NYSILC Full Council Meeting

March 17, 2000

Present:

Members: Joe Bravo, Chair; Fran Pizzola, Vice Chair; Terra House, Secretary; Sally Johnston, Member-at-Large; Calvin Alderman; James Billy; William Bird-Forteza; Maria Dibble; Gisela Distel; Mary Ewing; Michele Greene; Marguerite Haring; Stephen Holmes; Douglas Hovey; Amy LaShomb; Steve Lovi; Harvey Rosenthal; Frieda Zames.

Ex Officio: Ronald Bassman, OMH; Sharon Bradbury, OMRDD; Sharon Flom, CBVH; Robert Gumson, VESID; Gregory Jones, OAPWD.

Staff: Brad Williams, Executive Director; Stephanie Lawton, Office Manager.

Guests: Richard Anderson, RSA; Laura Hagen, CDCI; Lee Stone, ILCHV; Ralph Shields, Bruce Darling, CDR; Adele Carson, CDR; Chris Hilderbrandt, CDR; Maria Vlenzula, CDR; Margaret Garrow, CDR; Kelly Peeso, CDR; Ann Marie Dawson, CDR; Debbie Barber, CDR; Rachel Ellenstein, Intern-STIC.

Absent: Patricio Figueroa, A. Georg Fleischer, Paul Molloy, Robert Shepherd.

Open Forum: Bruce Darling from the Center for Disability Rights thanked Brad Williams and Bob Gumson for visiting Rochester and speaking with both the Center for Disability Rights and the Regional Center for Independent Living. Progress has been made resulting in a contract between CDR and RCIL using Part B money. Differences in advocacy positions on issues still exist. CDR would like to request that Brad facilitate meetings between CDR and RCIL.

Gisela Distel on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind thanked Brad Williams and NYSILC for supporting and endorsing the Braille Literacy bill.

Frieda Zames, Housing sub-Committee Chair, sought additional members for the committee and noted that Steve Gold, nation Disability Rights attorney, has volunteered to join the committee.

James Billy, HILC, spoke regarding Initiative 2000 to celebrate the ADA; torch relay crossing the U.S.

Greg Jones, OAPWD, another challenge to the ADA is happening, Garret v. Alabama, will probably be heard in the fall.

Steve Lovi, RCIL, 4/10/00 is a lobby day for the TANY (Telephone Access for all New Yorkers) bill.

Maria Dibble mentioned that Assemblyman Scott Stringer has drafted legislation based on our Legislative Agenda, in particular a waiver program for persons with physical disabilities as well as encouraging NYS to develop a policy for Most Integrated Setting (A.9798). Working on the same for the Senate. Also, Assembly will be introducing the Medicaid Buy-In, no Senate sponsorship at this time. $1 million increase for IL in NYS budget.

Minutes: Motion by James Billy, second by Sally Johnston, to accept the minutes of November 19, 1999 as written. Motion carried unanimously.

Executive Director’s Report by Brad Williams

• Joint proposal sent to IL Net with NJ SILC to do Statewide Systems Advocacy Network training with NYSILC. IL Net contributed $2,000 for this training.
• In November, QILC hosted Patricia Yeager of the California Foundation for ILC, who spoke about their Systems Advocacy model. Pat will speak at our training in September.
• Brad was keynote speaker at the NJ SILC’s Annual Meeting.
• RRCEP and RSA set up 704 Report trainings. David Burganowski and Brad Williams reviewed the CIL applications for board training and selected four (Middletown, Rochester, Kingston and Niagara Falls).
• Laura Kaplan of Citizen Action in New York sought NYSILC’s assistance in setting up trainings on the Managed Care Bill of Rights. Stephanie coordinated the trainings for January and February in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Harlem.
• Disability Action Agenda planning forum was a great success. Maria Dibble and Doug Hovey played major roles in getting 100 participants to develop a comprehensive Disability Action Agenda for 2000.
• TWWIIA (Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act) was signed.
• Brad Williams attended SILC Congress 2000. Presented a breakout session entitled "Media Impact: Defining Role for SILCs."
• NYSILC, COIL and AILCNY joined efforts/finances to put a center spread in the Legislative Gazette focusing on our Disability Action Agenda. Distribution of the Gazette was one day prior to our Legislative Day.
• Winter 2000 NYSILC News Brief was disseminated.

Media Campaign: Debuted the cable television version of the IL PSA "Independent Living...Life Is What You Make It. Media kits will include: ¾ cable television formats, VHS copy, CD ROMS for the radio and newsprint PSAs. Formats will include open-captioned, descriptive narration, and a Spanish version. At the SILC Congress, Brad was approached by other SILC to purchase our media product. NCIL will market this product for us.

TWWIIA - PSAs have been developed to help "get the word out" about the importance of this issue. PSAs have been done for print, television and radio and will be distributed with the media kits.

"Champions Tour" - TWWIIA medals will be presented to the NYS Congressional delegation. Accompanying news release has been developed as well. Our media consultant will coordinate six presentations (Moynihan, Lazio, Houghton, Walsh, Rangel) to provide media coverage.

Treasurer’s Report by Stephanie Lawton

October, November, December and January financials were presented.

Motion by Terra House, second by Calvin Alderman, to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried unanimously.

Executive Committee Report by Frances Pizzola

• NCIL’s "Drive for 75" - NCIL was formally asked to testify before the House Appropriations Committee. Action alerts will be forthcoming.
• New Business - Overload prevention of NYSILC staff. New Member Orientation was a success.
• Travel Reimbursement Policy was presented. Mileage rate was addressed as to whether to increase it to the State rate. No motion, mileage reimbursement stays at $0.30 per mile.

Committee Reports:

Public Policy by Fran Pizzola

• Key issues at this time are: (1) "Most Integrated Setting"-Still attempting to get a face-to-face meeting with the Commissioner of Dept. of Health; (2) TWWIIA - The next step is to encourage state representatives to take on the Medicaid Buy-In; (3) Attorney General issues - We have had success with those issues this year; and (4) MiCASSA - Bill still pending. New Business - A Housing Sub-Committee has been established and needs new members, SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) will be addressed in relation to persons with disabilities; EPIC; Disability Agenda is sponsored by NYSILC, AILCNY and COIL.
• Drive for 75 - NCIL is trying to increase Title VII, Part C by $75 million ($25 million per year for 3 years). NCIL gave testimony on 3/8/00, Senator Porter, Chair of House Appropriations Sub-committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, extended the invitation. Action alerts will be forthcoming.
• Medicaid Buy-In - Legislation will be introduced on Monday. Assembly member Brennan sought comments from NYSILC. NYS is calling it the "Work and Wellness Act of 2000."
• Constitutionality of the ADA - Two major cases were settled, the third case (Garret v. Alabama) was denied cert on an expedited basis, but will probably be heard in the fall.

Transition Committee by Joe Bravo

• Developing a menu/role of transition services that ILCs can market to school districts. An initial survey has been done of the three ILCs that were given IDEA money. Responses have been coming in slowly.
• All of the ILCs will be canvassed to see what services are currently being provided.

State Appropriation by Maria Dibble

• Assembly put in a $1 million increase for IL. Senator Libous was uncertain as to an increase from the Senate.

[Tape recording device malfunctions; remaining reports were lost.]

RSA 704 Report & Monitoring Guide Follow-Up by Rick Anderson

VESID Update by Bob Gumson

CBVH Report by Sharon Flom

New Business

Open Forum