Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities
The National Council on Disability (NCD) hosted a Quarterly Meeting on December 8, 2022. Kira Meskin, a Progress Center Community Reintegration Advocate, along with two others, submitted public comment to NCD for its quarterly meeting. The comments were accepted and incorporated into the record of the National Council on Disability Quarterly Meeting. The comments were titled: “Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities and Underlying Medical Conditions: Challenging and Addressing the Failures of the CDC’s Current COVID-19 Guidelines.” The comments address the failure of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to integrate the needs and concerns of the disabled into CDC recommendations and guidelines.
These comments were written and submitted by:
Kira Meskin Schiff, OTD, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, ADAC
Megan E. Doherty, PhD
Todd Holloway, Disability Inclusion Advisor
Progress Center is grateful for the work of Meskin, Doherty and Holloway to produce and publish this document. The full comments are available for download on this page.
This week, President Biden announced that the National Public Health Emergency connected to the Covid-19 Pandemic would end in the spring. The date for the end of the emergency is set as May 11, 2023. Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois made a similar announcement. The end of the Public Health Emergency will impact millions of people in Illinois and around the country. Yesterday, (February 1, 2023) Access Living, the Center for Independent Living that serves Chicago, shared a message with information about how the end of the emergency will impact people. In this post, Progress Center is reposting the content shared by Access Living on February 1, 2023.
Here is the post from Access Living:
What is the PHE? At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the President declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE), which allowed the federal government greater flexibility in its capacity to address urgent needs related to Covid. Governors also issued their own PHEs to allow state agencies to act with greater speed and flexibility. Examples of disability-related exceptions under the PHE include:
-Waiving or modifying certain Medicare and Medicaid requirements, such as for enrollment
-Allowing increased use of telehealth
-Adjusting or increasing certain benefits like SNAP
-Disaster relief payments, which many disabled people have used
What will happen when the PHE ends on May 11? The ending of the PHE means that several government systems, as well as government-funded provided, will see changes—but many changes made during the pandemic will also stay. See this news article from the AP for a good overview from a national perspective. The ending of the PHE means possible changes in accessing Covid tests, vaccines, and treatments; access to Medicaid; student loan forgiveness; immigration at US borders; telehealth; SNAP; state Covid emergencies; and hospital funding.
Progress Center is grateful to Access Living for developing and sharing this information. Progress Center will continue to share information as we approach the end of the Public Health Emergency.
Please consider a Year-End Donation to the Larry Biondi Fellowship for Radical Thought & Action
Progress Center, in partnership with Chicago ADAPT, proudly announces the Larry Biondi Fellowship’s inaugural fundraising drive. We are setting an ambitious goal of $20,000 to underwrite the stipends and expenses of three Fellowship recipients in the 2023-24 class.
The Larry Biondi Fellowship was created to deepen the impact and expand the capacity of the partnership by supporting innovative projects led by diversely talented individuals. Their work carries on the legacy of Larry Biondi, a disability-rights advocate whose lifetime of work advanced some of the movement’s most crucial efforts and victories, including passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility on public transit in Chicago, community integration through closure of state institutions, and equitable healthcare for the disabled and non-disabled. Larry, who was a dedicated employee of Progress Center for 28 years and a member of Chicago ADAPT for most of its 38-year history, died in June of 2021.
Larry Biondi Fellowship projects will support a broad array of the Partnership objectives, including building community outreach, developing and promoting forward thinking policies, coordinating direct actions, building innovative communications tools, expanding social media presence, and other areas that advance disability justice and equity.
The first Fellowship Request for Proposals will be published in early 2023, and the inaugural class of Fellows will begin their projects throughout 2023 and 2024.
We are grateful to announce that an anonymous donor created a $5,000 Match. This generous donor will match the first $5,000 in donations made between December 30, 2022 and January 31, 2023.
Larry worked at Progress Center for 28 years. As the Advocacy Manager, Larry led the Progress Center Community Organizers, and he developed and implemented strategies to improve housing, transportation, public access and health care for the disability community. Larry also was well known for Progress Center’s Legislative Training Course. Larry and his team offered the course twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall. The course met once a week over the course of ten weeks, culminating in a trip to Springfield, where students from the course met with Illinois State Politicians and their staff, and applied the skills they learned during the training.
Larry put in just as many hours with Chicago ADAPT, a grass roots disability advocacy organization, and with National ADAPT. Larry went to hundreds of local and national ADAPT demonstrations, participating in civil disobedience when local, regional, and national entities failed to recognize the needs and rights of people with disabilities.
A person with a disability, Larry hired and managed his own personal assistants. The personal assistants provided support with essential tasks like getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, cleaning, cooking and eating. Perhaps as much as anyone else, Larry knew the essential link between accommodations and independence and inclusion for people with disabilities. Understanding that link, Larry never stopped fighting to strengthen and build systems of community services so that all people with disabilities had the opportunity to access services and live independently.
At the front end of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Larry actively engaged in two new coalitions, and remained committed to the coalitions throughout the pandemic. As a member of the PPE for People with Disabilities Coalition, Larry joined the effort to ensure that people with disabilities in Chicagoland and their personal assistants had access to personal protective equipment. With the Institutional Rescue and Recovery Coalition, Larry advocated for residents of long-term facilities, who suffered an alarming mortality rate during the Covid-19 crisis.
Progress Center presents Part Four of a Financial Wellness Course– Protecting your Identity and Banking
Join Progress Center’s Esther Sanders (Protecting Your Identity), and Fernando Rivera, Vice President & Retail Banking Manager for Forest Park Bank (Money and Banking), on Tuesday, September 20 for a presentation about identity protection and banking. This presentation is part of a five-week Financial Wellness Course. This specific presentation is open to all community members. It is not necessary to be registered for the five-week course.
The presentation is Tuesday, September 20 at 11 a.m.
The presentation will be over zoom. To register and receive a link, contact Gary Arnold at garnold@progresscil.org.
Join Progress Center and Stephanie Kanter, Deputy Director of IL ABLE at the State of Illinois Treasurer’s Office, on Tuesday, September 13 for a presentation about IL ABLE Accounts. This presentation is part of a five-week Financial Wellness Course. This specific presentation is open to all community members. It is not necessary to be registered for the five-week course.
For more information, and to reserve your spot for September 13, contact garnold@progresscil.org
Disability Community Celebrates the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
On July 26, 1990, in a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, President George HW Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, comprehensive Civil Rights Legislation protecting the disabled against discrimination in employment, government services, public access and transportation. As we celebrate the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Progress Center for Independent Living acknowledges the many architectural and attitudinal barriers that have been removed. Buses throughout Chicago are accessible, Chicago polling places are accessible, and more housing plans now incorporate accessible, in not universal, designs.
However, the promise of the law is yet to be fully realized.
The recent Department of Justice lawsuit against Wrigley Field, poor accessibility within Lyft and Uber fleets, and the disproportionate mortality rate among residents of long-term care facilities during the early months of the pandemic are all failures to implement the civil rights of the disabled. These examples reflect not just a failure to meet the promise of the law, but an explicit rejection of disability inclusion.
Progress Center staff, board members, and community members are committed to full inclusion for all people with disabilities. On the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Progress Center recommits itself to ensure that our work supports the pursuit of people with disabilities to enjoy equal access and equal opportunity in all areas of life.
Progress Center recognizes that existing barriers for the disabled within Black and Brown communities are more significant. Progress Center recognizes that inequities during the pandemic, such as access to Personal Protective Equipment and access to Covid-19 Vaccines, disproportionately impacted disabled people of color. Progress Center recommits itself to ensure that services the organization provides are equitable and can be accessed by all disabled people in Suburban Cook County. Progress Center commits itself to ensure that the services provided are informed by disability, and by inequities impacting Black and Brown and other communities that are underserved and that face multiple layers of discrimination.
Happy Anniversary!
Spanish Language Statement
26 de Julio de 2022
La comunidad con discapacidad celebra el aniversario de la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidad
El 26 de julio de 1990, en una ceremonia en el Jardín Sur de la Casa Blanca, el presidente George HW Bush promulgó la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidad, legislación integral de derechos civiles que protege a las personas con discapacidad contra la discriminación en el empleo, los servicios gubernamentales, el acceso público y el transporte. . Mientras celebramos el 32 aniversario de la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidad, Progress Center reconoce las bastantes barreras arquitectónicas y de actitud que se han eliminado. Los autobuses en todo Chicago son accesibles, las casillas de votación de Chicago son accesibles y más planes de vivienda ahora incorporan diseños accesibles, no universales.
Sin embargo, la promesa de la ley aún no se ha realizado plenamente.
La reciente demanda del Departamento de Justicia contra Wrigley Field, la poca accesibilidad dentro de las flotas de Lyft y Uber, y la tasa de mortalidad desproporcionada entre los residentes de los centros de atención a largo plazo durante los primeros meses de la pandemia son fallas en la implementación de los derechos civiles de las personas con discapacidad. Estos ejemplos reflejan no solo el incumplimiento de la promesa de la ley, sino también un rechazo explícito a la inclusión de la discapacidad.
El personal, los miembros de la Mesa Directiva y los miembros de la comunidad de Progress Center están comprometidos con la inclusión total de todas las personas con discapacidad. En el 32 aniversario de la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidad, Progress Center continúa comprometiéndose a garantizar que nuestro trabajo apoye la búsqueda de personas con discapacidad para disfrutar de igualdad de acceso e igualdad de oportunidades en todos los aspectos de la vida.
Progress Center reconoce que las barreras existentes para las personas con discapacidad dentro de las comunidades negras y morenas son más significativas. Progress Center reconoce que las desigualdades durante la pandemia, como el acceso al equipo de protección personal y el acceso a las vacunas contra el covid-19, afectaron de manera desproporcionada a las personas de color con discapacidad.
Progress Center continúa comprometiéndose a garantizar que los servicios que brinda la organización sean equitativos y que todas las personas con discapacidad en los suburbios del condado de Cook puedan acceder a ellos. Progress Center se compromete a garantizar que los servicios proporcionados se basen en la discapacidad y las desigualdades que afectan a las personas de raza negra y morena y otras comunidades desatendidas y que enfrentan múltiples niveles de discriminación.
one individual wearing red shirt, standing up and asking a question into microphone. Person is in a room filled with wooded chairs lined up for a presentation. The row in front of the person is empty. The chair behind the person are filled with other people.
Progress Center hosted the organization’s Annual Meeting on June 25, 2022. The yearly meeting brings together community members for organization, board, and community updates. The meeting has been remote since 2020. Thank you to all to attended and participated in the meeting, and thank you to all Progress Center community members who support the work and principles of disability justice, inclusion, and independence.
At the meeting on June 25, Progress Center introduced the Board of Director candidates for the new term, updated guests on a few programs and initiatives, took questions and comments from the membership, and heard from two Progress Center partners, including the PPE for People with Disabilities Coalition, and Open Communities.
Attached are two presentations from the Annual Meeting on June 25.
The 2022 Disability Pride Parade is back in 2022. For the past two years, there has been no physical parade because of the pandemic. The theme for this year’s parade is “Disability Pride is Back and Stronger Than Ever.” The parade is Saturday, July 23. The parade begins at 11 a.m. Here is a link to the parade website. This link has more information: 2022 Parade Link
Progress Center is registered for the parade and plans to march. Progress Center will also have a table at the celebration that follows the parade. Progress Center would love to have members of the community join us at the celebration and in the parade contingent. If you would like more information, or if you would like to join Progress Center on July 23, send an email to garnold@progresscil.org
Members of the Progress Center Community holding a banner that reads “Progress Center for Independent Living” at the Disability Pride Parade in Chicago.
In the 2022 Election Cycle in Illinois, the Primary Election is on Tuesday, June 28. By June 13, all Early Voting Sites in Cook County will be open. All citizens of Illinois have the right to vote. This page includes links to resources that include your rights as a voter, resources for voters with disabilities, and key information about voter registration, early voting, curbside voting, and other topics. Many thanks to the organizations that have collected and organized this information.
2. Disability Vote Illinois — A resource guide for disabled voters and Seniors developed by Disability Vote Illinois — Click here for link
3. Voting Frequently Asked Questions — An FAQ created by Equip for Equality: Click here for link
4. Your Vote Counts: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Voting in the United State — Developed by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network: Click here for link
5. Early Voting — A resource from NBC 5 Chicago — A listing of Early Voting Locations in the Chicagoland Area — Click Here for Link
6. Voting Date, Races on the Ballot… — Resource from NBC 5 Chicago — Click Here for Link — Click Here for Link
These are just a few of the many resources available about voting in Illinois, both for disabled and non-disabled voters. If you would like assistance navigating any of this information, please contact garnold@progresscil.org or ccraig@progresscil.org
