Houston Center for Independent Living
Spectrum
July/August 1996
[Headline] ADAPT Action in Houston—The Story
By Lee Sanders and Judy Ziegler
HCIL and ADAPT of Houston

Thanks to all who participated in the National ADAPT action that lasted from May 18th to May 23rd in our fair city. That action was successful! Over 400 people from all over the country participated in workshops and several protests at key places in the area. At the end of our time together, spirits were high. A national action is a time of rejuvenation. A time to recharge weary minds and bodies. All refreshed, advocates return home to add a new spirit into local community issues.

ADAPT training had five workshops. U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Henry Cisneros came to address critical housing issues for people with disabilities. Mr. Cisneros spent most of the time fielding questions from the audience of disabled consumers and advocates. His final answer was that the government has no money for subsidy and HUD development programs. Everything had been cut to help balance the budget. No one was surprised.

The next day we left the hotel by caravan to confront the regional office of the huge nursing home chain, Living Centers of America (the antithesis of Independent). We went to see Edward L. Kuntz, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Van after van brought advocates to the regional office until the police would allow no more to unload. The first advocates to arrive went inside and straight to the office. By the time the second group of vans arrived, the police had insisted that we leave the building. What a sight to see. The whole area in front of that huge building was a sea of wheelchairs, bodies, and faces of people with disabilities who cared enough to confront Living Centers of America.

Five people were arrested. Dozens of vans had been used. Despite misinformation in the confusion of traffic, the third group of vans arrived. The advocates in that group continued to put the pressure on local police and fire officials by parking alongside the frontage road of Interstate 10 and in front of roadblocks set up to stop us from entering the grounds of the regional office. Vans came, stopped in front of the roadblock, and then people disembarked. The police became frustrated. We explained that we needed these vans to take overheated people away from the site.

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[Image caption] (left to right) Justin Dart & Henry Cisneros. Photo by H. G. Gearhart

One unidentified police officer was heard to say, “This doesn’t look like a major exodus to me.” Finally, Living Centers of America invited us to stay in the building, but asked us to leave their private offices and lobby.

They refused to agree with ADAPT on its demand for support of the Community Attendant Services Act (CASA) and 25% redirection of medicaid dollars from institutionalized care to community base attendant services. ADAPT surrendered the building. It was the same old story. They didn’t want to lower their profit margin by endorsing CASA. ADAPT wanted to ask for his support of CASA, and the right of a person with a disability to choose where he wanted to live in a nursing home or in his own home. We surrounded the place. Some in wheelchairs were helped up steps, where we “held” the place and waited for Mr. Polland.

When Mr. Polland finally arrived, we cleared the driveway for his car. I think he was amazed to find such a large number of people with disabilities ready to do business. He finally agreed to write a letter to Republican candidate for President Bob Dole. ADAPT members helped to compose this letter and it was faxed to Mr. Dole’s office in Washington, D. C.

Mr. Polland’s letter supported ADAPT’s belief that a person should should have a choice in his/her life and not be pushed by circumstance into a nursing home. Mr. Polland also extended an invitation to Bob Kakfa and Stephanie Thomas to attend the state Republican Party Convention.

While this meeting was going on, others were being transported to another ADAPT action site. They were visiting the Stanford, Texas office of the Republican Party Whip, Tom DeLay. ADAPT carried the same demand:

Support of the Community Attendant Services Act (CASA), and right to choose where we want to live. We also wanted a letter of support regarding these issues faxed to Congressman DeLay’s office in Washington, D.C. asking for his support. After much confrontation, the Stanford office reluctantly agreed to contact DeLong’s Washington office. The Washington office refused to cooperate.

On the third day, we all rode to a pre-arranged place off Woodway and converged on the CIGNA Corporation. CIGNA is a giant profit making company specializing in managed care. We challenge CIGNA to

1. Support (in writing) ADAPT’s proposed legislation CASA.

2. Set up, within 90 days, a meeting between ADAPT representatives and the CEO and/or President of CIGNA.

3. Begin meeting with regional ADAPT groups around the country to discuss long term care issues and start to reverse the institutional bias in long term care.

4. Develop a training contract between CIGNA and ADAPT to train CIGNA case managers and other personnel on managers on home and continuing long term care needs and options for people with disabilities.

CIGNA agreed to demands 2 and 3, mostly because CIGNA wanted us out of their offices, their lobby, their patio, and off their property entirely. The ADAPT Action received local television and newspaper coverage everyday. People with disabilities were not invisible, as we all too often are to those who won’t accept what we want.

The ADAPT Action ended with a celebration. We came. We acted. We are strong. Nobody is going to turn us around. See you in Atlanta.

Created on

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Posted on

Monday 23 September 2019

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