Houston receives Accessible America Award; states with best community services announced

The National Organization on Disability honored Houston, Texas, as the 2007 winner in the seventh annual Accessible America Contest, with a $25,000 check May 2, according to the Houston Business Journal.

The winning city is being recognized as a national model for its focus on disability issues and successful design of programs, services and facilities that are accessible for citizens and visitors who have disabilities, according to NOD. Other finalists were: Alexandria, VA; Bloomington, IN; Columbus, GA; Hattiesburg, MS; Indianapolis, IN; Miami-Dade County, FL; New Haven, CT; and Sioux Falls, SD.

On April 29, the disability rights group ADAPT announced the 2008 Ten Best and Ten Worst States in the delivery of home and community services to people with disabilities and older Americans.

"No state is ideal, and no state is all bad in how it provides home and community services," said Bob Kafka, ADAPT National Organizer. "This, as always, is simply a snapshot based on current information from the Kaiser Commission, the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota, Thomson Healthcare and an ADAPT survey."

TEN BEST STATES
Alaska
Colorado
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
New Hampshire
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont

HONORABLE MENTION
Kansas
New York
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

TEN WORST STATES
Arkansas
Georgia
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Dakota
Tennessee
Texas

DISHONORABLE MENTION
Alabama
District of Columbia
New Jersey
Ohio
Pennsylvania