Disability Integration Act of 2015

Guest Host: Stephanie Woodward, Center for Disability Rights

Saturday, May 14, 2016

5 - 6:15 PM EST

#DIAchat

Hosted by Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, #CripTheVote explored various policy issues important to people with disabilities this spring. We are delighted to have guest host Stephanie Woodward, Director of Advocacy, Center for Disability Rights, for a conversation about the Disability Integration Act of 2015 and Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) in general.

The Disability Integration Act of 2015 is a bill (S.2427) introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer. From his press release (1/7/16):

... the legislation ensures that any individual who is found eligible for institutional care must also be given the option to receive the same necessary services and supports at home, or in a setting of their choosing, that would have otherwise been provided in an institutional setting.

The federal government describes Community-Based Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) as:

... sustainable, person-driven long-term support system in which people with disabilities and chronic conditions have choice, control and access to a full array of quality services that assure optimal outcomes, such as independence, health and quality of life.

More on Long-Term Services and Supports from the National Council on Aging

Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Issues for People with Disabilities from The Arc

Overview of DIA

Full text of the bill

Questions for the Chat

Q1 If you use LTSS for your daily activities, what are your experiences accessing those services?



Q2 Why are community-based personal assistance services important to you compared to institutions?

Q3 Do you currently receive enough LTSS to live your life the way you want? If no, please explain.

Q4 For those who receive LTSS through private insurance or state programs, what are the challenges using them?

Q5 How will DIA's ban on service caps, waitlists impact the disability community & the all people?

Q6 How would the DIA work in different states with different services already in place?

Q7 How would the additional community-based services be paid for?

Q8 In what ways is the right to adequate community-based LTSS a civil & human rights issue?

There’s also a provision in the DIA requiring more accessible & affordable housing.

Q9 How does availability of housing relate to access to community-based LTSS? What do you think of this provision?

Q10 What can we do to support the DIA? How can we talk about this w/ people who don’t understand or use LTSS?

Q11 If you support the DIA, how will you communicate w/ your Congressperson to get it passed? Ideas?

Q12 What does ‘community integration’ mean to you as a person w/ a disability?

Q13 What is missing in the DIA? What do you want in a society that where disabled people can truly thrive?

Q14 Any final questions to Stephanie about the Disability Integration Act of 2015?

How to Participate

When the chat begins, check out the live-stream: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote or search #DIAchat on Twitter for the series live tweets.

Follow @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility @GreggBeratan and @IStepFunny (Stephanie Woodward) on Twitter.

Use the hashtags #CripTheVote and #DIAchat when you tweet.

Check out this explanation of how to participate in a chat by Ruti Regan

Additional Links

Resources on voting and people with disabilities

#CripTheVote Facebook Page

A note on language and why we use the term ‘crip’

About

#CripTheVote is a nonpartisan campaign to engage both voters and politicians in a productive discussion about disability issues in the United States, with the hope that Disability takes on greater prominence within the American political landscape.

While #CripTheVote is a nonpartisan project, we understand that many people have already developed preferences for particular candidates. This is great--we only ask that everyone is respectful in their interactions with each other. Our primary focus here is on increasing engagement with disability issues as a part of American politics and on the need for that we are all in agreement!

Please note we do not represent the entire disability community nor would we ever claim to do so. There are many ways to create social change and engaging in conversation is one approach.