Lincoln, NE – Today, The Arc of the United States, Disability Rights Nebraska, and Center for Public Representation filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights over the State of Nebraska’s ongoing failure to provide access for Nebraskans with disabilities to TestNebraska. The State’s COVID-19 testing program currently requires the ability to access and use the internet and then the ability to drive to a testing site. TestNebraska began operations on May 4, 2020 but as of today’s filing, no plan has been made for Nebraskans who do not have the ability to drive or use the internet due to a disability.
The complaint charges that TestNebraska discriminates by leaving behind Nebraskans with disabilities in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504).
“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and at a higher risk of dying from it than people without disabilities. As Nebraska and other states put into place plans for testing, it is imperative that the civil rights of people with disabilities be at the forefront. People with disabilities must have equal access to health care under federal law and by no means, should they be left behind during a life or death public health crisis,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.
“For months, Disability Rights Nebraska and other advocates have been calling for the state to create a plan for Nebraskans who cannot drive,” said Eric Evans, CEO of Disability Rights Nebraska. “We were very disheartened to hear Governor Ricketts’ recent comment that TestNebraska was designed for DHHSS’ ‘regular customers.’ Perhaps this is merely a poor choice of words on the Governor’s part, but it certainly suggests that people with disabilities are second-class citizens in this case and we have fought against this perception for decades. All Nebraska citizens deserve equal access to this important and potentially life-saving program. Unfortunately, it appears we have to point out that people with disabilities are ‘regular people.’”
Alison Barkoff, Director of Advocacy for the Center for Public Representation, said “COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting people with disabilities nationwide. This is especially true for people living in congregate settings like nursing homes and group homes, where most residents lack transportation and cannot drive themselves to a mobile testing site. We hope this complaint ensures Nebraska finally makes its testing program accessible to all Nebraskans, especially those who are most at-risk.”
The complaint outlines examples of Nebraskans unable to access TestNebraska, including Nebraskans who are blind, who do not drive due to a developmental disability, and who do not drive due to age related disabilities. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been interviewing Nebraskans across the state who have been left behind without any plan,” said Evans. “Other states have modified their testing to include people with disabilities. Nebraska has waited long enough and we hope today’s filing pushes the state to finally start protecting everyone from COVID-19.”
The filing was joined by The Arc of Nebraska, Brain Injury Alliance, Paralyzed Veterans of America Great Plains Chapter, ADAPT NE, People First of Nebraska, Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council, and American Council of the Blind of Nebraska.
Press Contacts:
Name: Kristin Wright
Title: Senior Communications Manager, The Arc
Phone: 202-617-3271
Email: wright@thearc.org
Name: Amy Miller
Title: Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Nebraska
Phone: 402-210-9098
Email: amy@drne.org
Name: Alison Barkoff
Title: Director of Advocacy, Center for Public Representation
Phone: 202-854-1270
Email: abarkoff@cpr-us.org
The post State and National Groups File Federal Complaint Against Nebraska For Inaccessibility of COVID-19 Testing Program appeared first on The Arc.
Like!! Great article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.
I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon everyday.
I really like and appreciate your blog post.
I like this website very much, Its a very nice office to read and incur information.
Thanks so much for the blog post.
I am the proprietor of JustCBD company (justcbdstore.com) and I’m presently seeking to develop my wholesale side of company. I am hoping someone at targetdomain give me some advice 🙂 I considered that the most effective way to accomplish this would be to connect to vape shops and cbd retail stores. I was really hoping if anyone could recommend a qualified website where I can purchase Vape Shop Business Contact List I am currently considering creativebeartech.com, theeliquidboutique.co.uk and wowitloveithaveit.com. Unsure which one would be the most ideal choice and would appreciate any advice on this. Or would it be much simpler for me to scrape my own leads? Suggestions?
I could not resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
That is a great tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very precise info… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article!
I used to be able to find good info from your content.
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should publish more on this subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people don’t talk about these subjects. To the next! Kind regards!!
I quite like looking through a post that will make people think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!
It’s nearly impossible to find experienced people in this particular topic, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Excellent article! We will be linking to this particularly great content on our site. Keep up the good writing.
There are some attention-grabbing cut-off dates in this article but I don抰 know if I see all of them heart to heart. There’s some validity however I will take hold opinion till I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we would like extra! Added to FeedBurner as well
I precisely needed to thank you so much once again. I do not know the things I might have taken care of in the absence of the entire aspects revealed by you concerning that situation. Completely was a very intimidating crisis for me, nevertheless considering a new specialised form you managed the issue made me to weep with happiness. Now i’m grateful for the help as well as hope you are aware of a powerful job that you’re doing instructing people thru your blog post. More than likely you haven’t got to know all of us.
I just could not go away your site prior to suggesting that I really loved the usual info a person provide
in your visitors? Is gonna be again often in order
to check up on new posts
Excellent post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Extremely useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for
such info much. I was looking for this particular info for a very
long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Hey! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I truly enjoy reading through your posts.
Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the
same subjects? Appreciate it! adreamoftrains web
hosting
I intended to post you a tiny observation to thank you very much yet again for your personal unique tactics you have provided on this page. This is so seriously generous with you giving easily all many of us could have advertised as an e-book to generate some money on their own, most importantly seeing that you might have tried it if you considered necessary. Those points in addition served to be the great way to be certain that the rest have a similar passion similar to my personal own to see somewhat more concerning this problem. I know there are some more enjoyable sessions in the future for individuals who looked over your site.
Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
I have to express some appreciation to the writer just for bailing me out of such a condition. Right after checking through the world wide web and seeing solutions which were not helpful, I figured my entire life was gone. Living devoid of the strategies to the problems you have resolved all through your entire post is a crucial case, and the ones that could have negatively damaged my entire career if I had not encountered your web site. The know-how and kindness in dealing with all the stuff was useful. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a stuff like this. I’m able to at this moment relish my future. Thanks a lot so much for your reliable and result oriented help. I won’t think twice to endorse your site to anybody who would need tips about this subject.
This is a good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article!
I and my buddies were actually studying the good suggestions found on your web site and then all of a sudden came up with an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the blog owner for those tips. All of the young boys became as a result passionate to see them and now have clearly been tapping into them. Thank you for being well thoughtful as well as for finding this form of perfect themes millions of individuals are really wanting to understand about. My very own honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.