Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 1, 2024
Kansas State Capitol
SW 8th and SW Van Buren
Topeka KS 66612
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You’re invited to join the Kansas Council on Disabilities (KCDD), The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement, CareSource and many others on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 for our one-day summit in the Kansas State Capitol. Registration and agenda details included below.
Space is Limited by 85 attendees - Registration closes September 20th
Registration is open to all and there is no fee to attend.
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Agenda | Speaker Bios | FAQs
Agenda
Symposium Welcome Remarks (9:00 am - 9:15 am)
- Robert Ludke, The Harkin Institute
- Sara Hart Weir, Executive Director, KCDD
Keynote Address (9:15 am - 9:45 am)
- Collette Divitto, Entrepreneur, Disability Rights Activist and Founder/CEO of Collettey's Cookies
Fireside Chat (10:00 am - 10:45 am) - The Value Proposition of Competitive, Integrated Employment
Moderated by Lola Kernell, Advocacy Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD)
Networking Break (10:45 am - 11:15 am)
- Coffee provided by Dialogue Coffee
Driving Competitive, Integrated Employment via the Private Sector (11:15 am - 12:00 pm)
Moderated by Julie Hocker, Director, Guidehouse & Former US Commissioner on Disability
- Sunflower
- Solomon Parker, Director, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Program Strategy, CareSource
- Cassidi Jobe, Executive Director, Summit Future Foundation
- Amanda Myers, CESP, Employment Coordinator, Down Syndrome Innovations
Lunch (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm) - Capitol Rotunda - 2nd Floor of Kansas State Capitol
Recruiting, Retaining & Rewarding Talent in the Workplace (1:05 pm - 1:45 pm)
Moderated by Ryan Rotundo, NDSS
- Anthony Fandale, State ADA Coordinator, Kansas
- The Golden Scoop
Networking Break (1:50 pm - 2:15 pm) - Ice cream provided by The Golden Scoop
Entrepreneurship as Employment Panel (2:20 pm - 3:00 pm)
Moderated by Diego Mariscal, CEO/Founder, 2Gether-International
- Max Crawford, CEO/Founder, Max Spices
Reforming the Federal & State Policy Landscape to Achieve Workforce Inclusion (3:05 pm - 3:55 pm)
Moderated by Ashlea Lantz, The Harkin Institute
- Dan Decker, Director of Rehabilitation Services, Kansas
- Tonia Ferguson, Director of Legislative Affairs, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Michele Heydon, Commissioner, Long Term Supports & Services, Kansas Department for Aging & Disability Services (KDADS)
- State Representative Laura Williams, Olathe/Lenexa
- Colin Olenick, Self-Advocacy Coalition of Kansas
Closing Fireside Chat (4:00 pm - 4:30 pm) - Experiences in Private Sector Employment and Lessons to be Applied Going Forward
- Ryan Rotundo, DIrector of Programs, NDSS
- Whit Downing, Program Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Ashlea Lantz, The Harkin Institute
Reception (5:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
Reception to follow — Topeka, Kansas with Special Guest: Cara Khan
The featured presentation is “Facing the Falls” , a short film about Cara Khan’s amazing journey into the Grand Canyon.
Speaker Bios
Dan Decker, Director, Kansas Rehabilitation Services
Dan has been the Director of Kansas Rehabilitation Services since March of 2020 after serving as the Department for Children and Families Director of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Director of Employment Services. Having a social service career lasting over 20 years, Dan has worked with many populations of Kansans and has a passion for helping create and enhance opportunities for Kansans through partnerships, information sharing and relationship building. As a lifetime resident of the state, he feels a strong connection with it’s citizens and has a strong desire to continue to encourage and empower individuals with disabilities.
Colin Olenick, Legislative Liaison, Self-Advocacy Coalition of Kansas
Colin Olenick is SACK’s Legislative Liaison. He tracks the movement of legislation affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Kansas. He also provides testimony to the Kansas Legislature regarding the impact of proposed bills on Kansans with disabilities. Colin has been employed with SACK since 2018. Colin was Vice President for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK) from 2007-2008. He was an Employment First presenter and founder of the Kansas Employment First Committee. He also participated in Kansas' Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) training program, which is a University of Kansas post-graduate program in which he shared his experience of having cerebral palsy, autism, and ADHD. Colin is also an alumnus of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC); a graduate of the “My Leadership Edge” program. Additionally, he was a member of Kansas ADAPT from 2003-2007. Colin is also involved in the transition work group, funded through the Administration on Community Living by way of a grant to the University of Kansas. Previously, Colin was employed with Cinemark in Merriam, Kansas for 16 years. Colin currently lives in Olathe, KS with his cat, Elizabeth. Colin collects fire station patches from across the country and hopes to display them all someday.
Robert (Bob) Ludke, The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement
Over his career Bob Ludke has advised policymakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, taught at the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, and provided counsel on sustainability, corporate governance, supply chain management, and environment, social, and governance (ESG) strategies for companies in the retail, oil and gas, transportation, and finance sectors.
He is the author of Transformative Markets, a book about the role of markets in fostering a more sustainable society (published in April 2020 through the Creator Institute of Georgetown University), and the creator of the Voices of Nature podcast in partnership with Global Conservation Corps.
Bob is a consultant with The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement. His work at The Harkin Institute focuses on research and engagement with the disability community, investors, and the private sector to facilitate ESG investment practices being used as a catalyst for achieving competitive, integrated employment of persons with disabilities.
Ludke began his career in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives where he advised on tax, budget, and economic policy issues, developed legislation, and created message and communications strategies as part of the Senate Democratic leadership team.
Anthony Fadale, State ADA Coordinator
Anthony Fadale became State ADA Coordinator in 1997. In this capacity he ensures that the State of Kansas is compliant with the ADA and State accessibility requirements. Prior to his current job Anthony worked for Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole of Kansas on issues involving disability, Mental Health and Aging.. He graduated from Washburn University with a B.A. in 1992 and J.D. From Washburn School of Law in 1995..
Mr. Fadale is an expert in both State and Federal Court on ADA issues. He has also made ADA presentations at many State Conferences. Mr. Fadale has participated and worked with our Federal Partners among them the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was considered for nomination by the President in 2008 to the U.S. Access Board in 2008. In 2010, he attended the 20th Anniversary celebration at the White House.
His proudest accomplishment is being an Uncle to his niece and nephew.
Diego Mariscal: 2Gether-International CEO and Founder
Diego Mariscal is Disabled and Proud! A trailblazer at the intersection of disability advocacy and entrepreneurship, Diego is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Disabled Officer of 2Gether-International, the leading startup accelerator run by and for disabled entrepreneurs. He has dedicated his career to creating a sustainable impact through business ventures led by and for disabled founders, and currently serves on the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission's Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee.
Since his teenage years, Diego has been a catalyst for change. At just 18, he founded "Limitless Prepa Tec," an educational program that tackles disability awareness in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. Over four years, Limitless expanded to more than seven high schools and educated over 3,000 students, solidifying its reputation as one of Monterrey's largest youth-led initiatives.
In 2012, Diego took his advocacy to the next level with the establishment of 2Gether-International (2GI), a nonprofit accelerator empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities. Under his leadership, 2GI has supported more than 80 startups, helping them secure around $65 million in outside investments, acquisitions, and revenue. His role has positioned 2GI as a leading resource for disabled entrepreneurs and has also enabled strategic collaborations with international organizations such as the U.S. Department of State, Organization of American States, and Inter-American Development Bank, as well as corporate partnerships with Comcast NBCUniversal, Google, Blackboard, McKinsey, and others.
Diego’s work has garnered international acclaim, earning him accolades like the Architect of the Future Award from the Waldzell Institute in Vienna and the Global Changemaker title from the British Council. His influence has been recognized by multiple international bodies; he was a Youth in International Development and Affairs Fellow for the U.S. International Council on Disabilities in 2014, and in 2016, he attended the inaugural United Nations World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul.
In 2017, Diego marked another milestone by becoming the first entrepreneur with a disability to represent the U.S. delegation at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India. That same year, he received the Global Leadership in Equitable Development Award at the World Trade Credit & Risk Summit in Washington, DC.
Recently, in 2022 and 2023, Diego engaged in high-level dialogues on disability and entrepreneurship with President Clinton and President Biden. He was featured as a panelist in a discussion moderated by Hillary Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative University annual meeting. Additionally, Diego was appointed to the Advisory Board of the 2024 SXSW Pitch.
Born with Cerebral Palsy in New Orleans but raised in Monterrey, Diego is not just an advocate but also an athlete, representing the state of Nuevo León in the Mexican National Paralympics from 2004-2009.
Max Crawford, Max Mix Gourmet Spice Blends, Founder
What started out as making spice rubs as gifts for family and friends formally launched as Max Mix Gourmet Spice Blends in November 2024. Founder, Max Crawford, is 20 years old and has big passions and dreams, including living independently and going to college. In addition to wanting a fun, meaningful job, Max loves sports, music, video games and earned a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. One of Max’s attributes is Down syndrome. The dream is to promote and elevate entrepreneurship for individuals with all abilities.
Max Mix Is a family project. Max’s sister, Maggy, is a marketing professional and manages the Max Mix website, social media channels and provides expertise in copywriting and design. Rod, Max’s Dad, provides expertise in sales and distribution and wrote the business plan. Pam, Max’s Mom, provides expertise in marketing, public relations and brand building. The family is originally from Kansas City. Rod, Max and Pam currently live in the St. Louis area and Maggy resides in Kansas City.
Sara Hart Weir, Executive Director, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
Sara is a national nonprofit executive, disability policy expert and a proud Kansan. She is the former President & C.E.O. of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), where during her tenure at NDSS, she led the passage of the landmark, bipartisan Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in 2014 (P.L.113-295). The legislation garnered the support of 85% of the entire US Congress in 2014 (381 of 435 US Representatives and 78 of 100 US Senators). Weir also supported a majority of the enactment of ABLE state laws, assisted with over 40 state ABLE plan launches as well as led advocacy campaigns on two important provisions in the 2017 Tax Reform Package including the ABLE to Work Act and the ABLE Financial Planning Act.
Weir's life has been about leading differently, serving others and delivering results with the leadership philosophy of "if you're not at the table, you are on the menu". Sara deploys an “in the trenches” leadership style by engaging directly with constituents - in local communities, in the classroom, on the job site or around kitchen tables. Weir’s passion for “giving a voice to the voiceless” was inspired by Kasey, her late best friend of twenty years from Kansas who had Down Syndrome. Sara quickly realized that the disability community did not have high-powered lobbyists, wealthy corporations or influential political action committees working for them - they relied on the strength of passionate voices outside the political spectrum who were willing to speak up for them. Weir went on to change that, and dedicated her career and service to allow everyone to have a fair shot at the “American Dream” by promoting solutions that give all Americans with disabilities access to a better life.
Weir established the first-ever national employment program for the Down Syndrome community, the #DSWORKS® Program, which partnered with companies, from Main Street to Wall Street, to create career opportunities for people with disabilities. Weir also co-founded The U.S. Future of Work For People with Disabilities Commission" - Tapping People with Disabilities who are Ready, Willing and ABLE to Work with fellow CEOs from Voya Financial and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and continues to be called upon by employers to help build successful employment and workforce development programs across the country.
Most recently, Weir served as a senior advisor to Missouri’s Department of Health & Senior Services on disability inclusion throughout its COVID-19 plan and response and co-chaired the state’s health equity committee. Weir was also the primary runner up for U.S. Congress in Kansas' Third Congressional district in 2020. Weir has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Leadership from Westminster College, a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College and a certificate of completion from the Emerging Leaders Program of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Weir has been featured in USA Today, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, The Hill, Money Magazine, Al Jazeera and many others.
Lola Kernell, Advocacy Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
Lola Kernell is an Advocacy Coordinator for KCDD. Kernell is a senior at Bishop Miege High School, where she is involved in Theatre, French Club, National Honor Society, and Campus Ministry. She has been on the Honor Roll each semester, received awards for French, Theology, and the Eric Druten Memorial Junior Scholarship. She is an active lector and server at Curé of Ars Catholic Church, and is currently working on her highest level award for American Heritage Girls.
Lola has worked for the Royals, the Chiefs and for Nautical Manufacturing and Fulfillment as part of her participation in Down Syndrome Innovations ACE program. Lola is a peacemaker, is friendly and outgoing, loves public speaking and being an advocate for others, and has great technical computer skills. She is living her dream by working at the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Whit Downing, Program Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
Whit Downing serves as the Program Coordinator for the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD). Before joining the council as a behavioral health consultant in February, Whit most recently was a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Trainee and served as a board member for HeadQuarters Kansas.
As a LEND Trainee, Whit was able to participate in an 18-week class where she learned from professionals in the developmental disability field and discussed current I/DD legislative priorities. As a board member for HeadQuarters Kansas, Whit learned more about suicide prevention, the 988 crisis response system in Kansas, and participated in community events surrounding mental health. As a person who is Autistic while also having survived a suicide attempt, one of Whit’s greatest passions is ensuring that neurodiverse people are always included in discussions surrounding mental health and suicide prevention.
Additionally, Whit has attended three annual Mental Health Advocacy Days at the state capitol where she has been able to advocate for increased mental health resources for individuals with I/DD. Whit also went to the 2024 Disability Policy Summit in Washington DC with the KCDD staff, which she describes as the best experience she's ever had in relation to advocacy. During the summit, she was able to learn more about I/DD policy priorities and meet with Kansas members of the US congress to share her story.
Whit’s education background includes two years of college classes at Washburn University and being a Team Member in the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academies (KYEA) advanced leadership training program called Faces of Change. At Washburn, Whit attended classes on a part-time basis. Her major was Psychology, and she minored in Mass Media.
In 2017, upon graduating from KYEA’s Faces of Change program, Whit was offered a job as the part-time Administrative Assistant at KYEA. A majority of the growth that Whit has experienced stems from the mentorship, programs, and services offered to Whit by KYEA. Whit describes Faces of Change as the beginning of her leadership journey. During Faces of Change, Whit started and helped facilitate an Autism Support Group for young adults. The group met monthly for 12 months at the Capper Foundation in Topeka Kansas.
Whit has not always been open about her struggles, her concerns, or her desires. Growing up, most people would have described Whit as a quiet kid. She communicated a lot through gestures and through writing. Having that firsthand experience of feeling misunderstood and unheard is part of what fuels Whit today in the work that she does. Whit wants to not only share her story, but she hopes to empower her peers to share theirs as well. Whit is a firm believer in the nothing about us without us philosophy and says that being able to work for the Council is a dream come true!
Solomon Parker, CareSource, Director of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Program Strategy
Solomon Parker is a visionary leader in the field of healthcare, serving as the Director of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Program Strategy at CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit health plan with a mission to improve the health and well-being its members and communities. With a career spanning nearly two decades in Kentucky Medicaid 1915(c) waiver programs, Solomon possesses a wealth of experience and expertise in the realm of healthcare. In his current role at CareSource, he champions transformative strategies and fosters innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of individuals with I/DD. His unwavering commitment in promoting empowerment, advancement, inclusion, and independence of people with disabilities extends into critical areas such as community integrated employment and propelling a culture of diversity within the workplace. Solomon's dedication and strategic vision have been instrumental in aligning CareSource with its mission of improving the health and well-being of enhancing the lives of members with I/DD.
Tonia D. Ferguson, Esq. - Director of Legislative Affairs,Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
Ms. Tonia D. Ferguson, Esq. joined CSAVR as the Director of Legislative Affairs on June 1, 2022. She is a past Joseph P. Kennedy Fellow, Ms. Ferguson bringing over a decade of experience advocating for individuals with disabilities and their families. Before joining CSAVR, she served as Chief of Staff at the Maryland Department of Health and has served as the Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Autism Society of America. Her expertise encompasses system change, building partnerships, and advocating and influencing policy at the local, state, and federal levels. As part of her duties, she is the staff support for the CSAVR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Professional Network.
Amanda Myers, CESP, Employment Coordinator, Down Syndrome Innovations
Amanda joined Down Syndrome Innovations in 2021. She has more than a decade of experience supporting individuals with diverse abilities. Amanda is a Certified Employment Support Professional.
Amanda’s experience offers teens and adults learning opportunities to develop their vocational skills, coaches them on the job, and supports employers throughout the process.
She began her career working at a community mental health center where she was awarded Employee of the Year. Following this, she relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia where she worked as an Employment Specialist for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Amanda came to Down Syndrome Innovations to build an Employment program to address the staffing needs in the community, train employers on how to work with individuals with diverse abilities and update their hiring and onboarding systems.
Colette Divitto, Founder and CEO, Collettey’s Cookies
Collette Divitto , Founder and CEO of Collettey’s Cookies was born in 1990 with Down syndrome. You may have seen her on Forbes and People Magazine, GMA, CNN, Chronicle, Huffington Post, ABC and CBS World News, Pop Sugar and more! After years of rejection with trying to find employment, she would not let that defeat her and started her own companies, all missioned to create employment opportunities and empowerment programs for people with disabilities. Since baking was her go-to fun hobby, she decided to bring samples to a local market in 2016. Since then she has sold over 750,000 cookies, and ships across the United States and Canada. She has scaled her company up to mass production and is focused on building her empire with the determination to become a nationally recognized company, in hopes to de-stigmatize the world.
Collette’s cookie company donates 5% to her non profit called Collettey’s Leadership Org. where Collette offers workshops and mentorships for people with disabilities and challenges.
Collette has also started a series of books that share her own stories in growing up and the challenges she faced, all with and ending with a positive outcome and message.
Collette in Kindergarten and Collette in Third Grade are published now and found on www.colletteys.com or amazon.
Colletteys is a Certified DisabilityIN company and was recently appointed by Governor Maura Healey, State of Massachusetts to the Diverse Small Business Advisory Board.
Ryan Rotundo, Director of Programs, National Down Syndrome Society
Ryan leads the planning, development, and oversight of programs critical to the Down syndrome community, such as education and employment. Ryan has been a leader in the disability community for more than fifteen years. He has served at the state level on the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities since 2018 and is currently Vice Chair. He has worked with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to develop a statewide curriculum for students with disabilities. For over a decade Ryan served as a high school special education teacher, with a focus on preparing young adults for positive post-secondary transitions. He also has experience developing curriculum to support siblings of individuals with Down syndrome, has worked as a direct support professional (DSP), and continues to share his knowledge and expertise as a guest lecturer and speaker. In 2019 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Buncombe County Schools, in partnership with Arc of Buncombe County. Ryan holds an undergraduate degree in special education from UNC – Greensboro and a master’s degree in public administration from UNC.
Ashlea Lantz, President, Hillman-Lantz Inc.
Ashlea Lantz is the President of Hillman-Lantz Inc., a consulting practice focusing on the value proposition of disability employment. Ashlea contracts as a consultant with The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake University as a Senior Policy Advisor. In this role, Ashlea spearheads disability employment initiatives, focusing on business consulting, rehabilitation services, and benefits planning. Her extensive experience in rehabilitation counseling, supported employment, and accessibility enables her to assist businesses in accessing an often-overlooked talent pool and establishing sustainable inclusive hiring practices. Ashlea provides tailored consultation services to corporations, empowering them to enhance their disability-hiring initiatives with precision and impact. In addition, Ashlea serves as Subject Matter Expert for the United States Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy on a number of disability employment initiatives.
In 2021, Ashlea played a pivotal role in organizing the Iowa Harkin Summit on Disability Employment, using her expertise as committee chair to facilitate business mentoring and promote diverse hiring practices. Before contracting with The Harkin Institute, she worked as a Senior Associate with Griffin-Hammis Associates , focusing on Customized Employment, Supported Employment, Certified Benefits Planning, and agency capacity building. In this role Ashlea delivered hundreds of trainings across the country for disability organizations that are working to support people with disabilities to gain integrated employment. Ashlea’s disability employment experience extends beyond professional settings as she supported her sister Emilea in leaving segregated employment to start her own coffee shop, Em’s Coffee Co. in Independence, Iowa. Em will celebrate 15 years in business in December.
Ashlea’s influence extends nationally, working on employment initiatives in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, and Maryland. Internationally, she has presented at the International Harkin Summit on Disability Employment in Belfast, the Zero Project at the United Nations in Vienna, and the European Supported Employment Conference in Tarragona. As the former Director of Employment at Candeo in Johnston, Iowa, Ashlea expanded supported employment programs significantly, tripling the number of employees and supported job seekers.
She has held key leadership roles in organizations such as Iowa APSE, where she served as president, and the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators as Secretary and Vice President. Ashlea recently joined the board of Iowa Radio and Information Services , enhancing access for hearing-disabled Iowans through audio descriptions.
Ashlea has received the Rebecca McDonald Award from National APSE and the SueAnn Morrow Award for her contributions in the field of disability employment. Her commitment to professional development is evident through her certifications as a certified benefits planner from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Certified Employment Support Professional certification, and the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor certification. Ashlea earned her masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Drake University. Ashlea has lived experience personally and as a family member in regard to disability and advocacy. She resides in Des Moines with her husband, Todd, and their two children, Nile and Cole.
Michele Heydon, Commissioner, KDADS
Michele Heydon serves as the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Commissioner for KDADS. The commission oversees all HCBS programs and other related programs for community-based supports. The commission manages a system of community-based supports and services for persons with disabilities, which are delivered through the KanCare system in partnership with organized networks. These services include programs for those with physical disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, frail elderly, the Severe Emotional Disturbance waiver for children and children with autism. It is responsible for coordinating intra-agency activity around KanCare. The commission works with each KDADS Commission to ensure that client services are monitored appropriately. The Commission coordinates with all three KanCare Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) regarding KDADS-specific program areas (home and community-based service waivers and behavioral health).
In addition, it is responsible for the Aging and Disability Resource Center, or ADRC, the entry point for older adults and persons with disabilities to connect with local experts who can help them choose a long-term care option. The Commission also oversees all assessing entities who provide the level of care assessments required for the waivers.
Commissioner Heydon has worked in community-based programs for 30 plus years and is dedicated to serving people who are in these programs.
Cassidi Jobe, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Summit Future Foundation
Cassidi is a community organizer and parent of two children who experience developmental and learning disabilities.
Her passion that all individuals, regardless of their ability level, have the right to lead a meaningful and inclusive life has led her to a wide range of leadership experiences.
From co-founding and leading our grassroots non-profit to state-wide initiatives, Cassidi has developed innovative practices that promote optimal outcomes for youth and young adults who experience developmental disabilities.
Julie Hocker, Former U.S. Commissioner on Disabilities
Julie Hocker is a national labor and health policy expert and consultant. She works to protect the human dignity and unleash the potential of all people, most especially individuals with disabilities. Ms. Hocker served as the United States Commissioner on Disabilities from 2018 – 2021. She was nominated by President Trump as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy on January 28, 2020.
As Commissioner, Ms. Hocker directed the nation’s leading agency, the Administration on Disabilities at the Department of Health and Human Services, charged with executing a $375 million budget and ensuring the nation’s 60 million Americans with disabilities have access to the services and supports they need to live in their communities and fully pursue the freedoms and rights we all enjoy. Ms. Hocker established the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities, affirming the innate value of every life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Hocker oversaw the deployment of $85 million in CARES Act funds to more than 280 nonprofits nationwide to provide employment support, food, personal protective equipment, transportation, and community referrals. She led the national effort to save lives through eliminating outdated and discriminatory public health protocols that jeopardized access to life-saving testing and treatment.
In 2019, Ms. Hocker launched the nation’s first prize competition aimed at private sector innovation in career advancement for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nearly 60 firms nationwide competed to disrupt low expectations and instead create meaningful, well-paying career pathways. In 2020, she launched a national training and technical assistance center to replicate these models through public-private partnerships in every state and territory.
Prior to serving as Commissioner, Ms. Hocker held several leadership positions at the Vanguard Group in her home state of Pennsylvania. She began her career at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after earning her undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She served as a Senior Policy Fellow for the Center for Human Dignity at the American Conservative Union Foundation and has appeared at multiple national conferences and in several publications; she testified before the New York State Senate on the discrimination of people with disabilities.
Ms. Hocker earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and resides in Arlington, Virginia.
Hannah Olson, Co-Founder and CEO, Disclo
Hannah Olson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Disclo, an innovative HR software tackling the complex world of ADA accommodations. For Hannah, this work is personal. After navigating her early career while battling a chronic illness, she realized if the workplace wasn’t designed for people like her, then it was time to redesign the workplace. Today, she is known globally for her disability advocacy, and was recently named 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30.
Heartland Summit FAQs:
Accommodations: The Summit will be held in the Kansas State Capitol. ASL and CART will be provided throughout the Summit. If you need any additional accommodations, please contact
Parking: Public entrance is located on SW 8th Avenue. All visitors must enter through the Capitol Police Security checkpoint. Automobile parking instructions:
- Capitol parking garage on SW 8th Avenue: free for two hours. Clearance into garage is 8 feet 2 inches.
Elevators take visitors into the building. - Street, metered parking on SW Jackson Street between SW 8th and SW 9th avenues for up to
10 hours. Meter fees vary. Free Saturday and Sunday. Visitors enter the building on ground level
at the semi-circular drive on SW 8th Avenue. - Crosby Place Parking Garage, 108 SW 8th Avenue, between S Kansas Avenue and SW Jackson Street.
Hourly fee. - Centre City Parking Garage, 109 SW 9th Avenue, between
S Kansas Avenue and SW Jackson Street. Hourly fee.
Driving Directions
- Traveling east on I-70: exit at SE 8th Avenue (Exit 362B.) Merge onto Monroe Street. Right onto SE 8th Avenue to the Capitol
- Traveling west on I-70: exit at SE 8th Avenue (Exit 362B.) Left onto SW 8th Avenue to the Capitol
- From the south: exit Kansas Turnpike at Topeka Boulevard. Left onto SW Topeka Boulevard. Right onto SE 8th Avenue to the Capitol
Dress Code: Business casual
Hi, my name is Lola and I am the Advocacy Coordinator with the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD). I want to personally invite you to join us for our first-ever SPEAK Up! Conference. SPEAK Up! stands for Self-advocates Promoting Empowerment and Access in Kansas.
Speak Up & Out with KCDD at a conference where voices are amplified, barriers are broken, and change is ignited! This groundbreaking event is your opportunity to be part of a movement that champions inclusivity, accessibility, and equality for all.
Engage with and gain valuable insights on current and new legislative priorities from keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops.
RSVP HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B6Z6DJ7
Event Details
Date 📅
10/4/24
Time 🕒
11am - 4pm
Venue 🏨
Down Syndrome Innovations - 5916 Dearborn St. Mission, KS 66202
Featured Speakers
Dive into the power of lived experiences and expert insights from leading advocates, activists, and organizations in the disability community. Engage in thought-provoking discussions, inspiring keynotes, and interactive workshops that address the most pressing issues facing individuals with disabilities today. If you have any questions regarding disability or advocacy you have come to the right place where you can ask them to a panel of self-advocates in a break-out session.
Topics Covered
Delve into a diverse range of topics including:
- Disability Rights and Legislation
- Accessible Design and Technology
- Employment and Workforce Inclusion
- Health and Wellness Advocacy
- Education and Accessibility
- Intersectionality and Diversity
- Empowerment and Self-Advocacy
Networking Opportunities
Connect with fellow advocates, policymakers, educators, and industry leaders who share your passion for disability rights and inclusion. Forge meaningful connections, share strategies, and collaborate on initiatives that drive positive change in your community and beyond.
Why Attend?
- Gain insights from self-advocates and activists
- Learn about the latest trends and innovations in disability advocacy, issues in the disability community, and what we can do to help/support this community
- Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations
- Amplify your voice and make a tangible impact
- Be inspired to lead with purpose and passion
Secure your spot today! Limited seats are available.
Join us in championing the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities.
Register now and become a catalyst for change at the Speak Up & Out with KCDD Conference.
Conference Agenda
11:30 AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks - Lola Kernell, Advocacy Coordinator, KCDD
11:35 AM – Advocacy 101 Panel
12:45 PM – Lunch Break
1:00 PM – Breakout Sessions
- Key Legislative Priorities Across the Lifespan
- Building an Advocacy Toolkit Panel
1:45 PM – Networking Break
2:00 PM – Legislative Advocacy Fireside Chat - Moderated by Lola Kernell
2:45 PM – Networking Break
3:00 PM – What’s the KCDD Advocacy “Scoop” for 2025? - Ice Cream provided by The Golden Scoop
- Advocacy Goal Setting
- How to Join the KCDD Change Agent Program
- KCDD’s Board & Appointment’s Project
- Looking Ahead to the Kansas 2025 Legislative Session
Here at the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, we know that this is an uncertain and complicated season to navigate. If you are experiencing life with a developmental disability, the COVID-19 epidemic can make life especially challenging. We have collected a number of essential resources here and will continue to update this page as new resources become available.
Disability Information and Access Line
Trained staff are standing by to help people with disabilities and older adults find vaccine locations, make appointments, and connect to local services and supports necessary to access vaccines. They also can provide information and address questions or concerns about the vaccine.
Kansas COVID-19 Resources
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)’s COVID-19 page
Link: http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/
KDADS COVID-19 page
Link: https://www.kdads.ks.gov/covid-19
State of Kansas COVID-19 page
Link: https://covid.ks.gov/
Families Together’s COVID-19 page
Link: https://familiestogetherinc.org/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Disability Rights Center (DRC)’s COVID-19 Resource Guide
Link: https://www.drckansas.org/publications/covid-19-resource-guide
Kansas Department of Labor (DoL)
The Kansas DoL has information about unemployment on their homepage, as well as an unemployment page and a COVID-19 page
Link: https://www.dol.ks.gov/covid19response
KANSASWORKS
Link: https://www.kansasworks.com/ada/r/
COVID-19 TOPICS
Updated 29 July 2022
- General COVID-19 Information
- Staying Healthy
- Vaccines and Boosters
- Testing
- Getting Sick
- Coping
- Getting Out and Socializing
General COVID-19 Information
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| COVID-19 Vaccine Information in Plain Language | This guide gives an overview of Covid-19 that is easy to read and understand. | https://www.hcrs.org/assets/files/COVID-19-Vaccine-Information-in-Plain-Language.pdf |
| Easy to Read COVID-19 Materials | Assist with making vaccination appointments | https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/easy-to-read/index.html |
| COVID-19 American Sign Language (ASL) Videos | CDC released videos with COVID-19 information for those who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. | https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvrp9iOILTQatwnqm61jqFrsfUB4RKh6J |
| Plain Language COVID-19 Materials | These plain language materials were developed by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network to make it easier to understand the details around the COVID-19 virus. | https://autisticadvocacy.org/resources/covid-pl/ |
Staying Healthy
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| Coronavirus Tips for Staying Healthy | This video was created by self-advocates at the WI Board for People w/ Develop. Disabilities to make it simple to understand how to avoid COVID-19. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Yl-BesvDw&t=1s |
| Shining a Light on Covid-19 News | This video was created by self-advocates at the WI Board for People with Developmental Disabilities to share more recent information about COVID-19 now that things have been opening back up. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxgvwqJyUCQ |
| What You Need to Know About COVID-19 and Wearing a Mask | COVID-19 keeps changing, but one thing that remains the same is the need for accessible information about what we can do to keep safe. This is why the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) made this resource in English and Spanish with accompanying videos. | https://www.selfadvocacyinfo.org/resource/what-you-need-to-know-about-covid-19-and-wearing-a-mask/ |
Vaccines and Boosters
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| Disabilities, Their Families | People with disabilities have the right to get a Covid-19 vaccine. In most cases, if you want to get the vaccine, you can. No one can keep you from getting it just because you have a disability or need extra help. If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing the vaccine, call Disability Rights Center of Kansas at 1-877-776-1541 or visit drckansas.org. | https://youtu.be/52w4QVVED-M |
| COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet | This resource page from Autistic Self Advocacy Network tells you What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots | https://autisticadvocacy.org/resources/covid-pl/vaccine/ |
| Disability Information and Access Line | Have you been looking for information about COVID-19 vaccines? The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is available to help people with disabilities get vaccinated and access COVID-19 tests. The DIAL's trained staff is standing by to: Help find local vaccination locations Assist with making vaccination appointments Help connect to available testing options, including help with ordering free at-home test kits through the program announced by the White House on January 14 Connect callers to local services – such as accessible transportation – to overcome barriers to vaccination and testing. | https://acl.gov/DIAL |
| Vaccinated and Free Videos | Video resources were developed and produced by Florida Self-Advocates Network to share the thoughts of statewide self-advocates on topics related to COVID-19 and vaccination. | https://www.selfadvocacyinfo.org/resource/vaccinated-and-free-videos/ |
| NY Office for People with Developmental Disabilities | This plain language flyer created by the NY Office for People With Developmental Disabilities gives has important information about getting your COVID-19 Booster. | https://opwdd.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/01/booster-flyer-final.pdf |
| What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine: Why you need a second shot | This video from Autistic Self Advocacy Network tells you What you need to know about COVID-19 booster shots | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC_nBYTxIPc |
Testing
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| Project ACT (Access Covid Tests) | Vaccinated? Vaccination, along with testing, is the best way of preventing COVID-19 spread. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. However, even fully vaccinated people have a chance of becoming infected and spreading the virus, so testing remains important for everyone.. Anyone age 5 and older is now eligible for vaccination. | accesscovidtests.org |
| How To Use a Self-Test | Interested in performing a COVID-19 test at home? This short video explains the basics of how to purchase a self-test, collect a specimen, perform the test, and dispose of the test. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBrf5BXkOaE |
| How To Use An At-Home Covid-19 Test (SARTAC Webinar) | March 3, 2022 - There are many different kinds of at-home tests for Covid-19. They are done in similar ways. During this session, we shared video and poster resources that explain using a home test for Covid-19. The videos and posters also help you learn how to read the results of your at-home test. | http://d3r5ngmnz0b984.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SARTAC-3.3.2022.pdf For additional COVID-19 Resources from SARTAC, visit https://www.selfadvocacyinfo.org/resources/sartac-zoom-meetings/ |
Getting Sick
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| What to do if You Test Positive for COVID-19 - 12-3-20 | This PDF from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) explains steps to take if you test positive for COVID-19 | https://bit.ly/kdhecovidpositivePDF |
| COVID-19 Vaccine for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Their Families, and Caregivers in Missouri | This plain language booklet created by our neighbors in Missouri explains the symptoms of Covid-19 and what to do if you’re sick. | https://bit.ly/mocovidguide |
| Infographic : How to prepare in case someone gets sick in your household | This infographic from the World Health Organization shows how to prepare in case someone in your household becomes ill with Covid-19. | https://bit.ly/whopreparesick |
| Infographic: Home care for COVID-19: Guide for family and caregivers | This infographic from the World Health Organization shows how to be prepared to care for someone in the home | https://bit.ly/whocovidhomecare |
| Infographic: What to do if someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 | This infographic from the World Health Organization shows the steps to take if someone in your household becomes ill with Covid-19. | https://bit.ly/whocovidpositivetest |
| Infographic: I just found out I have COVID-19 | This infographic from the World Health Organization shares how to communicate you have COVID-19 | https://bit.ly/whoihavecovid |
| Long COVID Video Series | Learn more about “Long Covid” with this series of educational videos. Written transcripts are also available. | https://longcovid.physio/long-covid-video-series |
Coping
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| COVID-19-Help Booklets | This series of COVID-19-Help Booklets will help you tackle the emotional and mental health side of coping with COVID-19. | https://connectability.ca/covid-19/covid-19-information-plain-language/ |
| Care for yourself one small way each day | This infographic shares ways you can take care of your mental health during COVID-19. | https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/care-for-yourself/pdfs/General-Public-Care-for-Yourself.pdf |
Getting Out and Socializing
| Resource | Description | Link to resource |
| How to Protect Yourself & Others | This page from the CDC explains simple steps to preventing getting stick from COVID-19. | https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html |
| Advice for the public: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) | This page from the World Health Organization outlines basic advice for staying safe from COVID-19. | https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public |
| Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Small public gatherings | This page from the Word Health Organization answers questions about getting togeter in small groups. | https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-small-public-gatherings |
| Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Travel advice for the general public | This page from the Word Health Organization offers travel advice during COVID-19. | https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-travel-advice-for-the-general-public |
Be sure and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for even more resources to help you meet your needs and cope during the Coronavirus outbreak.
The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) launched the Access to Technology Project in fall of 2020 to help decrease the social isolation Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities were experiencing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Access to Technology Sessions Archive
KCDD has hosted several sessions to help the individuals participating in the project get comfortable with their devices and use them more in their daily lives. You can view the archived sessions below or on our Youtube Channel.
Access to Technology Project Summary
KCDD provided a limited number of smartphones including 6 months of prepaid service* to qualifying individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to improve skills and help address social isolation, as a result of Covid-19.
To be eligible, individuals must have been receiving Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver services, on the waiting list to receive I/DD HCBS Waiver services, and lacking access to this type of technology. Lack of access to technology was verified by the Targeted Case Manager (TCM), Care Coordinator, or Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO). Individuals were also required to be at least 18 years old and live in Kansas.
Selected recipients of the smartphones were expected to participate in virtual, online activities and agree to cooperate with project evaluation feedback about the use of the phones. Recipient expectations included:
- Attend a minimum of 1 event online each month during a 6-month period. Approved activities include, but are not limited to: KCDD and/or Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK) virtual events (such as KCDD Coffee House or the SACK Conference), Employment First Conference, Kansas Leadership Center leadership classes, telemedicine appointments, telehealth visits, televideo, national and state conferences and events, Person Centered Support Plans, BASIS/MFEI meetings, online community events, etc.
- Report monthly about the online events or activities attended.
- Participate in online evaluations and/or focus groups.
- Return the phone if requested for failure to participate in attending virtual events.
- The phone may not be used for any illegal activity.
- Call or email KCDD or contracted staff for technical help if needed.
- If the phone is lost or stolen report it immediately by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 785-296-2608.
For questions, please call: 785-296-2608 or toll free at 1-877-431-4604
* Recipients of a smartphone who cooperate with these requirements will be eligible for an additional 6 months of prepaid service, based on available funding.
AMERICA AND KANSAS HAVE A LONG AND CRUEL HISTORY OF
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
To understand the disability rights movement and the positive recent developments to protect the rights of people with disabilities, you must appreciate the history of discrimination and isolation thrust upon them. For much of our nation’s history, Americans who happen to have disabilities were considered as people without any real value to society, a drain on the government’s resources, and a population without any real political or economic power. Some in our society still feel this way today.
Discrimination is the making of distinctions in the way a person or class of persons is treated based on a particular characteristic or set of characteristics of that individual(s). In this case, that characteristic is a disability. Examples of discriminatory acts range from a one-inch step into a building to forced institutionalization, and to the most heinous examples of abuse and neglect. The history of discrimination, forced institutionalization, forced sterilization, denial of education, being hidden away from society, etc., has been well documented by Congress and by the Courts.
Below are excerpts from a court case, Tennessee v. Lane, U.S. Supreme Court brief, November 12, 2003. The following are quotes from the court briefs. Reading these passages provides an excellent summary of the historic discrimination faced by people with disabilities in our nation.
“After decades of study, Congress determined that persons with disabilities had suffered from a virulent history of official governmental discrimination, isolation, and segregation. Congress found, moreover, that such discrimination and segregation, like race and gender discrimination, have repercussions that have persisted over the years and that continue to be manifested in decision making by state and local officials across the span of governmental operations. That official discrimination results not just in the denial of the equal protection of the laws and equal access to governmental benefits, but also in the deprivation of fundamental rights, such as the rights of access to the courts, to vote, to substantive and procedural due process, to petition government officials, and to other protections of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments.”
While referring to the Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 it states, “In Title II, Congress formulated a statute that, much like federal laws combating racial and gender discrimination, is carefully designed to root out present instances of unconstitutional discrimination, to undo the effects of past discrimination, and to prevent future unconstitutional treatment by prohibiting discrimination and promoting integration where reasonable. . . . The statute is thus carefully tailored to prohibit state conduct that presents a substantial risk of violating the Constitution or that unreasonably perpetuates the exclusionary effects of prior unconstitutional treatment and exclusion.”
“Persons with disabilities reported "denials of educational opportunities, lack of access to public buildings and public bathrooms, [and] the absence of accessible transportation.” Congress also learned of an “alarming rate of poverty,” a dramatic educational gap, and a life of social “isolat[ion]” for persons with disabilities.’
“Twenty percent of persons with disabilities--more than twice the percentage of the general population--lived below the poverty line, and 15% of disabled persons had incomes of $15,000 or less. Threshold 13-14. Forty percent of persons with disabilities--triple the rate for the general population--did not finish high school. Only 29% of persons with disabilities had some college education, compared with 48% for the general population. Two-thirds of all working-age persons with disabilities were unemployed; only one in four worked full-time. Two- thirds of persons with disabilities had not attended a movie or sporting event in the past year; three-fourths had not seen live theater or music performances; persons with disabilities were three times more likely not to eat in restaurants, and 13% of persons with disabilities never went to grocery stores.”
Historic Discrimination: The “propriety of any legislation 'must be judged with reference to the historical experience ... it reflects.” Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Educ. Expense Bd. v. College Sav. Bank, 527 U.S. 627, 640 (1999) (quoting Flores, 521 U.S. at 525). While petitioner and its seven amici States ignore it, Congress and this Court have long acknowledged the Nation's “history of unfair and often grotesque mistreatment” of persons with disabilities. Cleburne, 473 U.S. at 454 (Stevens, J., concurring); see also Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581, 608 (1999) (Kennedy, J., concurring) (“[O]f course, persons with mental disabilities have been subject to historic mistreatment, indifference, and hostility.”); Cleburne, 473 U.S. at 446 (“Doubtless, there have been and there will continue to be instances of discrimination against the retarded that are in fact invidious.”); Alexander v. Choate, 469 U.S. 287, 295 n.12 (1985) (“well- cataloged instances of invidious discrimination against the handicapped do exist”).
“[T]orture, imprisonment, and execution of handicapped people throughout history are not uncommon.” The United States Civil Rights Comm'n, Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities 18 n.5 (1983) (Spectrum). More often, “societal practices of isolation and segregation have been the rule.” From the 1920s to the 1960s, the eugenics movement labeled persons with mental and physical disabilities as “sub-human creatures” and “waste products” responsible for poverty and crime. Every single State, by law, provided for the segregation of persons with mental disabilities and, frequently, epilepsy, and excluded them from public schools and other state services and privileges of citizenship. States also fueled the fear and isolation of persons with disabilities by requiring public officials and parents to report and segregate into institutions the “feebleminded.”
“Almost every State accompanied forced segregation with compulsory sterilization and prohibitions on marriage. See Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200, 207 (1927) ("It is better for all the world, if . . . society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. . . . Three generations of imbeciles are enough."); 3 Leg. Hist. 2242; M. Burgdorf & R. Burgdorf, A History of Unequal Treatment (Unequal Treatment), 15 Santa Clara Lawyer 855, 887-888
(1975). Children with mental disabilities “were excluded completely from any form of public education.” Board of Educ. v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 191 (1982). The numerous States also restricted the rights of the physically disabled to enter into contracts, Spectrum 40, while a number of large cities enacted “ugly laws,” which prohibited the physically disabled from appearing in public. Chicago's law provided:
“No person who is diseased, maimed, mutilated or in any way deformed so as to be an unsightly or disgusting object or improper person to be allowed in or on the public ways or other public places in this city, shall therein or thereon expose himself to public view, under a penalty of not less than one dollar nor more than fifty dollars for each offense. Unequal Treatment 863 (quoting ordinance). Such laws were enforced as recently as 1974.”
“See also State v. Board of Educ., 172 N.W. 153, 153 (Wis. 1919) (approving exclusion of a boy with cerebral palsy from public school because he “produces a depressing and nauseating effect upon the teachers and school children.”) (noted at 2 Leg. Hist. 2243); see generally T. Cook, The Americans with Disabilities Act: The Move to Integration, 64 Temple L. Rev. 393, 399-407 (1991).”
Enduring Unconstitutional Treatment: “Prejudice, once let loose, is not easily cabined.” Cleburne, 473 U.S. at 464 (Marshall, J., concurring); see Hibbs, 123 S. Ct. at 1979 (noting the “persistence” of gender discrimination and the “firmly rooted” stereotypes that accompany it). Indeed, Congress found that “our society is still infected by the ancient, now almost subconscious assumption that people with disabilities are less than fully human and therefore are not fully eligible for the opportunities, services, and support systems which are available to other people as a matter of right,” and “[t]he result is massive, society-wide discrimination.” S. Rep. No. 116, supra, at 8-9.
Another section reads, “That is because a concerted process of changing discriminatory laws, policies, practices, and stereotypical conceptions and prejudices did not even begin until the 1970s and 1980s. Cf. Hibbs, 123 S. Ct. at 1978. Even then, “out-dated statutes [were] still on the books, and irrational fears or ignorance, traceable to the prolonged social and cultural isolation” of those with disabilities “continue to stymie recognition of the[ir] dignity and individuality.” Cleburne, 473 U.S. at 467 (Marshall, J., concurring) (emphasis added). The involuntary sterilization of the disabled is not distant history; it continued into the 1970s, and occasionally even into the 1980s-- well within the lifetime of many current governmental decision makers. P. Reilly, The Surgical Solution 2, 148 (1991); Look Back at Oregon's History of Sterilizing Residents of State Institutions (National Pub. Radio broadcast Dec. 2, 2002). As recently as 1983, fifteen States continued to have compulsory sterilization laws on the books. Spectrum 37; see Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349, 351 (1978) (state judge ordered the sterilization of a “somewhat retarded” 15-year-old girl); Reilly, supra, at 148-160; contrast Skinner v. Oklahoma, 316 U.S. 535, 541 (1942) (strict scrutiny governs sterilization classifications). Until the late 1970s, “peonage was a common practice in [Oregon] institutions.” Governor J. Kitzhaber, Proclamation of Human Rights Day, and Apology for Oregon's Forced Sterilization of Institutionalized Persons, Speech at Salem, Or. (Dec. 2, 2002). As of 1979, “most States still categorically disqualified ‘idiots’ from voting, without regard to individual capacity and with discretion to exclude left in the hands of low-level election officials." Cleburne, 473 U.S. at 464 (Marshall, J., concurring).
Congress learned that irrational prejudices, fears, and animus still operate to deny persons with disabilities an equal opportunity for public education. As recently as 1975, approximately 1 million disabled students were “excluded entirely from the public school system.” 42 U.S.C. 1400(c)(2)(C). A quadriplegic woman with cerebral palsy and a high intellect was branded “retarded” by educators, denied placement in a regular school setting, and placed with emotionally disturbed children, where she was told she was “not college material.” VT 1635. Other school districts also simply labeled as mentally retarded a blind child and a child with cerebral palsy. NB 1031; AK 38 (child with cerebral palsy subsequently obtained a Master’s Degree). “When I was 5,” another witness testified, “my mother proudly pushed my wheelchair to our local public school, where I was promptly refused admission because the principal ruled that I was a fire hazard.”
See also California. Attorney General, Commission on Disability: Final Report 17, 81 (Dec. 1989) (Cal. Report) (“A bright child with cerebral palsy is assigned to a class with mentally retarded and other developmentally disabled children solely because of her physical disability”; in one town, all children with disabilities are grouped into a single classroom regardless of individual ability.); 136 Cong. Rec. 10,913 (1990) (Rep. McDermott) (school board excluded Ryan White, who had AIDS, not because the board “thought Ryan would infect the others” but because “some parents were afraid he would”); NY 1123 (three elementary schools locked mentally disabled children in a box for punishment); Education for All Handicapped Children, 1975-1974: Hearings Before the Subcomm. on the Handicapped of the Senate Comm. on Labor & Pub. Welfare, 93d Cong., 1st Sess., Pt. 2, at 793 (1973) (Christine Griffith) (first-grade student “was spanked every day” because her deafness prevented her from following instructions); id., Pt. 1, at 400 (Mrs. R. Walbridge) (student with spina bifida barred from the school library “because her braces and crutches made too much noise”); id.at 384; 2 Leg. Hist. 989; Spectrum 28, 29; UT 1556; PA 1432; NM 1090; OR 1375; AL 32; SD 1481; MO 1014; NC 1144; Garrett, 531 U.S. at 391-424 (Breyer, J., dissenting).
There is a long and unfortunate history of people with disabilities being denied access to government services and programs. A few examples: A paraplegic Vietnam veteran was forbidden to use a public pool; the park commissioner explained that “[i] it's not my fault you went to Vietnam and got crippled.” 3 Leg. Hist. 1872 (Peter Addesso); see also id. at 1995 (Rev. Scott Allen) (woman with AIDS and her children denied entry to a public swimming pool); 2 Leg. Hist. 1100, 1078, 1116; WS 1752 (deaf child denied swimming lessons); NC 1156 (mentally retarded child not allowed in pool); CA 166; MS 855; May 1989 Hearings 76 (Ill. Att'y Gen. Hartigan) (visually impaired children with guide dogs “cannot participate in park district programs when the park has a ‘no dogs’ rule”); NC 1155; PA 1391 (limiting library cards for “those having physical as well as mental disabilities”); CA 216 (wheelchair users not allowed in homeless shelter); CA 223 (same); DE 322 (same for mentally ill); KS 713 (discrimination in state job training program); IL 533 (female disability workshop participants advised to get sterilized); IA 664; AK 72, 145; OH 1218; AZ 116; AZ 127; HI 456; ID 541; see generally Spectrum App. An (identifying 20 broad categories of state-provided or
supported services and programs in which discrimination against persons with disabilities arises).
The examples above are used to provide context to the history of discrimination against people with disabilities because it provides a snapshot of just how pervasive the abuse, neglect, segregation, isolation, institutionalization and other severe forms of discrimination really are. In fact, actions and attitudes of discrimination against people with disabilities were, and are, so pervasive that after several years of hearings and study, even Congress figured out that something needed to change.
Creation of the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System
The protection and advocacy system was founded in 1975 because of the sudden public acknowledgment of the horrific abuses that people with developmental disabilities were experiencing in institutions all around the country. Unfortunately, by mid-1970,s thousands upon thousands of individuals with disabilities had been forced to live in institutions and as a result had been brutally abused, tortured and denied any chance at the life that other Americans enjoyed. In Kansas, the Disability Rights Center of Kansas is the Protection and Advocacy System, having been founded in 1977.
People with a wide range of disabilities were, and still are institutionalized. People were referred to as the “feeble-minded, epileptics, Mongolian idiots, imbeciles, and insane.” Numerous public policies and practices of publicly mandated, publicly funded and publicly accepted discrimination and abuse were instituted. Today, the institutions look different in size, color, location, furnishings, and appearance, but make no mistake, an institution is an institution is an institution. Regardless of how well-meaning the intent, any living situation where the “owner,” service provider, administration or other systems or persons control your lifestyle, your roommates, your money, your meals, your recreation and your movements, (and on and on), is an institution. Institutions by their very nature deny, withhold, violate and abuse the rights of the people that live there.
In response to the historic discrimination against people with disabilities, the Protection and Advocacy (P&As) System. Every state and most US Territories have a designated protection and advocacy system (again, in Kansas this is the Disability Rights Center). P&As provide legally-based advocacy, including free advocacy and legal services, to people with disabilities in order to protect, enforce and enhance their rights under the law. P&As also have special powers under the federal law to investigate abuse and neglect, along with the corresponding authority to hold abusers accountable through civil actions.
Pictures from the book Christmas in Purgatory
“During the eighteenth century, the plight of the mentally ill was shocking almost everywhere in Europe. ...flighty, troublesome or dangerous patients were restrained and kept in a small room or stall in a private house, in ‘lunatic boxes,’ in cages or in other places of confinement that seemed appropriate for isolating them and rendering them harmless...as a result of poor supervision, many committed suicide, perished through accidents or created serious disturbances. The tense and exasperating environment thus created and encouraged the establishment of the strictest preventative measures.” - Emil Kraepelin (Christmas In Purgatory)
Eugenics: the pseudo-science that was a tool for oppression and systematic abuse against people with disabilities
Among the most heinous of the systematic abuses of persons with disabilities was the eugenics movement.
In 1883 Sir Francis Galton in England coined the term eugenics to describe his pseudo-science of “improving the stock” of humanity. The eugenics movement, taken up by Americans, leads to a passage in the United States of laws to prevent people with disabilities from moving to this country, marrying, or having children. In many instances, it leads to the institutionalization and forced sterilization of disabled people, including children.
THE EUGENIC TREE. This emblem, showing the far-flung roots of eugenics, was part of a certificate awarded to ‘meritorious exhibits’ at the Second International Congress of Eugenics, held in 1921 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. (Image courtesy of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, USA)
In his article “Never Again” (February 2000), Ward Harkavy writes: “Eugenicists believed that bone structure held clues about character traits. A century ago, scientists from the top universities in America began to study people's pedigrees in the hopes of creating ‘perfect’ children. Instead, they spawned a monster: the pseudoscience of eugenics. We bury memories of those days under a mountain of shame; rarely does the full scope of our flirtation with race science come to light.”
But now more than 1200 images from the heyday of eugenics are about to be opened to wide public view, under a program funded by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island.
The Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement, http://vector.cshl.org/eugenics/, pieced together by a staff led by David Micklos of the lab's DNA Learning Center, contains explosive material on such topics as “race mixing” and “Mongolian idiocy.” Well-written essays accompany the images and put the times in perspective.
It's more than coincidence that the Cold Spring Harbor Lab hosts this project. It is, after all, home of the Human Genome Project to map DNA. A fairly straight line connects this project to the early eugenics movement, although the scientists of yesteryear took gene research down a darker road. Believing that single genes could determine whether someone would be ‘inferior,’ they hoped to build a better human by deciding who should or shouldn't make babies. Minority groups were most often the target of this plan.
In 1910, the Eugenics Record Office was set up at Cold Spring Harbor, making the lab the center of what became an international movement. In the United States, the results ranged from ‘Fitter Families’ contests, aimed at encouraging people of ‘good stock’ to breed, to laws restricting immigration of non-WASPs and ordering sterilization of the ‘feebleminded.’
Arguing for limiting immigration from southern and eastern Europe, Harry Laughlin, head of the ERO, told Congress in 1920, "We in this country have been so imbued with the idea of democracy or the equality of all men that we have left out of consideration the matter of blood or natural inborn hereditary mental and moral differences." Adolf Hitler, of course, took the same logic to pathological conclusions, using eugenics as a rationale for genocide.
Micklos, the site's editor, doesn't mince words about the American involvement in eugenics. In one essay, he describes the ERO's journal Eugenical News as the “dominant mouthpiece for the racist and anti-immigration agenda of eugenics research.”
The digital archive serves as a reminder that crackpot science isn't just the domain of Nazis and ignorant racists. Among the leaders of the American eugenics movement were Stanford president David Starr Jordan, Luther Burbank, and Alexander Graham Bell. Charles Darwin's son headed the Eugenics Society in England. The ERO itself was endowed by a grant from the widow of railroad magnate E.H. Harriman, and such population-control progressives as Margaret Sanger also believed in the cause.
Making the history public: apologies and promises of a better tomorrow
Just a few years ago, the Governor of Virginia publicly apologized for that state’s history of institutionalization, and more directly the forced sterilization of thousands of Virginians. Below is a Kansas City Star article that provides the Missouri connection to the Eugenics movement.
The 1927 U.S. Supreme Court, in Buck v. Bell, ruled that the forced sterilization of people with disabilities is not a violation of their constitutional rights. The decision removed the last restraints for eugenists; advocating that people with disabilities be prohibited from having children. By the 1970s, some 60,000 disabled people were sterilized without consent.
“We have seen more than once that the public welfare may call upon the best citizens for their lives. It would be strange if it could not call upon those who already sap the strength of the State for these lesser sacrifices, often not felt to be such by those concerned, in order to prevent our being swamped with incompetence. It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. . . . Three generations of imbeciles are enough. [p*208]” Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, United States Supreme Court.
In his Kansas City Star article on the eugenics movement in the Midwest, Michael L. Wehmeyer states the following:
The effort to sterilize the unfit in Kansas began in 1894 with F. Hoyt Pilcher, then superintendent of Winfield's Kansas State Asylum for Idiotic and Imbecile Youth. By 1895, Pilcher had developed a reputation as a trailblazer. The Winfield Courier reported: “The unsexing of one hundred and fifty of these inmates—male and female—was an innovation that received the endorsement of the entire medical profession of the world, and the plaudits of right-thinking people everywhere.” On March 14, 1913, Kansas, well after Pilcher's reign, passed a law stating that forced sterilization was acceptable if “the mental or physical condition of any inmate would be improved . . . or that procreation by such inmates would be likely to result in defective or feeble-minded children.”
On October 6, 1928, the Supreme Court in Kansas held that a later version of the Kansas sterilization law (passed March 13, 1917) was constitutional. Landman (1932) observed that “The Buck v. Bell decision mandated May 2, 1927, has definitely altered the judicial opinion of this country in favor of this kind of legislation”. (Eugenics and Sterilization in the Heartland, 2002)
By the mid-1970s nearly 3,000 Kansans had undergone forced sterilization in the state-run “hospitals” for persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Kansas hosted the third most active eugenics program in the country just behind Virginia and California. For its population, Kansas probably subjected the highest percentage of its population to this crime. The State of Kansas continues to operate 4 large institutions for citizens with disabilities located in Larned, Osawatomie, Parsons, and Topeka.
“Cast upon this globe without physical strength or innate ideas, incapable in himself of obeying the fundamental laws of this nature which call him to the supreme place in the universe, it is only in the heart of a society that man can attain the pre-eminent position which is his natural destiny. Without the aid of civilization, he would be one of the feeblest and least intelligent of animals...”
Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard
NEVER FORGET – NEVER AGAIN
Never Forget and Never Again are two slogans that have been used to help us remember what was, and what should be. The reader must remember that this is only a brief accounting of the long and varied history of the discrimination and abuse of people who have disabilities and the many attempts to make things better. The history serves to remind us that the job of ensuring justice and equality is not completed. DRC’s very purpose is to do everything in its power to make sure that never again will Kansans with disabilities experience the discrimination, abuse, torture, segregation, and denial of the most basic of human and civil rights that other Americans enjoy.
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We think she would agree.
Note: Many of the facts and information printed in this document came from various sources. Many of the information came from the Bancroft Library, but some have unknown authors. Every attempt has been made to identify the publication and author where possible.
For more information please contact the Disability Rights Center of Kansas
877-776-1541 (toll-free voice)
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