Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Minutes June 11, 2021 Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Regular MEETING MINUTES (June 11, 2021) The City of Austin, Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities convened in a regular meeting via video conference on June 11, 2021 with a live broadcast on ATXN. CALL TO ORDER: With quorum present Chair Jonathan Franks called the June 11, 2021 meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities to order at 5:36 pm. Committee Members in Attendance: Chair Jonathan Franks, Vice Chair Emily Shryock, Kathryn Broadwater, Taurean Burt, Joey Gidseg, Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Robin Orlowski, Deborah Trejo ABSENT: Commissioners: Diana Anzaldua, Maria Villarreal Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Office of Civil Rights in person. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: No citizen communication took place during the June 11, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 14, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Emily Shryock. The motion passed 8-0. To view this item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/120918?ts=96 and view item APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 2. NEW BUSINESS: 2A. Discussion and possible action regarding community access and participation for people with disabilities during City Council meetings. The Committee discussed this item together with Item 2B. Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to submit a recommendation to the City on a future agenda item that the City provide deaf translation services at every Council event, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Orlowski. The motion passed 8-0. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and view item 2A. 2B. Discussion and possible action regarding American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services during COVID-19 announcements. The Committee discussed this item together with Item 2A. Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to submit a recommendation to the City on a future agenda item that the City provide deaf translation services at every Council event, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Orlowski. The motion passed 8-0. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and view item 2B. 2C. Update, discussion, and possible action on Project Connect Community Advisory Committee. Zenobia Joseph addressed the Committee as a Citizen and answered questions. Commissioner Broadwater updated the Committee. The Committee discussed this item. No action was taken. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and …
DRAFT Moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program Into the Civil Rights Office WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act has already been passed and signed into law by the United States explicitly publically, and explicitly as a “civil rights act” for people with disabilities in respect to employment, housing, voting, education transportation and public accommodations access; WHEREAS, the City of Austin is a local government covered under Section II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act fully and explicitly covers all people with disabilities inside the City of Austin including those who were never employed, cannot work, and/or do not wish to be employed by the City of Austin; WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act deliberately refers to a specific federal civil rights act with specific local responsibilities; WHEREAS, Americans with Disabilities Act coverage is not something which somebody must first earn or accrue in order to receive civil rights coverage from municipalities; WHEREAS the Americans with Disabilities Act Program is the only entity in the City of Austin authorized to evaluate and provide reasonable accommodation requests from all requesting people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act; WHERAS, all people with disabilities needing “reasonable accommodations” to successfully access and receive City of Austin programs, services, and events other than employment are still instructed to contact the Americans with Disabilities Act Program; WHEREAS, the accommodation process for Austin Texas residents with disabilities is already publically described on official City of Austin publications including City website and social media; WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Office was established in January 2021 specifically to provide a centralized location for all civil rights acts and this centralized location should also include a civil rights act which explicitly covers and protects the civil rights of people with disabilities; WHERAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities was proactively and explicitly transferred to the Civil Rights Office April 2021 while the ADA Program remained behind in Human Resources; WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities commissioners are not permitted to grant reasonable accommodations requests from individuals with disabilities seeking access to City services or resources and this Committee has no binding enforcement power regarding any provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act; WHEREAS a May 21st 2021 City of Austin town hall explicitly about the first person experiences of people with disabilities and policing had required that “reasonable accommodations” be …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Commission on Immigrant Affairs Recommendation Number: 20210301‐2b: Funding for Healthcare Navigation and Liaison Programs Benefiting Austin’s Immigrant Communities WHEREAS, immigrant communities in the City of Austin report a need for healthcare access services that remove language barriers and help navigate administrative healthcare systems; and WHEREAS, targeted community health navigation programs provide access to city and local health and wellness resources through patient advocacy, health navigation education, self‐sufficiency resources, interpretation/translation support, referrals to local resources, and eligibility & application assistance; and WHEREAS, programs already exist including the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative and the Latino Healthcare Forum’s PromoSalud program, among others, providing these resources to local Spanish‐ speaking, Chinese, Burmese, Korean, Nepali, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Syrian, Iraqi, and other Arabic speaking communities; and WHEREAS, some of these programs, namely, the Arabic and Chinese programs, run through the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative, are presently funded by emergency grants that will expire; and WHEREAS, the community identified a need to maintain and continue all existing programs permanently, and to expand current services to additional communities and initiatives; and WHEREAS, the Commission recognizes the public health benefit of these services to the City’s immigrant communities and the community at large, particularly during the global pandemic; and WHEREAS, some of these programs are already receiving funding from Austin Public Health, demonstrating the City also values these services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Commission on Immigrant Affairs recommends the City increase its funding to permanently maintain existing health navigation and liaison programs, and that Austin Public Health seek additional opportunities to fund these initiatives and partner with the local organizations providing these services. Date of Approval: March 1, 2021 Attest: Record of the vote: Unanimous on a 9‐0 vote with Samuel Adair and Glenn Rosales absent Staff Liaison
City of Austin Disability Quality of Life Study July 9, 2021 Agenda Introductions Project Updates Next Steps and Questions Contact information 3-4 5-7 8-9 10 www.publicconsultinggroup.com 2 Welcome and Introductions 3 Introductions – Who’s Here Today Brittani Trujillo Project Manager Heather Fladmark Project Management Support www.publicconsultinggroup.com 4 Quality of Life Study: Project Updates 5 • Contacted more than 70 agencies regarding the survey Focus Groups and focus groups • Scheduled 14 focus groups • 21 people attended • Themes from focus groups: • Transportation • Employment • Housing • Health care www.publicconsultinggroup.com Survey Design • Draft survey in process • Sent to City of Austin for initial review • Developing questions based on subject matter expertise and themes from focus groups www.publicconsultinggroup.com 7 Next Steps and Questions? Next Steps • Finalize survey questions • Enter survey into Qualtrics • Send survey announcement to City of Austin and other organizations • Tentative in-person engagement August 30-September 2 • Review initial survey results • Obtain feedback and additional input • Market the survey www.publicconsultinggroup.com 9 Contact Us Quality of Life Study Email austindisabilityqol@pcgus.com www.publicconsultinggroup.com 10 TM
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities Recommendation Number 20210709-003a: Council Meeting American Sign Language Services WHEREAS, the Austin community includes a substantial number of citizens who use American Sign Language to participate in civil life, including participating in meetings of governmental bodies; WHEREAS, the City of Austin provides American Sign Language services at City Council events, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos only when requested; and WHEREAS, the deaf community in Austin needs equal access to City Council events, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities recommends City Council to implement across the board American Sign Language translation services for all City Council events, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos. Date of Approval: July 9, 2021 Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign)
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Meeting June 11, 2021 MCPD to be held Friday, June 11, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by Thursday, June 10, 2021 by 12:00pm noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the June 11, 2021 MCPD Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512)-974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Thursday, June 10, 2021. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov by Noon on Thursday, June 10, 2021. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Reunión del Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) FECHA de la reunion (06/11/2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (06/10/2021 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en (512)-974-3203 y jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que se utilizará para llamar ). • Una vez que se haya realizado una solicitud para hablar con el enlace de la junta, la información …
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Friday May 14, 2021 MCPD regular meeting to be held Friday, May 14, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by Thursday, May 13, 2021 by 12:00pm noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the May 14, 2021 MCPD regular meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512)-974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Thursday, May 13, 2021. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov by Noon on Thursday, May 13, 2021. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Reunión convocada del Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) FECHA de la reunion (05/14/2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (05/13/21 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: (512)-974-3203 y • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que se utilizará para llamar ). • Una vez que se haya realizado una solicitud para hablar con el enlace de la …
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Minutes April 9, 2021 Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Regular MEETING MINUTES (April 09, 2021) The City of Austin, Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities convened in a regular meeting via video conference on April 09, 2021 with a live broadcast on ATXN. CALL TO ORDER: With quorum present Chair Jonathan Franks called the April 09, 2021 meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities to order at 5:30pm Committee Members in Attendance: Chair Jonathan Franks, Vice Chair Emily Shryock, Kathryn Broadwater, Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Robin Orlowski, Deborah Trejo ABSENT: Commissioners: Gene Brooks, Taurean Burt, Joey Gidseg Staff in Attendance: David Ondich ADA Program Administrator Lee Nguyen ADA Program HR Specialist, Co Staff Liaison MCPD in person. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Emily Shryock made a motion to approve the minutes from the March 12, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Robin Orlowski. The motion passed 6-0. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: No citizen communication took place during the April 9, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. Chair Jonathan Franks moved item 3A a presentation up on the agenda. For a summary of the item please see item 3A. 2. NEW BUSINESS: 2A. Discussion and action: Elections to Select MCPD 2021 Officers –Full Committee Staff Liaison facilitated the election process, and Jonathan Franks self-nominated for Chair. Motion: A motion was made by Commissioner Diane Kearns-Osterweil to nominate Jonathan Franks for MCPD Chair. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Robin Orlowski. The motion passed 6-0. Robin Orlowski nominated Emily Shryock for MCPD Vice Chair Motion: A motion was made by Commissioner Robin Orlowski to nominate Emily Shryock for MCPD Vice-Chair. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Deborah Trejo. The motion passed 6-0. To view the discussion and election process in full including commissioners’ comments in their entirety please visit: https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/118390 and view item 2A. 2B. Discussion and possible action to adopt a Resolution Acknowledging Impacts of the February 2021 Texas Winter Power Outage on People with Disabilities – Commissioner Orlowski and Chair Franks Motion: A motion was made by Commissioner Robin Orlowski to adopt the resolution Acknowledging Impacts of the February 2021 Texas Winter Power Outage on People with Disabilities. The Motion was seconded by Commissioner Deborah Trejo and passed 6-0. To view the discussion in full including commissioners’ comments in their entirety please visit: https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/118390 and view item 2B. 2C. Discussion …
City of Austin Disability Quality of Life Study May 14, 2021 Agenda Introductions Project Team Overview of PCG Previous Projects 4-5 3 6 7 8 9-13 14-16 17-18 19-20 21-22 23 Project Roles and Expectations Quality of Life Study: Meaning and Purpose Data Collection Power Analysis Timeline Next Steps and Questions Contact information www.publicconsultinggroup.com 2 Welcome and Introductions 3 Introductions – Who’s Here Today Brittani Trujillo Project Manager Heather Fladmark Project Management Support Cristina Cruz Stakeholder Engagement Lead Mark Noyes Data Analysis Lead www.publicconsultinggroup.com 4 Introductions – Project Team www.publicconsultinggroup.com 5 Overview of PCG • Founded in 1986, PCG is headquartered in Boston, MA and employs more than 2,500 professionals in 60 offices • Management consulting to assist public sector agencies better serve their targeted populations • Five Practice Areas • Human Services • Health • Education • Technology Consulting • Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL) www.publicconsultinggroup.com 6 Previous Projects Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Arizona Department of Economic Security, Refugee Resettlement Program Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority www.publicconsultinggroup.com 7 Roles and Expectations Public Consulting Group (PCG) • Survey development and administration • Stakeholder engagement/outreach • Final report City of Austin • Contract Management • Review of PCG deliverables • Coordination and oversight of project Mayors Committee • Collaboration on project • Advisory role www.publicconsultinggroup.com 8 Quality of Life Study: Meaning and Purpose 9 Quality of Life Study Aspects of Quality of Life Supports equality of individuals • Self- determination • Inclusion • Empowerment Considers social determinants of health Understands the difference between equality vs. equity Identifies current conditions and impressions of the community www.publicconsultinggroup.com 10 Social Determinants of Health Defined as "conditions in the environment in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age, that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of life outcomes risks" (Healthy People 2020). Economic Stability Social and Community Context Education Access and Quality Person Neighborhood & Built Environment Health Care Access and Quality www.publicconsultinggroup.com 11 Equality vs. Equity www.publicconsultinggroup.com 12 Key Considerations • Identify Austin’s strengths and assets • Ensure a variety of voices and perspectives are heard, for example: Individuals using and not using services • Varying disabilities • • Different economic circumstances • Intersection of multiple identities- race, ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, more • Use the results to celebrate the strengths and shape a strategic plan for improvement www.publicconsultinggroup.com 13 Data Collection 14 Quantitative Data Collection Define and Describe the …
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Friday April 9, 2021 MCPD regular meeting to be held Friday, April 09, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by Thursday, April 8, 2021 by 12:00pm noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the April 9, 2021 MCPD regular meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512)-974-3256 or david.ondich@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Thursday, April 8, 2021. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to david.ondich@austintexas.gov by Noon on Thursday, April 8, 2021. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Reunión convocada del Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) FECHA de la reunion (04/09/2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (04/08/21 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: (512)-974-3256 y • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de david.ondich@austitnexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que se utilizará para llamar ). • Una vez que se haya realizado una solicitud para hablar con el enlace de la …
DRAFT Resolution Acknowledging Impacts of Winter Storm Uri on People with Disabilities WHEREAS, Winter Storm Uri adversely impacted people with disabilities specifically because of our being people with disabilities; WHEREAS, the pre‐existing conditions of people with disabilities were either exacerbated by the extreme cold and/or a prolonged lack of access to necessary resources; WHEREAS the prescription medications keeping us alive either were close to spoilage or running dangerously low, stores were closed, roads and sidewalks were icy, and proactively stocking up on these controlled substances is not legally permitted under federal law; WHEREAS, local media has documented specific burdens which Winter Storm Uri especially imposed upon local people with disabilities such as needing to use car batteries to attempt to keep essential medical equipment properly and fully running; WHEREAS, lack of readily accessible information updates prevented Deaf people from learning what had happened and what was occurring; WHEREAS, Winter Storm Uri also created numerous specific resource barriers for the homeless community, several of whom have disabilities; WHEREAS, several homeless individuals froze to death from hypothermia during Winter Storm Uri and the area shelters which were usually capable of providing essential social services instead also lacked sufficient winter insulation; WHEREAS, several individuals with heart, kidney disease, and/or spinal cord injuries also had increased susceptibility to freezing temperatures specifically because of their disabilities; WHEREAS an extended lack of functioning and accessible toilets throughout the City of Austin immediately following the post‐storm power outage posed specific access, mobility and hygiene challenges for several people with disabilities; WHEREAS a prolonged lack of easy and immediate local access to clean water resources impacts both the proper dosing of medication and effective hydration to safely manage chronic disabilities; WHEREAS because of a combination of poverty, gentrification, and lack of accessibility, people with disabilities have limited resources to effectively withstand both the immediate and secondary effects of Winter Storm Uri and other natural disasters; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is recommending that the City of Austin go on record acknowledging that ableism is a real, profound, and serious problem in our City which must be addressed by the City Council and City Managers; AND BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is recommending that a disability disaster office be established in Austin Water and Austin Energy to appropriately prioritize the Austin Texas disability community …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Recommendation Number20210409-2B A Resolution Acknowledging Impacts of Winter Storm Uri on People with Disabilities WHEREAS, Winter Storm Uri adversely impacted people with disabilities specifically because of our being people with disabilities; WHEREAS, the pre-existing conditions of people with disabilities were either exacerbated by the extreme cold and/or a prolonged lack of access to necessary resources; WHEREAS the prescription medications keeping us alive either were close to spoilage or running dangerously low, stores were closed, roads and sidewalks were icy, and proactively stocking up on these controlled substances is not legally permitted under federal law; WHEREAS, local media has documented specific burdens which Winter Storm Uri especially imposed upon local people with disabilities such as needing to use car batteries to attempt to keep essential medical equipment properly and fully running; WHEREAS, lack of readily accessible information updates prevented Deaf people from learning what had happened and what was occurring; WHEREAS, Winter Storm Uri also created numerous specific resource barriers for the homeless community, several of whom have disabilities; WHEREAS, several homeless individuals froze to death from hypothermia during Winter Storm Uri and the area shelters which were usually capable of providing essential social services instead also lacked sufficient winter insulation; WHEREAS, several individuals with heart, kidney disease, and/or spinal cord injuries also had increased susceptibility to freezing temperatures specifically because of their disabilities; WHEREAS an extended lack of functioning and accessible toilets throughout the City of Austin immediately following the post-storm power outage posed specific access, mobility and hygiene challenges for several people with disabilities; WHEREAS a prolonged lack of easy and immediate local access to clean water resources impacts both the proper dosing of medication and effective hydration to safely manage chronic disabilities; WHEREAS because of a combination of poverty, gentrification, and lack of accessibility, people with disabilities have limited resources to effectively withstand both the immediate and secondary effects of Winter Storm Uri and other natural disasters; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is recommending that the City of Austin go on record acknowledging that ableism is a real, profound, and serious problem in our City which must be addressed by the City Council and City Managers; AND BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is recommending that a disability disaster office be established in Austin Water and …
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Friday March 12, 2021 MCPD regular meeting to be held Friday, March 12, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by Thursday, March 11th, 2021 by 12:00pm noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the March 12, 2021 MCPD regular meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512)-974-3256 or david.ondich@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Thursday, March 11th, 2021. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to david.ondich@austintexas.gov by Noon on Thursday, March 11th, 2021. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Reunión convocada del Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) FECHA de la reunion (03/12/2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (03/11/21 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: (512)-974-3256 y • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de david.ondich@austitnexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que se utilizará para llamar ). • Una vez que se haya realizado una solicitud para hablar con el enlace de la …
Recommendation 1: Expand Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities • Problem: Federal data shows the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was two times higher than that for people without disabilities in 2018. Among people with disabilities who were employed, they were more likely than their peers to work part time and in low- wage positions. Under-and unemployment create challenges beyond loss of income, including higher rates of housing insecurity and stress-related health problems. Texas data shows the same lack of employment of people with disabilities. https://www4.esc13.net/uploads/transition/docs/EFTF__Report_Final.pdf. Indeed, in Texas, less than 30% of people with intellectual disabilities are employed. Id. • Solution: Hire an employment liaison to specialize in expanding inclusive job opportunities for people with disabilities with the City of Austin. The liaison will: - Partner with local schools on transition planning and paid internship programs; - Coordinate with federal and state government entities to ensure Austin draws down all supports available to expand inclusive employment opportunities; - Analyze City hiring policies to eliminate unnecessary barriers to entry; and - Engage in community outreach to actively recruit people with disabilities. • Alignment with Strategic Outcomes: Economic Opportunity and Affordability (including employment/unemployment, income equality, and training for better jobs) Recommendation 2: Increase Parks Programming for People with Intellectual Disabilities • Problem: Many recreational centers do not provide equitable access to programming for people with intellectual disabilities. Recently, the City expanded programming at the Dottie Jordan Recreational Center to include some recreational programming for adults with disabilities. However, this still leaves McBeth Recreational Center – a segregated facility in south-central-west Austin – as the only option available to some families for childcare and day habilitation for children with disabilities and the primary facility for adults with disabilities. McBeth has limited capacity to serve Austin’s high programming demands. For example, adults with intellectual disabilities currently have to wait three to five years for a spot in the day habilitation program. • Solution: Increase the number of slots available for children with intellectual disabilities in seasonal camps and after-school programs, and for adults with intellectual disabilities in recreational programs, including day habilitation at McBeth and Dottie Jordan and other city recreational centers. Expand access across all of Austin to ensure residents can participate in valuable programs, no matter their zip code. • Alignment with Strategic Outcomes: Health and Environment (including accessibility to quality parks, trails, and recreational opportunities); Government That Works for …
DRAFT Resolution Acknowledging Impacts of the February 2021 Texas Winter Power Outage on People with Disabilities WHEREAS the February 2021 Texas winter power outage adversely impacted people with disabilities; WHEREAS the pre‐existing conditions of people with disabilities were either exacerbated by the extreme cold or a prolonged lack of access to necessary resources; WHEREAS local media documented specific burdens this winter storm particularly imposed upon local people with disabilities such as needing to use car batteries to attempt to keep essential medical equipment properly and fully running;. WHEREAS the winter storm also created numerous specific resource barriers for the homeless community, several of whom have disabilities; WHEREAS several individuals froze to death from hypothermia during the winter storm and area shelters which were usually capable of providing essential social services had also lacked sufficient winter insulation; WHEREAS an extended lack of functioning and accessible toilets throughout the City immediately following the post‐storm power outage posed specific access, mobility and hygiene challenges for several people with disabilities; WHEREAS a prolonged lack of easy and immediate local access to clean water resources impacts both medication dosing and hydration to properly manage chronic disabilities; WHEREAS because of a combination of poverty, gentrification, and lack of accessibility, people with disabilities have limited resources to effectively withstand both the immediate and secondary effects of this and other natural disasters; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is recommending that the City of Austin go on record acknowledging that ableism is a real, profound, and serious problem in our City which must be fully acknowledged in order to promote and advance equity.
DRAFT A Resolution To Get The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities on the Austin Economic Development Corporation WHEREAS, people with disabilities are hard hit by the Covid‐19 pandemic specifically because of our pre‐ existing conditions; WHEREAS, the City of Austin, has a very large and engaged local disability community, several of whom are also small business entrepreneurs; WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) is a voting member of the Joint Inclusion Committee which helps advise both the Equity Office, and Chief Equity Officer; WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s Chief Equity Officer is already a sitting member of the Austin Economic Development Corporation; WHEREAS, full access to appropriate k‐12 special education, Americans with Disabilities Act provisions, and 504 services for all Austin residents was disrupted by the Covid‐19 pandemic, and quality of received education services provides a critical foundation for achieving future life successes including employment and career opportunities; WHEREAS, people with disabilities must receive full access to appropriate education, post‐secondary education, and workforce training programs, even during a pandemic; WHEREAS, one of the long‐term goals of the MCPD even prior to the Covid‐19 pandemic is increased and improved meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities; WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy specifically shows a higher unemployment rate for people with disabilities than the general population; WHEREAS, achieving equity also involves eliminating all traces of ableism from City programs which systematically ignore the explicit representation and specific experiences of people with disabilities. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities requests that the City of Austin amend the bylaws of the Austin Economic Development Corporation so a representative from the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is permanently seated on this city corporation and is helping to advise the City of Austin about economic, educational and community development opportunities especially for people with disabilities.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Recommendation Number: 20210312-2D: A Resolution For Austin Police department to re- integrate braille onto identification cards WHEREAS, in the 2010 Census, it was recorded that there are around 30,000 individuals living in the Austin area (and surrounding cities) that have some type of visual impairment. In addition, individuals who are blind and visually impaired from other cities in Texas that are receiving vocational rehabilitation and public education services are temporarily taking residence at the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; WHEREAS, formerly, the Austin Police Department utilized identification cards adapted with Braille to assist citizens of Austin who are blind and visually impaired in verifying the legitimacy that the Officer is employed with the police department. It has been brought to the attention that the City of Austin Police Department no longer utilizes identification cards adapted with Braille This presents a barrier to individuals who are blind and visually impaired in properly identifying the officer and preventing the risk of an individual or individuals impersonating as a police officer that could potentially put the citizen at harm; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities recommends that the City of Austin fully fund the modification to all Austin Police Department identification cards to be adapted with Braille to ensure equity in the identification of all APD police officers. This recommendation is in alignment with Strategic Outcomes: Safety (including physical and emotional harm prevention to individuals who are blind and visually impaired perpetrated by individuals posing as police officers) and government that works for all. Record of the vote: Unanimous on a 7-0 vote with Commissioners Gene Brooks and Taurean Burt absent. Date of Approval: 03/12/21 Attest: Lee Nguyen (Mayor’s Committee for people with Disabilities City Co-Staff Liaison)
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Recommendation Number: 20210312-2D: A Resolution Expand Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities WHEREAS Federal data shows the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was two times higher than that for people without disabilities in 2018. Among people with disabilities who were employed, they were more likely than their peers to work part time and in low-wage positions; WHEREAS, Under-and unemployment create challenges beyond loss of income, including higher rates of housing insecurity and stress-related health problems; WHEREAS, Texas data shows the same lack of employment of people with disabilities. https://www4.esc13.net/uploads/transition/docs/EFTF__Report_Final.pdf Indeed, in Texas, less than 30% of people with intellectual disabilities are employed. Id; WHEREAS, cultural inclusion and awareness of current technology must include fully include people with disabilities and people with disabilities must fully include the Deaf community and their preferred and current means of communicating with all City personnel and facilities; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities recommends that the City of Austin Hire an employment liaison to specialize in expanding inclusive job opportunities for people with disabilities with the City of Austin. The liaison will: Partner with local schools on transition planning and paid internship programs, Coordinate with federal and state government entities ( such as DARS-Texas Workforce) to ensure Austin draws down all supports available to expand inclusive employment opportunities, Analyze City hiring policies to eliminate unnecessary barriers to entry; and engage in community outreach to actively recruit people with disabilities. This recommendation is in alignment with this Strategic Outcome: Economic Opportunity and Affordability (including employment/unemployment, income equality, and training for better jobs) Date of Approval: 03/12/21 Attest: Lee Nguyen Record of the vote: Unanimous on a 7-0 vote with Commissioners Gene Brooks and Taurean Burt absent. (Mayor’s Committee for people with Disabilities City Co-Staff Liaison)
