www.ucp.org

________________________________

        From: United Cerebral Palsy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 18:25
        To: [log in to unmask]
        Subject: UCPeople - January 3, 2006


        UCPeople - A Weekly Journal for UCP Affiliates
                                                 January 3, 2006

                Volume 3, Issue 1



                                        United Cerebral Palsy Welcomes New
Affiliate

        Please join the national office in welcoming United Cerebral Palsy of
Northeastern Pennsylvania to the UCP family. Executive Director Sarah Drob,
along with her staff, volunteers and consumers, officially affiliated with
United Cerebral Palsy effective January 1, 2006.

        Also, please enourage your volunteers and staff to visit
www.growhopeforucp.com <http://ga4.org/ct/ndzgusn1Dztv/> , where they can help
United Cerebral Palsy while meeting all their online shopping needs.

        Grow Hope for UCP Banner <http://ga4.org/ct/ndzgusn1Dztv/>

                ________________________________


Disability Policy Seminar 2006:
        Sharing a Vision to Strengthen the Future


        Disability
Policy Collaboration Logo
<http://img.getactivehub.com/an2/custom_images/publicpolicy/DPC_general.jpg>
Advocates from five national disability rights organizations, including United
Cerebral Palsy, will convene the fourth annual national Disability Policy
Seminar in Washington on February 6-8.

        Under the theme "Sharing a Vision to Strengthen the Future," hundreds of
attendees will set a legislative strategy for 2006 while exploring federal
policies and programs including Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, as well as
the federal budget and appropriations.

        "Given the troubling conclusion to the 2005 legislative session, United
Cerebral Palsy executives and advocates should strongly consider attending this
year's Disability Policy Seminar to learn more about how their grassroot
networks can help shape federal policy in 2006," said Stephen Bennett, President
and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy.

        The seminar will feature national experts in disability public policy,
advocates from every region, and association leaders, who will provide the
latest news and strategies on effective advocacy. In addition, attendees will be
armed with important information and professional support to lobby their Members
of Congress while in Washington to advance progressive policies for people with
disabilities and their families.

        Registration for the seminar is $270 and can be booked online through
the AUCD Web site <http://ga4.org/ct/i1zgusn1DztW/> . After January 17 the
registration fee will increase $45. Seminar planners have held a block of rooms
at the Capitol Hilton, which can also be reserved online through the Hilton Web
site <http://ga4.org/ct/n7zgusn1Dzt5/>  using the group code "DPC." In order to
receive the discount rate, advocates must make their hotel reservations by
January 15.

        For more information about the 2006 Disability Policy Seminar, please
contact Richard Price <mailto:[log in to unmask]> , Disability Policy
Collaboration Director of Communications and Grassroots Advocacy at (202)
783-2229. Or, visit the United Cerebral Palsy Web site
<http://ga4.org/ct/8dzgusn1Dztb/>  to download a seminar brochure and a
preliminary program.

                News and Notes

                Disability Policy Collaboration

        Current Action Alerts - Take Action Now!

        *       SSA Proposes Raising Age Levels for Evaluating Disability
<http://ga4.org/campaign/tellSSAtoresindrule/dx76k62h53nbnt?>
        *       Ask Congress to Reject Reconciliation Plans with Medicaid Cuts
<http://ga4.org/campaign/rejectplantocutmedicaid/dx76k62h53nbnt?>
        *       Help Stop the Caregiver Crisis (WhoWillCare.net)
<http://ga4.org/ct/8pzgusn1DztO/>
        *       Social Security Stories Needed <http://ga4.org/ct/ypzgusn1Dztc/>

        *       Personal Medicaid Stories Needed
<http://ga4.org/ct/y7zgusn1Dztd/>

        Read Capitol Insider <http://ga4.org/ct/87zgusn1Dzt6/>  for a complete
briefing of the week's most important public policy events.

                ________________________________

                                Headlines

        Florida disability advocacy group: we're broke
<http://ga4.org/ct/npzgusn1Dztt/>
        Florida's largest watchdog group for people with disabilities said it
has all but ceased its advocacy efforts. In a plaintive Dec. 12 letter to Gov.
Jeb Bush (R), the chairwoman of the Statewide Advocacy Council said her agency
lacks adequate staff, is running out of money and has been stonewalled in
attempts to secure the records of agency clients. The Miami Herald, 12/22/05

        Maryland, disability center settle lawsuit
<http://ga4.org/ct/h7zgusn1Dzt4/>
        The Ehrlich administration and advocates for people with disabilities
settled a lawsuit over the Maryland Transit Administration's Mobility service
only after breaking a logjam over the critical question of who would run the
system, negotiators said last week. The Baltimore Sun, 12/28/05

        Disability act raised in California capital case
<http://ga4.org/ct/81zgusn1Dztg/>
        State executioners will be violating the Americans with Disabilities Act
if they make the aged and infirm Clarence Ray Allen walk the final steps to his
death on January 17, the condemned murderer's attorneys say. The Sacramento Bee,
12/29/05

        Service dog guided U.S. Senate on disability rules
<http://ga4.org/ct/hpzgusn1Dztr/>
        His name was Beau, and he bridged the gap between senator and dog. An
accidental activist for the rights of people with disabilities, Beau, a yellow
Labrador retriever, died quietly this month, eight years after having an inhuman
impact on the question of who may gain entry to the hallowed Senate floor. The
Washington Post, 12/28/05

        Military sports programming key element at national disability sports
conference <http://ga4.org/ct/h1zgusn1DztB/>
        The 2006 National Disability Sport Conference will include a track on
using sports in the rehabilitation of the more than 13,000 American soldiers who
received a permanent disability in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Hosted by
BlazeSports America, the fifth annual National Disability Sports Conference will
be held March 10-13, 2006 at the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Press
Release, 12/19/05

        AUSTRALIA: Boost in mental health services welcomed
<http://ga4.org/ct/ydzgusn1Dzte/>
        Moves by the Australian government to boost services to people with
mental illness have been welcomed as long overdue by the Mental Health Council
of Australia. Prime Minister John Howard is reportedly taking a proposal for
substantial reform of mental health care services to the states at next month's
Council of Australian Governments meeting. The Daily Telegraph, 01/02/05

        IRELAND: People with disabilities are denied their rights for one
mean-spirited reason <http://ga4.org/ct/n1zgusn1Dztf/>
        After years of debate, campaigning and struggle, the Disability Act 2005
became law last year. In theory it did, anyway. A lot of legislation these days
looks like law when it's sitting on the bookshelf. But when you read them, you
discover that they're full of what they call "commencement dates." The Irish
Examiner, 01/03/06

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