People with Disabilities First

Should be People with Disabilities First

The Council is working with a broad coalition of human service providers to implore the Governor and Legislature to put People First! when considering any 9C cuts to the state budget. This campaign will continue through the FY 2011 budget deliberations. The People First! campaign will have many messages, but one banner to reflect the solidarity of our mission driven work. You will be hearing more about this campaign in the days to come.

Update: Please sign our petition asking Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo to put People First! when crafting the FY '11 budget!

For more information on our public policy efforts and this initiative, or to learn about other ways to get involved, please contact Michael Ripple.

Urge Governor Patrick to Save Programs that Strengthen our Communities

Clients, consumers, caregivers, and our communities are taking action on October 20th to call on Governor Deval Patrick and the legislature to put people first and find alternatives to cutting vital programs that support the most vulnerable in our communities.

Human services and the residents of the Commonwealth that we serve have shouldered the burden of this year’s budget cuts, with countless individuals losing services they depend on and countless caregivers losing jobs. And now, the Commonwealth faces another budget shortfall and the likelihood of further cuts.

Clubhouse advocates showed out in numbers at the State House to SAVE OUR CLUBHOUSES. The old NILP would have been there supporting other disability organizations. Well we have more bad news for you, keep tuned in more to follow. We are waiting for the minutes to give you word by word details, during the hearing and after the hearing.

This happened to be on the Independent Living of the North Shore's web page and just thought it should be shared with everyone on here. It was said from the start that an Independent Living Center should be run BY and FOR people with disabilities. It's a remorseful day when someone is promoted to interim assistant director who does not have the qualifications for the position and does not have the disability community in their best interest.

On June 26,2009 more than 200 activists jammed into and around Nurses Hall in the Massachusetts State House to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision. It was great to see most of the IL's Executive Directors in attendance.

A choice few from the New NILP office showed up for a quick appearance, but could not take the time to join in with other activists to deliver the position platform and to thank Governor Deval Patrick, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Therese Murray, but referred to those who chose to stay and participate as DERELICTS.

According to the statement on the blog at the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann it was posted that the interim assistant director stated that Charles Carr (MRC Commissioner), Bill Henning (Executive Director of the Boston Center for Independent Living), Mary Margaret Moore (Executive Director of ILCNS),Jean Mcguire (Assistant Secretary of Disability Policy) and Secretary Bigby (Executive Office of Health and Human Services) "all blew hot air, and it was a hugh waste of time".

Short Update's

This was taken for the Rumbo News paper dated August 1, 2009. "The salaries in the Human Service field are not especially high. Estimates from national data a few years ago suggested that earnings for beginning workers ranged from the low $20,000s to the low $30,000 range per year. So, individuals who pursue this field need to know that they are not going to get rich". Makes me wonder if NECCO ever looked into the salaries at NILP, and maybe the B.O.D should have done some research such as this before their decision over a year ago.

Some interesting news was posted on the blog site at the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann Center related to NILP's interim assistant directors take on a rally held at the State House. Sorry to say it has since been removed from that blog site, but stay tuned I have a feeling it will be showing up again.

As you all know some long time advocates and dedicated people for the Independent Living Movement have been terminated or had resigned for that agency. Keep up your good work and don't let the movement take any more steps backwards, enough damage has been done.

Thanks to all that have visited this site, and left comments or questions, further updates will follow in the near future.

Read First - Dear Friends - I need your help

Dear friend,

As you read this letter, you have probably been touched in one way or another by the Northeast Independent Living Program. Maybe they helped you find an affordable, accessible apartment or advocated with you for benefits. Perhaps you received support with eligibility and ongoing use of personal care assistance; employment assistance; access to interpreters; accessibility complaints, and the list goes on.

NILP has touched thousands of people like you and me for the past 30 years. Many of you weren’t even born when it started. What would you do if NILP slowly slipped away and then one day was gone? Think about it! Do not think too long because it’s happening as you read this.

The Northeast Independent Living Program was built on a strong foundation of consumer control. Since its inception, people with disabilities who live this life every day and personally understand why programs and services are so important to our lives have run it. Unfortunately, that has changed. The board of directors of NILP recently chose a non-disabled executive director to pick up where Charlie Carr left off after 27 years. He and his staff set the standard for Independent living in Massachusetts. Sadly, the Board of Directors had an opportunity and, quite honestly, a moral imperative to fill this position with a qualified person with a disability. Not only have they failed, but also they have opened the door to the slow death of the most important source of community living for people with all types of disabilities in the greater Merrimack Valley – NILP.

Based upon my experience and training at NILP as well as the federal standards and assurances that NILP must meet as a center for independent living my observation of the Board's choice for the new Executive Director of NILP leads me to question the Board's capability to fulfill the mandates of the articles of Organization and By-Laws of NILP.

The cost of your inaction and outrage will truly be a gradual loss of your independence. Most definitely, the executive director does not understand your needs, and will do what’s expedient to run a business. Quite often, business decisions compromise consumer control and don’t embrace choice. Only a leader with a disability who is in a position to make these business decisions will stop and find other ways to keep the Independent living philosophy intact as well as taking care of the bottom line.

I call on you to rise up and take a stand for independence. Stand up for consumer control and choice in NILP. This decision the Board of Directors made can be changed and must be changed! Only you can do it. You must join in with a growing number of voices calling for a reversal of the decision to install a non-disabled Executive Director. NILP must return to its rightful place with a qualified person with a disability as its leader; as its executive director.

Here’s how…

• We must demand that the executive director:
• Embraces and is knowledgeable of the Independent Living paradigm/movement
• Possesses extensive personal and professional experience and credibility with disability services and systems
• Has experience with the cross disability and cross-age services programs and services
• Has experience with consumer control as defined in Title VII and is knowledgeable with the federally defined standards and assurances for Independent Living Centers
• Has knowledge of requirements of the state service delivery system for persons with disabilities
• Has experience and knowledge of the state purchase of service rules and operations specifically for: cost reimbursement, unit rate costs, and Medicaid provider regulations
• Possesses knowledge about alternative methods of communication
• Is sensitive to cultural competency issues.

I ask that you please join me in requesting an emergency meeting of the Board of Director’s to address issues relating to what appears in my eyes to be the Board’s violation of the NILP's mission, placing in jeopardy NILP's commitment to the IL paradigm, and a breach of faith with NILP’s participants.

We must act now so whatever you can do to save NILP’s commitment to consumer control (writing a letter to the Board, attending a Board meeting to voice your concerns, etc.) please let me know.

I had requested under the Freedom of Information Act a list of NILP’s participant’s, and the contract between the Executive Director and the Northeast Independent Living Program, and was denied access to this information.

NILP is going through some drastic changes that will affect all of our lives. I need your help and cooperation to get this valuable information distributed.

I am pleading for anyone that knows of a participant of the Northeast Independent Living Program to have them e-mail me with their name and address so that I can send out this information regarding what impact the board’s decision is going to have on their life.