WHAT IS A CDCAN "TOWNHALL TELEMEETING"?

CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are free and open to anyone. Click on "How To Particpate" either using a phone (toll free line) or a computer (with a high speed internet connection). All townhalls are recorded and can be heard by clicking on the "Audio Recordings of CDAN Townhall Telemeetings" link above.
The California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN) "Advocacy Without Borders" Disability Rights Townhall Telemeetings is a non-partisan 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 The first CDCAN townhall telemeeting was held December 12, 2003 - and have been held every couple weeks since then by several thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, people with traumatic brain injuries, people with mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations, regional centers, independent living centers, state agencies, legislative staff, advocates, meda and others. Since then upwards of over 40 locations and well over 300 persons participate in each of the townhall telemeetings - with numbers expanding each month. It is "advocacy without borders".
The telemeetings are a simple and cost effective way to link diverse communities together on the issue of disability rights and to take the next steps toward organizing for change - and helping people with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries and others, families, community organizations to learn more about policy making in Sacramento and in their own communities and to participate effectively in that process.
In the early CDCAN townhalls in 2003 and 2004, we required that people had to 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. A list of organizations or individuals "hosting" a townhall telemeeting site are listed on this website under "Locations". Since that time, in late 2004, we realized that many people with disabilities and seniors who wanted to participate could not due to mobility (travel) issues, or health issues and allowed people to call in individually or to call in as part of a group.
The townhall telemeeting concept also increases the efforts to connect with more diverse communities across the state who are involved in these same issues, helping to promote "true inclusion" of communities across the state. It is also meant to continue the efforts 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 CDCAN "Advocacy Without Borders" DIsability Rights Townhall Telemeetings are also meant to be another way 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 In-Home Supportive Services ) and other workers, regional centers, unions, independent living centers, family resource centers, area boards and other groups.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN CDCAN TOWNHALL TELEMEETING?

All people with disabilities - including people with developmental disabilities, people with mental health needs, seniors, people with traumatic brain and other injuries, people with MS and other health needs, their families, support staff and workers, community organizations and groups, regional centers, independent living centers, local and state advocacy groups. federal, state and local government people, media and others.
Disability, mental health, senior and low income issues are linked together and linked to other critical issues including affordable and accessible healthcare (including Medi-Cal ) that are critical elements to a person's right to live in their own community. It is linked equally in importance to affordable and accessible housing, affordable and accessible transportation (which includes accessible sidewalks), to special and education, to employment of people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, to support services (including In-Home Supportive Services, Supported Living Services, etc), to funding for needed community-based programs and services, and importance to full compliance and enforcement of access rights to one's community. It is linked to those families on CalWORKS - many who have special needs or have children with special needs.
*Since December 2003, CDCAN Advocacy Without Borders Townhall Telemeetings have opened up public policy so thousands of people with disabilities, mental health needs, people with traumatic brain and other injuries, people with MS, seniors, families, community organizations and other people and advocates to ask questions, listen and make comments. Hundreds of people participate in each townhall telemeeting - sometimes well over 400 or so.
CDCAN will begin scheduling regular monthly townhalls with each of the federal and state departments and county agencies that deal with rights of people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors their families, workers, and others so people are kept informed and connected. This includes healthcare/Medi-Cal and long term care issues.