2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
Gavin Newsom
Mayor
Susan Mizner
Director
Jul Lynn Parsons
Co-Chair
Raphaella Bennin
Norma Block
Elizabeth Grigsby
Tatiana Kostanian
Sarah Estes Merrell
Richard Ow
Denise Senhaux
Amy Wishnie
F. Ross Woodall
Mayor’s Disability Council
Minutes
21 September 2007
1 ROLL CALL
Mayor’s Disability Council Members Present: Raphaella Bennin, Norma Block, Jack Fagan, Tatiana Kostanian, Sarah Estes Merrell, Richard Ow, Jul Lynn Parsons, Denise Senhaux, and F. Ross Woodall.
Excused Absent: Elizabeth Grigsby and Amy Wishnie.
Mayor’s Office on Disability: Susan Mizner, Director; Ken Stein, Program Administrator; and Howard O. Wong, Council Clerk.
Jul Lynn Parsons, Co-Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.
2 APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The Council approved the agenda of the September 21, 2007 MDC Meeting.
3 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Council approved the Minutes from the July 20, 2007 MDC Meeting (there was no meeting in August).
4 PUBLIC COMMENT
Ed Evans spoke on several issues including the need for additional key stops on the N-Judah line between 19th Avenue and Sunset; the need for additional neighborhood taxi stands, and signage for no smoking in bus zones.
Walter Paulson announced that they need more runners to compete in the upcoming Special Olympics event. He stated that one could visit www.sonc.org for more information.
William Farrell expressed his concerns that people with disabilities especially those the public often misunderstands who are homeless. He also would like to see more education for law enforcement in assisting people with disabilities.
Ken Robins introduced himself as a person with disability who recently moved here from Chicago. He is writing a book on prejudice and bias in our culture against people with disabilities and he is looking forward to attending the monthly MDC Meetings.
5 REPORT FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
Co-Chair Fagan reported that he is resigning from the MDC effective the end of this month, September 2007, due to personal and professional obligations. He stated that it has been an honor and a rewarding experience serving the community and serving in the Council since July 2003 and been a co-chair since March 2004. Co-Chair Fagan offered words of encouragement to his fellow council members on the importance to continue to work on resolutions to reflect the voices and concerns of people with disabilities. He thanked the Mayor for the opportunity to serve, his fellow MDC members for their support, and MOD for its assistance.
Susan Mizner, Director of MOD, presented Mr. Fagan with a Certificate of Honor from the Mayor.
6 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE ON DISABILITY
Ms. Mizner reported on the following:
* She thanked Co-Fagan for his dedication, expertise and professionalism. She pointed out that he increased awareness on cognitive disabilities including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism.
* She provided an update on the Resolution on U.N. Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities – the draft resolution has been submitted to the City Attorney’s Office and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison for their approval.
* She said that MOD is working on the medical cannabis dispensaries(MCDs) for people with disabilities to ensure that the dispensaries are fully accessible to people with disabilities.
* She highlighted the work of Jim Whipple, Access Compliance Officer for MOD, not only for his timeliness and detail-oriented work on reviewing all sites and plans for City-funded projects, but also for his work on MCD’s and the Building Department’s reorganization.
* She referred to the Green Conference in town at the time, and emphasized the opportunity to enhance the relationship between the environmental and disability rights movements, given a mutual interest in creating spaces that are useable by people with disabilities.
* She cited the recent news of the Mayor asking for resignation letters from Department Heads, Directors and Commissioners, Ms. Mizner pointed out that the MDC Members were not formally asked to resign because the council is not a policy-making body. Nonetheless, she submitted her own resignation letter as a welcome opportunity to discuss the direction of MOD, and she encouraged Council members to take the same opportunity to meet with her, or other staff, to discuss their own goals for the MDC, and the role they would play in reaching those goals.
7 THE MAYOR’S DISABILITY COUNCIL BEACON AWARD PRESENTATION.
The MDC Beacon Award honors the efforts of individuals who exhibit outstanding leadership and who are guiding lights in the disability community. Council Member Block presented the award to Victoria Tedder, Housing Advocate at the Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco, for her outstanding work advocating for affordable accessible housing and for the rights of tenants with disabilities.
Susan Mizner (Director of MOD), Ken Stein (Program Administrator for MOD), Raphaella Bennin (MDC Member), Richard Ow (MDC Member), Herb Levine (Executive Director of Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco), and Nancy Brunn (The Arc of San Francisco) all commended Ms. Tedder for her outstanding service to the community. Ms. Tedder was present to accept this award and thanked the Council for this honor.
8 RESOLUTIONS REGARDING LAGUNA HONDA:
A. RESOLUTION #2007-02: Recommending Guiding Principles for Any Housing
Built on the Laguna Honda Campus for Current or Potential Residents.
B. RESOLUTION #2007-03: Recommending That General Fund Dollars Spent
at Laguna Honda Be Redirected to Community-Based Housing and Services.
After a reading, public comment, and discussion, the Council voted to pass both resolutions (attached) unanimously.
9 TRANSIT EFFECTIVENESS PROJECT (TEP) – PRESENTATION BY BRITT TANNER, SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY (SFMTA)
Ms. Tanner provided the results from the TEP’s Survey of Muni riders who are people with disabilities and/or seniors. She said that TEP received nearly 400 responses to the survey, designed to help MUNI better understand transit needs of seniors and people with disabilities, and to help inform draft recommendations for improving MUNI services. This is the first such comprehensive study in over 25 years. Some of the TEP objectives included providing faster, more convenient transportation that reflects current travel patterns and to improve overall performance; and to promote long-term financial stability of SFMTA. Two thirds of the survey’s 395 respondents are regular riders; most common trips are to work, medical and shopping; unreliability was cited as biggest challenge; top priorities for improvement included more frequent services, better customer service and maintaining low fare. Bus stop features (i.e. seating) ranked more important than close spacing of stops.
Ms. Tanner reported that the next step will involve brainstorming service improvements based on all findings, continue dialogue and partnering on specific improvements to address transit concerns of seniors and people with disabilities, and hosting community meetings to share finding.
For more information and updates, visit www.sftep.com or phone (415) 701-4599 or e-mail [email protected].
.
10 ACCESS ADVISOR’S OPEN HOUSE AND DISABILITY ARTS FESTIVAL – PRESENTATION BY CHARLIE DORRIS, DE YOUNG MUSEUM ACCESS ADVISER.
Mr. Dorris announced that the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco invites the disability community to its 2007 Open House and Disability Arts Festival on October 6th at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Admission is free and there will be activities including a slide show of art by people with disabilities, song, dance, storytelling, docent tours, and more.
11 REPORT FROM THE DISABILITY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE
Deferred to next meeting due to lack of time.
12 REPORT FROM THE EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE.
Darlene Rutkowski, Administrator for the Department of Rehabilitation, reported that the 2007 DiversAbility Breakfast is scheduled on Tuesday, October 2nd at the SF War Memorial. The event will feature Phil Ginsburg (Chief of Staff from the Mayor’s Office) and Andrew Houghton (Chairperson of The President’s Committee for People who are Blind or Severely Disabled) as keynote speakers. Ms. Rutkowski said that the program will highlight the advantages to employers of employing people with disabilities in meeting the demands of today’s marketplace.
13 PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment.
14 CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence.
15 COUNCIL MEMBERS COMMENTS AND ANNOUCEMENTS
Co-Chair Fagan thanked the community, the Mayor’s Office on Disability and the Mayor’s Disability Council for his time on the Council. He reassured us that will see him again, as he will continue his activism in other venues and advised all to obtain renter’s insurance to avoid what he had gone through personally.
16 AJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00PM.
For additional information, please contact:
Mayor’s Office on Disability
401 Van Ness, Room 300
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.554.6789 voice; 415.554.6799 TTY;
415.554.6159 fax; email: [email protected]
RESOLUTION #2007-02
San Francisco Mayor's Disability Council Resolution
Recommending Guiding Principles for Any Housing Built
on the Laguna Honda Campus for Current or Potential Residents
WHEREAS, the City is considering proposals for building Assisted Living housing on the Laguna Honda campus, but has so far only considered proposals for building Licensed Care facilities; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Disability Council and the disability community encourage the City to invest in models of housing and services that maximize autonomy, choice, dignity, and independence for residents; and
WHEREAS, the greatest identified need for persons who qualify for Skilled Nursing Care is NOT a Licensed Care facility but rather independent housing with appropriate supportive services – that is, non-medical models, whether referred to as Assisted or Supported Living; and
WHEREAS, Proposition A approved by San Franciscan voters in 1999 mandates that we address the needs of at least 1200 people who require skilled nursing care as well as an additional 140 individuals in “assisted living” who may or may not require skilled nursing care, but DOES NOT mandate the location or type of facility in which that care is provided; and
WHEREAS, exclusively pursuing Licensed Care models on the Laguna Honda campus is being driven by misapprehensions and fears of homeowners living near Laguna Honda over the type of resident who might be housed on the Laguna Honda campus if non-licensed Assisted and Supported Housing options were made available; and
WHEREAS, those of us with disabilities have the greatest investment in this issue, and it is therefore within the disability community that this debate properly belongs; and
WHEREAS, Licensed Care Facilities are extremely expensive to build and operate; and
WHEREAS, all five Licensed Care options researched to date have already been presented in Public Hearings to be cost-prohibitive and therefore not feasible; and
WHEREAS, Article 19 of the 2007 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities asserts “the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others… by ensuring… the opportunity to choose [our] place of residence and where and with whom [we] live… and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement… [and that we] have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community…;”
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Disability Council strongly advises that in the deliberations regarding housing resources for current and potential residents of Laguna Honda Hospital, the Mayor and Board of Supervisors be guided by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1999 Olmstead Decision [Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581, 597, 600] which held that:
* unjustified institutional isolation “is properly regarded as discrimination;” and
* “institutional placement of persons who can handle and benefit from community settings perpetuates unwarranted assumptions that persons so isolated are incapable or unworthy of participating in community life;” and
* “confinement in an institution severely diminishes the everyday life activities of individuals, including family relations, social contacts, work options, economic independence, educational advancement and cultural enrichment;” and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Disability Council advises the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors that decisions to build housing for current and potential residents of Laguna Honda be guided by the following principles:
(a) Given our limited resources, the needs of people with severe disabilities are best served by funding independent housing options that have lower capital and operating costs than licensed medical care facilities;
(b) In our public discussions regarding this topic, we remember that we are talking about “people” not “beds” and that our language and policies reflect that distinction;
(c) Independent housing enables the greatest autonomy and self-direction possible for the person with a disability;
(d) Independent housing enables persons with disabilities choice concerning with whom we live, including partners, family, and friends;
(e) Independent housing enables people with disabilities to “age in place” with services enhanced as needs change, but without requiring them to be uprooted and move to a new site in order to receive them;
(f) Housing, wherever it is built, should be designed to provide true homes, and not an institutional environment.
__________________________________________________________
September 21, 2007 Mayor’s Disability Council – ADOPTED
Ayes: 9 - Jack Fagan, Jul Lynn Parsons,
Norma Block, Denise Senhaux,
Richard Ow, Tatiana Kostanian,
F. Ross Woodall, Sarah Estes Merrell and Raphaella Bennin.
Nay: 0
Absent: Elizabeth Grigsby and Amy Wishnie
RESOLUTION #2007-03
San Francisco Mayor's Disability Council Resolution Recommending That General Fund Dollars Spent
At Laguna Honda be Redirected to
Community-Based Housing and Services
WHEREAS, keeping people in Laguna Honda takes $36,000 to $50,000 per resident per year from the City’s General Fund, costing the City $50 million every year; and
WHEREAS, this is in addition to approximately $90,000 per year per person in state and federal dollars; and
WHEREAS, these costs, in both general fund dollars and state and federal dollars continue to increase every year; and
WHEREAS, the operations budget for Laguna Honda Hospital is the single largest cost item in the entire Public Health budget; and
WHEREAS, the City is in the process of building a smaller facility for 780 residents to replace the current facility, but for which the cost of operations will remain high; and
WHEREAS, the City currently has approximately 500 slots on the Nursing Facility / Acute Hospital (NF/AH) Waiver for up to $77,600 a year per person for services funded entirely by State and Federal dollars to support Laguna Honda residents in community-based independent living arrangements and which would bring up to $38 million in new state and federal dollars into San Francisco each year; and
WHEREAS, California Assembly Bill 2968, now passed, requires the state to create an additional reimbursement rate structure through a Medi-Cal Waiver to provide community-based services in San Francisco for persons with disabilities who would otherwise require more costly and restrictive institutional care, be living in shelters, or potentially homeless; and
WHEREAS, the expressed preference for the majority of people in need of skilled nursing or assisted living is to live independently with social and medical supports;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Disability Council urges the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to direct the administration of Laguna Honda to expedite the use of these Skilled Nursing Waivers to help people transition from skilled nursing to assisted living; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Disability Council recommends that the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors establish a mechanism to capture the General Fund savings from each bed closed at Laguna Honda; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors invest these General Fund savings with half of the savings invested in low-income, accessible housing development and half invested in the Community Living Trust Fund to fund community services.
__________________________________________________________
September 21, 2007 Mayor’s Disability Council – ADOPTED
Ayes: 9 - Jack Fagan, Jul Lynn Parsons,
Norma Block, Denise Senhaux,
Richard Ow, Tatiana Kostanian,
F. Ross Woodall, Sarah Estes Merrell and Raphaella Bennin.
Nay: 0
Absent: Elizabeth Grigsby and Amy Wishnie
401 Van Ness, Room 300, San Francisco, CA 94102
415.554.6789 phone
415.554.6159 fax
415.554.6799 TTY
[email protected]