Home & Community Based Services Rally
Posted September 12, 2011 by Mandy Smith in Advocacy
Saturday Sept. 10th dozens of advocates gathered at the Statehouse in support of Home and Community Based Services, independent living in Kansas for people with disabilities, and (although it was unplanned) Consumer Run Organizations(CROs) for people with mental illness.
The Topeka Independent Living Resource Center and Kansas ADAPT sponsored and held the rally with speakers including Mike Oxford, TILRC, Rocky Nichols, DRC, Mike Harkness, NAMI, State Representative Paul Davis, and consumers who shared their struggles and successes with home and community based services.
Over and over the importance of advocacy and fighting for the rights of the disability community, and the dire situation we are in was highlighted. Rep. Davis commented that “The biggest fight is now.”
Many people were present to support the work of Sunshine Connection, a CRO in Topeka that works with people with mental illness. They had made signs urging Gov. Brownback and the SRS administration to continue to fund such organizations instead of putting their grants up for bid against faith based organizations.
The theme was one of unity and forward progress that will be tested by the very rough political climate. Both Rocky Nichols and Rep. Davis warned of the upcoming Medicaid “reform” and urged consumers to contact their local legislators now and to keep doing it. The more the stories of the disability community are heard, the more we can gain from our advocacy efforts.
It is very important that Kansas continue the history we have of having a strong, vocal disability community pushing for freedom, equality and the right to be truly independent. If you would like to be involved in advocacy efforts please contact Summer Ludwig or by phone at 785-267-1717, working together we CAN make a difference.
