January, 2005
This is the time of year when I take the time to reflect on what happened this past year in the realm of disability awareness and advocacy. What successes did we enjoy and what still needs to be accomplished? I then stare into my crystal ball to see what the next year may have in store and what we need to concentrate on.
Last year was tough for everybody, especially with the budget cuts at all levels and the rollback in services. It seemed like waiting lists became the norm and some services and organizations disappeared entirely. A bright spot was the Santa Cruz County Elections department that made major strides toward improving the accessibility of polling sites. 17 inaccessible sites were replaced, better training was provided for poll workers/volunteers and additional equipment was provided. This represents a great start in improving the ability of people with disabilities to vote, but there still is more to do.
Changes also occurred in the realm of ADA Para-transit. METRO terminated its' contract with Community Bridges and took the service in house. This has resulted in METRO providing the ADA portion of Para-transit services and Community Bridges providing most of the other types of specialized transit services, such as Medi-Cal rides. Both organizations are working to make this transition as smooth as possible and we wish them success. Only time will tell if this 2-pronged approach will provide efficient service to people with disabilities in Santa Cruz County. If you have a disability and experience problems with either fixed-route or Para-transit services please contact our office for assistance.
The only thing I can determine by gazing into the crystal ball (or reading the tea leaves) is that 2005 is going to be a challenging year. From everything I have been reading it looks like California will still be having budget problems. This means social service programs will probably be fighting proposed budget cuts and these may be trickling down to the municipalities. There are also state plans to revamp Medi-Cal and federal plans to revamp Social Security in the works. Both of these will need to be watched and could affect people with disabilities dramatically.
Improvements still need to be made in the accessibility of many businesses and offices in Santa Cruz County. Even 14 years after passage of the ADA, many businesses still need to make changes/improvements that encourage people with disabilities to frequent their establishments.
With the passage of a new Individual's with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) I anticipate more advocacy work to be done by parents and support organizations to insure that public education is providing the "free and appropriate" education for children with disabilities that the law requires. This may prove even more of a challenge as many districts see their budgets shrink and operating costs increase.
Transportation may still be a problem. For the last 6 months I have been a member of a Santa Cruz County ADA Para-transit Task Force that has been wrestling with the concept of what the Para-transit system could look like in the future. Unfortunately, it looks like we will be seeing a split system for the foreseeable future. I'm still not convinced METRO ADA Para-transit services will be as user friendly as they should be. As the task force is scheduled to finish it's work this month I don't see a viable public forum where people with disabilities can be heard and represented. Rather then being acceptable to change, I hear too much "That's not in accordance with our policy". I hope this new approach doesn't create problems for people with disabilities accessing our society via public transportation.
I hope this New Year proves to be rewarding and fruitful for all, and remember - Disability is a random event that can occur in any life, at any moment.
- Michael Bradshaw, Central Coast Center for Independent Living