People First of California

In this region we will be addressing things that matter most to People First self-advocates.

We will be presenting issues and positons of importance that will educate you on what affects our day to day lives.

Here are some fresh topics that we are going to be working on in the future:

Transportation
Housing
Health Care
Budget Issues
Self Determination
Employment
Voting
Lanterman Act
American Disabilities Act
Institution Closure

CA MEMORIAL PROJECT: REMEMBERANCE DAY 2011

Monday, September 19, 2011

Click on graphics or titles below for PDFs with more information:

What is the California Memorial Project?

Please see the enclosed article regarding the new monument at Patton State Hospital.

New Monument at Patton State Hospital

All welcome to join Remembrance Day ceremonies at 9 sites around California, in honor of thousands who died in state institutions

Sacramento, CA – Disability advocates throughout California have lined up speakers, story tellers, musicians and poets to participate in 9 ceremonies next Monday in: Ukiah, Stockton, Porterville, Manteca, Santa Clara, Napa, Sonoma, Camarillo, and Norwalk. Light refreshments will be served at most of the sites and a statewide moment of silence will be held at 1:55 p.m.

The ceremonies, which last from 1 to 3 hours, are held at local cemeteries or on the site of the institutions. Highlights of the 2011 event: remembrances from residents of Metropolitan Hospital in Sonoma; music by the Heart Beats, a drumming group in Napa; remarks by former Stockton state hospital resident; dedication of a memorial plaque in Camarillo; speaker from People First in Ukiah, program followed by reception hosted by Manzanita Services; and a tour of a newly opened museum of historic photos and furniture from the Agnews facility in Santa Clara.

Remembrance Day is held every third Monday of September. It is recognized by the California legislature as a way to honor the memory and preserve the history of approximately 45,000 people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities who died, mostly anonymously, in state hospitals or developmental centers.

Since California’s first institution opened in 1852, many children, adolescents and adults were forced, to live in the large residential compounds in these 9 towns, apart from their families and usually, far from their home communities. Until late in the 20th century, there were few legal protections of the individual against commitment and often, few ways to leave without outside help.

Media exposure of extensive abuse in these institutions across the country in the early 1970s led to the establishment of the national Protection and Advocacy system, and to the rise of the disability-led client and consumer movement. Disability Rights California, the state’s protection and advocacy system, organizes Remembrance Day together with two other disability rights groups: People First of California and the California Network of Mental Health Clients.

Margaret Johnson, DRC advocacy director, said, “It’s great that every year, more people from the community turn out to join us on Remembrance Day. We have come a long way toward meeting our California Memorial Project goals to raise awareness and place memorial boulders or plaques at all sites.” List of 9 events with local details follow.

CALIFORNIA MEMORIAL PROJECT

SAVE THE DATE

At 1:55 pm there will be a statewide moment of silence to honor those who died unrecognized at State Hospitals and Developmental Centers. By giving respect to people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities who have died unrecognized we are honoring all of us.

CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE

September 19th, 2011

NORTH
12:15 -1:15 PM
Ukiah Cemetery
Russian River Cemetery District
940 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, CA 94582
Contact: Martha Cook (707) 443-2706

CENTRAL VALLEY
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Stockton Rural Cemetery
2350 Cemetery Lane, Stockton, CA 95204
Contact: Jenny Olson (916) 283-8187

11:30 – 12:30 PM
Porterville Cemetery
1013 East Olive Avenue, Porterville, CA
Contact: David Solis (916) 488-7787

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Park View Cemetery (Front circle)
3661 East French Camp Rd., Manteca, CA 95336
Contact: Jenny Olson (916) 283-8187

BAY AREA
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Agnews Historic Cemetery
1250 Hope Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Contact: Yvonne McGough (510) 267-1258

1:30 - 2:30 PM
Napa State Hospital (McGrath Auditorium)
2100 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA 94558
Contact: Jenny Olson (916) 283-8187

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Sonoma Developmental Center Gazebo
15000 Arnold Drive, Eldridge, CA 95431
Contact: Leonard Alfaro (323) 346-5279

SOUTH
5:30 – 6:30 PM
California State University- Channel Islands
1878 S. Lewis Rd., Camarillo, CA 93012
Contact: Robyn Gantsweg (213) 355-3634

10:00 AM -11:30 PM
Metropolitan State Hospital Auditorium
11401 South Bloomfield Ave., Norwalk, CA 90650
Contact: Brenda Calderon (213) 355-3633

All are welcome. If you have questions, please contact:

Disability Rights California
(916) 488-7787 or toll free (800) 776-5746

California Network of Mental Health Clients
(916) 443-3232 or toll free (800) 626-7447

People First of California
916-552-6625

Letters to the Governor

Here are some letters some People First members sent in last year. We offer them as samples for you to write the Governor and your Legistlators in order for them to understand we need our services!

Letters from People First Members to Governor

10 YEARS OF OLMSTEAD - CLOSE INSTITUTIONS!

A message from SABE President Chester Finn

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2009

In light of OLMSTEAD being 10 years old.

We have got to stand up for it.

We are encouraging people, if they can, to have rallies.

As long as people are in institutions we cannot rest.

The US Department of Justice did an investigation in Texas where people are being abused in institutions.

But the Justice Department is cutting deals with the State of Texas without talking about moving people out of institutions and giving them a better life.

It seems like if you can’t advocate for yourself or if you have a guardian that does not believe in living in the community you can’t get out.

I think we need to rally around supporting people no matter where they are

We want people out of state schools, out of nursing homes

The Supreme Court made the OLMSTAED decision saying that states should support people to best of their ability to live in the community.

That is why we advocated so hard for OLMSTEAD.

We need to advocate for the Justice Department to be in line with the OLMSTEAD decision.

We don’t know if they will listen to us but it is worth a try.

People in state schools in Texas deserve an opportunity for community living.

We need to encourage the Justice Dept to think about this.

Call, write or fax to:

Special Litigation Section

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, PHB

Washington, D.C. 20530

Telephone Number

(202) 514-6255 or toll-free at (877) 218-5228

Fax Numbers

(202) 514-0212 or (202) 514-6273

VOTING INFORMATION:

PFCA Agrees with this Press Release from DRC:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Contact: Hillary Sklar
Disability Rights California
Phone: (213) 355-3627
E-Mail: Hillary.Sklar@disabilityrightsca.org

Disability Advocacy Groups Outraged by Challenge to Right to Vote of Californians with Developmental Disabilities

Sacramento, CA- "It is an outrage that in 2008, as all Americans proceed to the polls for this critical election, some groups are still challenging the right of people with developmental disabilities to vote," stated Marinda Reed, coordinator of the developmental disability peer training unit of Disability Rights California.

The Californian Republican party has asked the secretary of state to investigate a voting project of the Thumbs Up! adult care center in Tuolumne County, where around 10 clients submitted absentee ballots with the assistance of the center's director. Reed commented, "We recently completed a training at this center and many others to make sure that all the clients were aware that voting is one of their most fundamental rights and at the heart of participation as citizens. "

Hillary Sklar, coordinator of the voting initiative of Disability Rights California, emphasized that all people with disabilities have the right to vote, just like any other citizen, unless a court has found them unable to do so. Sklar pointed out that, "Luckily, most of our problems on voting day have to do with inaccessible polling places, quirks of the new voting equipment and lack of training on how to ensure voting is confidential – it is rare that the right to vote of people with disabilities is challenged. We obviously need to do more public education about the rights of Californians with disabilities."

This recent challenge to the rights of people with developmental disabilities has also been criticized by People First of California, a membership group that is run by and for people with development disabilities to advocate for themselves. Joe Meadours, Executive Director of People First of California, reports that "state law allows any voter to seek assistance completing a ballot even at a polling location. Why should people with developmental disabilities be treated any differently or people think we are being told what to do?"

Disability Rights California will operate a Voting Hotline on November 4 to help troubleshoot problems encountered by voters with disabilities. For details, visit www.disabilityrightsca.org or contact Hillary Sklar.