ADAPT in Chicago: Blogs and Websites

ADAPT, blog recommendations, Our News & Commentary Blog

By now, most of the out-of-town ADAPT activists have returned home. That means that after a day or two of recuperation – maybe – it’s time for everyone to get back to work again. That means follow-up and continuation of the advocacy for community-based services here in Illinois and in all other states as well.

NDY will be getting back to its usual work as well. There might even be an entry later today that’s back to the range of topics we usually cover here.

But we thought it would be a good idea post a list of links to visit for pictures, accounts and other info related to ADAPT and the protests in Chicago. This is not an exhaustive list. Apologies to anyone who was missed. If you want me to put a link up just email me and I’ll edit it in later, although it may be a few days.

First and foremost, you should visit and revisit the ADAPT Action Report – which currently features links to photos, youtube videos, reports, and the action blog, featuring daily accounts of Galen Smith.

Kay Olson has provided commentary, video links and photos at the Gimp Parade (and managed to figure out a way to fix a link I used that is kind of glitchy). Check here, here, and here.

Cilla Sluga, who writes at Big Noise, has returned after her first national ADAPT action. She was only able to stay one day and when she returned, she followed the comments on blogs in which the ADAPT action was being discussed. She “comments on the comments” in her entry Collectively They Are Pretty Spectacular.

Larry Wanger at the DisabilityNation blog has announced the audio magazine will feature coverage of the ADAPT action in Chicago. It’s scheduled to air on Sunday, September 16th. You can get more information on DisabilityNation and how to listen to the episodes offered by visiting the main website.

Donna Harnett joined ADAPT for the protest at AFSCME. She writes about it in the entry Wow, wow and wow! Donna and her family became important allies and friends during the protests launched by FRIDA during the “Ashley X” attack on people with disabilities.

Huffington Post blogger Robert Koehler writes about Martin and Donna Harnett – and why the fight she and ADAPT are fighting is important in Martin’s World.

Finally, my favorite comment from a member of the nondisabled public who whose plans were interrupted by the shutdown of the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago:

A blogger named Rudy hosts a blog that is titled the “Lager Beer Riot.” It’s explained on the blog:

Know-Nothing Mayor of Chicago Levi (great nephew of Daniel) Boone incited the Lager Beer Riots of 1855 when, in a conscious attempt to curtail German immigrants’ ability to associate and organize, he prohibited the beer gardens from opening on Sunday after church. He was voted out of office the next year. To those who would defend our inalienable rights of free association and worship, good government, and quality beer, I say, Prosit!

So please go read his account of being blocked from his planned visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles. It’s worth the visit.

Update: September 17 –

Second account by Cilla Sluga at Big Noise, this one titled March On, ADAPT.

Feminist Response In Disability Activism (F.R.I.D.A.) has a day-by-day account written by disability activist Amber Smock. It covers the preparations for the arrival of ADAPT activists coming into Chicago and Amber’s own accounts of the daily protests in Chicago in the FRIDA Report from the ADAPT National Action in Chicago.

Update: September 18 –

There are two ADAPT-related accounts on Mike Meiselman’s Magitator blog, AFSCME: Lost Its Way and The “Perils” of Being Inconvenienced.

ADAPT in Chicago – Day 3 of Protests

activism, ADAPT, Our News & Commentary Blog

12:00 pm Central

For Immediate Release:
September 12, 2007

Contact:
Bob Kafka (512) 431-4085
Marsha Katz (406) 544-9504
Gary Arnold (773) 425-2536

ADAPT Visits AFSCME Offices, Demands They Stop
Trampling on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the Elderly

Where: 29 North Whacker Drive, Chicago IL 60606
When: Now

ADAPT has requested that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorse the Community Choice Act (formerly known as Micassa). Despite multiple meetings with the union’s leadership, AFSCME has refused to endorse the legislation or support the right of people with disabilities and the elderly to receive community-based services instead of being forced into a nursing home or other institution. In fact, AFSCME has undercut efforts of ADAPT and the disability community to address the institutional bias in long term services and supports by actively advocating for increased funding for institutions. AFSCME has even lobbied that institutions like Lincoln Developmental Center be reopened even though this proposal was vigorously opposed by the disability community.

AFSCME has repeatedly trampled on the human and civil rights of people with disabilities and the elderly. The union has sacrificed the freedom of people with disabilities and the elderly to increase their own membership and union dues, stealing lives to line their own pockets. This must stop.

ADAPT demands AFSCME immediately endorse the Community Choice Act and work with ADAPT to develop a strategy for the union to promote workers’ rights without sacrificing the rights of people with disabilities and the elderly. Right now, hundreds of disability activists have occupied the office building at 29 North Whacker Drive in Chicago. There is a negotiating team of local ADAPT activists on the 8th floor.

###

Update 12:45 pm Central.

Pictures from AFSCME’s lobby here in Chicago:

The picture above shows about ten tightly packed activists lined in two rows against the wall, and look like they’re chanting.

The picture above is taken from the inner part of the lobby straight across the room toward a pretty bright window. It looks like it’s wall-to-wall activists in there!

Above is another shot of tightly-packed activists against one of the walls. In this shot, there’s a long banner hung behind them, which I can’t quite make out.

The shot above is taken by the receptionist in the lobby and looks out across the room, which is crammed with ADAPTers. A “Free Our People” Banner is strung across the windows facing out, so it can be read by people passing by.

Update 1:45 pm. Central

I heard from Marsha Katz. The negotiations look like they went absolutely nowhere.

Arrests have begun.

Earlier, AFSCME reps at Council 31 in Chicago suggested the signing of a joint statement that contained some of the elements contained in this excerpt from a statement that has been written up about today’s events by Council 31’s PR officer, issued on Council 31 AFSCME letterhead, with Director Henry Bayer’s name on it somewhere…

“We believe that people who want to be served and need congregate care should
receive that care. We believe that individuals who want to receive
services in their homes and can receive their services in that setting should be
allowed to do so. We believe that the federal and state governments should
appropiate sufficient funds to provide quality care in both settings.”

Here’s what it looks like now:

The picture above shows activists being processed by police, who have pulled them away from the doors to issue citations.

Above is another street picture with a long line of activists – mostly wheelchair users – being processed by police.

ADAPT in Chicago – Day 2

activism, ADAPT, Our News & Commentary Blog

Breaking news:

Disabled protesters block downtown Chicago building

CHICAGO – A group of disabled protesters is blocking access to elevators and escalators in a government office building in downtown Chicago.

A wall of wheelchairs is preventing occupants of the James R. Thompson Center from exiting or entering their offices, although people are being allowed into the building.

The protesters from the advocacy group ADAPT made a similar effort Monday, blocking the entrances to the American Medical Association in Chicago for more
than three hours.

The group wanted the AMA to push for legislation that could lead to more housing options for people with disabilities.

It isn’t immediately clear if the Thompson Center protest has the same focus.

Obviously, they haven’t read their press packet if they’re not sure what the focus is of the protest. Here’s the list of demands ADAPT came with today:

  1. A commitment from Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Speaker of the IL House, Michael Madigan, and President of the IL Senate, Emil Jones, Jr., to pass and sign the IL Community First Act.

  2. Commitment from Gov. Blagojevich to actively involve ADAPT in the development of the operational protocols for the state’s Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program.

  3. Commitment from Gov. Blagojevich that the state will develop a data use agreement with CMS so that people in nursing homes who indicate that they want to return to community living are automatically referred to community organizations that can assist them.

According to my sources, Diane Coleman, Rahnee Patrick, Gail Kear and Monika Heffner are currently on the 16th floor of the State building, and have presented the demands to DHS officials. Diane sent me a pic of the view from the 16th floor:

The picture above is taken from the the sixteenth floor of the State building in downtown Chicago. Protesters can be seen – barely – surrounding the building below.

3:00 pm Central

Update:

Oread Daily: “With a swipe of a pen, a doctor can take away your freedom“

Rich Miller, at the Capitol Fax Blog, is providing a lot of eyewitness comment and updates from some of his readers who work in the area in This just in…

For the best, complete accounts of the action, go to ADAPT Action Report. It reports on the happenings of the previous day at the action. Yesterday’s account – with pictures – is here at Fifty-five arrested – ADAPT stands firm at the AMA.

Latest news: This just in from Diane Coleman:

The negotiations were a success.

  1. The governor has agreed to meet with ADAPT by no later than October 17th.
  2. There will be no re-opening of Lincoln Developmental Center as a residence for people with disabilities during the present administration.
  3. Rahnee Patrick will be an ADAPT liaison on the Governor’s “Money Follows the Person” Advisory Committee.

(caveat – I got all this in a rushed phone call with lots of background noise so there might be some details slightly off that will be edited later.)

Coverage:

Chicago Tribune – After AMA, disabled take aim at state

Chicago Sun-Times – Disabled protest again

Video coverage of the action at WGN – Protesters in Wheelchairs Block Thompson Center

Disability Activists Make a Housecall at the AMA

activism, ADAPT, AMA, Our News & Commentary Blog, professional accountability

As many or most of you know, disability activists “on a mission from ADAPT” have landed in Chicago.

Right now, 500 disability activists are making a housecall at the headquarters of the American Medical Association (AMA).

The activists have a set of demands for the organization:

1. Endorse the Community Choice Act and actively promote passage (e.g. include on AMA website and on advocacy agenda);
2. Work with ADAPT to develop an action plan to assure that pwd’s and seniors get REAL CHOICE in long term care (ltc) services/supports and are able to live in most integrated setting. Provide membership with continuing medical education programs about community-based alternatives to institutionalization;
3. Require that AMA Board of Trustees and leadership divest themselves of all financial interests in nursing facilities, etc.;
4. Develop AMA ethics policy that all AMA member MDs must full disclose their financial interests in any ltc facilities to their patients when discussing ltc issues, and not refer any patient to a ltc facility in which they have any financial interest.

More news as it comes in… (will add links to news, other bloggers, etc.)

Update: 1:35 pm central.

Police are getting ready to arrest protesters.

The picture above shows a long line of ADAPT protesters being confronted by police officers in front of the headquarters of the American Medical Association.

Update 2:00 pm Central: Diane called and says they’re processing arrestees. She estimates maybe 100 people or so. Pictures below:

The picture above shows an appearance ticket held by an ADAPT activist, with two police officers in the background processing paperwork for another protester.

The image above shows four arrestees – names provided at a later date.

Rachelleb.com has an entry titled “Wheelchair Protest” – she watched the march to the AMA building from her office. She took pictures too – one of them up is up on her page with a link to a few more.

Martha Bayne, a senior editor at the Chicago Reader, noticed something was up this morning when she arrived at work, which is across the street from the AMA headquarters. A little later, a horde of disability activists arrived on the scene. She writes about it in ADAPT Storms the AMA. Be sure to check it out for her impressions of the protest and the great pictures she took of the protesters there.

WGN aired to lengthy pieces of coverage. I have managed to link to them (there will be a short commercial before the news piece):

Nursing Home Protest on State Street ran in the afternoon sometime.

Protest for Health Care Rights ran on the newscast aired at 9:00 p.m.

Oregon State Board of Nursing Protected Nurses Over Patients – Report

assisted suicide, media issues, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, professional accountability

There’s a big story in Oregon, but you wouldn’t know it from the amount of coverage it is getting.

Due largely to a series of investigative reports by the Portland Tribune’s Peter Korn, the state initiated an investigation into the practices of the Oregon State Board of Nursing. Last week, the report was released and it was as bad as anyone could have imagined, as Korn’s August 31st story reveals:

Among the most serious allegations in the stories were that the board routinely hid the actions of nurses who had committed crimes from criminal justice authorities.

Also, the stories highlighted abuses in the board’s monitoring program, which allows nurses with drug and alcohol addictions to continue working while they receive treatment.

In some cases, nurses in the monitoring program were allowed to continue in their jobs even after multiple instances of stealing medications from patients.

The state report issued Wednesday supported the Tribune’s stories and found even more problems. According to the report, even cases of alleged sex abuse and attempted rape that came before the nursing board were not referred to criminal
authorities.

And, the report found, the nurse monitoring program “does not protect the public as effectively as it protects a participant’s license to practice.”

That last line from Korn’s story is an exact quote from the report itself.

That’s not all. One of the cases that the Board let slide was one in which two nurses were found to have “assisted” a patient in committing suicide. I put the “assisted” part in quotes because Wendy Melcher’s daughter doesn’t believe that there ever was a request on the part of Melcher to die and has suggested some less-than-noble motivations on the part of at least one of the nurses. Since this all happened in 2005, the delays will make this a difficult case to prosecute, according to authorities.
Technically, what these nurses admit to is a serious crime. Melcher never made any application for lethal medication to a physician. The nurses in question didn’t report Melcher’s alleged request to hospice. It is illegal for them to administer drugs to end a life – even under the assisted suicide law. The Board never reported them to the police, but “disciplined” them. One nurse had her license suspended for 30 days and the other was placed on probation for two years.

If you check out the links you’ll find that they all point you to stories by Peter Korn at the Portland Tribune. That’s no coincidence. Coverage of the investigation and the report regarding the Oregon State Board of Nursing has been scant in Oregon.

That’s really odd. This report was as damning as any report I’ve ever read. As mentioned above, one of the cases under review involves the issue of assisted suicide, which is touted by euthanasia advocates as a system that has strict controls, oversights, and eliminates unregulated practices through the system of safeguards that is widely touted. Given that, we can understand why Compassion and Choices isn’t featuring the news on its website. It’s not exactly the kind of thing they would want to publicize in their showcase state.

But what about the other journalists in Oregon? This is a huge story. It’s important in terms of its impact on public health and safety. It’s also the kind of story that generates interest – scandal sells, doesn’t it? So why are Peter Korn and the Portland Tribune virtually the only ones reporting on this? Is it because they’d have to give credit to Korn and the Trib for breaking this story? It’s hard to understand. This was so bad that the Director of the State Board of Nursing resigned. Her interim appointment fired the person in the number 2 position. The rest of the board members remain, though.

This is something we should all pay attention to. As the American Medical Association (AMA)announced this summer, they’d like to see review boards to replace legal authorities in investigating and disciplining medical professionals whose conduct is called into question, at least in declared disaster areas. In a joint press release from the AMA and the American Nurses Association (ANA) on July 17th regarding the “criminalizing of medical decisions,” they said:

“During any disaster, health care providers — doctors, nurses and others — must work together to make the best decisions that they can given available resources.

“Judgments regarding these decisions and subsequent actions would be more properly considered by the respective licensing boards.”

Would that be licensing boards like the one in Oregon? Or the licensing boards in California that found no fault with an attending physician who handed the care of a live patient to a transplant surgeon – and watched while the surgeon attempted to kill the patient quickly enough to harvest his organs? Or the review board who found no fault with the nurse who administered the lethal medications under the transplant surgeon’s direction?

I can see why that would make medical professionals sleep easier at night. I can’t see how that helps the rest of us, especially when we all have to wonder if the medical review boards in our own states are any better than the Board of Nursing in Oregon. –Stephen Drake