BY DAVID JOHNSON
The Dominion Post
Local disabled-advocacy groups achieved some victories this legislative season in their work with state politicians to further the rights of people with disabilities.
Gov. Cecil Underwood publicly committed Thursday to creating an American Disabilities Act coordinator’s post in his administration after meeting with the local advocates.
The coordinator will keep tabs on ADA compliance statewide.
And the state House and Senate passed resolutions proclaiming their support for the national Medicaid Community Attendant Services Act, MiCASA, a personal-assistance measure under consideration in Congress.
“I think we’ve accomplished a lot, but it has taken a lot of time,” said Ken Ervin, a WVU student and director of ADAPT West Virginia, a disabled-advocacy group. “But this didn’t come easy. We’ve been pushing for a meeting with the governor since Dec. 4. It took us a lot of time.”
ADAPT worked with the Northern West Virginia Center for Independent Living and the Statewide Independent Living Council.
Underwood will appoint an ADA coordinator sometime this year, said Ed Tiffey, associate counsel to the governor.
Underwood has yet to determine what the coordinator will do — the details and logistics haven’t been worked out, Tiffey said. The position will be paid through state funds.
“The governor made it clear he wants to keep the doors open with the groups he has met with about this,” Tiffey said. “He’d like suggestions as to what the coordinator can do to help out.”
Ervin said ADAPT, NWVIL and other groups will keep in contact with the governor and the coordinator during and after the search for an appointee.
“I think it’s a great first step, but it won’t do just to create the position and appoint someone,” Ervin said. “The person needs to keep up on the ADA, and we can help them do that through training.”
National MiCASA bill
The MiCASA-support bill was pushed through in the House by Barbara Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, and in the Senate by Jon Hunter, D-14th District.
The proposal will expand the range of services available to the disabled and give them a greater choice, Hunter said.
According to the last census, West Virginia has 123,000 residents with disabilities, with 11,000 living in nursing homes and needing full-time assistance.
“By adopting this act, Congress would help ensure that community home-based attendant services programs are truly responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities,” Hunter said. “Especially those residing in rural areas, where choice of services is m ore limited.”
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