This past Wednesday, The Detroit News published a Q&A between president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Mark Perriello, and McKinzie Brantley, administrator and writer for the paper’s Disability Blog. The wide-ranging discussion covered the organization’s plans and goals during 2012 that will help shape national discussion and policy concerning the 50 million Americans with disabilities.
It’s been seven months since Perriello began his tenure as the leader of the nation’s largest cross-disability organization, and he seems ready to make good on the goal he set in the AAPD press release announcing his appointment in June:
… [W]e are an organization for everyone who supports us. We must enlist our friends, family members and co-workers to talk with their elected officials and to vote in order to increase our voice in Washington D.C. and in state capitals across the nation.
As a former Director of Strategy for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute, Perriello understands how critical grassroots organization’s efforts are in building support for issues that are important to specific population segments. He explicitly acknowledges the pending election cycle and says making sure people with disabilities get to polls on voting day is a priority. He has already held several virtual town meetings to connect with constituents, and will continue to leverage technology to engage people with disabilities across the country and share ideas on how they can have a voice in debates both in the state capitals and on the federal level.
Perriello says the four key focus areas for the AAPD in 2012 are workplace fairness and opportunity, technology, health care, and safe and drug-free schools. With respect to this last issue, eliminating bullying will be a particular emphasis. He cites a recent study that reports 85% of students with disabilities have been subjected to bullying behavior. A figure that is corroborated by, and perhaps even pulled from, the AbilityPath guide, “Walk a Mile In Their Shoes: Bullying and the Child with Special Needs” (PDF).
Perriello has found a willing partner to raise awareness about this issue in Comcast, which is airing this public service announcement through its broadcast and online properties:
With respect to health care, Brantley notes that Michigan is one of the states challenging the constitutionality of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Perriello says the AAPD supports health care reform and calls it a “tremendous opportunity” while tying it into employment prospects for people with disabilities:
It is key for folks to have coverage […] to pay for things like a personal care attendant. Having health care or long-term care (promotes getting and keeping a job and) is one piece of the employment picture. Another is enforcement of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (which requires contractors to hire people with disabilities).
Perriello hints at news “in the coming weeks” surrounding the enforcement of this last provision, is likely a reference to the Labor Department’s proposed new rule discussed on this blog earlier this week, which calls on government contractors to strive to have 7% of their labor force be comprised of people with disabilities, and require them to demonstrate efforts to recruit and train these people to be part of the work force.
What issues would you like to see the AAPD address here in Massachusetts? Share in the comments section.
Image by Todd Van Hoosear, used under its Creative Commons license.