Issues
PHI endorses the advocacy of the following issues and encourages its Members to support them.
Updated 12-9-11
WE'RE STILL HERE! 2011 Focus:
ACCESSIBILIITY IN PLACES OF WORSHIP
October 9-15 is WE'RE STILL HERE! week. This year’s focus is to encourage places of worship to make their buildings and programs more accessible. As the late effects of polio bring on new weakness and as we age, it becomes more and more difficult to do the things we used to do, ie, maneuver the stairs, read printed material and hear speakers. Many times it is easier to just stay home, an act that isolates us. Post-polio health includes the body, mind and spirit, and PHI encourages you to think about all three aspects of your health.
What we can do as individuals: Think about the barriers that we face when we visit our places of worship. Talk with those who appear to have similar struggles. Ask them to help us in solving the problems.
The solution may be as simple as requesting
- Signs to show the accessible entrance.
- Seats with arms.
- Larger type in the printed material.
- A portable ramp.
- A covered entrance to protect from ice and snow.
Or we could ask the church, synagogue or mosque leader to
- Request that an accessibility audit be done. (See Introduction and Checklist or seek advice from your local Independent Living Center.)
- Contact their national and international organizations for information. Links to Faith Groups Disability/Accessibility Information
Or we could say “WE’RE STILL HERE!” and offer to
- Head a committee to explore the problems and solutions.
- Organize a “Disability Awareness” program that includes all disabilities.
You get the idea. Be an instigator and a doer. Polio survivors are still here, and we can make a difference for ourselves and others.
Links to Faith Groups Disability/Accessibility Information
2011 Activities:
- Polio Australia Awareness Flyer
- Polio Canada Flyer
- Members’ Survey – The UK-based Polio Survivors Network released the results of a survey. Click here to view the Survey Questions.
2010 Activities
2009 Activities
2008 Activities
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. After five years of negotiations, countries have agreed on a new convention to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. READ MORE ...
Reminder: July 26, 2010 is the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Join the nationwide celebration or conduct your own!
- Recognize the 20th Anniversary of the ADA ! Join a campaign to collect 2,010 proclamations of recommitment to the spirit of the ADA.
- Check American Association of People with Disabilities for history of the ADA, location of events and other ADA resources.
The Missouri History Museum ( St. Louis ) created a special exhibit The Americans with Disabilities Act: Twenty Years Later that will be open from June 26, 2010 to June 6, 2011. Check out the related website – actionforaccess.mohistory.org. PHI’s founder Gini Laurie is featured in the “Independent Living Movement” section. The site and the exhibit include photos from the PHI archives.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAAA) of 2008 was signed into law on September 25, 2008.
Health Care Advocacy
Polio survivors, like individuals from other disability communities, require life-long intermittent intervention. Many chronically ill individuals have the dual challenge of managing their complex conditions while also negotiating innumerable obstacles to accessing quality health care. READ MORE about the advocacy of Reji Mathew, PhD ...
A Focus on Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities
On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 8 and 9, 2008, in conjunction with Homeland Defense Journal, the National Organization on Disability (www.nod.org) hosted a national conference, dedicated to addressing the emergency preparedness needs of individuals with all types of disabilities. Review the prepared remarks of Justice Department representatives, discussing the issue on a panel entitled "ADA Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Justice on Sheltering for Mass Care."
