The Resource Center for Disability Advocates | News & Articles | The Advocacy Guide E-Newsletter The Advocacy Guide July 2006 This e-newsletter is intended to provide useful information to both individuals and nonprofit organizations to help them more effectively achieve their mission and improve the lives of people with disabilities. Topics may include fundraising, grant writing, the start-up process, sensitivity training, financial management, technical assistance, independent living, strategic planning, organizational management and the legislative process. Your Vote Counts Preparing For A Weather Related Emergency Making Your Organization More Effective Upcoming Conferences/Events Recap of Legislative Process Workshop Consultants Needed Your Vote Counts The American Association of People with Disabilities stated that Pennsylvania has approximately 1.9 million eligible voters who are disabled. Of that number only 837,397 voted in the 2000 elections. Issues regarding the accessibility of polling places and problems using voting machines have discouraged many people with disabilities from voting. In 2002, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which was passed to remove the barriers against people with disabilities and voting. HAVA requires every polling place to have at least one accessible voting machine. With the passage of HAVA, Congress was authorized to spend $650 million to improve access to polling places and voting machines for the disability community. President Bush only requested $65 million. As a result "Don't Block My Vote" campaign was designed by advocates for the disability community and the United Cerebral Palsy to push Congress to approve the $650 million in 2004. The "Don't Block My Vote" campaign was also designed to encourage people with disabilities to register to vote. There are several reasons why your vote is important. By voting you tell elected officials whether you approve or disapprove of their actions. By your vote, government officials become more aware of the disability community and what issues are important to you. Your vote can help increase the accessibility of polling places, schools, government buildings, restaurants, or public transportation. One vote can make a difference; be sure to vote in the next election. It is important to encourage voting among people with disabilities just as it is important to have polling places and voting machines accessible to people with disabilities. There are a few steps a person can take to ensure that his/her vote will count: Register to vote at Rock the Vote or fill out a registration form that can be found at local post offices or other businesses that offer registration forms. If you need assistance with voting, bring along a trusted friend or relative, or ask a poll worker to assist you. You may also bring a sign language interpreter to help you. If your poll is not accessible, ask to vote at a poll that is accessible. Use "Curbside Voting." If you are unable to come inside the facility, a poll worker will bring a ballot to you at the curb. Vote using a Provisional Ballot if a poll worker says you cannot vote because your name is not on the list of names that are allowed to vote at that location. Vote using an Absentee Ballot if you cannot make it to a polling location. Join the "Don't Block My Vote" campaign at www.dontblockmyvote.org to ensure implementation of the Help America Vote Act and spread the word. Also read articles and learn more about the right to vote. To see if polling places are complying with the law, use the ADA Checklist for Polling Places to ensure the polling place is making voting accessible. Advocates like you can make a difference. Upcoming Conferences/Events Moving Up The Leadership Ladder: You're Involvement in Organizations Teleconference/Web Cast Tuesday, July 11, 2006 7:30 p.m. Contact: Elizabeth Guerrero - guerrere@pdx.edu or 1-866-480-6565 (press 1). 2006 National Autism Conference July 31-August 4, 2006 The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel State College, PA Your Vote is Your Voice; Voter Awareness Event August 31, 2006 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Holiday Inn Oakland, PA Contact Rachel at (412) 391-3820 2006 7th Biennial Statewide Independent Living Conference September 7-10, 2006 Hilton Harrisburg Hotel Harrisburg, PA Tel: 717-497-4305 or 717-805-5565 World Congress and Exposition on Disabilities November 17-19, 2006 Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA Transitioning from High School to Adult Life Conducted by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University Session Dates: October 13-14, 2006 November 3-4, 2006 December 1-2, 2006 January 5-6, 2007 February 2-3, 2007 March 30-31, 2007 Hilton Harrisburg Hotel and Towers Harrisburg, PA Contact Kathy Miller at millerk@temple.edu, (215) 204-9395 (voice), (215) 204-1356 (TTY) Preparing For A Weather Related Emergency If you are disabled during disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes or significant snowfall it can be difficult to evacuate from such situations and even more of a challenge developing an escape and maintenance plan. Being disabled without a caretaker or someone else who can assist you proves to be the most difficult obstacle to overcome and also defines how crucial your knowledge of survival tactics is during an emergency. Examples of Preparation Methods: Put together a disaster supply kit that includes water, food, and light source such as a flashlight. In addition you should include medications, hearing aid batteries and the telephone numbers of your doctor and pharmacist. Make sure you visibly wear any medical alert tags or bracelets that show your disability.   If you have a severe speech, language or hearing disability you need to find ways to communicate with others around you during a time of disaster. To show that you are making a TDD call, make sure you tap the space bar to make whoever receives your call aware that you have a language or hearing disability. A flashlight can be used to signal where you are located. To maintain constant communication with the others around you, keep paper and writing instruments on hand.   The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who are responsible for responding to and planning for disaster, recommends that if you are disabled you should develop a personal support network or self-help team. The support network includes any place where you spend a significant amount of time. These places can include your home, workplace or school. The people in your team or network can be extracted from these areas. FEMA suggests that your network consists of no little that three members and they should be people you trust and who will be available for if you if you need assistance.   In order to be properly prepared for any form of disaster you have to assess the possible outcomes of the event. You need to be sure of how the situation must be handled before, during and after the disaster. A good start is a list of your needs and how you will meet them during a time of crisis. Remember as you are completing the list that you shouldn't forget to calculate what you might need during the worst possible situation. In your assessment you should also include what you will do if your water service is cut off and how to maintain access to your personal care equipment, adaptive feeding devices and electricity-dependent equipment. Making Your Organization More Effective As an organization it is very important to always be thinking how the organization can be improved or play more of a leading role in the industry and for clientele. As advocates, leadership is a strong characteristic you hold. Lead your organization into becoming more effective through the following tips (according to www.nis.wvu.edu ): Be sure the organization's mission is clear. The mission of the organization represents who the organization is, reasoning for existence, and how others can benefit from the organization. Establish clear and measurable goals. Work with the entire team to establish the objectives of the organization and to ensure they are carried about by all participants. Leaders must ensure the values of the organization are shared and represented. Keep a balanced team. Look at the organization as a whole, questioning what it needs and what talents can be utilized. Everyone has different talents -- make sure the organization is not one-sided. Ask your clientele how you're doing. Understand your customer base by exploring their needs. Develop questionnaires, hotlines, and focus groups to determine how you can be more effective. Continue to educate yourself and the organization. The organization can be educated through attending workshops; signing up for newsletters; reading magazines, etc. Stand behind the organization with confidence. When the organization believes it is doing the right thing, it can accomplish anything. Develop strategic plans to make the organization more effective. Recognize the organizations' and team members' accomplishments. Be sure to complement and celebrate successes. Recap of Legislative Process Workshop The Resource Center for Disability Advocates is your place for information; not only through bi-monthly e-newsletters, but also through workshops. Terry Roth, an attorney and consultant for legislative and administrative advocacy, conducted a workshop in Harrisburg, PA on June 13, 2006 on the Legislative Process. Roth, who has 20 years experience in consulting, has worked with a variety of health and human organizations (mainly for people with disabilities) to help them better understand public policy. Roth spoke to advocacy leaders from the Mental Health Association of Allegheny County on how to be most effective when talking to legislators. Some key points included being positive and friendly, and provide good information. She added that you want to develop a good relationship with your legislator by making repeated contacts whether it is face-to-face or over the phone. Also, provide policy makers with suggestions on how to improve the issues you want to see fixed. In addition, Roth added to visit the legislators in their home offices, not just in Harrisburg. The Mental Health Association of Allegheny County is located in Pittsburgh, PA. They believe that people with disabilities are people just like everyone else and are entitled to live free from prejudice and discrimination. If you would like your group to learn about the Legislative Process or other advocacy topics, contact The Resource Center for Disability Advocates for more information. Consultants Needed The Resource Center for Disability Advocates is seeking consultants across Pennsylvania to train groups and organizations in the areas of networking, advocacy with government and schools, cultural awareness, history of the disability movement, history of the right to education, problem solving, strategic planning, leadership, fundraising, grant writing, establishing a 501(c)(3), and organizational management. If you are a consultant with experience in the listed areas and interested in more information, please contact John Tassone at 717-731-1900. Consultants are compensated at an established rate. If you need additional information on any of these topics, please contact: The Resource Center for Disability Advocates Provided by Independent Living Consultant Services 207 House Avenue, Suite 107, Camp Hill, PA 17011-2308 Local (717) 731-1900 (717) 737-1335 (TTY) Toll Free (800) 323-6060 (800) 829-7404 (TTY) This program is funded in part through the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council.