On November 3rd, Lois Curtis died peacefully in her home surrounded by close friends and family. The disability community will remember her as the main advocate in L.C. v. Olmstead (the “Olmstead Decision”). The decision recognized that people with disabilities have the right to live in the least-restrictive environments. It also recognized that people with mental health challenges should, when possible, receive services in community integrated settings.
Blog
When Snow Starts to Fall, Clear Sidewalks and Curb Ramps
As the weather turns colder, MCD reminds you to keep your sidewalks clear of snow and ice. Sidewalks and curb ramps are lifelines for many people with disabilities and our senior community. When not cleared, they can limit their ability to get groceries, get prescriptions, go to work, and attend local gatherings. Improperly cleared snow can pile up and make sidewalks and curb ramps impassable. People using wheelchairs and other mobility devices must often travel in the street alongside traffic, a potentially life-threatening situation.
MCD Recognizes the Passing of Lois Curtis, Lead Plaintiff of Olmstead Decision
The Minnesota Council on Disability recognizes the passing of Lois Curtis, lead plaintiff in Olmstead v. LC. Lois was an integral part of one of the most important civil rights cases for people with disabilities. With the decision, the Supreme Court held that people with disabilities have a qualified right to choose the community they live in. The Court also held states must end the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities.
A Perspective on Disability and Employment
The Minnesota Council on Disability continues to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Poppy Sundquist, an advocate from Saint Paul, shares a perspective on disability and employment. Poppy writes about finding on-the-job adaptations that work, dealing with transportation challenges, and being your own advocate.
goMARTI! Automated and Electronic Vehicles and Accessibility
The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) is proud to support goMARTI (Minnesota’s Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative). The first accessibility-focused, rural self-driving vehicle project in Minnesota. Inaccessible transportation is a barrier to for Minnesotans with disabilities. Automated vehicles could significantly improve their lives. Shuttles like those offered by goMARTI enable people with disabilities to live, work, and play independently.
Need for Inclusion: Responses from the MCD Legislative Survey
Over the past two months the Minnesota Council on Disability surveyed members of the disability community to learn more about the issues that are important to them. Many responses had a common theme: a lack of community inclusion. Participants told us they continued to feel excluded from their communities. And they told us about how it remains difficult for people with disabilities to share many areas of this communal life.