Disability Rights Group Block Access to HHS Headquarters

ADAPT, which has a 25 year history of organizing the disability community, effectively blocked all access points into the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this morning at 10:00 a.m (Source: "ADAPT Takes over HHS Building in DC with List of Demands", Justice for All Blog, April 28, 2008).  With over 500 participants in this direct action, ADAPT presented a list of six demands related to the institutional bias in Medicaid.  These demands included:

• Improve the implementation of the Money Follows the Person Demonstration Projects by increasing flexibility states have;
• IMMEDIATELY eliminate any rules which cause undue burdens regarding case management;
• Eliminate any rules that discourage small grassroots providers from meeting the needs of the consumers they serve;
• Eliminate any regulations and interpretations of “spousal impoverishment” and “risk” which promote institutionalization of persons with disabilities;
• Work with ADAPT on ways to pass the Community Choice Act; and
• Meet with leaders of ADAPT within thirty (30) days of this date to clarify any of the above and identify other barriers to home and community based services in all fifty states.

By the end of the day, ADAPT had received a signed letter from Philo Hall, Counselor to Secretary Leavitt, agreeing to  meeting within 30 day, including a meeting to be held this Wednesday.