Hands Across SF and CA

The Arc advocates and self-advocates joined hands this past Sunday to raise awareness of budget cuts and tuition increases (from $26 to $66 per unit) to Community Colleges across the state. Services and classes for students with disabilities have been cut by 41%! Many of our clients take computer and other classes at City College, as well as City College instructor Bob Fitch teaches classes at The Arc. Our advocates literally joined Hands Across California with other groups and celebrities, including MC Hammer, Arsenio Hall, and Ryan Seacrest! “We joined with over 200 other volunteers from the City College of San Francisco downtown campus and Paul Johnson, Department Chairperson for the Disabled Students Programs and Services”, according to Joseph F., chair of The Arc Client Advocacy Committee. Other self advocates included Clinton, Gina, Andrew, Chloe, and parents Ron Bixler, Sally Spencer, Pat Napoliello, and myself, lined up and down Market Street holding The Arc Banner and smaller signs “Why Hold Hands? To Save Our Community Colleges!”

Tim Hornbecker

Hands Across SF & CA This Sunday

Dear Advocates and Self Advocates, INFORMATION FLYER ATTACHED! Services for Disabled Students Programs and Services at our California City Colleges have been cut back 41% in the last couple of years. Now the legislature is considering further cuts to the community college and the possibility for increasing tuition fees to $66 per unit from the current $26, according to Paul Johnson, Dept. Chair, DSPS, City College of San Francisco. You are being invited to literally join Hands Across California and San Francisco this Sunday, April 17, 1:30-2:30 PM with Community College supporters across California. They hope to form a human chain across the state! I will be at Van Ness and Market in front of the Bank of America with some of the signs made by our clients at 1:30 PM. I hope that some of you can join me, and please try to get friends, family members and self-advocates to join hands and hold our signs until 2:30 PM. We want to keep having our clients attend classes at City College and continue having their college instructors at The Arc! If you have any trouble opening the attached flyer, there will be flyers at our front desk on Howard Street. Hope you can participate! Thanks, Tim Timothy Hornbecker, CEO

SF Chronicle Op-Ed: "Better Off in Prison?"

All,

Our Development Director wrote a very compelling piece that was published in The San Francisco Chronicle. Take a look.

Tim

Timothy Hornbecker, CEO

Self Advocates in Sacramento

Self Advocates in action! Board member Liz with Tatyana, and Anna advocating in Sacramento against the 10% cut to ICF (Intermediate Care Facilities) homes in the community, as well as the 10% cut to fees paid to medical staff along with service cuts and increased co-pays for Medical. They joined over 150 other people with developmental disabilities from around the state, including GGRC and our neighbor Lifehouse from Marin.

Tim
Timothy Hornbecker
Chief Executive Officer, The Arc of San Francisco

Senator Yee to The Arc: 'This is Life or Death'

At today's press conference at The Arc, myself, Senator Leland Yee and many advocates spoke about the unfair share of pain that people with developmental disabilities face in the state budget cuts. See photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38610578@N04/sets/72157626352504802/show/

Over half a billion dollars (including federal matching dollars) is the largest cut to any one group on the chopping block in Sacramento.
Our safety net is disappearing. Our clients will either be out on the street or have to go to a $300,000 per person (per year) state institution.
What a waste--of client lives, of taxpayer dollars.

Here are quotes from today's speakers:

Jackie Kenley (parent and advocate): "These cuts are a step backwards--and they will cost us more money, not less, over time."

Hermie Yema (Family Home, Inc.) "My clients need medical care and close monitoring and support. Where will they go--who will help them if my doors are closed because I cannot afford more cuts?"

Matt Tarver-Wahalqyist, Opportunity for Independence: "The truth is, clients will die as a result of these cuts."

Senator Leland Yee: "This isn't the end of it--it's important to let us know...let legislators in Sacramento know that there is a serious human toll to these cuts. But there are things we can do; language to bills we can add. My message to you is don't give up. This is life or death."

Tim
Timothy Hornbecker
Chief Executive Officer, The Arc of San Francisco

Senator Yee at The Arc

To Clients, Staff, Families and Supporters:

Senator Leland Yee will be at The Arc of San Francisco (1500 Howard Street) this Friday, March 25th, 12-12:30 AM upstairs in our large room. He will be holding a Press Conference to speak about the ‘budget cuts to people with disabilities’. I have been asked to speak for 2-3 minutes, but I’m hoping that (parent)Jackie Kenley and her daughter will speak to let the media know how they will be impacted! I know that this is during the workday, but please attend if you can. We will have a large number of client self-advocates and staff here. This is part of our new community organizing and advocacy efforts. Our parents and family members from The Arc’s Advocacy Committee will also try to attend.

Thanks for your advocacy; see you Friday at noon!

Tim

Tim Hornbecker, CEO

Calling All Advocates to Let Policymakers Know What the Lanterman Act Means to You

The Lanterman Act in 2011 and Beyond
Dear Friends:

The Senate Human Services Committee chaired by Senator Carol Liu (from the same district Frank Lanterman represented, and the winner of The Arc’s 2009 Legislator of the Year Award)) will be having an Oversight Informational Hearing this Tuesday March 22, 2011 from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the John Burton Hearing Room (4203) in the State Capitol, Sacramento, California.

Come and deliver a message to policymakers with your testimony. Your voice and your face will tell policymakers why the Lanterman Act is so important to our community and why so many of us oppose changing it from the current individualized personal approach to the proposed set standardization model.

Agenda

Opening Remarks
Senator Carol Liu, Chair, Senate Human Services Committee
Other members
The Lanterman Act: Past, Present, Future
Michal Clark, Director, Kern Regional Center
Kiara Hedglin and Nickole Bouslog, Consumer Perspective
The Individual Program Plan and Purchase of Service Best Practices
Catherine Blakemore, Executive Director, Disability Rights California
Catherine McCoy, Service Coordinator, San Andreas Regional Center
Rocio Smith, Executive Director, Area Board V
Steve Miller, Executive Director, Tierra del Sol Foundation
Accountability, Transparency and Beyond – Implementation of the 2011 DDS Trailer Bill
Jim Burton, Director, Regional Center of the Easy Bay
Doug Pascover, Executive Director, Arriba Independent Living Services
Nancy Chance, Executive Director, Training Toward Self-Reliance
Audit Updates
Terri Delgadillo, Director, Department of Developmental Services
Elaine Howle, State Auditor, Bureau of State Audits
Carol Fitzbiggons, Director, Inland Regional Center
Vicki Smith, Executive Director, Area Board XII
Public Comment & Concluding Remarks

I hope to see you Tuesday.

Greg

Greg deGiere
Public Policy Director
The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy in California

P.S. Please forward ward Action Alert far and wide.