INDEPENDENT TIMES
Volume IX Issue 3, Spring 2001
Our greatest need as human beings is the freedom to pursue our dreams.
From the Executive Director
The ILNSCA is looking forward to an exciting spring. We have received a donation of funds from the North Shore Self Help Group (NSSHG), the founders of the Center. These funds will be used to rate the accessibility of restaurants on the North Shore and Cape Ann. Art Daignault, Access Specialist, is designing a training for some of you who want to learn how to rate specific restaurants during the summer and fall. Those who are trained will be sent out to rate the restaurant, write up those ratings and while at the restaurant enjoy a meal with a guest of your choice, cost covered under this grant. We will publish the ratings after all are compiled. Our target is to offer this training in May. If you are interested in being a part of this effort, contact Art. We thank the NSSHG for their ongoing support to us.
 ILCNSCA Executive Director Mary Margaret Moore (standing) receiving donation from North Shore Self Help Group given by ILCNSCA founders Joan Nielsen and Gill Adrien. |
Each spring the Massachusetts
legislature develops the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, July 1 to
June 30. The Governor released his budget in January, which level funded
all Independent Living Centers (ILC's). The 11 ILC's in Massachusetts
are asking state Senators and Representatives to increase the amount of
funding for all of the ILC's and for creation of a separate line item
for that funding so that it will only go to independent living centers.
Currently ILCNSCA has many folks waiting for our services, both intake
and appointments. This is true of all ILC's in Massachusetts. All ILC's
could provide more services to those that are now unserved or underserved
with increased funds. We are working with Division of Medical Assistance, Department of Mental Health and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to address difficulties in maintaining health coverage as folks return to work and earn too much to maintain SSI or SSDI. We have found that the transition from Mass Health to Commonhealth coverage is not seamless and PCA services at times are jeopardized. We will let you know our results.
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New Staff Members
Jamie Flavin and Diane McIntyre
Jamie
Flavin-Hello, my name is Jamie Flavin, and I have recently started working
at ILCNSCA as the new Director of Services. I am thrilled to have joined the
team here to help in spreading the voice of Independent Living. Although my
professional experience has been in the financial fields of investments and
banking, I have had personal and service related experience with disability
related issues, which gives me the knowledge and passion to be of value to the
center. I am eager to share my own experiences as a disabled person with the
consumers here at ILCNSCA with the hope that it may provide knowledge to my
peers with similar situations to my own. I have run programs through volunteering
at the Massachusetts Hospital School, Handi Kids Summer Camp, Youth Service
America, and Nestle's Very Best In Youth Program. Through these programs I have
been able to work in varied disability-related areas such as youth with disabilities,
wheelchair sports, and disabled people in volunteerism. Thank you for the opportunity
to introduce myself and I look forward to working with all of you in the future.
Diane
McIntyre- Hello to all, my name is Diane McIntyre, the new afternoon Staff
Assistant. I'm pleased to work with a great, incredible and resourceful team.
I'm a student at North Shore Community College in the Medical Administrative
Assistant Associates Degree program. My working background includes being an
Office Support at Mass General Hospital, a SPED Para Professional in the Boston
Public Schools, and a Certified Home Health Aid working with the elderly and
people with disabilities in their homes. I look forward to meeting you in person,
as well as talking to you over the telephone regarding the services and referrals
offered at the ILCNSCA.
2001 ILCNSCA Legislative Breakfast
 Commisioner Bartels  Senator Berry  Congressman Tierney  Representative Verga  Mayor Scanlon |
The 14th annual ILCNSCA Legislative Breakfast was held on Friday, March 30, 2001 at the Peabody Marriott. Despite the stormy March weather, nearly 100 people attended this annual event. Invited guests included consumers and their families, service providers, municipal leaders, and State and Federal legislators.
The 2001 ILCNSCA Legislative
Breakfast awards were presented. Andrew Lapointe of Salem was the 2001
Advocate of the Year. Sam Goody music/video store in Peabody was the 2001
Distinguished Employer of the Year. The Leavitt Award for lifetime achievement
was given to Senator Frederick Berry, who spoke in fond remembrance of
ILCNSCA founder Bernice Leavitt. The morning concluded with a brief question and answer period facilitated by Mary Margaret Moore, followed by her challenge to all to vote. She asked that those who are not registered to vote to please do so, and that those who are registered to vote remember their responsibility in our democracy to have their voice heard by their vote. |
Access Art by Art Daignault
Handicapped Parking - In January
2001 Governor Paul Cellucci signed legislation to "Clarify and Strengthen
Enforcement of the Handicapped Placard and Parking Laws." This legislation
took effect immediately. I have highlighted some key features of this important
access enforcement legislation.
Section 1 of this legislation states that it is a violation to park a vehicle
in a "cross-hatch" area. This is the painted striped area adjacent
to a handicapped parking space that allows a person to enter and exit a vehicle
with a wheelchair.
Section 2 states that the fine range for parking in a handicapped parking space
without a handicapped plate or placard increases from between $25.00 - $100.00
to $100.00 - $300.00.
Section 3 of the regulation makes many changes to Section 2 of Chapter 90 that
establishes the handicapped placard. The new changes are as follows: 1) the
law removes the previously confusing references to the placard as a type of
plate; 2) if a person uses the handicapped placard without authorization, then
the person who uses the placard will be penalized, not the person who was issued
the placard; 3) it clarifies that a placard may be utilized for parking "in
association with" the transportation of the authorized person of the placard.
This change addresses confusion related to the appropriate use of a placard
when picking up or dropping off the authorized user; 4) Upon application and
for good cause, the new law allows the issuance of both a plate and a placard
to a person with a disability; 5) it allows a worker with a disability to use
their placard when driving a commercial vehicle, but preserves the time limitations
for the utilization of commercial spaces; 6) the new law increases the fines
for unauthorized use of a handicapped placard from $100.00 to $500.00 for the
first offense, and $1000.00 for subsequent offenses; and finally, it specifies
that the fines and penalties in this section are in addition to those specified
in Section 37E of Chapter 266 for the fraudulent use of another's identity.
Beverly Shelter Update - On January 24, 2001, Cedric Ashley, Peer Advocate of the ILCNSCA, and I attended the "Open House," sponsored by the Salvation Army, at the new Beverly Shelter on River Street in Beverly. The Shelter currently has 14 beds for male adults. Through the planning and building stages, Beverly Mayor William Scanlon and the Salvation Army, operator of the Beverly Shelter, have been committed to making this facility accessible to all individuals. There is an accessible ramp and shower. The bathroom renovations had not been completed as of the Open House date, yet they are making it accessible. At the present time, the first floor is the only floor being utilized, but the Salvation Army would like to use the basement and second floor. Those floors are not accessible. The Salvation Army has expressed an interest in working cooperatively with the Center to insure accessibility to everyone. The ILCNSCA appreciates the commitment and attention to making this shelter accessible.
Accessibility Issues - ILCNSCA
is interested in hearing from you regarding any access issue you are encountering.
We are committed to working with individuals, businesses and municipalities
in the 19 cities/towns in our service area to increase accessibility for everyone.
If you or someone you know has an accessibility issue, Access Art, alias Art
Daignault, would like to hear from you.
For further information about Access Art articles above, contact Art Daignault
by phone at (978) 741-0077 V/TTY or by e-mail at Adaignault@ilcnsca.org.
A Book Review by Kitty Babakian
The Little Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway
"The Little Locksmith"
is the memoir of a disabled woman's journey to independence. She was born to
a wealthy, Salem, Massachusetts family in 1890. (Her maternal Grandfather was
the founder of Almy's Department Store.) Struck by tuberculosis of the spine
when she was five, a renowned doctor strapped her to a board on the bed, hoping
to straighten her back. It remained her basic mode of life for ten years.
Yet the world from her bed was entertaining. She had loving siblings and parents
and enjoyed writing and drawing. Writing was to become her passion. The title
of this memoir, written in the early 1940's, refers to a man with a hunched
back who repaired locks in her childhood home. She would lay pinned down, watching
him at his work. But when she rose from her bed at fifteen, deserting the board
of straps and pulleys , her back was a lesser version of "the Little Locksmith,"
and she was "no larger than a ten year old child."
Ms. Butler went on to study writing
at Radcliffe. She made many friends, but doubted she would ever have a life
partner. Once back home, she struggled with a overprotective mother.
"Because I was so delicate and because I was deformed she believed that
I would never leave her behind, even in my imagination, as normal children have
to leave their mothers…"
She left her mother and dwelled for a time in rooming houses in Boston, spending
time in Maine, too, as a summer boarder. At thirty-four, she surprised herself
by buying a large house on the coast of Maine with a family inheritance. Her
mother dispatched to Castine, Maine a truckload of beautiful, old furniture.
An independent woman, she lovingly restores her house.
When she is lonely several years later, she rents a tiny apartment in New York City. She travels to Paris. Despite her fairs of spinsterhood, she marries a Mr. Hathaway. During the Depression, they are forced to sell her house in Maine, but its purchase was a landmark for Katharine Butler as an autonomous adult. Katharine Butler Hathaway writes frankly of her fear, anxiety, and depression both as a woman and as a person with a disability. It's a beautifully written book that entertains and inspires. ILCNSCA has this book available in our library if you would like to borrow it. Call (978) 741-0077 V/TTY to inquire about the availability of The Little Locksmith.
Multiple
Sclerosis Funding
A new program has
been funded by the state and is administered through Department of Public Health
to assist persons with multiple sclerosis live independently. It reimburses
on a one time basis for out of pocket expenses for which there is no other payment
source, regardless of income/assets. There are specific limits for different
types of intervention - i.e. from a limit of $300 for an air conditioner, to
a limit of $1500 for inpatient/home-respite, to a limit of $2000 for non-covered
medications. The statewide contact for referrals at this time is Laurel Pelis
at 1-800-445-1255, ext 136. An intake can be approved within days, but it can
take 4-6 weeks for the person to actually receive reimbursement.
Ms. Pelis stated that the MS Society of Massachusetts can also reimburse folks
up to a max of $1000 per year for similar reasons and the Society operates similarly.
The contact for the Society program is Judith Rosenbaum, Program Manager, Waltham
office, 1-800-493-9255 ext. 127. Also, the MS Society is opening a new western
Massachusetts branch office in Worcester on February 7th.
What's Going On…………… at ILCNSCA
Vocational Readiness/
Independent Living (VR/IL) News
By Jeanne Lyons
February VR/IL Workshop Review
The ILCNSCA held a Vocational Readiness-Independent
Living Workshop on February 1, 2001 entitled "How the MBTA is Making the
"T" More Accessible to People With Disabilities/Travel Training".
Ron Mariani, from the Office for Transportation Access and Matt Whalen from
the Senior and Access Pass office of the MBTA came to the Center to share information
and answer questions on the topic. They brought a variety of maps and schedules
of the MBTA transportation system related to the North Shore area to share with
participants. They also brought information on the Travel Training Program.
If there are any individuals who are currently eligible for The Ride and are
interested in information on the Travel Training Program you can call Jeanne
at the Center (978) 741-0077 V/TTY. The workshop was such a success, ILCNSCA
is going to hold another transportation workshop this fall.
ILCNSCA Winter Social Events
By Rebecca Hutchinson and Jeanne Lyons
A Magical Afternoon! On Saturday,
January 27, 2001, ILCNSCA sponsored an event at the Larcom Theatre in Beverly.
Attendees were entertained by the two-hour production of "An Anthology
of Stage Magic" performed by le Grand David Spectacular Magic Company.
The performance included comedy and illusion which mesmerized the audience.
Ahoy mates! On Saturday, February 24, 2001, ILCNSCA held a luncheon at the Gloucester House Restaurant in Gloucester. Twenty-five people came from the 19 Cities and Towns on the North Shore and Cape Ann to the luncheon, that featured plenty of delicious food and lively conversation in the room. Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director at ILCNSCA, extended a warm welcome to everyone and a brief talk about the mission of ILCNSCA and the luncheon. Jeanne Lyons, Peer Advocate coordinated this event. More events in Cape Ann will be scheduled in the future. Gloucester House was accessible and very welcoming to our group. Both events were partially supported by a grant from the Clipper Ship Foundation to the ILCNSCA.
Legislative
Visit- State Representative Michael Cahill of Beverly visited ILCNSCA on
December 21, 2000 to learn about services provided to the disability community.
Pictured on left (left to right) Art Daignault, ILCNSCA Access Specialist; Meredith
Haviland, Researcher for the State Human Services Committee; Representative
Cahill; Mary Margaret Moore, ILCNSCA Executive Director.
National Theatre
Workshop
The National Theatre Workshop of
the Handicapped is now accepting applications for their summer scholarship program
in the fine and performing arts. The Fine Arts workshop runs from May 17, to
June 3. The first Intro to Theater session runs June 9 to June 19; The second
Intro to Theater session starts June 22 to July 3. A Chorale session runs from
August 9 to August 24. All successful applicants receive free room and board,
and travel expenses to the beautiful coast Maine in Belfast. For more information
and an application, please contact Dean Kevin Curtin (info listed below), or
visit our website at http://www.ntwh.org.
National Theatre Workshop
of the Handicapped
PO Box 1138, 96 Church Street
Belfast, ME 04915
(207) 338-6894 or (207) 338-6075 (fax)
ntwhcrby@mint.net
Speech to Speech
If you have a speech disability and
live in MA, you can now use a new, free telephone service 24 hours a day. This
service, called Speech to Speech (STS), provides communication assistants (CA's)
for people with difficulty being understood by the public on the telephone.
People with speech disabilities can dial toll free to reach a patient, trained
CA who is familiar with many speech patterns and has excellent language recognition
skills. This CA makes telephone calls for them and repeats their words exactly
in a 3-way calling environment. STS is the only way for many people to telephone
others not accustomed to their speech. Many STS users have ALS, Parkinson's
disease, CP, MS, or MD. STS also helps some speech synthesizer users.
The Massachusetts Relay Service currently provides speech to speech relay services
here in Massachusetts. The number to use is 1-800-439-0183 (ask for a speech
to speech operator).
MBTA Customer Bill
of Rights
In February 2001 the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) unveiled a Customer Bill of Rights that covers The Ride participants as well as Trains, Buses and Subways. There are five elements in this Customer Bill of Rights with the first right being "Your right to on-time service". The MBTA will give you a complimentary fare in the event that your service is delayed over 30 minutes. There is a notification card that needs to be requested by you, then filled out by you and sent to the MBTA in the mail. You can request these feedback cards when ordering tickets, at AACT (Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA) meetings, from drivers (in limited quantity) and at various locations throughout the MBTA system. If you need more information about this call Jeanne at (978) 741-0077 V/TTY.
ILCNSCA Legislative
News
ILCNSCA Access Specialist Art Daignault inspired a new bill, H-3350, that was developed and sponsored by Representative Michael Cahill of Beverly which pertains to a waiver of life insurance premiums in the event of a disability. As some bank policies allow the policy holder to waive payment of an insurance premium if the holder becomes totally disabled, this bill redefines and softens the definition of "total disability" for life insurance providers. Without this legislation some policy holders, who become disabled and are working part-time, are not considered totally disabled by insurance providers and still must pay the entire expensive premium that they can no longer afford. For more details, contact Art at ILCNSCA at (978) 741-0077 V/TTYor by e-mail at Adaignault@ilcnsca.org..
Job Openings at ILCNSCA
Full time Peer Advocate at
North Shore and Cape Ann branch office, $8.50 - $10.00/ hr.
Computer literacy required, and a dedication to the Independent Living philosophy.
Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Benefits offered.
Part time Fiscal Data Specialist at North Shore Main office, $11.00-$12.00/hr.
Must be accurate and experienced with accounts receivable, accounts payable
and use of MS EXCEL and Quickbooks 2000. No benefits.
Please send cover letter and resume to: ILCNSCA, Attn: MMM, 27 Congress Street, Suite 107, Salem, MA 01970 . We are committed to hiring minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. EOE/AA
INDEPENDENT TIMES
Volume IX Issue 3, Spring 2001.
Publisher: Mary Margaret Moore
Editor: Shawn J. McDuff
Contributors: Cedric Ashley, Kathryn Babakian, Art Daignault, Jamie Flavin,
Donna Garber, Rebecca Hutchinson, Jeanne Lyons, Andrew H. Martensson, Diane
McIntyre, Kathy O'Brien.
The INDEPENDENT TIMES, is a Quarterly newsletter of the Independent Living Center
of the North Shore and Cape Ann Inc. (ILCNSCA), 27 Congress St., Suite 107,
Salem, MA 01970. Tel: (978) 741-0077 V/TTY, Toll Free Tel: (888) 751-0077 V/TTY,
Fax: (978) 741-1133. Email: ILCNSCA@aol.com. We also have a Cape Ann Branch
at Addison-Gilbert Hospital, Room 4, 298 Washington Street in Gloucester, Monday
and Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM. Tel: (978) 283-4000 ext. 366 V/TTY.
INDEPENDENT TIMES is published quarterly and welcomes the submission of articles,
press releases, original cartoons, and advertisements. The editorial staff reserves
the right to edit or reject material submitted to accommodate space or other
concerns. Unsolicited material not accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope
will not be returned.
ILCNSCA's philosophy is based on the belief that people with disabilities can
lead more independent lives when given the opportunity. We also believe that
such an opportunity is a human right.
This newsletter is partially funded by a grant from New England ADA Technical
Assistance Center.