Action Report

June 20, 2000

Calling the effort a wake-up call for the Administration and the Gore Campaign, ADAPT said that neither has addressed the institutional bias in the long term care system. On October 8, 1996 President Clinton wrote in a letter to disability leaders that "[Vice President Gore and I] will not rest until all Americans with disabilities in institutions have the choice of living in their homes and communities with appropriate services." Yet $46 billion of the $62 billion Medicaid long term care funds (75%) go to nursing homes and other institutions, with a mere $16 billion going to support people in their own homes.

"For 8 years, promise upon promise has been made to us by this Administration, yet nothing changes," said ADAPT's Bob Kafka, "We are frustrated and angry. We want Clinton/Gore to support MiCASSA, and to end the failed public policy that forces people into institutions."

This demonstration is the second day in a weeklong series of direct action planned by ADAPT. Yesterday the group was successful on two fronts. A demonstration at the home of Andrew Cuomo, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, resulted in a long requested meeting between ADAPT and Cuomo at the end of July to discuss HUD's lack of support for affordable, accessible, integrated housing. And a protest at the national office of the American Medical Association yesterday yielded a "Memorandum of Understanding" between ADAPT and the AMA, which includes two meeting to discuss the AMA policy on home and community based services.