Action Report

Bob Kafka had explained that this week Congress was working on the Budget, and the Clinton Administration was seeking one billion dollars for the nursing home industry. "The billion dollars will come out of the waiver programs on a state level," said Kafka, "are we going to take this shit?"

The ADAPT leadership laid out for the group of 500 activists the large tasks in front of ADAPT this week. Not only is the nursing home industry begging for more government handouts, but also there are also some serious attacks on the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

On October 11th the Supreme Court will hear Alabama v. Garrett, testing the power of Congress to pass the ADA. Yesterday, the Rolling Freedom Express ended its seven state tour from Birmingham Alabama to the U.S. Supreme Court to highlight Americans support for the ADA. Tuesday, thousands will unite in the March for Justice to show the country the widespread backing for the civil rights law.

Earlier in the day, ADAPT members attended workshops on ADAPT history, the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead decision, the upcoming Garrett case and local organizing strategies. "Most states are very vulnerable to Olmstead lawsuits," said Steve Gold, leading the Olmstead workshop, "few states have done something concrete."

Steve Gold explained that Olmstead requires states to have a "comprehensive effectively working plan" that not only gets people out of nursing homes, but also stops people from going in to start with. "States check out a person's financial eligibility and their medical need when they go into a nursing home," said Steve. "What they need to ask is 'what do you need to get out?'"

Many strategies were brought up, yet for Olmstead Gold explained: "This is a matter of political will. The more you kick their ass, the more people we will get out."