Scandal involves Employment of People with Disabilities

US Department of Justice probe AbilityOne and SourceAmerica

WikiLeaks today published tapes and transcripts they claim expose the AbilityOne and SourceAmerica fraud that is under investigation by the US Department of Justice. You may access the WikiLeaks tapes and transcripts at:

https://wikileaks.org/sourceamerica-tapes/

The AbilityOne program is intended to employ more than 50,000 people with disabilities, most with significant disabilities. It is the largest employment program for people with disabilities in the country with over $3 billion a year expected to fund employment of people with disabilities.

Most of the funding is funneled to the non-profit SourceAmerica to place people with disabilities in jobs. The US Department of Justice alleged that nearly half of the SourceAmerica money does not subsidize work for people with disabilities. The thousands of placement companies under SourceAmerica profit from the placement of able-bodied and not significantly disabled workers. 

WikiLeaks has listed 26 tapes and transcripts on their website that discuss the alleged corruption. The released information are conversations between the Lead Counsel of SourceAmerica and Bona Fide Conglomerate Inc., one of the placement organizations. Ruben Lopez, is the CEO of Bona Fide and Jean Robinson is the Lead Counsel for SourceAmerica. 

The Center for Disability Rights Statement of Concern

Reid's National Council on Disability Appointee Supports Subminimum Wage and Segregated Housing Sec. Tom Perez meets with ADAPT in the street The Center for Disability Rights is deeply concerned that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has appointed Bob Brown, a proponent of subminimum wage and segregated housing, to serve on the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. While NCD appointees have previously been appointed by the President, a new provision in the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act allows four Council Members whose terms are about to expire to be replaced by appointments made by the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House, and the House Minority Leader. NCD’s membership will also be reduced from fifteen to nine as the next six Council members will not be replaced when their terms expire. As the voice of people with disabilities in the federal government, it is imperative that NCD have a careful balance of Council members with different disabilities in order to accurately and appropriately represent all people with disabilities. With a Council that will be 40% smaller, it is critical that all nine members of the Council be members of the Disability Community who are committed to the integration, independence, and civil rights of people with disabilities. However, now that Senate and House Leaders have the authority to appoint members to the Council, there is a serious concern that the Council will no longer be comprised of members who are fully committed to the best interests of people with disabilities. Brown, who is not a person with a disability, is a senior team member at Opportunity Village, an organization that holds a 14(c) certificate and pays its employees with disabilities subminimum wages. Opportunity Village is the largest “employer” of people with disabilities in Nevada and is also developing congregate, segregated housing for individuals with disabilities. ADAPT visits Goodwill in Little Rock to demand an end to the 14(c) waivers Many disability rights organizations and groups, including NCD, have taken formal stances against 14(c) and segregated communities. Subminimum wages blatantly discriminate against people with disabilities and reinforce the idea that disabled workers are less productive and less worthy of equal pay than nondisabled workers. Segregated communities reinforce the “not in my neighborhood” mentality that people with disabilities cannot and should not be independent and equal members of our society. Mr. Brown’s actions have directly contributed to this stigma. Furthermore, he has materially contributed to the efforts to keep the 14(c) exemption while the Disability Community has been actively fighting to repeal this ancient exemption. In a 2013 article written by Brown advocating for subminimum wages, he stated, “Some utopian academics would like to eliminate Section 14(c). They believe people with severe disabilities are being unfairly exploited and that all workers should be paid at least the minimum wage. On the surface, this position seems reasonable. Upon rational examination, it is nonsense.” When Reid announced that he was appointing Brown, who will replace the only member of the Council who has personal experience with a psychiatric disability, Brown stated that he was “honored to be an advocate for parents and families of people with disabilities and the service providers that care for them.” However, the role of NCD is to represent people with disabilities, not their families and service providers. Brown made no mention of representing people with disabilities. NCD has played a vital role in advancing the independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities, particularly in their efforts to promote community integration end sheltered workshops.  We are very troubled that Mr. Brown’s appointment sends a message to the Disability Community, and society in general, that NCD may no longer be able to effectively represent the interests and civil rights of people with disabilities. Senator Reid may be unfamiliar with the role of NCD and issues affecting the Disability Community.  We urge the Disability Community, particularly in Nevada, to reach out to Senator Reid to educate him about the implications of appointing Bob Brown to NCD. Furthermore, we urge everyone to reach out to Senate Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker of the House Boehner, and House Minority Leader Pelosi to stress the importance of appointing Council Members who are part of the Disability Community and will actively work to expand and protect our civil rights. For more information on what you can do to help, contact Stephanie Woodward at 585-546-7510 or swoodward@cdrnys.org

Stephanie Woodward speaks with Yoshiko Dart

ADAPT In the Streets of Little Rock

ADAPT Marches proudly together in the street after warning of arrest from Little Rock Police

By ADAPT

ADAPT marches toward the Arkansas State Capitol.

On Tuesday, September 16, the Little Rock Police Department actively notified specific organizations and locations that they might be subject to protest, urged them to lock their doors.  The Police Department also sought approval of building management/owners to permit the police to block disabled individuals from accessing their facilities.

More disturbing was the decision by the Victory Building Management, at the behest of the Little Rock Police, to prevent a handful of Arkansans with disabilities from going into the office of Senator Boozman to ask his support for two critical disability rights issues currently active in the US Senate.  

“I was appalled and embarrassed for my state,” said Brenda Stinebuck.  “We had not broken the law and had cooperated with the police, but were blocked from the Senator’s office anyway.”

Recognizing that the Little Rock Police are actively trying to prevent direct interaction with our group, ADAPT is publicly challenging the Arkansas Chapter of Americans for Prosperity and Goodwill Industries of Arkansas to meet directly with ADAPT rather than hide behind locked doors and police barricades.

ADAPT is seeking to meet with the leadership of Arkansas Chapter of Americans for Prosperity because the organization is distributing false information about the Community First Choice Option.  

“Once they actually understand the policy," said Mike Oxford of Kansas ADAPT, "we are hoping that they will stop advocating against Arkansas implementing the Community First Choice Option so the state can benefit from the new federal program created by ADAPT.”

ADAPT will also seek a meeting with the leadership of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas because the organization is affiliated with two national organizations that are fighting efforts to require that individuals with disabilities be paid at least the federal minimum wage.  

“We are the only group of people who can be legally paid less than minimum wage,” said Dawn Russell of Colorado ADAPT.  “Goodwill International and SourceAmerica are fighting our efforts to end that discriminatory law; that needs to stop!”  

ADAPT is hopeful about a productive meeting with Goodwill because the Arkansas organization does not, itself, pay less than minimum wage to disabled individuals. ADAPT intends to march in the street to these locations.

“Most people won’t understand this, but frankly it’s a safety issue,” said Josue Rodriguez of Tennessee ADAPT. “The police insisted – under the threat of immediate arrest – that we use the sidewalk, but the curb cuts and sidewalks are in such bad shape, people nearly tipped over.”  

“The City of Little Rock should take the money the police department is wasting by following us around in plain clothes, ticketing us and transporting our group and use it to fix the streets,” Jennifer McPhail of Texas ADAPT added,  Rodriguez and McPhail were arrested on Tuesday when they were instructed to move their wheelchairs to the sidewalk but couldn’t because there wasn’t an accessible route.