California
Disability Community Action Network DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
Advocacy Without Borders: Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, Families, including People of color, languages and cultures, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action
Report #060-2007 May 1, 2007 Early Tuesday
To respond to this email, reply to: martyomoto@rcip.com CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
Washington DC Based Federal Agency
* National Council on Disability Selects Mike Collins
* Will Become New Executive Director
* Currently Heads State Independent Living Council
* Widely Praised by Disability Advocates
SACRAMENTO - The National Council on
Disability based in Washington, DC announced on Monday (April 30) the
selection of Michael C. Collins as their new executive director effective June
18. Collins, a widely respected disability advocate, will be leaving his
position as the first executive director of the California State Independent
Living Council, created in 1997, which is the State counter part to the
National Council on Disability. .
The National Council on Disability is an independent federal agency making
recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life
for all Americans with disabilities and their families. There are 15 members
on the Council who are appointed by the President and must be confirmed by the
US Senate. Office and address of the Washington DC based organization is:
National
Council on Disability (logo pictured left)
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004
Phone (voice): 202-272-2004
TTY: 202-272-2074
FAX: 202-272-2022
Website:
http://www.ncd.gov/ or see link on CDCAN website at
www.cdcan.us
National Council on Disability Chair John R. Vaughn
said that the agency "continues to reach out to local communities to identify
and promote best practices, policies, and programs that help people with
disabilities lead independent and self sufficient lives and enjoy full
inclusion in all aspects of their community, " adding that "Mike [Collins]
shares this approach." Vaughn believes that the National Council on
Disability can " leverage" Collins' "excellent reputation and existing
relationships with the many diverse stakeholders that are involved with
disability issues at both the local and the national level."
Vaughn said that Collins was selected after an "exhaustive national search,
but quickly rose to the top of the list as the most qualified candidate with
business experience, leadership in the disability advocacy arena, and
personal experience with disability."
Collins Says He Is Humbled And Thanks State Independent Living Council
Members and Staff
Collins said that accepting the position is a "humbling proposition" because
he will follow in the footsteps of "many of my friends and other leaders who
have traveled to Washington, DC, to further their opportunities to be
involved." including fmany former Californians Judy Heumann, Ollie Cantos,
Paul Miller, Curtis Richards, Andy Imparato, Rebecca Hare, Steve Tingus and
"many others who have stepped up to the challenge of improving the lives of
people with disabilities by staying or getting involved at the national level,
and are still there."
Collins made it a pont to express a special thanks to members of the
California State Independent Living Council "who have provided leadership for
our agency during my decade in California". He said that the agency "can
accomplish nothing without the support of dedicated staff, and I am leaving
the agency in the hands of competent and hard-working individuals who will
persevere through this transition phase".
Mike Collins can be reached at least during the next several weeks at his
office in Sacramento:
California State Independent Living Council (SILC)
1600 K St, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814
Toll-free phone: 866-866-7452 Fax: 916-445-5973
TTY: 866-7452-889 (toll-free)
Email address (at California State Independent Living Council - good for next
few weeks):
mcollins@calsilc.org
Background of California State Independent Living Council
* The California State Independent Living Council was originally established
as an Independent Living Advisory Council (ILAC) to the Department of
Rehabilitation.
* In 1992, that role changed when changes to the federal Rehabilitation Act
required states to establish independent Statewide Independent Living Councils
in order to retain federal funding for independent living services.
* In July of 1996, Governor Pete Wilson signed an executive order which
established the SILC as an independent California state agency.
* Working with the California Department of Rehabilitation, the State
Independent Living Council prepares a "State Plan for Independent Living"
which sets the policy and funding levels for the state's network of
Independent Living Centers and services with continued public input and
outreach to monitor changes in needs, services and supports.
* The State Independent Living Council monitors the implementation of the
State Plan and coordinates with similar state agencies and councils at the
state and federal levels to increase communication and help assure that
services to people with disabilities are delivered effectively.
* Website is
www.calsilc.org
Position of Soon To Be Vacant Executive Director of State Independent Living
Council
* Persons interested in applying for the State Independent Living Council
position of executive director or know someone who is interested, should apply
or pass on word on how to apply. The online application is available as a
link on the CDCAN website at
www.cdcan.us
(click on appointments).
Background of Mike Collins
* Prior to a skiing accident in 1988 when Collins received a spinal cord
injury, he had a successful 23-year career with the Burlington Northern
Railroad, eventually becoming assistant superintendent.
* Prior to joining the California State Independent Living Council, Collins
had served as regional terminals manager for Washington State Ferries;
assistant director in the Washington State Department of Licensing; and as an
independent business owner serving as a consultant on cost
effective implementation of the Americans With Disabilities Act and numerous
other disability related issues.
* First executive director of
the California State Independent Living Council, which was created in 1997.
* Collins is a long-time disability rights advocate who familiar with
disability and long-term care- related programs and services, the wide variety
of disability civil rights laws, and vocational rehabilitation practices and
regulations at the federal and state levels.
* Also very familiar with the concerns and characteristics of people with
all types of disabilities, as a peer, consultant, trainer, and through
administration of a statewide agency addressing their needs on a daily
basis.
* Key participant in California's efforts to implement changes in state
policies resulting from the US Supreme Court's landmark 1999 Olmstead Decisin,
* Collins is an expert in emergency preparedness and homeland security for
people with disabilities active at local, state, and national levels - issues,
especially since the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, and also subsequent
heatwaves in California last summer, is critical for people with disabilities
and seniors.
* Collins is also a widely respected trainer, speaker and consultant on the
federal Rehabilitation Act, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
and related state and national civil rights laws for people with
disabilities.
Collins provided initial input during development of American with
Disabilities Act regulations, Architectural Guidelines, and the recent
Workforce Investment Act and Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement
Act.
* He is a member of the team that developed Washington State's barrier-free
building codes.
[CDCAN Editor's Note: Mike Collins has been a good and compassionate
advocate for people with disabilities, seniors, their families and workers
throughout his time as executive director of the State Independent Living
Council and his work is deeply appreciated and he will be sorely missed - as
an advocate, as a good state director but most of all as a friend to so many
people including me. We wish him success and happiness during his time there
in Washington, DC - Marty Omoto]
Contributions URGENTLY Needed To Continue
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan
link to tens of thousands of Californians in every community, including people
of color, people of every type of disability, including people with physical
disabilities, people with developmental and other disabilities, people with
traumatic brain and other injures, people with mental health needs, seniors,
people with MS, Alzheimer's and others, and all of their families, community
organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other
advocates. These action alerts and news reports, townhall telemeetings and
other projects is for all of them.
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN "Advocacy WIthout Borders Townhall Telemeetings" which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
or go to the CDCAN website at and click on "DONATE TO CDCAN" to contribute
using credit card via Paypal.
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY THANKS to Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, Parents Helping Parents, Arriba, Strategies To Empower People, Parents Helping Parents, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, and hundreds of individuals.