Discovering Deaf Worlds program travels to Thailand, Cambodia, and Costa Rica to learn about local deaf communities

From I-Newswire:

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Discovering Deaf Worlds, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, grassroots organization based in Rochester, New York, is launching an innovative program called Discovering Deaf Worlds: Journeys, which provides wonderful opportunities for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people to explore the unique cultures of developing countries, while engaging in local Deaf communities, and supporting the efforts of international deaf advocacy associations.

Tour costs have built-in donations, allowing trip participants to advocate for the establishment of deaf clubs in all 76 provinces of Thailand; support efforts to create the first sign language dictionary in Costa Rica; and sponsor deaf students in Cambodia to learn vocational skills to achieve financial independence and provide for their families.

On these journeys, participants will also learn about the local sign language of each country, and what it is like to be a deaf person living there. Additionally, all tours will be fully accessible with guides fluent in English and American Sign Language, as well as a local signing guide from each country.

Discovering Deaf Worlds has partnered with Rochester-based, socially conscious travel company, GoPhilanthropic, to provide this wonderful opportunity for anyone who wishes to experience different cultures and new adventures while making a difference at the same time.

Discovering Deaf Worlds will offer trips every year to multiple destinations, the first being to Cambodia and Thailand from October 12, 2010 to October 23, 2010. Registration deadline is August 30th, 2010.

Louisiana asks BP for $10 million for mental health services for those affected by oil spill

From Mental Health News. CNN also reports 162 cases of illness from the oil spill.

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals in Louisiana, Alan Levine, has asked BP for $10 million in funding for mental health services for Louisiana residents who are affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

This is the second request made by Louisiana for funding for mental health services. Levine first made the request a month ago, but BP has not yet agreed to provide the funding.

In a letter sent yesterday to Doug Suttles, Chief Operating Officer of BP America, Levine states that counselors in affected communities are already warning that a mental health crisis is in the works in Louisiana due to “anger, anxiety, and uncertainty among the families and communities affected by the spill.”

Levine stated that counseling teams have already worked with nearly 2,000 individuals affected by the spill, and among the psychological issues reported are anxiety, depression, stress, grief, excessive drinking, and suicidal thoughts. These are warning signs, Levine says, of future more serious problems including “substance abuse and dependence, mental illness, suicide and familial breakdown including divorce, spouse abuse, and child abuse and neglect.”

The $10 million is being requested to fund six months of continuing mental health outreach activities through the Department of Health and Hospitals, which has provided counseling through an outreach program called Louisiana Spirit.

BP has also received a separate request from Catholic Charities for over $23 million, over $3 million of which is designated for mental health services. Levine’s letter to Suttles indicates that the state supports the request of Catholic Charities, and that the state would coordinate with Catholic Charities and any other groups that provide mental health services to affected residents.

The request comes quickly after the suicide of an Alabama charter boat captain last week. Allen “Rookie” Kruse, who had been contracted by BP to assist with spill clean-up and whose family said he was devastated by the oil spill, died due to a gun-shot wound and his death was ruled a suicide by the coroner. This dramatic development has certainly made clear the mental health risks for Gulf area residents, particularly those who make their living on the water.

Autism insurance bill stalls in North Carolina

From WFMY-TV:

RALEIGH, N.C. - Supporters of the proposed Autism Insurance Bill faced a major set back today in Raleigh.

State lawmakers tabled the legislation until next year, meaning thousands of parents will have to continue paying for their child's Autism treatments out of pocket.

It's a huge blow to parents who spent the last two years pushing for Autism Insurance Reform.

Parent Debra Merchant is disappointed lawmakers tabled the bill. The Piedmont mom's insurance company denied her son Jordan's Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) treatments.

She pays $15,000 a year to get him the care he needs

This bill would have eased the financial burden and made it mandatory for health insurance companies to provide coverage.

"You never give up! You never give up on your child. You just start all over again. But it's costing us time where Jordan can be learning so much more and becoming more independent. And the money, bills; just racks up," said Merchant.

WFMY News 2 contacted Senators William Purcell and Stan Bingham who are members of the Senate Health Care committee.

They say the committee did not have all the financial information they needed to get the bill passed.

"It's going to affect insurance rates for people and we need to know how much before we can vote," said Purcell.

"It was wise economics on our part so we do not get our citizens into something that we cannot afford," added Bingham.

Both Senators support the bill. They tell News 2 had the figures been ready the bill would have likely passed during the short session.

The Senate Health Care Committee will revisit the bill during its next work session which begins in January 2011.

University of Buffalo researchers start clinical trials of new MS treatment

From University of Buffalo News:

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo medical researchers led by a team from the University at Buffalo Department of Neurosurgery, will embark on a landmark prospective randomized double-blinded study to test the safety and efficacy of interventional endovascular therapy --dubbed "liberation treatment" -- on the symptoms and progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Recent research has strongly associated chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) with MS.

In a series of original studies, Paolo Zamboni MD, of the University of Ferrara, Italy, found blockage of major venous outflow from the brain and spinal cord in patients with MS. Researchers from many institutions, including the University at Buffalo, have confirmed the association.

It is hypothesized that the narrowing in the large veins in the neck and chest might cause improper drainage of blood from the brain, resulting in eventual injury to brain tissue. It is thought that angioplasty -- treatment commonly used by cardiologists and other endovascular surgeons to treat atherosclerosis -- may remedy the blockages.

Zamboni has conducted preliminary studies that suggest the efficacy of venous angioplasty – "liberation procedure" -- in the amelioration of MS symptoms.

Now, researchers at the University at Buffalo will launch PREMiSe (Prospective Randomized Endovascular therapy in Multiple Sclerosis), a study to determine if endovascular intervention via balloon angioplasty to correct the blockages improves MS symptoms or progression.

PREMiSe is believed to be the first prospective randomized double-blinded study of balloon angioplasty for MS being performed with Institutional Review Board approval in a rigorous fashion in the US with significant safeguards in place to ensure careful determination of risks and benefits.

The study is led by principal investigator Adnan Siddiqui, MD, assistant professor of Neurosurgery, UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, with co-principal investigators Elad Levy, MD, associate professor, and L.N. Hopkins, MD, professor and chair of the UB Department of Neurosurgery .

Additional independent researchers from University at Buffalo will participate in the evaluation and follow-up of study patients. An independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will ensure the safety and effectiveness of the study on an ongoing basis.

In the first phase of the study, ten MS patients from the United States and Canada who exhibit venous insufficiency will undergo minimally invasive venous angioplasties to determine if the procedure can be performed safely. The procedures began June 29 and will continue today (June 30), performed by Siddiqui and Levy at Kaleida Health's Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital in Buffalo, New York.

In its second phase, the study will randomize 20 MS patients who will undergo either venous angioplasty or a "sham angioplasty" (i.e. a catheter will be inserted but there will be no inflation of the balloon). The treatment will be blinded in such a way that neither the patient undergoing the procedure nor the clinicians evaluating the patient will be aware which procedure was performed.

If results suggest an appropriate safety profile and preliminary effectiveness, researchers will approach the University at Buffalo IRB for an extension of the protocol to study a larger number of patients in order to convincingly prove or disprove a causal relationship between CCSVI and MS.

Multiple sclerosis is estimated to affect more than 400,000 people in the United States and more than two million people worldwide. It is typically a disease of young adults characterized by either a relapsing or progressive decline in neurologic function resulting in significant disability. It is an inflammatory neurological disease widely considered to be autoimmune in nature, though its exact origins remain elusive.

If angioplasty is proven effective at improving MS symptoms, the implications for the future of MS treatment could be monumental. The physicians conducting PREMiSe are cautious but optimistic that initial findings will be promising.

Nigeria makes plans to integrate disabled people into elected government posts

From The Nigerian Observer:

BIRNIN-KEBBI, Nigeria - The National Committee on Persons with Disability says it has commenced the formulation of a national policy aimed at integrating persons with disability in governance.

The National President of the Association, Alhaji Nasir Argungu, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the new policy was also aimed at providing equal opportunity for the disabled to contest elective posts.

“We would not relent in eliminating all barriers and discrimination of our members,” he said.

Argungu, said he was appointed secretary of the 15-member Federal Government committee on the affirmation of the rights of persons with disability.

He said the committee would evolve policies to protect and defend the rights of the disabled.

“If our members were given equal opportunities, we could perform better as ministers, governors or local government chairmen,” he said.

He said that the committee would identify disabled person who had secured admission in foreign universities and advised those with such admission to forward the documents to the committee for sponsorship.

“The committee has been mandated to also encourage the pursuit of education among the disabled,” he said.

Priest in Thailand aids blind people in acquiring job skills

From CNN GO in Asia:

Going through life without vision is hard enough in any country, but in Thailand’s it’s a particularly tough battle.

For those of you who have visited or live in Bangkok, try and recall how many beeping pedestrian-crossing signals you’ve seen. Or how many Braille magazines you’ve spotted at the bookstore. Even worse, how many times have you stumbled and cursed your way down a pothole-ridden sidewalk? Our guess is, respectively, hardly any, never have and way too often.

Father Carlo Velardo has spent the past 30 years making it a bit easier for the blind to experience healthy and productive lives in Thailand. As director of the Nonthaburi Skills Development Centre for the Blind (pictured), his facility is dedicated to not only providing friendship and care to his students, but also giving them the training they need to make a living in a city that can be a challenge even if you aren’t disabled.

Velardo came to Thailand in 1978 from Italy, four months after being ordained. “A Belgian fellow and I were the first Salesians in Thailand,” says the soft-spoken priest, referring to his religious order, the Salesians of Don Bosco, which was founded in the mid 19th century. “We didn’t know much about what we were doing then, so we just winged it.”

His school today is a far cry from what it was during those uncertain days. “When I started, the blind were shunned and common perception was that they could only do two things -- sell lottery tickets and be telephone operators. But we started teaching our students carpentry and woodwork and were able to get some of them jobs, but it was hard,” he says, as the realities of insurance, malpractice and on-the-job injuries gave many factory owners cold feet.

“The ironic thing is, we even showed them statistics proving that the blind have far less instances of injuries than those who are sighted!” he says, laughing. “When you can see, you get careless and work too fast -- a pretty girl walks by and you end up cutting off your finger. But a blind person has much less to distract them; they work more diligently and concentrate harder. So we rethought our strategy, and came up with the idea of training our students to be massage therapists. We managed to find two excellent instructors, and the program began in 1983.”

Velardo’s program recently got approval from the Ministry of Public Health to license graduates as Doctors of Thai Traditional Massage, an accolade not easy to come by. Most graduates find work right away and continue to hone their skills over many years. The center, located in north of Bangkok in Nonthaburi’s Pakkred district, sees about 150 customers per day.

A tour of the training facility gives an insight into the thoroughness of the course. All the traditional learning tools are there -- mannequins, nerve and muscle charts, maps of the body labeled with organ names and acupuncture points -- but all the names are in Braille. The charts, maps and mannequins are all covered in different textures of sandpaper, cloth, rope and wood to help the students navigate by hand alone.

The two-year course accepts only 40 first-year students each year, and even has its own registered trademark. Their logo is a sure sign that the therapists have been properly trained. The campus includes a gymnasium where students can get exercise and improve their self confidence.

“It’s quite daunting for a blind person to play baseball or run a race, but once they get good at it they think ‘Well, what else can I do?’” says Velardo. One of those things is judo, which is also taught at the school. Velardo tells an interesting story of how it started.

“Blind people in Bangkok -- usually lottery vendors -- were constantly getting robbed, but all the police could say was ‘Can you describe the thief?’ Eventually, a group got angry enough that they burned down a police station, which was too much. I came up with the idea of teaching the students self-defense, and managed to get the police to supply us with instructors.

“It was rough at first, but it got better quickly. I got some newspapers to cover the story, and wouldn’t you know it, pretty soon the assaults all but stopped! Some students have even won national judo competitions,” says Velardo smiling.

Velardo comes across as a simple man, a priest who is doing his duty not for fortune or glory, but to make a genuine difference. So after all these years of training the blind, what makes him continue?

“Satisfaction at seeing my students join society in a productive way," he says. “That’s all I need.”

Florida school volunteer says his wheelchair helps him better interact with kids

From The Palm Beach Post in Florida:

When Fred Rosene got into a toboggan accident at age 19 and was left a paraplegic, he thought his life was over. Now, 60 years later, he realizes that the accident gave him a new passion for life and helping others.

The 79-year-old Boynton Beach retiree has been volunteering in Palm Beach County schools, working with children, for the past 20 years.

He recently was recognized for his volunteer work when he was named one of six Community Champions by Molina Healthcare of Florida. As a winner, Rosene received a $1,000 grant to donate to a nonprofit of his choice. He chose to give the money to needy families in Haiti through a program his church runs.

He said that he has a knack for working with kids, and credits his accident for helping with that.

"One of the great things about being in a wheelchair is that I'm at the kids' level," he said. "And they get to push me in the wheelchair, so they're helping me while I'm helping them."

Rosene grew up in Newton, Mass., and received his bachelor's and master's degrees in math from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He immediately landed a job out of college at Sylvania Electronics and worked his way up to the title of senior scientist. He worked there for 34 years, until he retired.

Outside of work, he coached basketball teams at his church and got involved with a drop-in center for kids.

In Palm Beach County, Rosene spent 11 years volunteering at Plumosa Elementary School in Delray Beach, and now volunteers at Crosspointe Elementary School in Boynton Beach. He tutors kids in math and science, corrects papers, and develops educational games and projects that can be used in the classroom.

Although he was never married and doesn't have any kids, he considers the students to be like his children.

"Seeing the kids go on to achieve great things, that makes it all worthwhile," he said.

Date change to Oct. 12 for TASH Symposium for Change to celebrate 20th ADA anniversary

From TASH:

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with TASH as we interview those at the forefront of the disability rights movement in a special ADA 20th Anniversary Video Series. Every two weeks, TASH will release a video interview from a leading figure in the movement. This is part of a year-long celebration that also includes the 2010 Symposium for Change, October 12, in Washington, D.C.

In an effort to expand our advocacy efforts, the 2010 Symposium for Change has been moved to October 12, 2010, in Washington, D.C. The move allows TASH to gain broad participation from the disability community, families, advocates, professionals and policy makers. We hope you'll join us on October 12 as we explore and tackle the rising challenge of disparities for people of color with disabilities!

Be part of the advocacy in Washington as we discuss the latest research and best practices in health, employment and education for people of color with disabilities. Hear from leading researchers, advocates and decision-makers on the policies and practices that can help bridge and eliminate these disparities. The 2010 Symposium for Change also includes a legislative briefing and office visits to policy makers on October 13 on Capitol Hill.

Part One: Bob Williams

Currently serving as Senior Advisor for the Ticket to Work Program – part of the Social Security Administration – Bob Williams (right front in picture) was a leading figure in the advocacy that helped pass the ADA in 1990. He’s been a champion for disability rights during the two decades since, spending much of the 1990s as Commissioner for the Administration on Developmental Disabilities under President Clinton where he promoted independence and community inclusion for individuals with disabilities.

Williams, who has cerebral palsy, has been a vocal advocate from an early age. TASH asked him to reflect on the past 20 years and discuss some of the challenges facing the disability community today.

Part Two: Judy Heumann

Judy is the senior advisor on international disability rights for the U.S. Department of State. In this role she supports President Obama and Secretary Clinton’s goal of ensuring the voice of the disability community is listened to and integrated here and around the world. TASH asked Judy to speak about the disability rights and issues impacting employment for individuals with disabilities. Judy, who was diagnosed with polio at 18 months of age, has been a lifelong advocate and leader in the disability rights movement.

Part Three: Wayne Sailor

Wayne Sailor, associate director of the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas, is a monumental figure whose research and advocacy has had a profound impact on education for students with disabilities. Wayne was instrumental in the creation of TASH 35 years ago, and has been an integral part of our work ever since! We interviewed Wayne to explore the future of education for students with disabilities in America.

Simple blood test may diagnose Down syndrome before birth

From The Telegraph in the UK:

A cheap blood test that could allow doctors to check unborn children for Down's syndrome and other disorders has been developed by scientists.

Researchers hope it will provide a better alternative to invasive tests which give an accurate result, but raise the risk of the mother suffering a miscarriage.

They hope to have the test available within four years and have suggested it may eventually cost as little as £30 per patient.

The new test works by extracting the DNA of the foetus from the mother's blood and screening it for Down's syndrome and other abnormalities.

At present, pregnant women are given the odds on whether they are carrying a child with Down's syndrome, and if they want to know for certain they have to undergo one of two invasive processes; either amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. The first involves taking a sample of fluid from around the foetus and can, in some cases, cause a miscarriage even if the woman is carrying a healthy foetus. The second requires taking a fragment of the placenta.

The new test involves the same equipment needed for amniocentesis testing, but uses blood instead of amniotic fluid and is not invasive.

So far, researchers have been able to prove the technique works in principle and have described the results as “promising”. They hope to use the same method to detect other abnormalities in an unborn child’s DNA such as Edwards’ syndrome, which causes structural malformations in the foetus, and Patau’s syndrome, which can result in severe physical and mental impairment and is often fatal.

It could also be used to screen for muscular dystrophy and haemophilia.

Research on the new test began in 2009 and is ongoing. To date it has involved 21 women who have had pregnancy terminations or pre-natal diagnosis and screening procedures. Dr Suzanna Frints, of Maastricht University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who carried out the research, said she hoped all women in the world would eventually be offered the test.

She said the next phase of development would need to involve more women to establish the accuracy of the test.

“Although we need to test and refine this technique further our results so far are promising,” she said.

“When we succeed in developing the procedure for use in maternal blood we will be able to offer a safe, cheap, fast, reliable and accurate non-invasive test, which will be of immediate benefit to pregnant women, young and old, all over the world.” Down’s syndrome is a genetic abnormality that affects around one in 1,000 babies born in the UK – about 750 babies a year – and is the most common cause of learning disability.

Prof Stephen Robson, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said there was an ''enormous research effort’’ going into finding the ''holy grail’’ of a non-invasive test for Down’s syndrome.

Ultrasound scans of the baby at 12 or 13 weeks and again at around 20 weeks will still be necessary to detect other abnormalities in the foetus as well as check age and growth.

Medical center in Texas provides dental care for children with disabilities

From KVUE News in Austin, Texas:

Chances are when you think of Dell Children's Medical Center you don't think of dentistry, but there is one dentist on staff. She's been there less than a year, and is already booked several months in advance.

Imagine a child with a cleft lip and palate, or a child suffering from Spina Bifida. Most dentists may not have the time or the facilities to handle special needs patients, and they may not have colleagues nearby that can treat problems that often occur with special needs patients. That's what makes the program at Dell Children's unique.

Ruby and Esmeralda Hernandez are 2 year old twins, identical in every way, except Ruby was born with Beckman Wiedemann Syndrome, which has resulted in an enlarged tongue.

"Her mouth is always open so she ends up building more calculus on her teeth," said Lisa Jacob D.D.S., a pediatric dentist at Dell Children's Medical Center.

9-year old Joshua Bentley was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate.

"Everything in there was just in the wrong place," said Karen Bentley, Joshua's mother.

Both Joshua and Ruby are treated at Dell Children's by pediatric dentist Lisa Jacob. She's been at Dell less than a year and already has a waiting list of 125 special needs patients.

"These patients had no where to go. We see autistic patients, patients who are wheelchair bound, patients on stretchers, any kind of medically complex area," said Jacob.

Jacob works out of the Dell Children's Craniofacial and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Center, where she teams with plastic surgeons, speech pathologists and neurosurgeons all under one roof.

"The teeth, the jaws, the repairs all go together. So it makes it a lot easier when you are on the same team to work together to coordinate that," said Jacob.

Ruby will have surgery this Friday to remove four teeth. As for Joshua, he faces another 9 years of surgeries on his cleft lip and palate.

"I don't like going into surgeries and it's hard. It's hard to leave my parents," said Joshua.

It's hard on his parents as well, but they are thankful for Doctor Jacob and the rest of the team at Dell Children's.

"We know that it could have been something wrong with him that couldn't be fixed. So it is nice to know that there is a way to be fixed and he will be a very normal and healthy child," said Karen Bentley.

The dental services at Dell are not free of charge. Doctor Jacob says insurance or Medicaid covers about 70 percent of the patients she sees.

In Ireland, agreement reached over how to educate boy with autism

From The Irish Times:

A Supreme Court appeal on behalf of a young boy with autism aimed at compelling the State to fund a special form of education for him has ended by agreement between the sides.

The five-judge court was told yesterday there was no longer an issue over the central matter of the child’s education and on that basis the appeal could be dismissed. Seán Ó Cuanacháin’s parents said afterwards they expect the State to continue funding education for their son.

Seán has been receiving State funding for education since the failure of his High Court action three years ago seeking funding for education according to the specialised system of Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA).

Yesterday, following discussions between the parties, the Supreme Court was told it had been agreed the child’s appeal against that High Court decision could be dismissed with no order as to costs, meaning both sides will have to pay their own costs. The case had run for almost 70 days in the High Court, incurring costs estimated at about €5 million.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal after the sides agreed it was “moot” – pointless – as there was no longer an issue between them over funding.

Afterwards, the child’s parents, Yvonne and Cian Ó Cuanacháin said they were “relieved the torment is finally over”. They said Seán has been receiving ABA education, funded by the State, since the High Court case and is doing very well.

They said they expected the Minister for Education to continue to fund the arrangements now in place for Seán. They said they had been advised, if such funding did not continue, they would have a very good case to go back to court.

In the action, Seán, of Woodbine Avenue, Mountain View, Arklow, Wicklow, suing through his father, had sought orders compelling the Ministers for Education and Health to provide funding for his education according to ABA. They also sought damages for the alleged failure of the State to provide appropriate education in the past as well as a guarantee as to Seán’s future education.

In the High Court in 2007, Mr Justice Michael Peart ruled the programme of education being provided by the State for Seán – an eclectic or “Model A” programme – was “appropriate autism-specific educational provision” and, in those circumstances, declined to make orders requiring the State to fund an ABA programme.

The High Court also awarded €61,000 damages against the Health Service Executive (HSE)because of “unreasonable” delay in diagnosing his condition and in providing appropriate therapies to him. The HSE brought a cross appeal to the Supreme Court over this.

When the appeal opened in the Supreme Court on Monday, the case was adjourned until yesterday after the court was told Seán is currently receiving ABA education. The court then asked the parties to make submissions given the central issue between them appeared moot. Following talks between the parties yesterday, David Holland SC, for the family, said as Seán’s parents were now happy with the quality of education he is receiving and given the element of mootness about the issue, they were seeking for the court to make no order on the appeal.

Feichin McDonagh SC, for the State, said they were satisfied the education Seán is receiving falls within the “Model A” programme and were consenting to having the matter dismissed, noting the court had not determined the issue.

The Chief Justice Mr Justice John Murray – sitting with Mrs Justice Susan Denham, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, Mr Justice Nial Fennelly and Mrs Justice Fidelma Macken – said both parties had agreed the appeal in relation to the substantive issue should not proceed. The court also allowed the HSE’s cross appeal and that matter will now go back before the High Court.

Inadequate computer system jeopardizes Connecticut's ability to investigate abuse, neglect of people with intellectual disabilities

From the Connecticut Mirror:

An inadequate computer system is jeopardizing efforts to investigate accusations of abuse or neglect of adults with mental retardation, state auditors say.

"Some cases could be lost and deadlines are definitely at-risk of not being met," State Auditor Kevin P. Johnston said.

The Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities handles about 1,300 complaints annually, of which some 400 are found to be actual incidents of neglect or abuse, said James D. McGaughey, the state agency's director.

And while McGaughey agrees that there are flaws in the decade-old computer system being used to track these cases, he believes his 10-person staff investigating complaints has launched the "appropriate work-arounds" to ensure no accusation is lost in the system.

"The numbers don't always add up, and we know that about it, so we are careful. We are tracking it instead," he said, adding that OPA is working on a "shoestring staff and budget."

McGaughey said one position in the 11-person Abuse Investigation Division has remained vacant since December, which does hamper the agency's ability to look into complaints.

"We are trying to get approval to hire for that position. We'll see if it happens," he said. "Our highest priority is refilling that position."

Cathy Cook -- a former state legislator, an advocate for those with disabilities and the mother of a child with mental retardation -- said staff at OPA has always been limited, which makes it even more important the computer system tracking the allegations is working properly.

"Their understaffing slows down their ability to investigate and monitor these complaints," she said. "They do need assistance to accurately and speedily handle concerns."

A new computer software system was requested in 2007, McGaughey said, but the cost-- more the $100,000--"greatly exceeded existing budgeted funds."

The agency requested their $2.6 million annual budget be expanded to cover the expense, but funding was not approved in the state's final adopted budget.

Robert G. Jaekle, the other state auditor, said the current computer system is not performing.

"They cannot rely on this system. It should have accurate data so they can rely upon it to monitor cases," he said. "We did not find that their work-arounds led to any cases being overlooked, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. There is no reliable system."

The agency has 90 days to complete most investigations, and "every step that an investigator takes, from intake to the completion of the investigation of a report, it's done on this database. It's used every day," McGaughey said.

"It's good for finding out the status on a specific case. Where it's not working so well is forming a general query. You would think you could get basic information, and it does it gives you an answer, but when you go back and ask a few minutes later the answer has changed," he said. "It will lie to you, that's the frustration."

For Johnston, that defeats the whole purpose of having a system.

"How do you know what information is accurate? ... The whole system is meant to be there to help meet deadlines and monitor someone and make sure everything is OK. These are serious allegations so you should want to make sure they are not missed."

Missouri recommits itself to the Americans with Disabilities Act

From the Missouri History Museum:

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), on June 25, 2010, members of the five institutions comprising the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (ZMD) converged at the Missouri History Museum to sign proclamations of recommitment to the vision of the ADA—full inclusion of people with disabilities into American life.

Missouri History Museum president Robert R. Archibald said, “As a gesture of the collaborative natures of the five ZMD institutions, we have all gathered here this morning to sign our individual proclamations.”

The proclamations from the ZMD institutions—composed of MHM, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Zoo, and the Missouri Botanical Garden—are part of a campaign called “2010 By 2010.” Spearheaded by the National ADA Symposium, the 2010 By 2010 campaign’s goal is to collect 2,010 proclamations of recommitment from local and state governments, schools, businesses, and organizations.

Several members of the disability community were on-hand to watch the recommitment ceremony, including Max and Colleen Starkloff, of the Starkloff Disability Institute and founders of Paraquad, and Bob Huskey, board president of Paraquad. Huskey said the recommitment to the ADA is significant because, “it shows us that the attitude of society, which has been one of the biggest problems to overcome, is changing. I’ve been in a [wheel] chair for 54 years, and back then there weren’t any ramps for accessibility.”

But Huskey said because of the passage of the ADA and the efforts of organizations like Paraquad, “I can fly to California and find an accessible hotel and a van to drive.”

During the event, Dr. Archibald invited participants to preview the MHM exhibit The Americans with Disabilities Act: 20 Years Later, which he said “explores life before the ADA, changes that have happened in society since this law was passed, and the efforts that continue to remove obstacles to full community life.”

The exhibit opens to the public on June 26, 2010. To learn more about life before and after the ADA, visit Action for Access: Changing Perceptions of Disability in American Life.

Petco settles with deaf groomer over harassment case

From The Denver Post:

A deaf pet groomer who worked in Aurora will receive payment in a harassment case.

The former staffer at a Petco Animal Supplies store in Aurora claimed she was victimized by other Petco employees because she was deaf. She will be paid $145,000 as part of a settlement between Petco and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the EEOC said in a news release Tuesday.

The woman, Nancy Buchner, was born deaf. Buchner worked as a pet groomer for three decades and communicated primarily by sign language, according to the EEOC.

In 2001, she was hired as a pet stylist by Petco.

Petco was aware of her deafness and allegedly assured Buchner that other employees would assist her in scheduling appointments by telephone, according to the EEOC.

But according to allegations in court documents filed in Denver federal court by the EEOC and Dale Gaar, Buchner's civil lawyer, the working atmosphere around Buchner became toxic. Buchner resigned in 2006.

In the consent decree between Petco and the EEOC, Petco denied all of the allegations.

Petco spokesman Kevin Whalen said the company disagreed with the accusations but was happy a settlement had been reached.

The company said it was entering the consent decree to provide monetary relief to Buchner; ensure that Petco employment practices comport with federal law; ensure that Petco managers, supervisors and employees are given training on their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and ensure that Petco provides qualified individuals with disabilities "reasonable accommodations."

The company also noted it wanted to avoid the time, expense and uncertainty of further litigation.

New "Paul Reiser Show" will feature wheelchair-using actor as son

From the Ventura County Star in Calif.:

When Rhonda Waidmann got the phone call from Warner Bros., she wasn’t ready. Her son Brock, 12, had been cast in the role of Zeke for a television show starring Paul Reiser, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role in the 1990s sitcom “Mad About You.” Brock would play Reiser’s oldest son in the new program, “The Paul Reiser Show.”

“They told me to have a head shot, a photograph, sent to them immediately. We didn’t have one, though,” said Rhonda Waidmann, 36, of Camarillo.

She and her husband, Mel, 39, an automobile technician, scrambled through their Camarillo home to find something. They came up with a photograph they took of Brock at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park when he fed small parrot-like birds called lorikeets.

The picture features Brock’s bright blue eyes, easy smile and, of course, his wheelchair.

Brock has spina bifida, a birth defect in which a child is born with a hole in the spine. Later, it was also determined he had a rare and potentially life-threatening condition called agenesis corpus callosum, which occurs when a portion of the brain fails to develop properly.

But neither condition has really slowed Brock down.

“His comprehension levels are a little lower than some kids his age, but his rote memorization is higher than most kids his age,” said his mother, who home-schools Brock. “The spina bifida damaged the nerves from his ankles down and some in his legs. But from his knees up, he has feeling,” she said.

The family was told that Brock would never walk.

“But I do,” said Brock. “Short distances, mainly. And I use my crutches when my legs get tired.”

A series of seizures, which led to the discovery of Brock’s brain birth defect, left the family frightened and uncertain. But when they moved back to California after living in Portland, Ore., and other cities (they’re originally from Camarillo), Brock grew stronger.

“He was pretty sick,” said Mel Waidmann. “We look at pictures of him now, and we realize he didn’t look too good. But he was always smiling,” he said. Brock has been weaned off seizure medication entirely now.

The boy’s first experience with acting came when he was in kindergarten at Los Primeros School in Camarillo. “He played in the ‘Three Piggy Opera’ that they do there for kindergarten, and he got the part of the stick pig,” said Rhonda, referring to the pig whose house is made of sticks. “The speech therapist had told us not to let him sing the solo, that he’d be unable to. But when the play opened, the therapist was sitting in the front row crying listening to him,” she said.

“We all were.”

From there, Brock performed in Camarillo’s Cinemagic program just this year.

“He really doesn’t have much else on his résumé,” said Rhonda. “But he loves to do it.”

The Waidmanns’ two younger sons, William and Mel, are actors as well. William’s manager, Cinda Snow, knew that Brock wanted to act too and told the Waidmanns about Reiser’s new show.

“Cinda told us that they were looking for someone in a wheelchair. Evidently, Mr. Reiser’s real son has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound,” said Rhonda. “When Brock auditioned, he was in there for a while and when (Brock) came out, he was smiling and Paul Reiser was with him,” she said.

Rhonda said Reiser introduced himself and told her that he “loved this kid” and couldn’t wait to get him in the program.

“The Paul Reiser Show” was in the beginning stages, casting for a pilot production. The show was what NBC called a “mockumentary,” a kind of mirror of Reiser’s real life with his wife, played by Amy Landecker, and two kids played by Brock and Koby Rouviere.

The show’s website describes the program as “a comedy based on Paul Reiser’s real-life experiences.”

“It was to be a show with a disabled actor playing a disabled character, but the disability is not part of the storyline. It’s just a part of Reiser’s life,” said Rhonda. So far, six episodes have been purchased for a midseason pick-up by the network. No air date has been announced.

“I really like acting,” said Brock. “It’s amazing. I get to be anything I want.”

With a constant smile and a kind, even demeanor, Brock talked about his favorite things: the “High School Musical” movies and all things Harry Potter.

“I want to do a musical someday,” Brock said. “I like to sing.”