Following the rules with service animals

by Beth Finke

The annual Westminster Dog Show has come to a close, and according to a blog post at The Bark, travelers flying out of New York City should expect an inordinate number of “service dogs” on board. The author of that post says she’s traveled to many dog shows, and over the years she’s noticed more and more people falsely claiming their show dogs are service dogs so they can fly along with them in the cabin.

Donna Smith, director of training for Easter Seals Project Action was interviewed in the current edition of Equip Magazine about Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for service animals, as well as her personal experience using a guide dog. Donna pointed out in the article that people traveling with service animals can be asked two questions:

• whether the animal is, in fact, a service animal, and
• what tasks the animal is trained to perform.

A demonstration of the task can not be required, and that task does not have to be specially related to transportation or assisting the person while on board. The person using the service animal is not required to disclose the nature of his or her disability, either.

One of the most misunderstood pieces of the regulation about service animals, according to Donna, is that a person using a service animal cannot be required to show any kind of certification or identification associated with the animal — there is currently no national or universal certification process for trained service animals.

I wonder if people who break the rules and lie about a disability to get their dogs on board are more likely to end up with dogs who misbehave and don’t follow rules, either. If so, they might be out of luck keeping the fake service dog on board with them. From the ADA’s Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business page:

You may exclude any animal, including a service animal, from your facility when that animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. For example, any service animal that displays vicious behavior towards other guests or customers may be excluded.

The conundrum of need vs. convenience

by Rachel Talen

I still remember writing my first guest post for the Easter Seals blog as an intern. Well, three years later, I’m here to introduce MY intern as a guest blogger! Kelly Zatlin is a senior and public relations major at Dordt College, and she’ll be interning here at Easter Seals headquarters until late April. I love her fresh perspective on disability news.

Assessing accessibility

by Kelly Zatlin

The mom of a daughter who has Spina Bifida keeps a blog about some of the daily challenges and joys of having a child with a disability. A recent post called The Disability Excuse brings up a struggle I haven’t heard parents of children with disabilities talk about before: the difficulties discerning between the want and need for special treatment. While there may be necessary “exceptions” for her child in school and in society, this blogger mom says she has found herself using the disability as an excuse at times and isn’t quite sure what to think about it.

The post describes sitting in multiple parent meetings where parents will insist their child not be treated any different than other children, only to hear them demanding special treatment minutes later. The post author says she herself struggles with what lessons she is teaching her own children when it comes to taking advantage of using the accessible entrance at Disneyland or getting free special needs screenings.

Here at Easter Seals, we strive to give children with disabilities the best and most independent lives possible through use of play, education, therapy, and many other means. Sometimes, the phrase “special treatment” has a bad connotation, but I don’t think it needs to be thought about negatively. I don’t see any reason for a parent to feel guilty for heading to the front of the line at a theme park with their child who is in a wheelchair, but there’s also nothing that says they must.

Many situations like this may just be up to the parent’s discretion and personal beliefs. I can say this, though: I myself sure would never want anyone to feel it’s wrong to take advantage of special access for people with disabilities or other things like it. Promoting accessibility is part of our mission here at Easter Seals. So much in this world seems to be built for people without disabilities, so I think having these extra tools for those with disabilities is just one way that the world can become more accessible for them and their families.

I know it’s important for parents to be careful about contradicting themselves in how they want their children to be treated, but I think it’s also important for parents to be aware of the services out there that are meant to help, not hinder, them.

A firsthand report from the Super Bowl

by Beth Finke

Combine the Harbaugh brothers, Beyonce, and a blackout and you’ve got a Super Bowl to remember. Thanks to our friends at CENTURY 21, 2013 Easter Seals Adult Representative Richard Mariello and his 16-year-old son Jeremiah are one father-and-son team who will never forget their time at this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.

In addition to their teenagers, Richard Mariello and his wife Lynn have fostered more than 20 children in the last 12 years. None of them have ever been to an NFL game before, and here’s how Richard and Jeremiah ended up at the biggest game of all this year: Century 21 has been a national sponsor of Easter Seals for over 30 years. They were also a major advertiser during this year’s Super Bowl. They were given a thank you package including tickets, flights and hotel accommodations for the game, and they donated them to our adult representative, Army Specialist and Afghanistan War Veteran Richard Mariello.

For a firsthand idea of what the experience was like, I’ll leave you blog readers with an interview with Richard from the Century 21 blog. Thanks, you guys!

C21: What was your favorite part of being there, live for the game?

RM: Everything! Honestly, I’d have to say the best part was getting the full, behind-the-scenes experience. We watched the players warming up. We got to see the kickers making 60-yard field goals during practice.

When you see the players running on TV, they look fast, but in person they are even faster.

Sitting as close as we were, we could hear the tackles, hear the yelling. We were right in the 49ers’ end zone.

We were also amazed with the half time show crew. They set up Beyonce’s entire set in three minutes and took it down in five minutes. That was really incredible. We really got to see the reality of the whole game experience.

C21: Aside from the game, did you explore New Orleans?

RM: We did. We got in the Friday before the game. On Saturday we spent about four hours at the World War II Museum. We also walked the entire length of Bourbon Street and explored the French Quarter. People in New Orleans are so friendly. They really understand hospitality.

C21: New Orleans is known for their food. Did you sample any of the traditional treats?

RM: We did. It’s hard to pick a favorite. We loved the gumbo, the beignets and the pralines. We also had a great time at a chicken shack where we ordered delicious fried chicken.

C21: Did you visit Café du Monde?

RM: We did! We even brought beignet mix to bring back home to the family.

C21: There were quite a few celebrities in town for the game, did you have any sightings?

RM: We did! My son physically ran into Michael Phelps. Michael was on his way to an interview and literally walked into Jeremiah. We also saw Julie Chen, Hines Ward and the cast of “Duck Dynasty.” Everyone wanted to take pictures with the Duck guys!

C21: Tell us, how long have you been working with Easter Seals?

RM: Since I was deployed in 2011. My family hooked up with Easter Seals right before I left. When I came home in 2012 I spoke at an Easter Seals event and someone wrote an article about my talk. It kind of snowballed from there and now I am the Easter Seals National Adult Representative and Veteran Representative.

C21: What are your responsibilities in this new role?

RM: I travel all over the country to talk about the Easter Seals Veterans Program. In fact, I will be at the CENTURY 21 Global Conference next month in Las Vegas.

I speak about the importance of helping veterans and their families. When our veterans come home sometimes they need help finding a job, or they have stress or anxiety issues and they need to seek support. Easter Seals helps make that happen.

Richard ends the interview saying he accepted the role as the 2013 Easter Seals Adult Representative “for all the veterans who do not have the chance to take a stage and express how necessary these programs are. I am doing this for all of us. Not everyone gets this chance.”

Comcast is a big winner in more ways than one

by Beth Finke

Comcast is one of Easter Seals newest national corporate partners, and we were thrilled to hear that readers of Careers & the Disabled are as impressed with the company as we are. The magazine just ranked Comcast ninth in the country on their annual “Top 50 Employers List,” and this is the fourth time Comcast has received this important recognition.

Our new partnership with Comcast Foundation has created a grant fund that makes it possible for Easter Seals to build on our long history of providing expertise and technology support for children and adults with disabilities. A blog post about the award on the Comcast corporate web site explains:

We’re working with Easter Seals to provide funding for their assistive technology efforts to help people with disabilities learn on a computer, have access to the Internet, get jobs through the use of technology and adapt technology to their specific needs in order to have what they need to lead a well-balanced life.

Fred Maahs, the Director of National Partnerships, Community Investment, and VP of Comcast Foundation is quoted in the Comcast blog post saying how rewarding our partnership is for him, both personally and professionally. “We’re literally changing lives and making the future brighter for countless individuals and communities across our footprint,” he said.

Thank you, Comcast, and … congratulations!

A sweet way to help kids with disabilities go to summer camp

by Beth Finke

Last week several Easter Seals clients and their families visited Friendly’s headquarters in Wilbraham, Mass. to officially kick off Friendly’s 32nd annual Cones for Kids campaign. Friendly’s Restaurants, LLC, has been a corporate sponsor of Easter Seals for years, and their Cones for Kids campaign has raised more than $27 million for Easter Seals since 1981.

At the kickoff, campers Sabrina and Ana expressed how much they love spending time at Easter Seals Explorer Camp each summer. “The kids there are like me,” Sabrina said. “They understand me.” Explorer Camp was created for campers like Sabrina and Ana, campers who have autism and other social challenges. The kids get to know other kids with disabilities. Activities provide lots of opportunities to learn, grow and have fun.

Now through Valentine’s Day, you can support Easter Seals Camp Friendly’s programs for kids with autism and other disabilities every time you visit a Friendly’s Restaurant. Not only will you help kids like Sabrina and Ana, but you’ll be rewarded with a sheet of Valentine Cards! The Valentines can be redeemed at Friendly’s for five free Kids Cones and one buy-one-get-one free adult entrée purchase.

Funds raised through Friendly’s Cones for Kids program support Easter Seals Camp Friendly’s in nearly 30 different locations. Camp Friendly’s provides an opportunity for kids with autism and other disabilities to enjoy camp activities like boating, swimming, archery, ropes courses, horseback riding, hiking and fishing. Stopping by a Friendly’s Restaurant before February 14 gives you a chance to enjoy a tasty treat while feeling good about supporting essential disability camp programs in your community. Sweet!

Announcing ten new rockstars!

by Rachel Talen

Last week The Avril Lavigne Foundation (TALF) announced the 2013 expansion of The Avril Lavigne Rockstar Clubs at Easter Seals into 10 markets in the United States and Canada.

I love working on anything with the Rockstar Clubs. It’s inspiring to see Avril’s passion for sharing the message of inclusion — that kids and young people with disabilities want to laugh, have fun with their friends, and just fit in. The Rockstar Clubs will bring much-needed recreational programming for kids and youth with disabilities.

Award-winning singer/songwriter and philanthropist Avril Lavigne selected the ten Easter Seals winners herself, choosing programs she thought embodied her foundation’s R.O.C.K.S. mission to “provide Respect, Opportunity, Choices, Knowledge, and Strength to children and youth living with serious illnesses or disabilities.”

Avril said she had a hard time narrowing it down to ten and thought that the opportunities Easter Seals affiliates presented were very exciting. “I have seen first-hand from my work with Easter Seals how important recreation programs are for kids with disabilities,” she said. “My goal is to help bring more resources to these great programs, which are often the first to experience budget cuts.” The ten winners she chose are located in:

• Los Angeles, California
• Houston, Texas
• Billings, Montana
• Chicago, Illinois
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Seattle, Washington
• Youngstown, Ohio
• Miami, Florida
• Alberta, Canada

The winning programs include everything from dance therapy classes to an adaptive bike program. My favorite thing about the Rockstar Clubs is that they allow kids and teens with disabilities to just be kids. Social events, music, theater, sports, arts, leisure time, hobbies, getting out in the community and camp — it’s about experiencing and enjoying life. Congratulations to all the winners — you really are rockstars!

Applauding exemplary adult autism service providers

by Patricia Wright

Easter Seals is a member of the leadership council for Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism (AFAA). Led by the vision of individuals with autism and their families, AFAA is a national consortium of organizations working together to promote a collaborative spirit and develop both public and private sector support that improve the lives of adults living with autism.

Let’s be real: the needs of adults with autism are significant. In an effort to address these needs, AFAA Recently launched AFAA Applauds, a national initiative recognizing innovative, high-quality support programs for adults living with autism. Through a competitive application process, AFAA selected six organizations for their exemplary results in oriented employment, residential support and community life programs (community life includes social skills, transportation, recreational, safety, spirituality or other categories of service that improve life experiences and outcomes for those living with autism).

Each AFAA Applauds winner received a $5,000 grant to develop a video about the program. The videos will be released in April, and AFAA will promote the videos through multiple communication channels. The inaugural winners of AFAA Applauds are:

• Autism Services Inc., New York
  Autism Services Inc. helps individuals with autism become involved in the visual and performing arts and has improved their quality of life.
• Chapel Haven, Connecticut
  Chapel Haven’s supported living program assists individuals with autism as they obtain jobs, gain a network of friends and participate in a vibrant community life. Chapel Haven’s program sets a high standard for excellence.
• Eden Autism Services, New Jersey
  Eden Adult Services’ multifaceted adult employment program promotes the meaningful engagement of adults with autism in their communities through paid employment and active volunteer service. The program has created successful employment opportunities for individuals with autism.
• Family Adult and Child Therapies (FACT), California
  The Generating All Possibilities 4-year program at FACT supports individuals with autism as they make informed decisions about work, college and where to live. The program helps prepare adults with autism for the future.
• Partnerships with Industry (PWI), California PWI provides adults with autism the opportunity to find employment. PWI has helped individuals with autism reach their potential and experience independence.
• The Friendship Circle, California
  The Friendship Circle fosters spiritual, social, and educational experiences for individuals with autism. The program has created activities that bring value to the lives of individuals with autism.

Keep an eye out for the videos. They are in production now, and we will let you know here when you can access the AFAA Applauds videos and learn more about these fantastic programs.

We’re sure going to miss you, Tom Harkin

by Beth Finke

Last week Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced he will not seek a sixth term in the U.S. Senate, and this past Tuesday Disability Scoop interviewed my fellow Easter Seals blogger Katy Neas for an article about the many things Harkin has done over the years to advocate for those of us with disabilities. From the article:

While many members of Congress are sympathetic to the needs of those with disabilities, Harkin has a “laser focus” on this population that’s not currently shared by any of his colleagues, said Katy Neas, who worked for Harkin as a congressional staffer in the 1980s and early 1990s and currently handles government relations for Easter Seals.

Katy told the reporter that Harkin looks at every piece of legislation that comes his way and asks what it might mean for people with disabilities.

Without such an ally in the Senate, Neas said disability advocates will soon be left to persuade lawmakers who have other items at the top of their agendas.

“We’re going to have our work cut out for us educating legislators about why people with disabilities should be a priority,” she said.

Harkin was the leading force behind the Americans with Disabilities Act. Melanie Gabel, the Conference and Meeting Coordinator for the Executive Office here at Easter Seals, worked in D.C. with Senator Harkin on the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy back in the 80s and 90s to get that landmark legislation passed.

Melanie grew up in Iowa, and like Tom Harkin’s beloved late brother Frank, Melanie was born with a significant hearing loss. She told me her fondest memory of working with Sen. Harkin is being there to see him on the U.S. Senate Floor introducing the Americans with Disabilities Act in sign language, dedicating it to his brother.

“Seeing him signing that statement, I was overwhelmed with emotions,” Melanie said, describing her feelings of empowerment, happiness and, for the first time in her young adult life, patriotism. “It made me proud to have, and know, a true friend and champion of disability rights on Capitol Hill.”

Melanie echoed what Katy Neas told the Disability Scoop reporter, regaling me me with story after story of Harkin paying special attention to any legislation that could potentially impact the disability community. “Having him not be present there on Capitol Hill will be difficult,” she said. “He was always the fighter for disability rights, and he will be missed.”

Change and challenges: women in today’s military

by Rachel Talen

Last Thursday, U.S. Navy veteran Kim Mitchell, Deputy Director for Dixon Center, participated in a panel called “Change and Challenges — Women in Today’s Military” at the Pritzker Military Library here in Chicago. Two of my colleagues here at Easter Seals were at the event, and when they returned to the office they told me how powerful it all was. I wan’t surprised.

The panel took place one day after the Pentagon announced that the U.S. military will be lifting its ban on women serving in combat. When Mitchell was asked to comment on the Pentagon’s decision, she pointed out that as a Navy veteran, she knows women have been serving side-by-side with their male counterparts for years. Referring to the Pentagon’s announcement as a “watershed moment for our country,” she said it recognizes the capabilities, valor and achievements of all service members.

“Opening combat roles to females should not be lauded as a bold step but rather a normal progression towards equality,” she said. “The military’s mix of gender, races, creed, lifestyles, and backgrounds makes it a bellwether of society. This decision should not be used as an opportunity for demagoguery, but rather a chance to acknowledge our military’s ability to fight and win our nations’ wars.”

Mitchell — along with Dixon Center and Easter Seals — urge policymakers to collaborate with the myriad of resources in the civic and private sector. She emphasized the need to support and dedicate resources to all military service members — women and men alike — and their families and the families of the fallen when they return home from their deployments. “We need to consolidate local efforts in communities and find synergies for the delivery of services or to services,” Mitchell concluded. “We as a society need to focus on enabling their potential, and not create more cookie-cutter solutions. This is our mission at Dixon Center.”

Easter Seals is a valuable resource to military service members, veterans and their families. Call Easter Seals Community One Source at 866-423-4981 to find local support if you’re a military family or if you want to learn how to make a difference for military families.

In Wisconsin, we’re transforming resolutions into priorities

by Bob Glowacki

By now I am sure we have all laid out our new year’s resolutions, and I’m guessing nearly half of us have already forgotten what they were. Not me, though! Here at Easter Seals Southeast Wisconsin we call resolutions our priorities plan. It’s what we think we need to accomplish in a calendar year.

One item on that list for 2013 is already coming along. By March, our organization will vacate two buildings we have owned for a generation and move into a new facility in West Allis, Wisconsin. Buildings are not transformative, people are. With this move we’ll be bringing most of our Milwaukee county staff under one roof — in fact, we’ll be delivering services and programs for children and adults under one roof for the first time in our affiliate’s history.

We are calling the new facility our Easter Seals Generations Center. This huge move is one priority that is above all others and has really added an element of excitement and anticipation to 2013.

What’s more, we’ll be launching a new program called Start Early in April! Start Early is a series of training sessions to help families who have just learned their child has autism. It will offer strategies and support for families who are learning what autism is, and it presents options for parents and caregivers who want to know how they can take an active part in their child’s development.

We will have trained staff to consult, practice and support families navigating Wisconsin’s government systems, and then begin working with their child at home. This will be another way we are creating a world of possibilities for children living with autism.

So Happy New Year! 2013 will be exciting!