Tag: independent disability

advocacy, Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Access Services Need to Rethink the way they interview clients

I had my Access Service recertification interview today, and oh boy, it felt intrusive. The interview called me right on time, and the first thing I hear is Screaming kids in the background; I know I can’t place blame because the company allows some people to work from home.

The woman interviewing me asked me the standard questions at the beginning of our conversation.

  1. What is the nature of your disability? What equipment do you use?
    Then the “fun” started. Question 2 was do you live near public transportation, and what prevents you. from taking public transportation? I told the woman that I live on a hill and the bus stop.is at the bottom of the hill. She said you can’t get to the bottom of the hill? “No, that would be dangerous,” I said. Question three, when you travel on access, do you have a PCA with you? Yes I do. Question four, when you have your PCA with you what do they help you do? I could have refused to answer this question, but I took the nice docile Road and said transfer out of my chair sometimes. , the last question was is there any other equipment you use for Mobility? I said yes I use a walker. , then she said are you currently going to physical therapy? I wanted to say what business is that of yours if I’m going to therapy and what my PCA does for me because those are personal issues and you’re not a doctor!!

Everybody has the right to Freedom and for people that have things that are perceived as disabilities, we have the right to have some breathing room from our basic support system which is often our families and just live life on our own then if it is only for a couple of hours a day. Access service definitely needs to work on truly becoming an ally and not an enemy who works against the people that they are supposedly trying to help we need these services to stay independent and some of your questioning is just absurd unless you’ve gone to medical school.

advocacy, Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Today is global accessibility awareness day.  This is a day of recognizing the things and people that are allies to the people in the disability community. 

Thank you to the following people:

Thank you to Feinstein’s at Vitello’s for creating accessibility by adding the chair lift to your place.  I truly feel like family when I attend shows at your place.

Thank you also to the federal bar in North Hollywood.  I love attending shows upstairs, and I love how easy the access is for a wheelchair and walker user like me.   

Thank you also to theatre 68, who gave me a front-row seat to see my friend Renee Marino in a production of Danny and the deep blue sea.  Thank you also to Renee Marino for letting me take a Walker-free photo with her on two occasions. 

Thank you also to John Lloyd Young, who was the first person to take a walker-free photo with me back in August of 2015.

Last but not least, thank you to my family at Eagle Rock Baptist Church for not giving up on me or leaving me out of things when my movement became a little bit more difficult. 

The things I think need to change:

The first thing that needs to be changed is the restaurants that use the accessible bathroom stall or the walkway to the bathroom for high chair storage space.  Companies need to require their employees to go through a training called the other side of the chair.  A training in which wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive equipment is used to give people the experience of those who use that equipment daily.

Another improvement that needs to be made is accessibility in entertainment.  The only way that crip face casting will become a thing of the past is if theatres and movie and tv filming locations become accessible. 

The definition of Cripface casting is- casting someone in the role of a disabled person when the actor has no life experience as a person with a disability.

Society still has a lot to learn, but I do believe that things have the potential to get better.

Listen Now

advocacy

How Access service works

I am a client of Access Service. It is a transportation service for people with disabilities. To use access you must call and ask for an application and set up a phone interview. The phone interview is a new step put into place due to covid.

When you receive your paper application, you will have to answer the following questions

  • What is the nature of your disability?
  • Is it permanent
  • Do you use any assistive equipment? You would then check all of the equipment that you use
  • Do you need to travel with a companion, or can you travel alone?

After you have sent in your application

You will be required to call access 5 to 7 days after mailing back your application to schedule an interview

During the interview

The representative that you are speaking to. Will ask you questions regarding the information you provided, and at the end of the interview, you will be told that your eligibility will be decided within three weeks.

If you become a client of access service.

If you become a client of access service, you will get a welcome packet in the mail. The welcome packet will include a booklet of all the information you need to know about booking a ride. I’ve created a podcast episode with those details.

Listen Now