CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK - Linking people to disability rights
CAPITOL NEWS REPORT
ISSUE #39-2004  February 24, 2004 - Tuesday

7th Disability Rights/Issues Townhall Telemeeting Set for Wed 1 PM Feb 25th featuring Legislative Analyst

SACRAMENTO  - The first of three major disability-related events in a seven day period marking Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 100th day in office, is the 7th Disability Rights/Issue Townhall Telemeeting, scheduled for tomorrow (February 25), Wednesday afternoon from 1:00 PM to 2:45 PM, and will feature a briefing on the proposed budget, by California Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill, and also Legislative Analyst Office staff analyst Shawn Martin.  Martin will provide information (answering questions) in more detail on the Governor's proposals dealing with Medi-Cal (as it relates to people with disabilities) and developmental services.

The Jay Nolan Center in Mission Hills is sponsoring the February 25th Townhall Telemeeting, organized by the California Disability Community Action Network.

The other two events are simultaneous rallies in support of In-Home Supportive Services at the State Capitol and five other cities scheduled for February 26th, Thursday morning, and a voter mobilization/education training for people with disabilities, families, community organizations and workers, set for March 1, Monday evening at 6:30 PM at the Alta California Regional Center in Sacramento.

The Legislative Analyst is a non-partisan, highly respected officer, appointed by the Legislature to provide analysis and recommendations on budget issues to the Legislature. Hill, who has held the position for over 18 years, and her staff also attend all the legislative budget hearings, providing information and testimony.

The next Disability Rights/Issues Townhall Telemeetings will feature key state department officials, legislators, and other state officials:
02/25/04 (WED)    1:00 PM  [note date change from 2/23]
03/15/04 (MON)    10:00 AM
04/05/04 (MON)    1:00 PM  [this telemeeting will focus on draft parental share of cost report]
05/03/04 (MON)    10:00 AM
05/17/04 (MON)    1:00 PM  [this telemeeting will focus on Governor's May revision of budget]
06/07/04 (MON)    10:00 AM
06/28/04 (MON)    1:00 PM
07/19/04 (MON)    10:00 AM

WHAT IS A TOWNHALL "TELEMEETING"?
* According to organizers, this is a new effort to reach out to communities who are doing tremendous things for people with disabilities - and to connect each of them via a conference call line. Travel costs and time make it difficult make it difficult for people with disabilities, families, community organization, direct care and other workers to attend meetings in any one location in the state.
*  Instead of individuals calling in on individual lines, the Townhall Telemeeting requires that individuals must go to a specific location (such as a meeting room, conference room or even a large living room in someone's home) to join at least 6 other people interested in these issues. The interaction locally is as important as interaction across the state.
* This approach, according to organizers also allows  increased efforts to connect with more diverse communities across the state who are involved in these same issues, helping to promote what organizers say is "true inclusion" of communities across the state.
* The purpose, according to organizers, is to mobilize and help empower more and more people in communities across the state with information, to discuss and agree on strategy and next steps to take action to promote and defend the rights of people with disabilities - and to take constructive positive steps toward real reforms and changes.  The townhall telemeetings are meant to be another tool to help build a permanent statewide community-based advocacy force - linking people with developmental and other disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, the blind, the deaf and others, families, community organizations, advocates, direct care (including IHSS) and other workers, regional centers, unions, independent living centers, family resource centers, area boards and other groups.

SITES FOR 2/25 STATEWIDE DISABILITY RIGHTS TOWNHALL TELEMEETING:
Note: these are the locations that have indicated they will be a host site for the February 25, Wednesday 1 PM to 2:45 PM statewide Disability Rights/Issues Townhall Telemeeting, organized  by the California Disability Community Action Network  - the 7th in a series. Interested persons who wish to participate and attend should call the site ahead of time to confirm that they will still  hosting - and also for specific directions to the location.  For those organizations or persons interested in hosting a site, there is still time - though limited number of lines are available - please send an email to martyomoto@rcip.com, or call  Nancy Chance at Training Toward Self Reliance (TTSR) at 916/442-8877, ext 102:

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Redwood Coast Regional Center/Ukiah
1116 Airport Park Blvd, Ukiah, CA 95482
Contact: Pam Jensen   Phone: 707/462-3832  ext 265

Far Northern Regional Center
1900 Churn Creek Rd (large conference room), Suite 319 Redding, CA 96002
Contact: Val Jones    Phone: 530/222-4791 ext. 3354

FREED Center for Independent Living
154 Hughes Rd., Suite 1   Grass Valley, CA 95945
Contact: Heather Heckler  Phone: 530/272 1732

Rowell Family Empowerment/SEA Center
6319 A Skyway  Paradise, CA  95969
Contact: Lori Twist (Program Manager)  530-876-8321

Easter Seals Northern California
20 Pimentel Court, Suite A-1 Novato, CA 94949
Contact:  Jaclyn K. Reinhardt, President/CEO  Phone: 415/382-7450

Alta California Regional Center - Brenda Smith Conference Room
2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825
Contact: Rob Biggar   Phone: 916/978-6400

Protection and Advocacy Inc (PAI) Main Office
100 Howe Ave, Sacramento, CA
Contact: David Enberg (Capitol People First Pres) or Jeanette Rodgers (PAI)   Phone: 916/488-9950

BAY AREA
Independent Living Resources Center of San Francisco
CORRECTION: ILRC of SF cannot be a site this time.

Center for Independent Living, Inc. (CIL-Berkeley) [CONFIRMED]
2539 Telegraph Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704
Contact: Jan Garrett  Phone: 510/841-4776 ext 119

Maggie Dee (via phone tree with other advocates)  [NOT CONFIRMED]
Contra Costa County

Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society [NOT CONFIRMED]
(Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey & San Benito Counties)
2589 Scott Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050
Contact: Doug Richardson/Michelle Spain-Allen   Phone: 408/988-7557  Ext 14

 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Avenues Supported Living services
28415 Industry Dr., #502  Valencia, CA  91355
Contact: Scott and Lori Shepard  Phone: 661/702-9788

Easter Seals Southern California - Van Nuys Office
16946 Sherman Way  Van Nuys, CA 91406
Contact: Linda Radtke  Phone:  818/996-9902

Easter Seals Southern California  -  Pasadena Office
100 N. Hill Ave. Ste. 100  Pasadena, CA  91106
Contact: Janice Radtke  Phone: 626/793-7700

AbilityFirst
1300 E. Green Street   Pasadena, California 91106
Contact: Steve Rosenthal  Phone:  626/396-1010

Jay Nolan Community Services
15501 San Fernando Mission Blvd., #200   Mission Hills, CA 91345
Contact: Sherlene Allen/Jeff Strully Phone: 818/445-4022 (Sherlene) or Jeff Strully (818/361-6400 ext 1287)

San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center (check in with receptionist)
761 Corporate Center Drive, Pomona
Contact: Linda Desrosiers (Public Relations Administrator)  Phone: 909/868-7512 or 909/620-7722

Californians Care Office
2515 Beverly Blvd - Conference Room  Los Angeles, CA 90057
Contact: Julian Andre  Phone: 213/385-0749

Life Steps Foundation, Inc
12555 W Jefferson Blvd #275, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Contact: Susana Kaufmann (Executive Assistant to CEO)  Phone: 310/306-4746, ext 27

Westside Center for Independent Living  [NOT CONFIRMED]
12901 Venice Boulevard  Los Angeles, CA  90066
Contact: Dina Garcia (Systems Change Advocate)  Phone: 310/390-3611 ext 255

Foundation for the Junior Blind
5300 Angeles Vista Blvd., Los  Angeles, CA  90043
Contact/Lead:  Yvette Reynolds  Phone: (323) 295-4555, ext. 217

UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties   [NOT CONFIRMED]
Westside Center, Culver City
Contact: Anne Rivera or Terri Lantz Phone: (310) 838-2217 or Terri Lantz 818/782-2211 ext 582

Creative Arts Program  [NOT confirmed]
3960 Studebaker Rd. Suite 106 Long Beach CA 90808
Phone: 562/ 982-0251  Contact/Lead: Chris Elliot

Easter Seals Southern California - Riverside
1450 University Avenue “F-2”  Riverside, CA  92507
Contact: Edna Napier  Phone: 909/248-4873

Easter Seals Southern California - Escondido
1035 E. Valley Parkway Escondido, CA  92025
Contact: Jeff Clark  Phone: 760/737-3990

United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Diego County
8525 Gibbs Drive Suite 100   San Diego, CA 92123
Contact: David Carucci  Phone: 858/571-7803

Easter Seals Southern California - National City [CONFIRMED}
43 E. 12th St. National City, CA  91950
Contact: Natasha Jacobs or Jeff Fine  Phone: 619/336-0630

Maureen Graves (parent/residence)
Los Angeles

CENTRAL VALLEY
SEIU Local 790 Office  (library on the second floor)
37 Hunter Square Plaza  Stockton, CA 95202
Contact: Connie O'Dea  Phone: 209/463.3283 ext. 195

Central Valley Regional Center
4615  North Marty Ave Fresno, CA 93711
Contact: Amy Westling  Phone: 559/271-6618

HEARTS Connection
3101 N. Sillect Avenue, Suite 115 Bakersfield, CA  93308
Contact: Teresa Farmer (Program Coordinator)  Phone: 661/328-9055 X257

CENTRAL COAST  (INCLUDING MONTEREY BAY AREA)
The Arc Ventura (main facility)
5103 Walker Street, Ventura, CA . 93003
Contact: Shirley Dove or T.A. Hart  Phone: 805/650-8611

National MS Society - Channel Islands Chapter  [NOT CONFIRMED]
14 West Valerio Street  Santa Barbara, CA.
Contact: Donna Waggoner  Phone: 805/682-8783  ext 20

CHANCE, Inc. (Coalition for Housing Accessibility)
13 E. Haley Street (between State and Anacapa) Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Contact: Shella Dumong  Phone:  805/966-0020

David & Monica Eccles Residence
3390 Rucker Rd Lompoc, CA
Contact: David and Monica Eccles   Phone: 805/733-0630

Work Training Program LEAP/ACTT Program (San Luis People First & others)
3055 Duncan Lane, Suite D, San Luis Obispo 93401
Contact: Carol Lopes or Warren Mattingly   Phone: 805/782-8893 or 8892

Sherry Hall Residence
419 Koshland Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Contact: Sherry Hall or Barri Boone   Phone: 831/420-0369

OTHER DISABILITY RIGHTS EVENTS BEING PLANNED IN THE COMING WEEK
* IHSS Rallies - Scheduled for February 26th, Thursday from 10:30 AM to 12 noon at the State Capitol, West Steps, to mark the 100th day in office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and to protest his proposed cuts to people with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries, and seniors who need in-home services and supports to remain in their own homes. The Governor proposed elimination of the IHSS
residual program and other reductions and cuts to other parts of the IHSS program. Protests on the same day and time will also occur in five other cities (the starting and beginning times vary): Stockton and San Francisco (Northern California) and Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego (Southern California), organized by California Homecare Council and California Cares.  See CDCAN Capitol Report #37-2004  for more details and more information]
* Disability Rights Voter Mobilization/Education Meeting - set for March 1, Monday evening, 6:30 PM to about 8 PM  at Alta California Regional Center (Brenda Smith Conference Room), 2135 Butano Dr, Sacramento to lay the groundwork for organizing people with developmental and other disabilities, and their families, community organizations who provide services and supports, workers, and other advocates to register to vote, to actually vote in the coming elections, and how to mobilize and unify disability communities across California to hold policy makers accountable on disability issues. Titled "Informed Voting and Strategic Actions: How Grass Roots Politics Can Make A Difference", the program will feature representatives from Project Vote Smart will be there as well as the California Disability Community Advocacy Network. The training is sponsored  by Alta California Regional Center. For more information, contact Rob Biggar at 916/978-6276.  [see CDCAN Capitol Report #38-2004 later today for more details]

CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED TO CONTINUE ADVOCACY EFFORT
VERY VERY URGENT!!!! Many thanks again,  to the friends, people with disabilities and their families, community organizations and others who have sent in generous and needed contributions and donations (individual thank you letters will be coming soon!). However, until grant funding is finalized, contributions from people and organizations is still very urgently needed to keep the advocacy efforts going for the next several months. Please make check or money order  to:  California Disability Community Action Network/Marty Omoto (or abbreviate CDCAN). CDCAN is not yet a non-profit organization (work on this will have this happen in within the next few months) Send contributions to: California Disability Community Action Network,  1225 8th Street Suite #480, Sacramento, CA  95814.  A method to contribute by credit card (through Paypal) is being set up on our website, at www.cdcan.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ACTION ALERT
* This is a NON-PARTISAN online news report  of the non-partisan California Disability Community Action Network, a link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These reports (formerly the CA UCP Capitol Reports) are for all of them.  This report goes to thousands of people with developmental and other disabilities, their families, community providers and organizations, direct care and other workers and advocates across California. In addition it also goes to news organizations, state and local government officials and staff.
* If you would like to get on this distribution (and conversely, get off of it) please send an email with that  request to:  martyomoto@rcip.com. Sharing information is part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy  this (attribution is nice). We're all in this together!
Marty Omoto, director/organizer
California Disability Community Action Network
1225 8th Street Suite 480 Sacramento, CA 95814   VOICE PHONE: 916/446-0013
FAX number: 916/446-0026        email: martyomoto@rcip.com
INFORMATION HOTLINE TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-877-260-0267 (you cannot leave messages)
SAME INFO HOTLINE FOR SACRAMENTO AREA:  486-4652
WEBSITE (under reconstruction - available soon!): www.cdcan.org