CDCAN LOGO
California Disability Community Action Network
DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
ADVOCACY WITHOUT BORDERS
Report #111-2007  August 13, 2007 Monday
Goes out to over 45,000 people, organizations, policymakers across California
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com    CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
 
 State Budget Crisis - Day 44
* Townhall Telemeeting Set Tuesday 8/14
* Focus On Budget Delay Impact & Response
* Kim Belshe Confirmed Speaker
* Participation Open to Everyone
* New Issue Forums on DDS 8/21 , Adoption Assistance 8/29
 
SACRAMENTO  -  As announced last week, in response to the growing impact of delay in passage of the State budget, now 44 days late, Photo of Secretary Kim Belshea CDCAN Disability Rights Townhall Telemeeting has been scheduled to focus on the issue - including what is happening in communities across California and what help or resources are available.  Advocates for people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, families with low incomes and others say that the state budget delay has reached and passed a critical point impacting critical services and supports for tens of thousands of Californians. 

CDCAN Townhall Information
When: AUGUST 14 - TUESDAY
Time:  1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
What: CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting
Topic: Budget Delay Impact on People with Disabilities/Seniors & Others
Guest:  Kim Belshe, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (confirmed, pictured left)
Others:  Lydia Missaelides and others from the California Association for Adult Day Services (CAADS), Gary Macomber and others from DSN,  Teresa Favuzzi and others from the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC) and other advocates (to be announced)  Note: a follow-up on August 28th is tentatively scheduled if the budget is not passed by then. 

 
No Sign of Progress For State Budget
As of Monday morning (August 13), there is no sign of any progress of a budget deal in the State Senate, where approval for the 2007-2008 spending plan is still one vote short.  Most observers now believe that there will be no agreement on the budget until late August at the earliest.  The Assembly returns from its summer recess on August 20th.  The State Senate technically has not recessed for the summer, though there has been no floor sessions since August 1 and none scheduled
 
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland) said last week that the State Senate will take up no other legislation until a budget is passed. 
 
The Assembly previously approved the budget on July 20th after a nearly all night session 56 to 23, including support of the Assembly Republican leadership.
 
State Constituion requires special majorities in each house to pass the State Budget - 27 votes (out of 40 members) in the State Senate.  Democrats hold 25 seats and Republicans 15 - meaning Democrats need at least 2 Senate Republicans to support a budget.  In the Assembly passage requires 55 votes out of 80 members.  Democrats control 48 seats - Republicans 32. 
 
The State Senate Republicans refused to support the budget unless further new cuts and savings were included.  The first vote in the State Senate came up on July 20th after the Assembly passed it and left on their four week summer recess. That vote failed 25-13 with Senator Abel Maldonaldo (Republican - Santa Maria) abstaining. Another vote on August 1 - the last time the Senate voted on the budget bill - also failed, this time 26 to 14, with Senator Maldonaldo the only Senate Republican supporting it.
 
Governor Schwarzenegger has urged the Senate Republicans to provide the votes to pass the budget as approved by the Assembly.  
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings Have Drawn Thousands Since 2003
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings have drawn thousands of people across the State since August 2003, and a single townhall telemeeting audience ranging (depending on the date, issue and speaker) from 100 to well over 500. 
 
Many are people with disabilities including those with mobility issues who do not have the resources to travel and the townhalls have provided virtually the only consistent opportunity to talk directly with policymakers and leading advocates and be a part of how decisions are made. 
 
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:
Anyone, including other advocates, federal, state and local policy makers and staff, media, but especially people with disabilities, seniors, people with mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations, and others. 
Good opportunity to have your voice, comments and concerns heard (please be respectful). 
Townhall open for questions and comments by anyone.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE
BY PHONE: USING A TOLL FREE LINE)
* Open to anyone, people can either go to a site hosting a telemeeting (see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us for locations) and click on Townhall Telemeetings" and then "Townhall Telemeeting Locations". Important: People should call the site that is listed to make sure that the location is participating in the townhall telemeeting - some locations can only participate on certain dates OR
* People can ALSO participate by dialing in from your own home or work.  This is especially helpful for people with disabilities and seniors or their families or workers who have transportation or have other mobility or resource issues that make it difficult to leave their home or work.
To access townhall telemeeting using a phone:
Dial this toll free number for ALL of the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings
* Dial toll free number: 1-800-608-4143   Note: there is NO passcode.
* Tell the operator you want to join the CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting
* The operator will connect you

BY COMPUTER: USING A HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION
To access townhall telemeting LIVE using your computer
* You can access LIVE, CDCAN telemeetings from your own computer provided it has a high speed internet (DSL, cable) connection AND has internal or external speakers. 
NOTE: These instructions are NOT for any guest speakers for the telemeeting or co-moderators and are DIFFERENT from people who want to access the telemeetings using their phone (see above).  These instructions are for computer access only:  This will be the second  townhall telemeeting using the internet live, so some problems could occur as procedures are worked out. 
Step ONE (on your computer): Go to website:  http://www.800rollcall.com/htm/join.htm
Step TWO (on your computer ) enter Participant Code:   9280931
Step THREE (on your computer):  Enter your name (full name is not required)
Step FOUR  (on your computer):
* You should see a security warning pop-up. Please click “yes”.
* If you see this on your computer screen "Roll Call - Conference Has Not Started Yet" that means the CDCAN townhall telemeeting has not yet started . You will need to simply  click on the “back” button on your browser, wait about 2 minutes and repeat the log in procedure.
If you see the presentation screen you are logged in
* If you get disconnected for some reason, simply log back in. 
* Make sure your audio settings on your computer is not on mute. 
Asking Questions or Making Comments
* You can "ask" a questions (typing out your question on your computer) We will provide instructions on how to do that during the telemeeting. 
* You cannot ask a question orally (using your voice) however if you are accessing the townhall through the computer - you can only ask a question by typing it out. 
Note: If you wish to ask a question using your voice, you will need to either disconnect from the internet (or put the audio on mute)  and use your phone to dial in (using the dial information above). 

BACKGROUND
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings were first started in August 2003 in an effort to connect people with disabilities, seniors and others, including families, workers and organizations, who may not have the resources to come to Sacramento (or Washington DC) but can still be a part of policy making.   Townhall Telemeetings brings policymaking to where people live and work.  Since August 2003 thousands of people have participated and guests have included state leaders from both parties, advocates covering a wide range of issues.
 
If you are interested in participating as a speaker in this or future telemeetings, please email Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com   Note: anyone who dials in can ask a question or make a comment without being a "speaker". 
 
SAVE THE DATE FOR FUTURE EVENTS
 
* Developmental Services : August 21 Tue 1 to 2:30 PM  - CDCAN Issue Forum Teleconference focusing on issues related to developmental services, regional centers, developmental centers - including language in budget related legislation (trailer bill) SB 83, hearings regarding the Lanterman Act by the Assembly Human Services Committee in late October and November (not related to SB 83) and other issues. 
The "issue Forum Teleconferences" are different from CDCAN telemeetings - it is meant to be more of of a discussion of an issue or issues, with no formal presentations, etc.  This is open to anyone and we will send out the toll free number in a few days (this number is DIFFERENT from the CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting number).
 
* Budget Delay Impact Update August 28 Tue 1 to 2:30 PM (if necessary) - CDCAN TOWNHALL TELEMEETING - update, comments, responses on budget delay. 
 
* Adoption Assistance Program (AAP): August 29 Wed 1 to 2:00 PM (tentative) - CDCAN Issue Forum Teleconference focusing on Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) and children with developmental disabilities.  All are welcome. The "issue Forum Teleconferences" are different from CDCAN telemeetings - it is meant to be more of of a discussion of an issue or issues, with no formal presentations, etc.  This is open to anyone and we will send out the toll free number in a few days (this number is DIFFERENT from the CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting number).
 
Others to be scheduled:
* Medi-Cal: Deficit Reduction Act Implementation (series)
* Affordable and accessible housing
* Affordable and accessible transportation
* Employment
* Special and adult education
* Access to communities
* Supported Living Services and Independent Living Services
 

Contributions URGENTLY Needed To Continue
Advocacy Without Borders: Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures,  Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action. This report - and the CDCAN townhalls, and other events and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders toward unified action.  We are one community. 
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com    CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
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