July 2022 Advocacy Update
United Spinal Association, the national organization to which the Greater Boston Chapter belongs, is strong on advocacy. United Spinal has launched a Pathways to Employment job portal to help connect those with SCI/D with employers eager to recruit them. They’re also recruiting testers for inclusive technologies under a new Tech Access Initiative. Look out for more news on the 2022 launch of United Spinal’’s “Strong Wheeled Together” campaign at the Action Center.
AN ACT EXPANDING WHEELCHAIR WARRANTY PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS WITH DISABILITIES (S.2567)
On June 23, the Disability Policy Consortium held a press conference asking the Ways and Means Committee to move forward S.2567, the bill that will improve warranty protections for wheelchairs and preserve the health, autonomy, time and money of people with disabilities in Massachusetts who rely on wheelchairs every day. If you want to help move this critical bill forward, please call and email your Senator and tell them to ask the Senate Ways and Means committee to prioritize S.2567! Click here to find your Senator's contact info.
Here is a great fact sheet for S.2567 https://bostoncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/S.2567-Fact-Sheet-2022-06-09-FLYER.docx
Roll on Capitol Hill
On June 12, our VP of the GBC, Dave Estrada, travelled to Washington, D.C. along with other individuals with SCI from United Spinal chapters across the country to participate in “Roll on Capitol Hill.” Dave had one-on-one visits with the offices of the following members of Congress representing the state of Massachusetts- Katherine Clark, Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren, and Jake Auchincloss. Please take a few minutes read the following message from United Spinal and keep the “Roll on Capitol Hill” going!
“Our advocates may have departed Washington, DC, but our Roll on Capitol Hill continues with all of you!
We need to make sure that all of our members of Congress continue to hear from us on all of the issues we raised on Capitol Hill. One of the most important factors in whether members of Congress support United Spinal on an issue is if they hear from their constituents back home via emails and phone calls. Sending messages through our Action Center is easy and makes a big difference.
Please take just a couple of minutes to click on each of the links below, make sure your name and address are entered correctly, and click "Send Message" to ensure that our community's voice is heard by your elected officials in Congress.”
Massachusetts Transportation
The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) has posted guidance on Elevator Outages in Housing, detailing provider obligations, best practices, emergency preparedness and planning, and disability-related civil rights: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/elevator-outages-in-housing
Vigorous outreach on the huge MBTA Bus Network Redesign initiative continues! The goal is to increase service where it’s most needed, and pare it back where it isn’t. But for those with mobility challenges, the devil’s in the details: How far will I have to roll to a new line, or a new stop? How steep is the approach? Are the sidewalks wide enough? Are the crosswalks safe? Visit https://www.mbta.com/projects/bus-network-redesign to look at the proposed changes, see upcoming virtual public meetings, and find Open Houses planned for Sullivan, Forest Hills, and Wonderland Stations, where you can provide input to MBTA staff.
At the June 30 meeting of the MBTA Riders’ Transportation Access Group (R-TAG), almost 50 participants (most with disabilities) heard about progress with system-wide accessibility and paratransit services. For example, we saw pictures of the new elevators, busway ramps and doors slated for Forest Hills Station, and heard that while The RIDE statistics show dips in on-time performance and call center wait times since April (attributed to driver and dispatcher shortages and increased ridership), the MBTA reports better RIDEFlex responsiveness, and is working hard on all other aspects of The RIDE. MBTA staff BEG customers to give feedback by webform or phone (https://www.mbta.com/customer-support) to help them fix glitches and negotiate with vendors. Please also consider participating in bimonthly virtual R-TAG meetings (https://www.mbta.com/accessibility/get-involved/rtag) to paint your experiences vividly! The next meeting is Aug 25.
There is SO MUCH good work going on with MBTA System-Wide Accessibility, thanks to advocacy culminating in a 2006 settlement, that it’s hard to sum up. For the latest update, see the recording of the June 8 update here https://www.mbta.com/accessibility A few indications of progress: designing hands-free accessible fare gates for subway stations; piloting urine detection systems for elevators; installing automated door openers at every station; making an on-line application process for reduced fare Charlie Cards available this year; and as part of the MBTA’s 2023-2027 Capital Investment Plan https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2022-05/2022-05-26-fy23-27-mbta-final-cip-public-document-accessible.pdf, making 25 more stations and hundreds of bus stops accessible!
Reminder: The United Spinal Advocacy and Policy program has created three national working groups, and invites your participation to help drive change. Please contact Grassroots Advocacy Manager Annie Streit (astreit@unitedspinal.org) to express interest in Accessible Parking, Outdoor Access, or Emergency Preparedness.
From United Spinal National
How Was Your In-Patient Rehabilitation Experience? Let Us Know
How Was Your In-Patient Rehabilitation Experience? Let Us Know
United Spinal Association and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation worked together to develop this survey, executed by Vanderbilt University.
The survey asks you about your inpatient rehabilitation experiences, which, in some cases, may have been many years ago. You are eligible to participate in this survey if you have a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) or you are a family member or caregiver of someone with traumatic or non-traumatic SCI and familiar with their inpatient rehab experiences.
United Spinal advocates shared their stories about their rehab experiences at Roll on Capitol Hill. Thank you for sharing your rehab story and helping us to make change. Click here to share your story.AMTRAK News
Working Groups Call for Participation
The Advocacy and Policy team is creating three different working groups, and we need your participation in order to help drive change! Please read about each working group below, and if you or your members would like to take part in any of these working groups, please contact United Spinal’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, Steve Lieberman, slieberman@unitedspinal.org or Grassroots Advocacy Manager, Annie Streit, astreit@unitedspinal.org.
Accessible Parking Working Group - This working group will come together to advocate for improvement in accessible parking and increase awareness and education regarding common barriers to parking encountered by the disability community and accessible parking laws and regulations throughout the United States.
Outdoor Access Working Group - This working group, aimed at advocates with outdoor access and recreation experience, will come together to advocate against current constraints that hinder the disability community from participating in outdoor activities, while also raising awareness on the importance of inclusivity and equality for access to outdoor recreation.
Emergency Preparedness Working Group (Ready to Roll Emergency Preparedness) - This working group will focus on emergency preparedness for the SCI/D and wheelchair user community after a natural or manmade disaster, in an effort to help better prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters.
Air Carrier Access Amendments Act
We know that air travel can often be a nightmare for wheelchair users. We have heard countless stories from members of our community about broken wheelchairs, being dropped on the floor or injured by airline employees, and many more indignities. Now is the time to ask your members of Congress to cosponsor and support the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act (H.R. 1696/S. 642). This bill, championed by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, includes a number of new protections that will make air travel more accessible to people with disabilities. These include increased penalties for damaged wheelchairs or mobility aids and for bodily injuries and allowing air travelers the right to sue for damages. It also includes higher standards for accessibility, safety, and airport and airline employee training.