UCP: CONGRESSIONAL REPORT SHOWS NEED FOR IMMEDIATE CHANGE 

Office of Compliance highlights inaccessibility of Capitol buildings 

Washington, DC (October 19, 2012) – United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) released the following statement today in response to the Office of Compliance’s Biennial Report on the 111th Congress, “Americans with Disabilities Act Inspections Relating to Public Services and Accommodations.”

The report, which is required by the Congressional Accountability Act and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), examined the accessibility of the House Office Buildings, as well as bathrooms throughout the Capitol complex. The findings show that while progress has been made in making the buildings more accessible, there are still significant problems:

·      93% of curb ramps on the sidewalks are not in compliance with ADA Accessibility Standards.

·      54% of the total exterior pathway barriers are a safety risk for people with disabilities.

·      None of the bathrooms inspected met ADA standards.

“For the 57 million Americans living with disabilities today, this is more than just a report— this is stark reminder that 22 years after the passage of the ADA, the fight for basic civil rights is not over. All Americans should have the ability to access their representatives and attend and testify at hearings, but it is clear that this is not the case. We urge Congress to act immediately to correct the safety issues, and work to ensure that all of the problems are fixed,” said Stephen Bennett, President & CEO of UCP. “The findings in this report are very disappointing, and show how much progress is still needed to ensure that all Americans have the same rights and opportunities.”

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About United Cerebral Palsy

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) educates, advocates and provides support services through an affiliate network to ensure a life without limits for people with a spectrum of disabilities. Together with nearly 100 affiliates, UCP has a mission to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities by supporting more than 176,000 children and adults every day—one person at a time, one family at a time. UCP works to enact real change—to revolutionize care, raise standards of living and create opportunities—impacting the lives of millions living with disabilities. For more than 60 years, UCP has worked to ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in every facet of society. Together, with parents and caregivers, UCP will continue to push for the social, legal and technological changes that increase accessibility and independence, allowing people with disabilities to dream their own dreams, for the next 60 years, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.ucp.org.

 NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY TAKES HELM AS NEW CHAIR

Washington, DC (October 15, 2012) – United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) has elected four new members of its national Board of Trustees, and has elected four leaders to serve as officers of the Board.

The Board of Trustees plays a critical role at UCP, helping to guide the organization and its efforts to educate, advocate and provide support to people with disabilities across the country. With 18 members, including four officers, the Board is a diverse and active group that works together to move UCP forward toward its goal of creating a life without limits for people living with disabilities. 

Selection of Officers

Edward G. “Woody” Connette, an attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina, will lead the organization’s Board of Trustees as its new Chair, replacing outgoing Chair Bruce Merlin Fried, the DC-based Managing Partner of law firm SNR Denton.  Connette has long had an interest in public policy and litigation related to disabilities, health care and mental health. In his legal work, he has fought to protect the rights of people living with disabilities and challenged the living conditions and institutionalization practices in North Carolina and Tennessee. He is involved in several professional organizations and has also served on the Executive Board and as President of the National Patient Advocate Foundation. Connette’s volunteer work with disability groups stretches back more than twenty years, and he played a critical role in the merger of UCP and Easter Seals affiliates in North Carolina and went on to become Board Chair for the newly created Easter Seals/ UCP North Carolina and Virginia.

“On behalf of United Cerebral Palsy, and all of our affiliates, I am delighted to welcome Woody as our new Chair for our Board of Trustees,” said Stephen Bennett, President & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. “Woody has been a valued part of UCP for more than two decades, and his commitment and dedication to bettering the lives of people living with disabilities is inspiring. We look forward to his leadership in the years ahead.”

“It is an immense privilege to be selected for this position with such a great organization,” said Connette. “United Cerebral Palsy is internationally recognized as a leader in the disability community, and I will do my best to help create a better day for those living with disabilities every day.”

Connette is joined by three other volunteer leaders, including:

·       Ian Ridlon, who has been selected as the organization’s new vice chair.  Ridlon is general counsel and director of Legal Services at the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust. Mr. Ridlon has been involved with United Cerebral Palsy on the state and national level for over 15 years.  On the state level, he has been the Board Chair for several terms and has also chaired two other non-profit organizations created by the affiliate that provide independent living facilities for low income individuals with developmental disabilities. On the national level, he has previously served on the Board of Trustees and is a recipient of the 2004 Chairperson’s Award.  He has also served on numerous committees and was previously the chair of the nominating committee and the by-laws committee. and has served as a Board member for UCP of Rhode Island

·       Mark Boles will serve as the organization’s treasurer.  He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation at Frisco (Texas). With nearly 30 years experience as a healthcare executive, he has been involved with United Cerebral Palsy on the local, state, and national levels for more than 20 years, having received the Ethel Hausman Volunteer of the Year Award in 2003 and the UCP Chairman’s Award in 2004.

·       Pamela Talkin will serve as secretary of the Board of Trustees.  Talkin was sworn in on July 16, 2001 as the tenth Marshal of the Supreme Court of the United States.  Talkin is the first woman to hold the position. She was elected to UCP Board of Trustees in 2011.

New Members

These new leaders are joined by five new distinguished Trustees who were elected at UCP’s international conference this past April.  They include:

·       Michael Burke Jr., a co-founder and principal of Thrive Office, an innovative, shared workplace community based in New York City.

·       Ruth Gullerud, who retired in May as the Executive Director of UCP of West Central Wisconsin, in Eau Claire, where she has worked since 1977. 

·       Melvin “Chip” Hurley, an executive with Berkeley Research Group, LLC, and former chair of the board of UCP of Central Maryland.

·       Linda Maguire, co-founder and consultant with Maguire Associates, a research-based consulting firm that has served educational clients around the world for the past 29 years. She is currently the vice chair of UCP MetroBoston and has received much recognition for her work with the UCP network.

·       Rob White, the Chief Executive Officer of Cerebral Palsy Alliance in Sydney, Australia, who has decades of leadership experience in global civil rights movement for people with disabilities.

“We are grateful to these new officers and Trustees for agreeing to serve United Cerebral Palsy in such an important leadership role,” Bennett said.  “Our Trustees are one of the main reasons that UCP is able to serve hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities each year, and we are excited to begin a new year with their leadership contributions.”

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New NGA Chair announced year-long initiative at annual meeting

Washington, DC (July 16, 2012) – United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) issued the following response to the National Governors Association’s announcement of new Chair Delaware Governor Jack Markell’s initiative “A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities.”

According to the NGA’s announcement, the initiative will aim to increase employment among individuals with disabilities and focus specifically on the intersection of government, businesses and individuals seeking gainful employment. The initiative will work to develop a “blueprint” for states and businesses to help both raise awareness and outline the best policies to increase employment of people living with disabilities. Business and Congressional leaders will collaborate on this initiative and help to determine best practices and policies.

United Cerebral Palsy provides comprehensive employment-related resources and information through its nearly 100 affiliates across the country, which support employment programs, assistance to job seekers with disabilities, and work with employers to improve the recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities in the workforce.

“United Cerebral Palsy is thrilled that the National Governors Association has chosen to highlight an issue that is so critical to Americans living with disabilities. Employment is a way for these individuals to be integrated in their communities and live their lives to the fullest while providing the business community with a workforce that is eager to participate, and yet only has a 20 percent employment rate,” said Stephen Bennett, President & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. “By bringing together business and government, Governor Markell will be able to develop a blueprint for employment that both serves and benefits all involved. We look forward to this initiative’s work and its tremendous potential for positive change.”

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Request for Coverage & Attendance  

ABLE PROGRAM & EVENT CONTACT:
Michael Piel: 202-973-7110,

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lauren Cozzi: 202-973-7114 (direct), LCozzi@ucp.org
Alicia Kubert Smith: 202-973-7168 (direct),  

ABLE happy hour on Wednesday supports life without limits for people with disabilities  

Raffle Prizes Include an iPad, Nats Tickets & Restaurant Vouchers  

Washington, DC (September 13, 2011) – ABLE, the young professionals network of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), a leading service provider and advocate for children and adults with a spectrum of disabilities, will host the ABLE Young Professionals Network Inaugural Happy Hour, Wednesday, September 14, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Madhatter DC, 1319 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC.

• WHO:       ABLE, the young professionals network of UCP  

• WHAT:     The ABLE Young Professionals Network Inaugural Happy Hour 
                    will include socializing, drink specials and a raffle with prizes
                    including an iPad, Nats tickets, restaurant vouchers and more!  

• WHEN:     Wednesday, September 14, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.       

• WHERE:   Madhatter DC, 1319 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC.

• COST:      $10 donation

ABLE is a group of young professionals committed to supporting UCP. Members advance UCP’s mission to create a life without limits for people with a spectrum disabilities, and they find opportunities to increase education and awareness of disability issues. There are no membership fees; and, members are asked to support UCP in the following ways:

• *volunteering at local affiliates and in the community;
• *attending social events (happy hours, lecture series, etc.); and
• *participating in fundraising opportunities.

ABLE offers young professionals in the Washington, DC area a chance to network with others who sharing the same passion, allowing them to become knowledgeable on the issues and gain valuable experience. Learn more at ucp.org/about/able.

About United Cerebral Palsy

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) educates, advocates and provides support services to ensure a life without limits for people with a spectrum of disabilities. UCP and its nearly 100 affiliates advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with a spectrum of disabilities by providing services and support to more than 176,000 children and adults every day—one person at a time, one family at a time. We work to enact real change—to revolutionize care, raise standards of living and create opportunities—impacting the lives of millions living with disabilities. For more than 60 years, UCP has worked to ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in every facet of society. Together, with parents and caregivers, we continue to push for the social, legal and technological changes that increase accessibility and independence, allowing people with disabilities to dream their own dreams for the next 60 years, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.ucp.org.  

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Stephen Bennett and Mark Perriello
Thursday, September 8, 2011

The debt reduction Supercommittee will hold its first meeting on September 8. As they prepare to start their work, Americans of every background and political orientation are looking to these 12 elected representatives to set aside political gamesmanship and produce a plan that reflects both our nation’s urgent needs and its core values. To accomplish this, the Supercommittee must preserve Medicaid, which provides millions of Americans with disabilities the tools to remain healthy and participate in our communities.

Like all Americans, people with disabilities—and our families and supporters—understand that this nation faces tough fiscal choices. Balancing our budget on the backs of Americans who are already living at the margins is not a viable choice. We stand ready to work with the Supercommittee to formulate a plan that reflects our American values of opportunity, fairness, and basic dignity for all.

 We believe:

• In the deficit-reduction process, we must preserve Medicaid for the people whom it offers a vital lifeline.
   
• The eight million Americans with disabilities who use Medicaid cannot be forgotten. They are brothers and sisters, neighbors, friends and community volunteers.
   
• Medicaid provides many Americans the tools they need to participate fully in community life. Without Medicaid, many Americans would be forced to leave their homes and live in institutions—at greater expense to taxpayers.
   
• Deficit reduction must not result in opportunity reduction for any American: our budget must preserve the critical health and long-term care initiatives that enable eight million persons with disabilities to remain healthy, participate in their communities and live up to their potential.

• America can and must make good on its promise of opportunity for all. Abandoning people in these difficult economic times is tantamount to abandoning our belief in America’s promise of opportunity.
   
• We cannot balance the budget on the backs of Americans who are living at the margins already: those now eligible to receive services must not lose the services on which they rely.
   
• We can balance the budget by being smart and strategic—without denying basic human dignity to the Americans for whom Medicaid is working. We can and must look for cost savings by ensuring that initiatives are operating as efficiently as possible.
   
• We must make every effort to reduce the costs of Medicaid without compromising the ability of recipients to live full and meaningful lives.
   
• We must make every effort and maximize all available resources, including new technologies, to reduce the cost of Medicaid without impairing the quality of the services provided.
   
• Given these important considerations, we are interested in working with policy makers on identifying productive ways to address our nation’s economic rebalancing.

We call upon the members of the Supercommittee to reduce our debt without compromising our values, and we welcome the opportunity to work with you on responsible, common-sense responses to our nation’s fiscal challenges.

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Stephen Bennett is President & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. 

Mark Perriello is President & CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities.

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Visit ucp.org/public-policy/america-s-super-committee for additional information.

Contacts:

Lauren Cozzi, 202-973-7114,  
Alicia Kubert Smith, 202-973 7168, 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UCP Contacts:
Lauren Cozzi, 202-973-7114,  
Alicia Kubert Smith, 202-973 7168, 

AAPD Contact:
Rebecca Panoff, 202-521-4307,

PRESIDENT OBAMA PRAISED FOR STANDING UP FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES & FAMILIES DURING DEBT CEILING PRESS CONFERENCE

 Washington, D.C. – (July 15, 2011) – United Cerebral Palsy and the American Association of People with Disabilities applaud the President’s statement that debt and deficit reductions “DON'T REQUIRE US TO STOP HELPING FAMILIES WHO HAVE A DISABLED CHILD.”

Statement from United Cerebral Palsy President & CEO, Stephen Bennett, in response to above statement by President Obama:

We applaud the President for calling for solutions that preserve vital lifelines for people with disabilities and their families, who want to continue to contribute to the nation's health and economic recovery. Gutting Medicaid is not the answer to our economic woes, and we thank all those on both sides of the aisle working to defend the most vulnerable in our country.

Statement from American Association of People with Disabilities President & CEO, Mark Perriello, in response to above statement by President Obama:

We commend President Obama for stating that the government doesn’t need to stop helping children with disabilities in order to balance the budget. Without Medicaid, many people with disabilities and their family members would be unable to work and would be forced take public assistance. Slashing Medicaid does not make economic sense and breaks our country’s promise of equal opportunity to its citizens.

President Obama’s statement during this morning’s press conference about debt and deficit reduction talks:

• Video on C-SPAN:  26:36, http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/ObamaonB:
•  “So my general view is that if the American people looked at this, they’d say, boy, some of these decisions are tough, but they don’t require us to gut Medicare or Social Security.  They don’t require us to stop helping young people go to college.  They don’t require us to stop helping families who've got a disabled child…”
• Official transcript from The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/15/press-conference-president

About United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) educates, advocates and provides support services to ensure a life without limits for people with a spectrum of disabilities. Together with nearly 100 affiliates, UCP has a mission to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people disabilities by supporting more than 176,000 children and adults every day—one person at a time, one family at a time. UCP works to enact real change—to revolutionize care, raise standards of living and create opportunities—impacting the lives of millions living with disabilities. For more than 60 years, UCP has worked to ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in every facet of society. Together, with parents and caregivers, UCP will continue to push for the social, legal and technological changes that increase accessibility and independence, allowing people with disabilities to dream their own dreams, for the next 60 years, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.ucp.org.

About The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership association, organizes the disability community to be a powerful force for change – politically, economically, and socially.  AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national force for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To learn more, visit the AAPD website: www.AAPD.com.

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