From the California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN) newsletter

WASHINGTON, DC - Over 100 persons with disabilities, nearly all in wheelchairs, were arrested in Washington DC today (April 30), on Capitol Hill after protests in support of newly introduced federal legislation known as the "Community Choices Act", that calls for major changes to federal Medicaid laws to provide more choices and funding to enable people with disabilities and seniors to have choices to remain in their own homes rather than placement in a health or other institutional facility. US Capitol Police confirmed the arrest of at least 74 persons with disabilities, though one of the protest organizers said the number was 120 persons arrested inside and around the Sam Rayburn House office building located on Capitol Hill near the US Capitol building. Some of the of the 435 US Representatives have offices in that building, including the committee chair and top Republican member - and the committee hearing room.

There were no other confirmed reports but organizers said that over 500 disability advocates from across the nation filled the driveway outside the main entrance of the Rayburn House Office Building Monday afternoon. Inside US Capitol Police arrested, about 15 ADAPT activists who staged a sit in occupying the office of Rep. John Dingall (Democrat - Michigan), House Energy and Commerce Committee chair, with another 15 who occupied the office of the ranking Republican on the committee, Rep. Joe Barton's (Republican - Texas),and another 30 advocates who occupied the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing room where the "Community Choices Act" will eventually be likely heard.
The protest was organized by the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, or ADAPT, a nationwide grassroots disability rights advocacy oranization that promotes community-based supports and services for persons with disabilities so that they can live independently. ADAPT, founded in 1983, has chapters in over 30 states including California, and is based in Denver, Colorado and also Austin, Texas. .

The organization has been visible in pushing for changes to federal Medicaid and housing laws to direct more funding to community-based services and supports including the "Money Follows the Person" demonstration project that was part of President Bush's New Freedom Initiative.

Members of ADAPT are in Washington DC from April 28 to May 3 to push for passage of the "Community Choice Act" and promote affordable, accessible, integrated housing for people with disabilities. ADAPT representatives said that their successful efforts helped to result in the "Money Follows the Person" Medicaid demonstration grants that was part of the federal budget passed last year. That act provided funding and changes to Medicaid laws to allow states - with federal approval - to implement demonstration pilot projects that propose to offer Medicaid services and supports in different ways that allow a person with disabilities and seniors to live more independently in their own homes and community and to assist people to move out of nursing homes and other health facilities and return to their own homes and communities.

Accessible Housing Major Focus To Aid In Community Choice
Mike McCarty an ADAPT member from Boulder, Colorado said that "... It's time to assure that people are not forced into institutions to begin with. And, it's also time to put focus on housing, so people coming out of nursing homes and institutions have someplace to live. And that someplace has to be affordable, it has to be accessible, it has to be integrated, and it has to be permanent housing, not transitional."
Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials were scheduled to meet with ADAPT representatives on Tuesday (May 1) on their organization's "Access Across America," plan to increase the number of affordable, accessible, integrated housing for people returning to their communities from nursing homes and other institutions.

Federal "Community Choices Act "
The proposed "Community Choices Act", S.799, which would make changes to the federal Medicaid laws was introduced in the US Senate on March 7, 2007 by US Sen. Tom Harkin (Democrat - Iowa). An identical bill, HR 1621 was introduced on March 21 in the House of Representatives, by Representative Danny K. Davis (Democrat - Illinois, 7th District). Both bills would change (amend) Title XIX (19) of the federal Social Security Act to provide individuals with disabilities and older Americans with equal access to community-based attendant services and supports, and for other purposes.

Sponsors and supporters of the the "Community Choice Act" say that it will provide choices for people with disabilities and seniors and their families and will "fundamentally change" the nation's long term care system and the "institutional bias" that they say exists. The legislation builds on the "Money Follows the Person" concept, potentially impacting the over 2 million Americans currently residing in nursing homes and other health facilities and institution.