ADAPT Scores Resolution Intro by PA Gov. Rendell at NGA Summer Meeting

Governors Grapple with Aging of America - Associated Press , Sunday, July
18, 2004

"As U.S. governors spent their summer meeting examining ways to help the
elderly, hundreds of disabled protesters in wheelchairs shut down local
traffic Sunday, seeking support to force Medicaid to more quickly turn to
home-based long-term care, rather than relying on institutions."

http://makeashorterlink.com/?X151217D8


-----Original Message-----
From: dmartin336@aol.com [mailto:dmartin336@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 4:28 PM
To: NConSD_News@yahoogroups.com; COMMINC@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: [NConSD_News] Fwd: ADAPT Scores Resolution Intro by PA Gov.
Rendell at NGA Summer Meeting


In a message dated 7/19/2004 1:57:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
adaptpr@adapt.org writes:
For Immediate Release

July 19, 2004

For Information Contact;

Bob Kafka 512/431-4085

Marsha Katz 406/544-9504

Joelle Brouner 206/322-4856

ADAPT Scores Resolution Intro by PA Gov. Rendell at NGA Summer Meeting


Seattle--- ADAPT blocked intersections around the Westin Hotel
headquarters of the National Governors Association (NGA) summer meeting in
Seattle for five hours before Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell agreed
to introduce ADAPT's long term care resolution to the NGA membership. The
resolution calls for reform of the Medicaid long term care system, so
persons with disabilities, old and young, would have the choice to receive
services and supports in their own homes instead of nursing homes and
other institutions.

Gov. Rendell's commitment to read the resolution to the NGA
membership today, and begin a formal process to move it forward, not only
prevented imminent arrest of up to 200 ADAPT activists, but it set the
stage for a vote on the resolution by the NGA membership at their February
meeting. Rendell delivered his promise in person to the 500 ADAPT
activists.

"I was so proud of my Governor today", said Nancy Salandra, an
ADAPT Organizer from Philadelphia. "It's my birthday, and Governor Rendell
gave me the best possible present when he came out of the Westin hotel to
join us in the street and tell us that our resolution is an idea whose
time has come, and that a lot of governors agree with us."

Rendells public meeting with ADAPT bucked the party line put out
by NGA staff before the summer meeting. That party line was contained in a
written statement that, among other things said NGA would work to minimize
media coverage generated by protests and would not arrange meetings with
Governors for representatives of ADAPT Additionally, Rendell sent Director
of the Pennsylvania Office of Health Care Reform, Rosemarie Greco, to
speak at the ADAPT kick-off rally at Victor Steinbrueck Park on Saturday.

Some of the other Governors who chose to communicate with their
constituents in Seattle include Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour who
arranged to meet personally with Mississipians from ADAPT and committed to
a follow-up meeting on July 23 back home; Kansas Governor Kathleen
Sibelius who called personally during the rally, asked to have the ADAPT
resolution faxed to her, and sent constituents a box of fruit; Montana
Governor Judy Martz who, although ill herself, had her Communications
Director Chuck Butler meet with constituents after Gov. Rendells meeting
with ADAPT.

Sundays blocking of streets around the Westin was a response to an
early morning appearance at the ADAPT hotel by NGA Health and Human
Services Committee Director Matt Salo. Salo called to arrange the meeting,
only to arrive and tell the assembled 500 people that he had no power to
do anything. He also stated to the TV cameras present that he would not
even take the ADAPT resolution back to the committee. He quickly left amid
loud booing from ADAPT.

"I don't get it", said Mark Johnson, a Georgia ADAPT Organizer. "Is
the NGA leadership in touch with its own members? When we arrived in
Seattle we read the NGA staff propaganda about not covering or
communicating with us, but individual Governors have been very responsive.
They seem to understand that we share their concern about long term care
reform, and we want to partner with them to be part of the solution. After
all, having fought for and used home and community based services for
years, we are the real experts, and we are ready and willing to share that
expertise. Our very lives depend on it".

###
FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/

Donna Martinez
"The world is dangerous not because of those who do harm, but because of
those who look at it without doing anything." - Albert Einstein


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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