黑料正能量 Note: Over 300 黑料正能量ers with disabilities came to Albany last Wednesday and staged a determined and spirited demonstration near Governor Cuomo鈥檚 offices to call on the Governor to keep his promises to the state鈥檚 disability community, an event marked by the arrest of 40 protestors.
You can see video footage of the demonstration at .
The demonstration was organized by the 黑料正能量 Association on Independent Living (NYAIL), ADAPT and the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State, who released a series of recommendations to support people with disabilities and community integration that they say have all been ignored by the Governor.
The recommendations included reinstatement of the Office for the Advocate for People with Disabilities, higher wages for Consumer Directed Personal Attendants and home care, increased funding for Independent Living Centers and implementing the Governor鈥檚 Employment First initiative, which set a goal of raising employment among 黑料正能量ers with disabilities by 5%.Recognizing that many 黑料正能量ers with disabilities fear losing their healthcare benefits upon returning to work, 黑料正能量 joined with our friends in the disability and AIDS/HIV community in 2002 to win adoption of the state鈥檚 Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities. But enrollment in the Buy-In program has lagged for some time and, accordingly, higher enrollment rates were identified as a top priority by the 黑料正能量 Employment Committee, which is chaired by Maura Kelley of Western NY Independent Living (WNYIL).
黑料正能量 has regularly pressed for higher MBI enrollments at regular meetings of the state鈥檚 Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC). At last November鈥檚 MISCC meeting, an update on this initiative underscored that 鈥渋ndividuals (continue to) report difficulties in completing the enrollment process in MBIWPD through local departments of social services and 黑料正能量 City Human Resources Administration (HRA).
At the same time, it appears that a sizeable percentage of both recipients and providers of mental health services continue to be unfamiliar with the Buy-In program, leading advocates to call for a strong education program for county officials, consumers and providers.
Several NYAIL members are also members of 黑料正能量, including Western NY Independent Living, Northern Regional Center for Independent Living, Independent Living Inc., Westchester Independent Living Center and Resource Center for Independent Living.
Disabled WNYers Arrested During Protests to Call for Governor’s Support
By Avery Schneider WBFO March 8, 2017
Approximately 300 advocates for the disabled traveled to Albany on Tuesday, seeking a meeting with Governor Andrew Cuomo鈥檚 office. The group believes the governor has failed to follow through on promises to support the needs of the disabled in this year鈥檚 budget.
Among those 300 were 30 from Western New York Independent Living.
Peaceful attempts to gain an audience with the governor鈥檚 staff such as this have been made before, and Todd Vaarwerk, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for WNY Independent Living said they are often responded to with a meeting to discuss how issues can be worked into the budget process. The response on Tuesday afternoon was different.
鈥淲e were basically told by the governor鈥檚 staff, 鈥楾here鈥檚 really nothing we can do. Come and see us about next year鈥檚 budget,鈥欌 said Vaarwerk. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not talking about things that are minor issues. We鈥檙e talking about the things that relate to the health, safety, and independence of people with disabilities.鈥
鈥isappointed with the results of their initial attempts, advocates tried again to gain access.
鈥淭here was an attempt to kind of go back and get a meeting with a staffer to kind of redraw these issues again,鈥 explained Vaarwerk. 鈥淲e apparently weren鈥檛 let in the door that would allow them into the offices and I think that鈥檚 where the escalated version of the protest started.鈥
As of Tuesday afternoon, four out of Vaarwerk鈥檚 group of 30 were arrested following a display of chanting, singing and waving signs. As those arrested were marched out of the offices one by one in the custody of state police, Vaarwerk estimated his four, and as many as 36 others, would be ticketed for trespassing and released.