Sixth Annual World Congress
on Disability and Exposition
by Herb Drill
At the sixth annual World
Congress on Disabilities and Exposition (WCD) www.wcdexpo.com at
the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the following keynote speakers
spoke about their commitment and focus of helping the millions of
people with disabilities.
Stephen A. Glassman,
is the chairman of the PA Human Relations Commission (PHRC). In
his keynote address, which opened the three day WCD conference
and exhibition, Glassman mused, “It seems almost inconceivable
that our communities and government agencies have been content to
function with the terminology and expectations established in the
early years of the disabilities rights movement.”
“Over the past 35 years,” Glassman observed, “we
have been witness to some remarkable advancements in technology and
in our regard for equality and social justice. We have seen these
advancements in adaptive devices and the promise of dreams yet unfulfilled.
Now, we must reassess how our curiosity for technological advancement
could outpace our interest in creating parity for all Americans in
the workplace, in accessible housing and commercial property, in
public accommodations, and in our educational environments.”
Still, an October article
in The Wall Street Journal read in part: “A
code of silence has long kept parents of children with disabilities
from talking about their kids at work. Driven by growth in their
numbers and the cost of raising special needs children, some parents
are starting to `come out’ at work. A handful of employers
are stepping up to help, with support groups, informational meetings,
and insurance benefits. Today the incidence of U.S. children and
teenagers with a disabling condition has risen from 2% in 1960 to
7%, according to the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
This reflects an increased survival rate and diagnosis of conditions
such as Autism.
Glassman noted how everyone
attending the WCD “has heard the
call to arms and understands the need to raise the bar to enable
all Americans to realize their ultimate potential. That we have an
unemployment rate of 70% among persons with disabilities indicates
the inadequacy of the systems originally designed to create equity
for every individual.”
He concluded by underscoring
his message: “[It] is one of
urgency to strengthen the deployment of resources to enable everyone
to participate fully in every aspect of our society.” He contended
this would be accomplished “by strengthening our partnerships
with government, corporate America, and our associations in the non-profit
sector. By increasing the visibility on these important issues, collectively
we will raise the awareness and sensitivity of the public and enhance
our expectations and support for all persons living with disabilities,
their caregivers, their families, and their communities.”
Kimberly Kendrick, Assistant
secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (Region III) in
the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, is charged with
administering federal fair housing laws and establishing national
policies that ensure all Americans have equal access to the housing
of their choice. She told the audience “it’s
important to keep the pressure on, and even small efforts are worthwhile.”
She noted the Fair Housing
Act, as amended in 1988, “prohibits
housing discrimination on the basis of disability, race, color, religion,
sex, familial status, and national origin. It includes private housing,
housing that receives Federal financial assistance, and state and
local government housing. Other covered activities include financing,
zoning practices, new construction design, and advertising. The Fair
Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable
exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with
disabilities equal housing opportunities.”
U.S. Rep. John P. “Jack” Murtha, contended he seeks “policies
that help people, including a patient’s bill of rights, prescription
drug benefits and protecting Medicare, and Social Security.”
Rep. Murtha notes that
facing steadily increasing premiums and the “skyrocketing
cost of prescription drugs, Americans are continually faced with
finding and keeping affordable health care. Millions of [us] are
never sure if their health-care coverage will be there when they
need it. Today, one in six Americans has no health insurance, millions
more are under-insured, and the number of the uninsured has increased
by almost 4 million since the start of the Bush Administration. While
America has the most advanced health-care system in the world, many
of us face increasing costs, difficulties finding care, and hassles
from our insurance companies.” He asserted that Democrats believe
that “on every issue our nation faces, it is our responsibility
to ensure the policies we pursue are consistent with the values we
cherish. The Bush Administration’s 2006 budget slashes Medicaid
by $60 billion, reduces grants to train doctors at children’s
hospitals, and does almost nothing for the nation’s 45 million
Americans without health insurance.”
“The mission
of the World Congress on Disabilities (WCD) is committed to improving
the lives of those with disabilities, their families and caregivers,
physicians, and direct support professionals,” said
Joseph Valenzano Jr., president, CEO, and publisher for EP Global Communications
Inc. and publisher of Exceptional Parent Magazine, a chief supporter
of the WCD. “Those direct support professionals include “allied
health-care professionals, educators and adapted physical education
specialists, and everyone working within the disability community,” he
said. The WCD featured an exhibit hall with a vast array of pertinent
products and services, an extensive educational program along with
special events and activities.
