[LGT-National] ADAPT Has Georgia On Our Minds

[Mark_Johnson at shepherd.org]

COMMUNITY ADVISORY

Who: 400 ADAPT activists from across the country
What: ADAPT Fall National Action 2009
When: October 10-15
Where: ATLANTA, GEORGIA!

The collective power of disability rights is about to strike in the
hometown of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.  As the nation continues
to struggle with the vital issue of health care reform, ADAPT continues to
advocate for the end of the institutional bias in Medicaid and a revolution
in community choice!  Will you be with us?

The last times ADAPT was in Atlanta were in 1990 and 1996.  The Olmstead
Supreme Court case, fought by Georgians, was decided in 1999.  Now, ten
years past Olmstead, Georgia is still out of compliance with Olmstead and
thousands of Georgians with disabilities lack adequate access to community
supports, like their brothers and sisters across the Southern states.  The
percentage of Georgians with disabilities under age 65 who live in nursing
home is on the rise.  The Olmstead decision said that based on the ADA, we
all have the right to live in the community if we choose, not institutions.
As MLK himself would say, "A right delayed is a right denied."  As ADAPTer
Johnny Crescendo would say, "Tear down the walls!"

Atlanta is also home to many regional agencies providing disability
services.  Neither of Georgia’s Senators officially support the Community
Choice Act or Community First Option.  Adequate funding for Georgia
disability programs is currently in danger.  Georgians with disabilities
are some of our strongest fighters, and we look forward to joining them on
their turf.   The Federal institutional bias affects every single state, so
from Montana to Texas, California to DC, let's make our voices heard!

To sponsor activists or to donate to the ADAPT legal defense fund, visit
http://www.adapt.org/donate.php .  Your dollars empower ADAPT to make a
difference through direct action.

If you would like to join ADAPT activists in Atlanta, rooms are still
available at the Omni Hotel through SEPTEMBER 18.  To receive the ADAPT
discounted room rate, reservations need to be made through Tisha Cunningham
in Denver, tisha at atlantiscommunityinc.com.

If you can't make it to Atlanta, stay up to the minute with Twitter updates
and action alerts.  Follow Nationaladapt on Twitter or go to
http://www.adapt.org and hit the ADAPT Twitter button to check out our
tweets (messages).

For more information on the Community Choice Act and to contact us, see
http://www.adapt.org .  More to come as we approach October 10!