CTD Annual Reports
2003 Annual Report
I. Direct Legislative Advocacy: CTD and the 78th Legislature
2003 was a very difficult year for Texans with disabilities. The dominant issue was the state budget. Facing a shortfall of $10 billion, the state's elected leadership chose not to seek a balance of revenue increases and spending cuts, as many other states have done, but rather chose to balance the budget entirely with spending cuts.
Funding for health and human services, including services for people with disabilities, was targeted for major cuts. The first budget passed by the House eliminated community services for 85,000 current recipients. By the end of the session, almost all of those individuals were restored, largely in response to round-the-clock advocacy. Attached is the 2003 Legislative Report of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. CTD was actively involved in all the issues listed. Our role and the organizations with which we partnered are identified. You'll see a number of issues including CTD's effort to recover lost ADA civil rights. We raised issues, won some, and lost others. Committee chairs scheduled hearings at 7 a.m., late into the evening, on weekends and even on ice days when central Texas roads were undrivable. CTD was there for Texans with disabilities, working for you. CTD efforts included:
- Testimony at public hearings
- Direct contacts to legislative offices
- Supplying language for legislation
- Written position papers distributed to the Legislature
- Media interviews
- Collaborative coordination on three statewide teleconferences. Participants received up-to-the minute legislative information and had opportunities to seek specific guidance and disability related expertise from CTD and other conference speakers.
- Collaborative organization of two legislative rallies at the state capital, drawing hundreds of individuals from across the state. Forged new partnerships with the state employees, mental health advocates, and senior citizens' organizations. CTD's Collaborative "Capital Day" Rally and press conference in February, and "No Budget Cuts Day" in May received media coverage from local English and Spanish radio, newspaper, and television stations.
- CTD instituted a statewide "Action Alert" listserv via Texas independent living centers, disseminating important legislatively-related information, allowing for immediate action from all across the state.
II. Strengthening the Foundation of CTD Public Policy Work
CTD worked on strategies to strengthen the framework of disability advocacy. The strategies were not issue-specific, but rather designed to improve resources for any ongoing policy issues.
Political Leaders to CTD: CTD's Sept 2002 Convention drew top-of-the-ballot Democrats, U.S. Senate candidate Ron Kirk and Gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez, as well as a personalized video message from Texas Governor Rick Perry.
Community First Coalition: Working with ADAPT and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, CTD convened Community First, specifically for legislative coordination and collective advocacy. A highly successful Candidate Survey received statewide media attention. Over 30 candidates responded to this disabilities issues survey, with answers published side-by-side and distributed electronically.
Leveraging Mt. Everest: CTD succeeded in inserting awareness of disability issues into the extensive media coverage of the Team Everest '03 expedition. Several news articles noted the fight to keep basic human services in the Legislature. One called attention to the thousands projected to lose services in the first House budget. Another reported on the sit-in at the governor's office. "On a Roll", a nationally syndicated radio show, did an hour-long interview program on public leadership that can get behind a disabilities expedition while simultaneously pushing to cut the services that permit people with disabilities to conduct daily activities. E-mail dispatches from Nepal almost always included specific reference to current issues. Lastly, CTD was able to leverage an invitation by the governor into a direct, private conversation on the restoration of attendant care cuts.
New and Diverse Partners: AARP, the Texas Forestry Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Santos Alliances, American Electronics Association, Provan and Associates, Texas State Employees Union, State Bar of Texas
Continuing On: Several legislative issues, including budget cuts, reorganization of health and human services agencies, accessibility and ADA erosion are demanding ongoing work and advocacy.
III. CTD Appointments/Affiliations
CTD works to place its staff and individual members on a variety of committees, workgroups, task forces and boards that have influence over issues of importance to Texans with disabilities. Once at the table, CTD staff and members are active participants.
Staff placements:
Gubernatorial appointee, The State Independent Living Council (SILC): CTD is working to increase SILC involvement in policy education and advocacy and take a proactive stance in planning the long term future of independent living services in Texas.
Medicaid Buy-In Workgroup, Texas Department of Health and Human Services: CTD advocates for a user-friendly system to allow people with disabilities to enter the workforce without loss of critical Medicaid coverage.
Appointee, SB 367 Housing Task Force, Texas Dept of Health and Human Services: CTD is using this policy forum to promote a more active role for public housing authorities in providing accessible, affordable, integrated housing.
Appointee, Independence Initiatives Advisory Board, Texas Rehabilitation Commission: CTD advocated for adoption by TRC of a plan to address the movement of people with disabilities out of institutions into the community, including the training of people with disabilities to work as personal assistants and strategies to provide service "bridges" while in the process of transferring out of institutions.
Appointee, New Accessibility Standards Task Force, Texas Dept of Licensing and Regulation: CTD is reviewing proposed changes in the state's accessibility codes.
Appointee, Weatherization Policy Advisory Council, Texas Dept of Housing & Community Affairs: CTD reviews the state plan to ensure that people with disabilities are a target group for this free home weatherization program.
Appointee, HR 3295 Help America Vote Act Advisory Committee, Office of the Secretary of State: CTD is working with the Office of the Secretary of State on drafting rules to implement this federal legislation, which has provisions regarding accessible voting and secret ballot for all Texans with disabilities. CTD has submitted substantive comments that ensure that Texans with disabilities may vote freely and privately.
Appointee, Violence Against Women Prevention Advisory Council, Texas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Because women with disabilities are disproportionately affected by violence, it is especially important that they have a voice at the table as the state seeks to develop strategies to make the prevention of violence against women a public health priority.
Appointee, Advisory Council, SB 95 Evaluation of Personal Attendant Training Programs, Department of Human Services: CTD provides pilot project grantees across the state with technical assistance, support, and procedural guidelines for systems change goals affecting three community care projects.
Appointee, SB1586 Consumer Directed Services Committee: CTD promotes that people with disabilities control the recruitment, hiring, management, and firing of their personal assistants. The committee makes recommendation directly to the Legislature.
Chair, Statewide Grassroots Building Advocacy Committee, Disability Policy Consortium: CTD is working with a number of diverse disability organizations in an effort to stimulate individual level advocacy efforts while acknowledging the changing legislative landscape of budget challenges and varying leadership priorities.
CTD Member placements:
Appointee, Architectural Barriers Advisory Committee for the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration
Appointee, SB1586 Consumer Directed Services
Appointee, Board of Directors, Advocacy, Inc.
Appointee, Austin Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities
Appointee, Relay Texas Advisory Board
IV. Other Projects and Programs
Biennial Report to 78th Legislature: CTD conducted extensive research and synthesized existing data for "PAS, Present and Future: An analysis of the need for and availability of Personal Assistance Services in Texas and the United States." The report provided lawmakers with crucial information concerning the importance of adequate personal attendant services for people with disabilities.
Texas PHA Project: This project provides training and technical assistance to Public Housing Authorities in Texas to increase integrated housing for people with disabilities, especially those individuals moving from institutions.
<Team Everest '03: CTD's Team Everest '03 was arguably the highest profile disability event of 2003. As a result, we believe that potentially millions have radically changed the way they perceive individuals with disabilities. A recent media search disclosed over 100 state and national newspaper and magazine articles, plus numerous state, local and national TV reports plus international coverage in Nepal, China, Canada and Europe. Team Everest '03 twice made history: first becoming the largest cross-disability group to reach Mt. Everest Base Camp at 17,500 feet, then Expedition leader Gary Guller becoming the first person with one arm to summit Mt. Everest at a dizzying 29,000+ ft! The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities awarded CTD the 2002 Barbara Jordan Media Award "for excellence in the communication of the reality of disabled people".
Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program: CTD operated outreach in over 100 Texas counties, providing financial assistance to individuals with disabilities, so that they could purchase specialized telephone equipment. During the course of these grants CTD's combined outreach and telecommunications assistance reached over 750,000 individuals in the state.
Youth Leadership Projects: the Kenny Murgia Memorial Scholarship and the CTD Internship Program: CTD awards the Kenny Murgia scholarship annually to one high school senior with a disability whose leadership skills have enhanced the lives of people with disabilities in their community. This year's winner is Michael Beukencamp, a young man with blindness from Amarillo.
CTD also offers students with disabilities the opportunity to intern at CTD offices in Austin, TX. CTD's Summer 2003 intern recently graduated from college with a degree in political science. Michelle, an individual with Myasthenia Gravis, is currently pursuing her dream of teaching junior high in the Valley.
V. Individual Level Advocacy
CTD provides Texans with disabilities assistance with everything from emergency communications equipment loans to accessibility compliance, to representation of Texans with disabilities in agency level appeals processes. Some of this year's stories:
Mrs. Fair: Reconnection An Austin area man feared for his elderly mother's well being. She enjoyed living independently, but never answered the phone, which worried family members living some distance away. CTD helped the mother apply for a free amplified telephone, then installed a loaner telephone until she received her own. Now Mrs. Fair can hear the phone ring and has a vital lifeline in the event of an emergency.
Mr. Thompson: Staying Independent After a stroke and Alzheimer's disease left Mr. Thompson unable to continue working, he began to receive social security disability insurance (SSDI). Though small, these checks kept Mr. Thompson independent in a small apartment. Due to a complicated procedural error, Mr. Thompson received notice from the Social Security Administration that his benefits would be greatly reduced. CTD assisted Mr. Thompson through a lengthy and complicated appeals process at both the agency and administrative judge levels. Mr. Thompson credits CTD's determination for helping him make it through an 18 month ordeal.
Mr. Gonzalez: Rolling Again On an infrequent shopping trip to a large department store, Mr. Gonzalez' power wheelchair became tangled in a rack of hanging clothes. Finally breaking loose, he crashed into a wall, shattering the battery housing on his chair. The store refused to pay for the repair, leaving Mr. Gonzalez confined to home. After CTD intervened with corporate headquarters, the store committed to fully repair the chair.
Information and ReferralIn addition to providing intensive individual level advocacy for individuals needing assistance, each year CTD provides hundreds of Texans with disabilities information and referral services relating to financial, legal, housing, transportation accessibility and employment issues.
What People Say About CTD
Yoshiko and I are proud to be life members of CTD. CTD has made monumental contributions to the quality of life in Texas – fighting to liberate Texans with disabilities from nursing homes, institutions, welfare, and backroom poverty. It is one of the best coalitions of any type in the world. We urge you to join.
The late Justin Dart, Jr., known as “the father of the ADA” – Nov. 2001
As a parent of a child with disabilities, I greatly appreciate the work of CTD. Their tireless advocacy efforts have done much to promote opportunities for children with disabilities to live in families with the supports they need to meet their potential. Thanks CTD!
Colleen Horton, Austin,
You remind us that society should never place limits on the ability of the human mind or the potential of the human spirit.
The Honorable Rick Perry, Texas Governor
I wish to extend to you, the board and all of the members my most sincere thanks for an absolutely excellent convention. I learned more about what is happening in Texas and ways in which I can engage both cognitively and politically in 2 ½ days than I have learned in the past three years!
Dr. Elaine King Miller, Amarillo, TX
I appreciate the tremendous positive difference you are making in our great state! I welcome your good advice and wise counsel at any time. Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance. Thanks for all that you do for Texas.
Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas Comptroller
Thank you for giving my daughter the opportunity to participate at the CTD conference and submit her resolution. She was very excited about it, and I was so proud of her taking her first steps in the advocacy world.
Laila Kawar, mother of Rasha, a nine year old with cerebral palsy, Coppell, TX
CTD does a great job advocating for laws that benefit people with disabilities.
Linda Pickle, CTD President, Houston, TX
I look forward to our continued productive working relationship. Feel free to contact me whenever I can be of assistance.
Senator Judith Zaffirini
I congratulate (CTD) on your outstanding expedition to Mt. Everest by a team of people with disabilities. The participants’ determination helps to dispel the myth that a disability is a barrier to personal achievement.
Lynn Swann, Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
2003 Legislative Report
BILL & SPONSORS | CTD’S ROLE/ partners | WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU |
HB1/SB1 (budget bill)Funding for community services CTD testimonies, letter writing, direct visits with legislative offices, one of lead organizers of Capitol Day of advocacy, panel member of 3 state teleconferences, convened roundtable of state advocates, instituted CIL list serve on issues Partners: all disability advocacy organizations | Cuts to community services. No reduction of wait lists. Potential cut in attendant care hours for current clients. Elimination of eyeglasses, hearing aids, mental health counseling for adults on Medicaid. Elimination of MH In-Home and Family Support. What did we accomplish? In an environment with a $10 billion budget shortfall and no revenue increase, CTD and all disability advocates worked to improve the first budget as passed by the House, which would’ve cut 85,000 people off of community services. It is estimated that our collective efforts saved almost all of these individuals from losing services. We also raised questions on the high cost of MHMR institutions, resulting in a mandated study on facility closures. Next Steps: CTD is actively advocating for use of last-minute federal monies to restore proposed cuts in attendant care. CTD is facilitating a media campaign featuring stories of real people suffering from budget cuts. | |
HB1/SB1 (budget bill) DHS Rider 28 for money to follow the individual from an institution to community based services | CTD involved in drafting legislation to codify the rider, testimony. Partners: Advocacy Inc., ADAPT, Center for Disability Studies, other disability organizations | Originally passed as a budget rider in 2001, this promoting independence initiative would have expired in 2003. CTD worked on legislation to make the transfer of funds from the institutional budget to the community services budget permanent and to extend the practice to persons leaving MHMR facilities. Though the legislation did not pass, a new rider to extend current practice was adopted. |
HB1/SB1(budget bill) Family-based alternatives | CTD testimonies, visits to legislative offices. Partners: Center for Disability Studies, Advocacy Inc., ADAPT | This program helps kids in institutions move to alternative family settings and did not receive line item funding. Next Steps: CTD is actively advocating for use of last-minute federal monies to restore funding. |
HB 3188 Uresti/ Hinojosa ADA rights | CTD originated and wrote bill and was primary advocate. Partner: Santos Alliances | NOT PASSED This bill would have held the State of Texas accountable for violations of the ADA Passed as an amendment in the Senate, it died in the House. Next Steps Considered an extremely difficult bill to pass in a legislative session that restricted legal options, CTD succeeded in publicizing this little-known issue and enlisted key supporters for a bill in 2005. |
HB 1784 McReynolds/West Parking bill | CTD originated and wrote bill and was primary advocate. | PASSED it is illegal to park in a striped access aisle next to a handicapped parking space. |
HB 2292 Wohlgemuth/Nelson Reorganization of health and human services agencies | CTD testimonies, letter writing, direct visits with legislative offices, one of lead organizers of rally at Capitol Partners: all disability organizations | The full impact of this huge bill is not yet understood. It reorganizes 12 state agencies into 5, makes it more difficult to get prescriptions, reduces the CHIP program, cuts some mental health services, encourages cost-sharing. Many advisory committees, which have allowed for consumer input into policy and practice decisions, have been eliminated. The bill was going to pass and most advocates sought to negotiate changes. Next Steps CTD and disability organizations are advocating the governor to appoint a consumer representative to the Transition Council which will oversee the reorganization. |
HB 1330
McReynolds/Staples Driver's License bill | CTD supplied language to the bill and was primary advocate. Partner: Texas Forestry Association | PASSED Allows a person to voluntarily disclose a disability or chronic illness via a code on a driver’s license. Law enforcement officers will be able to scan the license to learn of a communication disability and avoid misunderstandings. |
HB 3484 Delisi Medicaid study for working people
CTD on design team, supporting advocate Partners: Texas Assn. of Goodwills Advocacy Inc., Center for Disability Studies, Multiple Sclerosis Society, DD Council | PASSED Establishes a work group on health care options for people with disabilities who become employed. | SB 1115/HB 2765 Shapleigh/Dukes Technology access clause | CTD negotiated language change to recover accessibility requirements Partners: American Electronics Assn., Motorola | PASSED Restored accessibility (visual) requirement for state purchased wireless communications devices for all uses excepting peace officers, firefighters and EMS personnel. |
HB 2479/SB 990 Olivo/Armbrister State school admissions | Opposed by CTD by testimony, media interviews, legislative office visits Partners: ARC of Texas, ADAPT, Advocacy Inc. | NOT PASSED This bill would have promoted the institutional bias at MHMR by easing admission standards and requiring that only state school information be provided to families. |
HB 2707/SB 1548 Dawson/Janek School confinement of kids with disabilities | Opposed by CTD by testimony and visits to legislative offices. Partners:Center for Disability Studies, Advocacy Inc. | PASSED WITH CHANGES Advocates prevented the relaxing of regulations on confinement of students with disabilities. | SB 153 Zaffirini Consumer-directed services | CTD is a member of the current committee on consumer-directed services. | PASSED Previously known as the voucher and vendor fiscal intermediary work groups, this bill extends the work group until 2007. Originally, its scope was consumer-directed. The bill allows the development of policy and practice recommendations beyond PAS to other services, such as durable medical equipment. |
Architectural barriers clause in SB283/HB1790 | Supported by CTD with testimony, letter writing Partner: Texas Society of Architects | CTD supported a reduction in the square footage in construction projects that would require the services of an architect. Architects have added training and continuing education in accessibility and can be held accountable for their work. The clause was strongly opposed by designers without architect certification and deleted in the final bill. Next Steps: CTD serves on the New Accessibility Standards Task Force of the Texas Dept. of Licensing & Regulation and will continue to promote ways to improve accessibility and remove architectural barriers. |
HB 4/HJR 3 Nixon Lawsuit reform | Opposed by CTD in letter writing Partners: Numerous consumer organizations | This legislation puts cap on damages to injured parties and restricts access to jury trials and class action lawsuits. Would allow irresponsible nursing homes, hospitals and medical professionals to more easily get away with abusive behavior and neglect. Next Steps: To be enacted, HJR 3 must be approved by voters as Proposition 12 in an election on September 13, 2003 CTD has signed on with Texas Watch to educate voters
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