UCP/CLASS Policy Statements

Throughout our years of service, UCP/CLASS has always provided Local, State, and National lawmakers and policymakers with insightful recommendations and reactions to laws, public policies, and needs of our constituents in the community. People with disabilities have been and still remain greatly at risk for discrimination and marginalization in this country. Much of this risk happens because the essential needs of people with disabilities and their families have not always been well understood by elected officials and community leaders.

A team of UCP Board members, management staff, and respected community advocates formulated public policy statements in seven key policy areas we feel are critical to the health, welfare, and safety of people with all types of disabilities. These statements outline the elements we feel are essential to good public policy and are available here to assist our constituents and community leaders as they work toward full and meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.  A successful community requires participation from all its citizens.

UCP/CLASS appreciates your review of these policy statements and your interest in a more inclusive community.  We look forward to working with you to make a "community where each belongs" a reality.

For more information about Policy Statements, please contact the Director of Public Policy at (412) 683-7100, 1-888-954-2424, and info@ucpclass.org.

Assistive Technology

• Assistive technology devices include any item, equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals
• Assistive technology includes individual devices and services; systems such as transportation, information, and computer and internet access; and built environment including "smart houses."
• Assistive technology also includes accessibility modifications in the community such as audible signals on public transportation and at street crossings; wheelchair lifts on paratransit vehicles, talking ATMS, accessible voting machines, and assistive listening devices in public auditoriums, performance spaces, and movie theatres.
• All persons should have freedom of choice in selecting and purchasing assistive technology devices and services in order to improve the quality of their lives.
• Assistive technology should be affordable, accessible, and usable for individuals with disabilities.
• Individuals should have access to assistive technology services that help with evaluation, assessment, selection, funding, and training.  Effective access should also be provided for services that include design, selection, fitting and customization, maintenance, and repair.

Education

UCP/CLASS supports the rights of all individuals to:

• Appropriate transition services as the student enters each tier of education.
• An inclusive education not limited to the classroom but expanded to include age appropriate social groups, clubs, and extra curricular activities.
• Individual education plans which are based on their individual talents and strengths.
• Identification as part of their educational plans the types of assistive technology, physical support, and learning supports required to maximize their style of learning.
• Empowerment to make their own decisions based on what they and their families feel is in their best interest.
• Attend the school of their choice, with their natural peer group, in order to develop friendships and relationships that enrich all of our lives.
• Educational facilities that are accessible and welcoming to all individuals.

Employment and Training

UCP/CLASS supports the principle that all people have access to training, vocational resources and services that complement or enhance their readiness to obtain supportive or competitive employment.  People with disabilities experience extremely high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and inadequate compensation.  UCP/CLASS affirms that individuals with disabilities have many skills and talents that will be of benefit to employers and consequently merit employment opportunities based on their qualifications as do any other citizens.  The actual or perceived severity of one's disability should not preclude access to the needed vocational resources necessary to build skills and enhance the ability to work. Consequently, we support:

• Employment resources and job training opportunities that are available and accessible to all persons, particularly those with severe disabilities.
• All persons should have choice regarding the best options that will enhance their opportunities to secure supportive or competitive employment.
• Long term supports should be individualized, creative, and required to develop vocational strategies that will support job training, job development, and retention.
• Vigorous enforcement for the provisions of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act and employment incentives to encourage increased employment opportunities.

Health Care

UCP/CLASS supports access to health care for all citizens, including citizens with all disabilities.  UCP/CLASS further supports a definition of health that is not just the absence of disease but the enjoyment of physical and mental well-being. We support the following principles and actions in support of these goals:

• Medicare and Medicaid must be preserved at least at current benefit levels.
• Medicaid Waiver funding for Home and Community Based Services should be expanded.
• Implementation problems inherent in Medicare Part D must be resolved promptly.
• The Commonwealth should expand Adult Basic Coverage to cover all uninsured adults.
• Access to all health care programs, services, and facilities should meet or exceed the minimum requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Health insurance and HCBS Waiver funding must be available to support full participation in community life as an essential element of health.
• Regulatory barriers limiting the availability of power mobility and home health services necessary to maintain the health of active persons with disabilities must be removed.
•  Insurance benefits for mental health services must be provided on parity with physical health services.

Housing

UCP/CLASS affirms that people should be able to live in the least restrictive environment with suitable supports to maintain their home as they age.  Regardless of disability, people should be able to have access to a full range of rental and purchased housing opportunities.  Therefore, UCP/CLASS supports the following principles:

• All persons should have access to affordable, accessible and safe housing in the community of their choice.
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development should greatly expand the availability of Section 8 Housing Vouchers for people with disabilities, especially those desiring to leave institutional placements.
• Residents in our communities have a deeper commitment to their home and community when they have a vested interest in or ownership of that property.  To this end, we advocate for people with disabilities to have loan opportunities that promote direct ownership and accessibility improvements of their homes.
• Universal design should be used in all new residential construction, and homes being substantially remodeled should make use of visitable design.

Long-term Living

Independence and personal choice in long-term living supports and services is the foundation to assuring each individual's quality of life as they age.  As a major provider of long-term living services and supports for individuals of all ages and in furtherance of our mission to work toward a community where each belongs, UCP/CLASS supports the following principles with regard to long-term living:

• Every person has the right to live in the home of their choosing as they age. This home must promote and respect personal choice in all matters related to health care, independence, and participation in community life.
• A variety of community-based, accessible, affordable, long-term housing alternatives must be available so that individuals may select the option that is most appropriate for them as they age. These choices must include the option to remain in one's own home (age in place), as well as publicly-funded or subsidized and accessible community housing.
• A variety of personal support services must be available to individuals when they choose to age in place or in another community-based home setting rather than in a facility.  Medicare and Medicaid funding must be available to provide community-based sources of support services.
• Rehabilitation and return to the highest level of independence possible must be a priority so that individuals may live in the home of their choice with the level of independence they desire, including the option to return to their own home after illness or onset of disability.

Transportation

UCP/CLASS supports the principle of all persons having access to public transportation.  Persons with disabilities especially rely on fixed route and paratransit services.  In fact, transportation is the one service that makes education, housing, employment, health care, and long term living possible for people with disabilities.  Even indirectly, transportation affects the lives of persons with disabilities because of the large number of direct care workers who use fixed route transportation to get to work.  The lack of adequate transportation adversely impacts all citizens and results in limited access to community resources, unemployment, reliance on welfare, and institutionalization.  For this reason, public transportation should be regarded as a public utility critical to everyone's health and welfare.  To this end, we support the following principles:

• A stable source of dedicated funding for public transportation which is both predictable and adjustable should be provided for all communities by the Commonwealth.
• Affordable, accessible, door-to-door transportation should be available in all communities-urban, suburban, and rural-in Pennsylvania.
• A concerted effort should be made in all communities to provide public transportation which at least meets but ideally exceeds the requirements of the ADA.