan Public Hearing - Mansfield
Posted by: Alan R. Cochrun
Date Mailed: Thursday, June 18th 1998 12:38 PM
Date Mailed: Thursday, June 18th 1998 12:38 PM
PART: 1 of 4
REFERENCE: e9ae7399
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.
WOODY:
.
.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE
STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL'S FOURTH OF SEVEN
STATEWIDE PUBLIC HEARINGS CONCERNING THE DESIGN AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR THREE- YEAR STATE PLAN. WE ARE
GETTING FEEDBACK ON THE MICROPHONES. BEAR WITH US,
UNTIL WE CAN GET IT ADJUSTED.
MY NAME IS WOODY OSBURN, I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DOCTOR OF THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING
COUNCIL, WHICH IS A COUNCIL COMPOSED OF ELEVEN PEOPLE
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR FOR THREE YEAR TERMS. THE
COUNCIL AND THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL
ITSELF ARE CHARGED WITH SYSTEMS CHANGE. IF I HAD TO
SUM IT UP IN A COUPLE OF WORDS THAT IS WHAT WE DO, IS
SYSTEMS CHANGE. WE COORDINATE ACTIVITIES WITH CENTERS
FOR DEPEND LIVING: : . SO, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS GOING
AROUND THE STATE FINDING OUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF
WHAT DISABILITIES OF BECOMING THREE YEARS IN TERMS OF
INDEPENDENT OF OUR. THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING
COUNCIL IS FUNDED WITH FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS AND
WE FACILITATE AND SERVICE A RESOURCE CENTER FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY KNOW
WHAT CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING ARE, THEY ARE NON
PROFIT AGENCIES WHICH SERVE INDIVIDUALS WITH
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DISABILITIES, ALL DISABILITIES, THAT IS ONE OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL LAW IS THAT INDEPENDENT LIVING
SERVE CROSS DISABILITY, WHICH MEANS ALL INCLUSIVE,
THEY PROVIDE FOUR COURSE SERVICES, PEER COUNSELLING,
ADVOCACY AND INFORMATION OF REFERRAL: . SO, WHAT WE
ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO IS, AND AND EACH OF THOSE CENTERS
ARE ALSO FUNDED WITH FEDERAL AND STATE MATCHING
DOLLARS, AS WELL AS ANY DOLLARS THAT THEY CAN RAISE IN
THE COMMUNITY, ETCETERA. TO BRING SERVICES AND
ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN
DESIGNATED REGIONS OF THE STATE. OHIO HAS NINE
CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING: . JOHNNY FISCHER IS
HERE, JOHNNY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK GIVE A BRIEF
PRESENTATION OF YOUR CENTER PLEASE.
MRS. FISCHER: SURPRISINGLY, I'M THE
MAN THAT EVERYBODY CALLS AND ASKS FOR, MY NAME IS
JOHNNY AND I GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR MR. FISCHER. I
WILL ANSWER TO ANYTHING, I DON'T CARE. OUR CENTER IS
AT ONE MARION AVENUE, AND WE HAVE ALL THE SERVICES
THAT WOODY WAS TALKING ABOUT, ADVOCACY, STILLS
CLASSES, PEER COUNSELLING, AND INFORMATION AND
REFERRALS: WE ARE ONE OF THE CENTERS IN THE STATE
THAT PART OF OUR FEDERAL GRANT HAS AGAIN GONE TO BUILD
RAMPS AND HELP WITH WHEELCHAIRS AND REHAB DEVICES THAT
PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD. CAN'T GET THROUGH OTHER
AGENCIES AND THEIR INSURANCE WON'T PAY FOR. WE DO
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS, AND INDUSTRIES
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AND BUSINESSES. WE ALSO HAVE A RECREATION PROGRAM
WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THROUGH THE Y AND WE
ARE GOING TO BE BRANCHING OUT WITH THAT. ANYBODY THAT
IS INTERESTED IN ANY OF THESE SERVICES YOU CALL THE
AGENCY, AND WE WILL HOOK YOU UP WITH THE RIGHT
INDIVIDUAL: . NONE OF THERE ARE NO CHARGE FOR OUR
SERVICES. YOU CAN BE REFERRED BY ANOTHER AGENCY OR
SELF REFERRAL. IF YOU NEED A RAMP, PERCENTAGE OF THE
WHEELCHAIR PAID FOR THIS TYPE OF THIS THING THIS IS
WHAT WE ARE THERE FOR. THERE IS NO CATCH. EVERYBODY
SAYS THERE HAS GOT TO BE A CATCH. THERE IS NOT.
INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS ARE CONSUMER BASED, ALL OF
OUR BOARD, AT LEAST FIFTY ONE PERCENT HAVE
DISABILITIES AND OUR STAFF, AT LEAST NINETY PERCENT OF
OUR STAFF HAVE DISABILITIES WE HAVE BEEN THERE WE KNOW
WHAT SERVICES ARE NEEDED AND WE KNOW WHAT IS AVAILABLE
AND WHAT IS NOT AVAILABLE. WE ARE TRYING TO BRIDGE
THAT GAP. ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, WE ARE IN THE PHONE
BOOK. IT IS UNDER REHAB BUT IT IS INDEPENDENT
LIVING. WE ARE INTERESTED IN ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE
TO BE ON THE BOARD, WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY
OF THE PROGRAMS. GIVE US A CALL. IF YOU NEED HELP,
CALL US AND WE WILL SET YOU UP WITH SERVICE AND IF YOU
NOTICE ON THE NEWSPAPER AND BACK OF BUSSES, MAY SECOND
A BIG FUND RAISER FOR DIRECT SERVICE. ALL THE FUNDS
WE RAISED WILL GO FOR CONSUMER, NONE WILL GO FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE COST OR OFFICE OPERATION, IT WILL CALL
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FOR AND GO FOR RAMPS AND WHATEVER YOU NEED.
INDEPENDENT LIVING IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CONCEPT THAN
MOST OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND IT WOULD BE
SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A VOICE IN. WE NEED ALL
THE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. DURING THIS HEARING PLEASE
VOICE WHAT YOU NEED. WHAT YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU
THINK THE SERVICES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS ARE
NECESSARY, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO WHERE YOU ARE
ACTUALLY GOING TO BE HEARD. SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, ANY COMMENTS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE, SPEAK
UP THESE PEOPLE HAVE HEARD IT ALL AND WE ARE TRYING TO
GET THINGS BETTER SO THAT WE ARE ALL I HAVE A HIDDEN
DISABILITY YOU DON'T NOTICE IT SO I DON'T HAVE THE
PROBLEMS WITH THE CHAIR AS KIM OR BILL THESE ARE
PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND CHANGED. WE
SHOULD ALL HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT
SKIN COLOR OR DISABILITY WE HAVE WE SHOULD BE TREATED
EQUALLY AND THAT'S THE BASIS OF INDEPENDENT LIVING.
WE WANT TO GROW STRONG AND BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT WE
NEED, NOT WHAT SOMEONE THINKS WE SHOULD HAVE OR WHAT
WE SHOULD DO THAT IS THE BASIS OF INDEPENDENT
LIVING: . COME TO THE FUND RAISER. (LAUGHTER): .
FEMALE SPEAKER:
WHERE IS IT. PARK LANES, ON MAY SECOND, ONE TO
THREE. WHEELCHAIR BOWLING, EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE A
WHEELCHAIR, EVERYONE CAN BOWL FROM A WHEELCHAIR AND
GET A TASTE OF LIMITED MOBILITY. DO COME AND HELP
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US.
WOODY: THIS IS THE
FOURTH OF. WE HAVE BEEN IN DAYTON AND CINCINNATI
YESTERDAY. IN FINDLAY. THE NINE CENTERS FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING CAN'T SERVE ON UNTIL AFTER OHIO
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES BEING PUT I L DOLLARS
BEING PUT INTO CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR THAT
TO OCCUR: . THAT IS THE GOAL OF THE STATEWIDE
INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL TO MAKE ALL OF OHIO
ACCESSIBLE IN TERMS OF INDEPENDENT CENTERS FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING: . WE DO HAVE SOME VAST UNSERVED
AREA. THIS AREA HAS A CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING,
THAT CANNOT POSSIBLY COVER ALL OF ITS SERVICE AREA
GIVEN THE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE. HAVING SAID THAT,
THIS FORUM, THIS PUBLIC HEARING, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE PEOPLE TO TELL THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING
COUNCIL, WE ARE BASED IN COLUMBUS, BY THE WAY, IT IS
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US, MYSELF THE DIRECTOR, AND
THE ELEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS WHICH REMEMBER ARE
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, IN OUR SERVICE TO THE
PEOPLE. SO IT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THAT
COUNCIL WHAT YOU WANT THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING
COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE IN TERMS OF NEEDS. EXAMPLES
ARE: TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, ATTENDED CARE, HOUSING,
ANYTHING THAT ENABLES SOMEONE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY,
IT MAY BE AN INTERPRETER, IT MAY BE BETTER ACCESS TO
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, WHATEVER YOUR PRIORITIES ARE. WHAT
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WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE TAKING THE COMMENTS IN REALTIME
CAPTIONING AS YOU CAN SEE, AND GENERATING VERBATIM
TRANSCRIPTS FROM THAT, IN WHICH WE ALSO, WE HAVE HIRED
A COMPANY CALLED D A R V I K INC. TO DO AN INDEPENDENT
SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVE SURVEY FOR US, THAT SAMPLE SURVEY
COMBINED WITH YOUR TESTIMONY WILL ALL BE MESHED
TOGETHER AND WRITTEN INTO A THREE YEAR STATE PLAN THAT
DECIDES THE COURSE THAT THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT
LIVING COUNCIL WILL TAKE. WE ALREADY HAVE A STATE
PLAN THAT WE ARE OPERATING UNDER NOW. IT IS BEHIND ME
ON THE TABLE IN AN ABBREVIATED VERSION SO I WOULD
INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PICK THAT UP AND I'M GOING TO LET
KATHLEEN, OUR COMMUNICATION EXPERT TELL YOU ABOUT THE
MATERIALS ON THIS TABLE BEHIND YOU.
FEMALE SPEAKER: WHAT
WE HAVE OVER HERE IS THE NEW NEWSLETTER. IT CAME OUT
DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY AND IT TELLS WHO THE SILC IS AND
TALKS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE SILS IN THE
STATE AND A MAP THAT TELLS WHERE ALL THE CENTERS ARE,
PHONE NUMBERS, FAX NUMBERS ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE
THAT. TALKS A LITTLE ABOUT THE CASA BILL, WHICH IS
SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. A HISTORY
OF THE MOVEMENT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN IT.
ALSO JUST A LITTLE FLIER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT FORMATS FOR ANYBODY INTERESTED, THERE IS ONE
HERE AND ONE IN LARGE PRINT AND ALSO IN BRAILLE AND
ALSO ON DISC IF ANYBODY NEEDS THAT FOR BOTH THE
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NEWSLETTER AND FLIER. I INVITE YOU TO COME AND PICK
THOSE UP WHEN WE ARE FINISHED. OR IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED NOW I WILL PASS THEM OUT.
. WOODY: ALL THE MATERIALS WE HAVE
ARE IN ALTERNATIVE FORMAT, IF IT IS NOT IN THE FORMAT
THAT WE REQUIRE THE NEWSLETTER HAS THE TOLL FREE
NUMBER TO CALL AND GET ANYTHING FROM THIS AREA THAT
YOU WOULD LIKE, INCLUDING THE TRANSCRIPT BY THE WAY.
THE TRANSCRIPT GOES UP ON DIMENET WHICH IS A NETWORK
THAT FOCUSES ON THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
AND THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO IN THE NEWSLETTER. SO
OKAY:
.
I HOPE THAT EXPLAINS A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THIS IS
PROBABLY THE LARGEST CROWD WE HAVE HAD. EVEN
INCLUDING CINCINNATI. THE BAD NEWS IS ONLY TWO OF YOU
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK: . AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS FORUM
IS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND TURN IT INTO
A STATE PLAN THAT REFLECTS WHAT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES ACTUALLY WANT AND NEED IN ORDER TO LIVE
INDEPENDENTLY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I WOULD
ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU, IF YOU HAVE SOME PRIORITY NEEDS
THAT YOU WOULD SIGN UP AND SHARE THOSE WITH US, SO
THAT WE CAN USE THAT DATA ALONG WITH THE INDEPENDENT
SURVEY TO COME UP WITH A STATE PLAN TO REFLECT WHAT
THE PEOPLE WANT, NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE IN COLUMBUS THINK
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YOU WANT. SO, THEREFORE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE FIRST
SPEAKER, WHICH IS KATHRYN, I'M SORRY. KIM HERSCHOCK.
MALE
SPEAKER: CAN I SPEAK FROM HERE. EVERYBODY HEAR
ME? ? ? ?
MALE SPEAKER: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. IS THAT BETTER. EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME? I
SUPPOSE THE BIGGEST THING THAT I SEE IS THE
AVAILABILITY OF ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IS REALLY BAD IN
THE AREA. THERE ARE A FEW PLACES, BUT THE LISTS ARE
LONG, THE WAITING LISTS ARE HUGE, SOME OF THE HUD
PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO BE
ACCESSIBLE ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE: THEY MAY
LOOK ACCESSIBLE AND THEY MAY THINK THEY ARE, BUT A
PERSON WHO USES A CHAIR AND ROLL UP AND CAN TELL
THEMSELVES IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. AND OUR BUSINESS IS
ESTABLISHMENTS, AND IS JUST TOTALLY UNACCESSIBLE IN
THIS AREA: BUT THE MAJOR PART IS LIVING, AND IF YOU
WENT TO--- IF YOU WANT TO BE INDEPENDENT YOU NEED A
PLACE TO LIVE. IF I WERE TO MOVE OUT OF THE PLACE
WHERE I'M LIVING NOW I COULD NOT FIND AN APARTMENT
TOMORROW THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE: NOW ANYBODY THAT IS
ABLE BODIED COULD GO OUT AND FIND AN APARTMENT
TOMORROW: THEY CAN LOOK IN THE NEWSPAPER AND FIND AN
APARTMENT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE. I THINK THAT SOME OF
THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED
TODAY AREN'T FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES WHICH THEY NEED
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TO FOLLOW, AND THAT IS THE PART TO ACCESSIBLE
APARTMENT, TO THE RATIO, AND THAT IS ONE THING THAT IS
VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS AREA. ALSO THERE IS LACK OF
TRANSPORTATION. THERE IS TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT IS
LIMITED. NINE TO FIVE, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. YOU
HAVE TO CALL A DAY IN ADVANCE, TO GET ON THIS VAN. IT
DOESN'T RUN THE WEEKENDS, THAT IS ANOTHER PROBLEM:
THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I KNOW OF FOR SURE
AND THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH, AND THAT I KNOW
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH: . ALSO, THE
TRANSIT THAT RUNS, WILL NOT RUN OUTSIDE THE CITY
LIMITS, SO PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE IN THE COUNTRY,
HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AT ALL, SO THEY HAVE TO RELY ON
THEIR FAMILY OR FRIENDS, IF IT IS AVAILABLE: THOSE
ARE SOME PROBLEMS THAT I SEE: :
WOODY: IS THAT EVERYTHING, KIM.
MALE SPEAKER: YES.
WOODY. QUESTIONS FOR YOU. YOU
MENTIONED HOUSING: : AND A RATIO:
MALE SPEAKER: I'M
SORRY. WELL, THERE IS, WHEN YOU BUILD AN APARTMENT
COMPLEX, IF YOU BUILD AN APARTMENT COMPLEX SO MANY ARE
SUPPOSE TO BE ACCESSIBLE: . IF YOU HAVE SO MANY UNITS
OF APARTMENTS, SO MANY OF THOSE UNITS ARE SUPPOSE TO
BE ACCESSIBLE, AND THEY ARE JUST NOT BUILDING THEM
THAT WAY, OR THEY THINK THEY ARE AND THEY ARE NOT: I
KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME OLDER HUD APARTMENT
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COMPLEXES, BUT THEY ARE JUST NOT ACCESSIBLE AT ALL,
NONE OF THE UNITS ARE ACCESSIBLE. SO THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO.
WOODY: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT
KNOW, THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT IN THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITY ACT. IT IS A HUD REQUIREMENT: : AND THAT
BY THE WAY, IS, YOU KNOW, A COMMON THING,. THAT HUD
IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE EXISTING REGULATIONS IN
TERMS OF BUILDING, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AT THE RATIO
THAT ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE REGULATIONS. I KNOW THERE
IS A FEDERAL LAWSUIT PENDING ABOUT THAT VERY ISSUE: :
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? ? ? ? ? JUST I'M ASKING YOU
TO SPECULATE. IS IT WORSE IN RURAL AREAS.
MALE SPEAKER:
DEFINITELY, YES. VERY MUCH SO: . I LIVED IN WILLARD
THAT IS THE EVEN A SMALLER CITY THAN MANSFIELD. THERE
IS NOTHING THERE: NOTHING AT ALL: I LOOKED INTO SOME
HOUSING, BASICALLY WHERE I COULD LIVE IF I WANTED TO,
WAS A NURSING HOME. IT WAS EITHER WITH MY PARENTS OR A
NURSING HOME: . I WAS LUCKY AND FOUND AN APARTMENT IN
MANSFIELD THAT WAS BUILT BY VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, AND
THROUGH HUD, AND SOMEONE CAN SPEAK ABOUT THAT MAYBE A
LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS THERE ARE TWENTY UNITS AND ALL OF
THEM ARE ACCESSIBLE. EVERY UNIT IN THE COMPLEX IS
ACCESSIBLE. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAYBE FIVE OF
THOSE APARTMENTS USED FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE
DISABILITIES SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY DRIVES BY THEY
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DON'T SAY THERE IS WHERE THE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE
LIVE: : I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
WOODY: DO YOU KNOW IS THAT SECTION
EIGHT HOUSING.
MALE SPEAKER: YES.
WOODY. SO IT IS SEGREGATED OUT.
MALE SPEAKER: YES IT
IS. BUT, THEN AGAIN I HAVE TO BE THANKFUL THAT IT IS
THERE. BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T THEN I WOULD STILL BE
LIVING AT HOME WITH MY PARENTS AND I'M THIRTY TWO, SO.
MALE SPEAKER: . ARE
THOSE THE APARTMENTS DOWN FROM LEXINGTON. STRAUB
ROAD.
MALE SPEAKER: YES, I
COULD NOT THINK OF THE NAME.
.
WOODY: I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE
BEEN JOINED BY ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, ONE THAT
COULD MAKE IT. LINDA PETER'S, DROVE DOWN FROM TOLEDO
TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY, SO SHE IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE CONCERNING THE STATEWIDE
INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL ITSELF, AND WHAT THEY DO.
AS I SAID, I HAVE BEEN DIRECTOR, SO I'M BASICALLY CAN
ANSWER STAFF QUESTIONS AND ANYTHING TO DO WITH
HEARINGS BUT IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF LINDA,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM. WHEN WE ARE FINISHED
TYPING YOUR COMMENTS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A QUESTION
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AND ANSWER SESSION, SO, WE WILL DO THAT AS SOON AS WE
HAVE HEARD FROM JOHNNY FISCHER.
JOHNNY FISCHER: THERE
ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE ISSUES I KNOW TO
RAISE, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE CONSUMERS AND I'M HOPING
THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL RAISE AN ISSUE
THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED IN. IF WE DON'T WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GET CHANGES MADE. JUST LIKE KIM SAID THE
APARTMENTS ARE GREAT AND ACCESSIBLE BUT AGAIN YOU ARE
LABELED. WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CHOICES
AS ANYONE ELSE. WE SHOULD NOT BE LABELED BY OUR
DISABILITY AS TO WHERE WE CAN LIVE, WHAT BUSSES WE CAN
RIDE OR ANYTHING ELSE. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. SPEAK
UP. THIS IS THE COUNCIL THAT CAN HELP US MAKE
CHANGES, SO, PLEASE, ALL THE AGENCIES THAT WORK WITH
DISABILITIES, SPEAK UP WHAT YOUR CONSUMERS NEED. WE
ARE VERY APPROACHABLE, THE STATE INDEPENDENT COUNCIL
IS VERY APPROACHABLE AND VERY DEDICATED INTO GETTING
THESE SERVICES IN. WITH OPEN FORUM PLEASE GIVE YOUR
COMMENTS AND HELP GET CHANGES AT LEAST IN NORTH
CENTRAL OHIO.
.
WOODY. THESE HEARINGS AND THE
TRANSCRIPTS ON THEM AND ULTIMATELY THE STATE PLAN
ITSELF ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE USE TO APPROACH
LEGISLATORS WITH, AND POLICY MAKERS THAT CAN MAKE A
REAL DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF IMPACTING YOUR LIVES,
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IMPACTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: :
HELPING TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY AS
OPPOSED TO IN SEGREGATED ENVIRONMENTS AND
INSTITUTIONS, ETCETERA: IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO
WOULD LIKE TO, DAN? ? ? ? ? OKAY.
DAN LAUER: I'M DAN LAUER FROM THE
MILWAUKEE AREA, I'M WORKING WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS THE PAST COALITION WITH WOODY ON THE
CASA BILL AND PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANCE AND I JUST GOT
INVOLVED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN OHIO AFTER
C A T TOOK OVER, ODYSSEY HAS CONTINUED THE GRANT TO
COME UP WITH LEGISLATION WITHIN ANOTHER YEAR, AND
HOPEFULLY TO BRING FORCE LEGISLATION ISSUES AND
HOPEFULLY A BILL WILL BE ENACTED TO HELP INCREASE THE
TRANSPORTATIONS IN OHIO. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE,
THE INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS DO HELP OUT EVEN MORE,
IS THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB WITH EVERYTHING I
HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST BUT FOLKS IN THE PAST PERSONAL
CARE ASSISTANCE, WITHOUT PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANCE WE
CAN'T GET OUT OF BED AND DO ANYTHING. WITHOUT THE
STRONG ISSUES OF ASSISTANCE GETTING HIGHER WAGES AND
ASSISTANCE HAVING A VIABLE JOB AND BETTER ATTENDANTS
WITH QUALIFICATIONS, ATTENDANTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE,
BECAUSE IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND GOOD ATTENDANTS IF
THEY COULD FOCUS ON TRAINING, INFORMATION ISSUES, SOME
TYPE OF NEWS ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS TO PUT IN THE
NEWSPAPERS, LIVE STORIES OF PERSONAL ASSISTANCE
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SERVICES, THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND BECOME MORE
STATEWIDE, IT WOULD REALLY HELP THE PERSONAL CARE
ISSUES IN OHIO AND TRYING TO RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE: :
THANK YOU.
.
WOODY. : THANK YOU. QUESTION. CASA
YOU MENTIONED WHAT DOES IT STAND. COMMUNITY ATTENDANT
SERVICES ACT. AND HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE THE SYSTEMS
NOW. TELL US WHAT WE HAVE NOW AND HOW IT WOULD
CHANGED.
MALE SPEAKER:
MALE SPEAKER: SURE.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A BIG GAP. IF YOU ARE NOT ON
MEDICAID WITH VERY LOW INCOME, NOR DO YOU GET SERVICE
FROM FROM A WAIVER PROGRAM OR MEDICARE YOU GET NO
SERVICES AT ALL UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR OWN JOB, UNLESS
YOU ARE ON THE OHIO THE RSC PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWS YOU A WAGE ON A SLIDING SCALE ON
YOUR INCOME, AND THEY REIMBURSE THE PERSONAL CARE
ASSISTANCE COST. UP TO SEVEN DOLLARS A HOUR, MAXIMUM
THIRTY FIVE HOURS A WEEK AND AN INDIVIDUAL IS
CONTROLLING ALL ATTENDANTS SCHEDULE. WHERE NOW, IF
YOU GOT AN AGENCY COME OUT THEY SAY THEY CAN ONLY COME
OUT AS EARLY AS EIGHT OR 9:00 OR THEY MAKE UP THE
SCHEDULE. YOU GOT A MINIMUM OF TWO HOURS. YOU GOT A
MAXIMUM OF TWELVE HOURS A WEEK, THAT IS ALL THAT
MEDICARE OR MEDICAID WILL PAY FOR.
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WE ARE HOPING WHAT WE LOOK AT FOR
CASA TO DO IS TO GIVE THE SLIDING SCALE OF ATTENDED
CARE PRICING TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
MORE CONTROL, CONSUMER CONTROL, ON HOW TO SCHEDULE
THEIR ASSISTANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE BACK UP FOR
ATTENDANTS, MANDATORY BY THE AGENCIES IF ONE CANNOT
MAKE IT THE AGENCY HAS TO PROVIDE ANOTHER ATTENDANT,
THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE CALL OFF WHEN YOU ARE
IN BED AND YOU CAN'T GET TO A PHONE TO CALL SOMEBODY
TO GET YOU OUT OF BED. THERE IS TWELVE ISSUES THAT
CASA IS INVOLVED WITH, AND I DON'T HAVE THEM MEMORIZED
OFFHAND, I SHOULD: . BUT IT IS CONSUMER CONTROL IS
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND THE WAGES TO GIVE THEM ARE
VIABLE WAGE,: : CONTRACT SERVICES, IS THAT A PART OF
IT, CAN I ASK ANYBODY, LINDA, DO YOU, CAN I ASK
ANYTHING OF THE THREAD OF SERVICES THAT WE WORKED ON.
WOODY: YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF BEING
ABLE TO CHOOSE YOUR VENDOR. IN OTHER WORDS, PEOPLE
CAN, IN THE PROPOSED ACT, TO TRAIN, HIRE, FIRE THEIR
OWN ATTENDANTS THAT WOULD BE COMPLETE.
MALE SPEAKER: YES,
AGENCY CHOICE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE STUCK WITH
ONE AGENCY AND YOU ARE YOU CAN'T TRANSFER, IF YOU DO,
YOU ARE GOING TO BE BLACK BALLED. THEY WANT TO BE
ABLE TO TRANSFER ASSISTANCE.
. WOODY: SO WHAT DAN IS SAYING
WITHIN THAT SCENARIO OF USING AN AGENCY YOU DON'T KNOW
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WHO IS THE INDIVIDUAL IS WHO IS GOING TO COME INTO
YOUR HOME TO PROVIDE THAT VERY PERSONAL ATTENDED CARE
TO YOU. UNDER THE PROPOSED ACT, YOU WOULD HAVE YOU
WOULD BE GIVEN A CHOICE IN THAT YOU COULD USE THE
AGENCY IF THAT IS THE ROUTE THAT YOU FEEL THE MOST
SECURE WITH OR YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE, TRAIN, FIRE
ATTENDANTS, WHICH THE OTHER POINT HE WAS MAKING IS
THAT IN THE PROPOSED ACT, I AM NOT SURE IT IS IN THE
ACT, BUT, I BELIEVE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A LIVING WAGE
AND THIS ISN'T THAT ADDRESSED IN THE ACT.
MALE SPEAKER: YES IT
IS ADDRESSED TO WHERE ATTENDANT SERVICES I DIDN'T
BRING ANY INFORMATION ON THE C A S BILL, I'M SORRY.
IT IS GOING TO BE MANDATORY THAT ATTENDANTS WOULD BE
ABLE TO PAY A HOURLY WAGE, THAT IS VIABLE TO THEM, IF
IT IS NOT, AGENCIES ARE PAYING LESS THAN WHAT THEY ARE
GETTING. FOURTEEN DOLLARS A HOUR IS WHAT THEY GET AND
AN ATTENDANT ONLY GETS SIX FIFTY A HOUR AND MANDATE
THAT THOSE WILL INCREASE TO APPROXIMATELY TEN DOLLARS
A HOUR: : AND THE MONEY IS GOING TO BE COMING FROM
DIFFERENT AGENCIES, FROM DIRECT SERVICES, SUCH AS WE
ARE TRYING TO COMBINE WAIVERS, AND ADD ON THIS NEW
ATTENDANT SERVICES ACT: . MONEY FROM MR/DD, MONEY
FROM THE AGING, MONEY FROM THE WAIVER PROGRAMS, WOULD
ALL PITCH IN, NOW TO CONSOLIDATE THEM ALL IT IS GOING
TO BE ROUGH BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT CONSOLIDATIONAL
WAGES FOR THE MONEY TO COME FROM. SUPPORT THE ACT.
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WOODY: MR/DD IS MENTAL RETARDATION:
CURRENTLY, THE ATTENDANTS, DAN, ARE WORKING FOR A WHEN
YOU SAID SIX FIFTY A HOUR, THAT IS PRETTY LOW WAGE
WITH NO BENEFITS, SO THERE IS NO REAL INCENTIVE FOR
PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK IN THAT PARTICULAR FIELD AS YOU
CAN SEE. BUT, AND ANY WAY, THAT KIND OF ADDRESS NEEDS
TO BE ADDRESSED. WE ARE NOT HERE, REALLY, I WANT TO
MENTION THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON, TO JUST TALK ABOUT
CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, BY THE WAY. WE JUST
DISCUSSED REALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
INVOLVED IN TERMS OF THE WAIVER. A WAIVER FOR THOSE
OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW IT, IS ESSENTIALLY WHEN THE
STATE IS ALREADY RECEIVING FEDERAL DOLLARS, AND
INSTEAD OF USING THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS IN A MANNER
SUCH AS PAYING AN AGENCY FOR EXTENDED CARE, THEY CAN
WAIVE THAT AND PUT INTO PLACE THEIR OWN PLAN AND
SUBMIT IT TO THE HEALTH CARE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION IN
WASHINGTON AND USE THOSE DOLLARS AND REDIRECT THEM
INTO THE COMMUNITY. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT CASA
IS:
MALE SPEAKER: YES.
ALSO ALLOWS THE INCOME LEVELS TO BE WEIGHED AS A
CERTAIN PERCENTAGE INVOLVING POVERTY LEVEL. PEOPLE ON
MEDICAID, YOU HAVE TO BE ON POVERTY LEVEL IN ORDER TO
RECEIVE A WAIVER. YOU CAN HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
INCOME, AND THAT WOULD WAIVE THAT INCOME, TO BE ABLE
TO GET THE BENEFITS, WAIVE THE FORM IS A BENEFIT FOR
.
18
PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANCE. SO, IF YOU ARE ABOVE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INCOME YOU CAN APPLY FOR WAIVER FOUR
WHICH ALLOWS YOU THAT SERVICE FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
HOURS. THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ESSENTIAL THAT I
UNDERSTAND IT. AND ALSO THE BIG CONCEPT IS CHOICE.
IF AN AGENCY IS GOING TO PROVIDE AN ASSISTANT YOU HAVE
A CHOICE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL OR YOU HAVE THAT CHOICE
TO HIRE YOUR OWN PERSON AND HAVE A DIRECT PAY OR
DIRECT BILL AND YOU PAY YOURSELF TO BE ABLE TO BE
REIMBURSED. THAT IS PART OF THE CASA BILL ALSO, IT IS
A CHOICE OF WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL WITH THE DISABILITY
COULD MEET THEIR SERVICES. ALSO THEY COULD GO INTO
THE COMMUNITY, GO TO CHURCH, GO SHOPPING, BE ABLE TO
USE THEIR VEHICLE, USE OTHER PEOPLE'S VEHICLE AND BE
PAID A MILEAGE, BE PAID CERTAIN WAYS, IT IS A LOT OF
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED SO THAT THE
CASA BILL CAN ACCOMMODATE THE PERSON WITH DISABILITY
AND HAVE A CHOICE WHETHER THEY LIVE IN A COMMUNITY OR
IN A NURSING HOME. IT DEMANDS ON THE DISABILITY ACT
AND NOT A FUNCTIONAL NEED, IT IS THE DISABILITY
ITSELF: :
.
WOODY: . THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE
ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
FEMALE SPEAKER: MY
NAME IS D E E N A. WIDEMEYER. I'M THE HOUSING
DIRECTOR FOR VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA INDEPENDENT
