Resolution 2020-1
Non-vocational services for persons with Vision Loss
Whereas, the federal Work Incentive Opportunity Act (WIOA) regulations preclude states from expending funds for services to rehabilitation clients who do not have an employment goal; and
Whereas, many individuals who are blind or have low vision, especially seniors and others who have experienced recent vision loss, require a number of specialized services in order to continue to live independently; and
Whereas, due to age and other circumstances, many of these individuals may never attempt to enter the employment market, while others will require a regimen of non-vocational services as a pre-condition to re-entering the labor market; and
Whereas, these non-vocationally-related services include the use of assistive technology, orientation and mobility, cooking, cleaning and other activities of daily living, self-advocacy, and counselling; and
Whereas, the only major source of funds for these services is the federal Older Individuals who are Blind program, supplemented with small amounts of funds by a few states, not including California; and
Whereas, it is estimated that the funding for this program meets less than 3% of the national need for such services; and
Whereas, the importance of these services in enabling people with vision loss to remain independent and avoid institutionalization has been heightened by the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Whereas, people with other disabilities receive home-and-community-based services under the Older Americans Act, state Medicaid programs and, under the federal Medicare program; and
Whereas, specialized services for persons who are blind or have low vision have seldomly been funded as home-and-community-based services under any of these programs; and
Whereas, it is long past time to incorporate the funding of specialized services for people with vision loss into Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act, in order to begin to address the ever-increasing unmet need for these services,
now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the California Council of the Blind, in Virtual convention assembled this 20th day of June, 2020, that this organization advocate with the State Department of Health Care Services, the Legislature and the Governor to include specialized services for people with vision loss among the services reimbursable by Medi-Cal, and
be it further Resolved, that this organization work with the American Council of the Blind to advocate for the availability of additional funding sources for specialized non-vocational services for persons with vision loss, as well as to urge other ACB state affiliates to advocate for inclusion of these services under their state Medicaid programs.
Resolution 2020-2
The safe and accessible navigation of people with disabilities at conference and convention sites
Whereas, both state and federal law require places of public accommodation, including hotels, to provide reasonable modifications for guests with disabilities, including those with vision and hearing loss; and
Whereas, since its inception, the California Council of the Blind (CCB) has chosen host hotels throughout the state for its annual conference and convention; and
Whereas, CCB has always sought hotels that are affordable, safe, and accessible for all attendees; and
Whereas, it is essential that CCB ensure that all convention attendees are able to safely navigate the hotel, regardless of disabilities in addition to a visual impairment, including hearing loss;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the California Council of the Blind, in Virtual convention assembled this 20th day of June, 2020, that this organization instruct its officers, directors, and staff to sign contracts with Conference and Convention sites who agree to make, at no cost to the council, reasonable modifications in policies, practices, and procedures when the modifications are necessary to meet the safety and access needs of people with vision and other disabilities; and
Be it further Resolved, that, if the council holds a convention at a site who has agreed to make such modifications and the hotel does not comply with its agreement, the council shall not return to that convention site, and
Be it further resolved, that the Convention Planning Committee include a person who either is blind or has low vision with an accompanying hearing loss or has expertise in hearing loss during the initial hotel tour.
Resolution 2020-03
Accessible Prescription Labels for CVS Non-Mail Order Customers
Withdrawn
Resolution 2020-4
Fraudulent Service Animals
Whereas, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and its implementing regulations well as California law, define the term, service animal, and firmly establish the rights of service animal handlers to bring their animals into places of public accommodation; and
Whereas, a service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse specifically trained to perform tasks related to a persons disability; and
Whereas, “emotional support” or “comfort” animals are not specifically trained to perform tasks related to a person’s disability, and are thus not considered to be service animals under the ADA; and
Whereas, many individuals, falsely representing their pets or emotional support animals as service animals, bring these animals into such places as restaurants, shops, and on public transit vehicles, either out of ignorance or out of a conscious intent to defy rules against bringing non-service animals into places of public accommodation; and
Whereas, the presence and frequent behavioral issues of such animals in public places impose Potential threat to the safety of genuine guide dog teams, contribute to public confusion as to the role and legal status of service animals in our society, and erode the civil rights of service animal handlers; and
Whereas, operators of businesses and other places of public accommodation often lack adequate information and guidance regarding the accommodation of service animal handlers and the proper response to individuals who wrongly claim to have service animals; and
Whereas, there are many business operators and medical professionals that, knowingly or unknowingly, aid and abet service animal fraud by providing service animal documentation or selling service animal paraphernalia to non-service animal owners; and
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the California Council of the Blind in virtual convention assembled this 20th day of June, 2020 that this organization assist its affiliate, Golden State Guide Dog Handlers, Inc. (GSGDHI), in developing and implementing a public education campaign that will inform public entities including Law Enforcement and Animal Control Agencies, public accommodations, and commercial facilities, and the general public about the correct definition of service animals and the legitimate rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers; and
Be it further resolved that this public education campaign may involve such activities as the dissemination of information through online platforms or other means, entering into partnerships with public or private entities, and the seeking of grants or other revenue sources to use in the conducting of this initiative; and
Be it further resolved that this organization collaborate with GSGDHI and other organizations to advocate for legislative and regulatory solutions for the prevention of service animal fraud.
