When I was in rehabilitation back in 1968, the process of learning to live life from a wheelchair was truly a team effort. In the wards of the old Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital, patients worked on their rehab together and shared their ideas and problems with each other. Many of us were just getting back from the war and, for most of us, our new status as persons with disabilities became a reality all too quickly. One thing we all learned very fast was to listen to and respect older patients who had gone through the rehab process; their experience was often [...]
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A chapter of the national Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) for 56 years, Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association became an independent, freestanding national veterans service organization on January 29, 2003. The very next day at a meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Honorable Anthony J. Principi, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, handed us a letter certifying us as a national veterans service organization, thereby empowering us to continue to represent our more than 2,300 members in matters before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We were then, and we continue to be, deeply grateful to Secretary Principi for his confidence in the work of [...] The theme of this inaugural issue of United Spinal Association Orbit is best summed up in two words: change and continuity. As our organization undergoes a major transformation this year, it is fitting-indeed, unavoidable-that the magazine that covers it transform itself simultaneously. Thus, we have a new name, a new look, and a new section of regular columns, many of which deal with subjects that reflect the broader audience we are looking forward to serving. At the same time, just as United Spinal’s mission is rooted in a half-century tradition of service to veterans and others with spinal cord injury, the information [...] During the transition process from Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association to United Spinal Association, a number of critical Bylaw changes of this Corporation were approved by a majority of voting members, and ratified by the Board of Directors. Here’s a summary of these important Bylaw changes: The name of this Corporation was altered so that it “may conduct business under the name United Spinal Association.” Previously, a main purpose of this Corporation was “to aid and assist veterans of the Armed Forces” with injuries or diseases of the spinal cord. This language was changed to also include “other individuals,” in other words, people other [...] How we got to where we are, and what it bodes for the future of United Spinal. On May 22, 1946, a small band of veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) at the Halloran Army Hospital on Staten Island formed a support group to help each other lead independent lives. Later, the seven founding chapters of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)-including Halloran and two other New York chapters from the Bronx and St. Albans Naval Hospital-convened in Illinois for the first joint meeting on February 7, 1947. America’s paralyzed veterans finally had a national voice. In April 1947, the three New York [...] RESEARCH HORIZONS | Lakshmi Bangalore by Lakshmi Bangalore United Spinal continues a long-standing relationship with one of the premiere research centers in the world. Fifteen years ago, Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, in its mission to help people with spinal cord injury (SCI), established the Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research in a joint partnership with Yale University and Paralyzed Veterans of America. As testament of the organization’s unwavering commitment to its mission, an outstanding biomedical research program in restorative neurology stands today at the VA Medical Center in West Haven, Connecticut. For someone new to the world of biomedical research, a [...] by Kleo King As we grow as a national organization, our office of General Counsel plans to expand our work on the enforcement of the Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA) and other laws, which require housing to be constructed with accessible elements. We will build on our prior successes, which involved taking on numerous builders of multifamily housing who have constructed their projects in violation of the FHAA and its Accessibility Guidelines. While we have settled some disputes without litigation, most recently with two developers of newly constructed complexes in New York City’s northern suburbs, often we must resort to administrative complaints [...] by Jeremy Chwat The mission of United Spinal Association’s Legislative program is to monitor, create and pursue legislative and policy changes that will benefit people with spinal cord injuries. While the programmatic mission remains unchanged, the move to a national organization will have impact on the manner in which we pursue our mission. Previously, Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association was a regional organization, which meant that the program could only cover the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania legislatures, as well as certain federal issues that directly affected our catchment area. United Spinal Association is a national organization thus enlarging the area that the [...] by Ronald McLearie The Architecture program has been working with our veterans with spinal cord injuries since 1975 to help them make their homes more accessible. Originally, we worked to help members with service-connected injuries get the Specially Adapted Housing Grant from the Veterans Administration (now the Department of Veterans Affairs or VA). The grant would not be given to the veteran unless he or she had a complete set of working drawings indicating all accessibility features in accordance with the VA guidelines. Often the cost of the plans would use up most of the grant. We provided the plans so the [...] by Brian Black A carpenter building a ramp needs to cut a two-by-four. He may guess at the length he needs, then hack a section from a longer piece of lumber with a hatchet. Or he can use a tape measure and saber saw to get the length of wood that will make the ramp safe and usable. Clearly, the tools a carpenter uses make all the difference in the final result. Similarly, United Spinal’s Advocacy program, General Counsel, and Architecture program rely on accurate tools when advocating for accessibility for persons with disabilities. Providing those tools is the job of the Building Codes [...] by Marlene Perkins Advocacy isn’t a sometime thing; it is an all the time thing. As our organization expands from providing services mainly in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Southern Connecticut, the Advocacy program is ready to make its presence felt across the country. For the past 15 years, the program has emphasized education and enforcement, along with a steadfast dedication of staff members, in the areas most important to individuals with spinal cord injury or disease: accessibility, housing and transportation. Our national work will now enable us to develop advocacy initiatives relating to employment, health care and those issues impacting [...] by Lisa Gesson Everybody reading this column is or should be an advocate. Those of us who work as professional advocates spend our work lives trying to make sure that everyone has access to the same civil rights. We begin by studying the laws, the regulations, the trends and the choices made by society. Self- advocates usually begin by looking at a barrier in their own lives, whether it is built, like a flight of stairs, or programmatic, like a rule against allowing service animals in a business, and saying that this barrier is a violation of their rights. We all [...] by Terry Moakley In Kalamazoo, Michigan, an older woman who has a spinal cord injury and uses a power chair wants to visit a friend across town but does not have the skills to take public transportation. With the help of a travel training instructor at the local independent living center, she learns to make the trip. Success stories like this occur each day in communities across the nation. Persons with a variety of physical and mental disabilities are empowered to use fixed- route public transportation by dedicated professional travel training instructors and travel trainers who are part of the Association [...] by Jani Nayar Of journeying the benefits are many: the freshness it bringeth to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, and the learning of high manners.” It was the year 1972. The U.S. Paralympics Team, after a trail of successes at the games in Germany, were en route to Switzerland for a well deserved holiday. Sharon Myers sat in one of the accessible motor coaches transporting the team, eagerly looking forward to her five-star hotel room, a shower and the ensuing fun and games. On arrival [...] by Terry Moakley The Public Affairs program of the United Spinal Association has five basic responsibilities. We are in charge of the content of our monthly membership newsletter, as well as the annual report of the organization. It is also our job to educate the general public about what United Spinal does; to cover, or to photograph and write about, the events our officers, Board of Directors, staff members and members are involved in; and, to attempt to advance the critical issues we work on by publicizing them. For those readers familiar with us as Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, you have noticed [...] |
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