FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 2001
Contact: Stephanie Pero 458-1600
How People with Disabilities Have Been Affected By Recent Events
ALBANY — With the legislature in session today, discussions will focus on the attacks on September 11th and the baseline budget. One group who has been greatly affected by both of these is people with disabilities. Since the day after the attack the entire New York State Independent Living network has been involved in making sure that disabled individuals of this State are having their needs met. It has been an overwhelming task.
"It is time for our State leaders to stop mentioning people with disabilities in their rhetoric and take substantive action to address our service needs," remarked Brad Williams, Executive Director of the NYS Independent Living Council.
Many current consumers have new needs for multiple services. People with disabilities who never utilized independent living services previously now find their independence and employment in jeopardy. The injuries people experienced in the attack have resulted in an increase in the number of people with a disability. It is projected that at least 3,500 people who were treated and released have acquired a disability. Outreach is needed so that these individuals can be connected to services.
The caseload of the Manhattan Center has quadrupled. The Center has only eleven paid staff, woefully inadequate to meet this increased demand for services. Without accessible transportation and housing infrastructure, much of which was destroyed, the independence of people with disabilities is seriously threatened. They are often totally dependent upon accessible transportation and housing and do not have the options available to the general public.
Disability rights advocate Barbara Knowlen moved to New York State two years ago from Minnesota. Based on her experience with the Minnesota and North Dakota floods, she noted, "I am concerned that standard ‘helping’ agencies will not consider the independence of people with disabilities and place individuals in nursing homes as an expedient solution." She adds, "Even though these floods were nowhere near the magnitude of the WTC disaster, it took the Independent Living Centers in the Grand Forks and Fargo areas over two years to find all the people relocated to institutions and nursing homes across the country."
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The services provided to date have been done without a cent of disaster relief funding. Even worse, the State’s "baseline budget" identifies a $1 million cut to the Independent Living appropriation. This money represents 10% of the total appropriation and will result in a $28,500 decrease to each center, including those in the vicinity of the World Trade Center. This ultimately means that one or two staff members will have to be let go at each center at a time when we can least afford to avoid the alternative costs and implications.
According to Williams, Governor Pataki’s $54 billion request to Washington looks to rebuild New York City’s infrastructures, "But the one significant item missing is relief for the people. Our first priority should be to meet the substantial human need so that people can be in a position to help them selves. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are now faced with some of the most complex service issues imaginable. It threatens their ability to live independently in the community, and possibly their very existence..."
If you would like to interview Brad Williams or Barbara Knowlen about this topic, please call me at 458-1600. Thank you!