The Trump Era: What It Means for People with Disabilities, and What You Can Do

If you or someone you know has a disability and are looking for encouraging words about the election of Donald Trump, you won't find it here. But it's important to evaluate the potential impact of a Trump presidency, understand how you can be involved, and how to move forward.

Where We Are Today

I started this blog in 2008 to advocate for people with disabilities during a presidential campaign that I knew would have a major impact. Looking back, there's no doubt that our choice of President Obama led to eight years of progress. Here are just a few examples:

• Health care reform that provided coverage for millions of people, prevented insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, and removed lifetime caps on coverage.
• Advocated for rights. The Obama Administration strongly advocated for the rights of all citizens. The Department of Justice and Department of Education issued a letter to schools telling them not to tolerate bullying -- including bullying against the 6.5 million students with disabilities.
• Signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, pushing the Department of Labor, Department of Education, and other agencies to advance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
• Launched the "Curb Cuts to the Middle Class" initiative focused on hiring people with disabilities to prepare to qualify for jobs with federal contractors and giving those employers tools to recruit and promote them.
• Signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first new human rights treaty of the 21st century.

Many of my friends and/or Facebook friends have children with disabilities but don't appreciate the advances that have been made under President Obama. People complain about the health system, and there's certainly room for improvement, but if you have a child with a disability or chronic condition, you should cherish and fight to protect the Affordable Care Act. One way or another, changes will be made (and need to be made), but the fundamental principles -- 1) the right to health care, 2) the right to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and 3) the ban on lifetime caps -- must be preserved.

The Impact of a Trump Presidency

There is much fear and speculation about what Trump will do as president, but the first place to look is his stated priorities:

• Repeal the Affordable Care Act. (Something the Republican-led Congress also wants to do.)
• Reverse the expansion of Medicaid. About 10 million people on Medicaid have disabilities, representing 15 percent, and it covers not just health care, but home health aides and other critical services. If Trump repeals the ACA and turns Medicaid into a block grant program, as many as 30 million people could lose their insurance.

There is also concern that Trump will soften enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act, by shifting the priorities of the Department of Justice's civil rights division and other agencies. See "Disability Rights Advocates are Terrified of a Donald Trump White House" from the Huffington Post.

I don't have a crystal ball, but several patterns are emerging:

• President-elect Trump, the "outsider," is filling his transition team with "insiders." Many of them come from the Heritage Foundation, which advocate for traditional conservative positions like cutting taxes on wealthy people and corporations, repealing the Affordable Care Act, and reforming Social Security and Medicaid in ways that would negatively affect families. If you wonder how much the Heritage Foundation cares about families like yours, consider that they strongly advocated AGAINST signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• The people he is putting on his transition team gives you a good idea of the kind of people who he will appoint to his Cabinet. Remember, many experienced, admired Republican policy experts and government officials have distanced themselves from Trump, so he will have a hard time finding qualified people for many positions. Most will argue for less government "interference," which families like ours may call "protection" for those who most need it. For example, Ben Carson, who's been mentioned as a potential secretary of education or HHS, has said that disability issues can be better managed by "businesses, industry, Wall Street, churches, and community groups." I don't know about you, but I'm not counting on Wall Street to ensure my child's education rights and health care.
• Trump's statements and behavior on the campaign trail have created more division than unity. Now that he's been elected, he's paying lip service to bringing America together, but everything he's said and done so far has had the opposite effect. His campaign has empowered bigots, racists, anti-Semites, and misogynists -- which is even more apparent now that he's been elected. Discrimination is likely to increase, and we can only hope that Trump will enforce existing laws and not weaken them. Let's just say that people with disabilities are not and will not be a high priority among his various constituencies.

What You Can Do

1. Advocate for People with Disabilities

Here are just a few organizations that will busy fighting for your rights, services, and programs in the next four years. Don't just visit these websites. Sign up for their newsletters, register for advocacy alerts, follow them on Facebook and Twitter. When issues come up, be ready to learn about them and take action.

• Here are Autism Speaks' legislative priorities. Join Autism Votes to get involved in your state.
• See Easter Seals' priorities and sign up for their Legislative Action Network.
• Follow The Arc's Action Center to keep up with issues that affect you. Sign up for alerts.
• Post a comment or email me to suggest other resources, and I'll add them here.

2. Focus on Your Family and Loved Ones

The night Donald Trump was elected president, I was in the hospital with my daughter, during an almost two-week stay. I was disappointed -- devastated -- by the results, but it wasn't the most important thing to me at the time. Do what you can do for the people closest to you. Being a good parent, spouse, and caregiver is one of the most important things you can do, no matter what else is going on in the world. Love and support the people who need you, and take care of yourself.

3. Be Nice

This may seem trite, but as much as we complain about Trump's behavior, comments, and actions, all we can control is how we act ourselves. Set an example for your children, neighbors, and colleagues by treating people with respect, tolerating different views, and trying to understand where people are coming from. We are not as divided as much as a 50-50 election may suggest. Let's focus on what we have in common, what we can do for others, and fight for what we believe in.

Campaign Reps Square Off on Disability Issues

Unfortunately, President Obama and Governor Romney chose not to participate in the National Forum on Disability Issues. Instead, the campaigns were represented by Ted Kennedy Jr. (for the Obama campaign) and Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.) (for the Romney campaign).

Read a summary by Jeff Gorman, "Surrogates Discuss Jobs, Education for People With Disabilities at National Forum," from The Mobility Resource.

While Kennedy focused on the protections that the government provides for families, Rep. Rodgers said the government has a "paternalistic" attitude toward people with disabilities and an attitude of 'can't,' not 'can.'"

Rep. Rodgers' comment reflects one of my criticisms of Secretary Arne Duncan's work on special education. Almost the only way he ever referenced special education was when he talked about giving students more opportunity to succeed -- to improve test scores, to give more children a chance to attend college. But my opinion is skewed by the fact that my own daughter is an example of someone who will fall through the cracks if the only focus is college preparation. What she and so many other students need -- and are legally entitled to -- is an education that gives them the skills they need to succeed in life, whether or not that means college.

If Secretary Duncan favored the "high achievers" and was a less effective advocate for the broad category of special education students, at least he hasn't argued for cutting government services for people with disabilities, which Governor Romney (and even more so, Rep. Ryan) advocate. While Rep. Rodgers understands many of these issues, as a mother of a child with Down syndrome, the word "paternalistic" is usually code for "cut services and let families fend for themselves."

And in many ways, that's what this election comes down to. As a society, do we want to fight for the rights and protections for all citizens, or do we believe in survival of the fittest?

What do you think of this debate?

President Calls for More Jobs for People with Disabilities

As part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, President Obama has asked federal agencies to develop plans to increase employment of people with disabilities, but he didn't stop there. He also encouraged federal contractors to make disability employment a priority.

"Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work, and they should have access to the support and services they need to succeed," the president said in a statement. "As the nation's largest employer, the federal government and its contractors can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential. We must also rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees. That's why I've asked the responsible agencies to develop new plans and policies to help increase employment across America for people with disabilities."

The president also announced several other initiatives, including a plan to have the Office of Personnel Management and Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy sponsor a day-long government job fair for people with disabilities in early spring 2010.

Listen to a report on Federal News Radio.

Sec. Duncan on Employment for People with Disabilities

Education Secretary Arne Duncan on National Disability Employment Awareness Month:

"President Obama and I recognize the critical role that education plays in empowering the next generation of Americans with disabilities. Through education, we can help people with disabilities build a strong foundation of knowledge and marketable skills with expectations for employment and the ability to give back to others in their communities. Stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act represents an unprecedented investment in students with disabilities and demonstrates the administration's commitment to helping all Americans achieve success in school and work. We are proud of the many projects underway at the Department of Education to assist children and adults with disabilities in acquiring the tools they need to achieve their dreams."

To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is featuring innovative, employment-based projects and individual success stories on its website.

Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and yesterday President Obama signed a proclamation that focuses on increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The proclamation states: "Each day, Americans with disabilities play a critical role in forging and shaping the identity of our nation. Their contributions touch us all through personal experience or through that of a family member, neighbor, friend, or colleague. We grow stronger as a nation when Americans feel the dignity conferred by having the ability to support themselves and their families through productive work. This month, we rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees."

Read the proclamation.

A Guide to Employment for People with Disabilities

The job market is tough right now -- especially for people with disabilities. So for Labor Day, I won't waste your time with summaries or links to ceremonial speeches about the holiday and the importance of work in our society. Instead, here are resources that may be helpful to people with disabilities who are seeking employment. If you have other tips, please post them in a comment.

FOR JOB SEEKERS

Teleseminar: Using the Internet to Find a Job
On Sept. 16 there's a free teleseminar on "10 Secrets That Every Job Seeker with a Disability Needs to Know: How to Make the Internet Work for You When Looking for a Job." The seminar, led by Seth Acosta of the Sierra Group will share tips when posting a resume to an electronic job board. 1:00-2:00 EST. More information. The seminar is sponsored by One More Way, which is an interesting initiative to support employment for people with disabilites. Visit their website.

Resources from Disability.gov
Disability.gov is a great resource for people seeking employment, and for employers who want to know the laws related to disabilities. You can find information on:
- Career counseling
- Job training
- Job banks -- real jobs available right now
- Mentoring and internships
- Federal employment

Employment Locator
Career One Stop, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor, offers an employment locator that allows you to search for jobs by state and industry. I haven't used it -- if you have, share your thoughts.

Articles from Disaboom.com
Disaboom.com has partnered with JobsCentral to create a database of jobs available to people with disabilities -- visit DisaboomJobs.com. They also some excellent advice for people with disabilities in their employment section. For example:
- Finding employment with a disability during a recession
- Five crucial tips for acing an interview
- How to tell if a company is "disability-friendly"
- How to get hired from virtual volunteering

FOR EMPLOYERS

Disability.gov has an entire section on Employing People with Disabilities. It includes tips on recruiting and hiring, interviewing, workplace accommodations and supports, HR tools and resources, tax incentives, occupational health and safety, and more. Read success stories of solutions that have benefited companies and workers with disabilities.

Unemployment Continues for People with Disabilities

We all know the economy is not showing any dramatic signs of recovery. But it's troubling that while job losses are slowing for the general population, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities reached a record high for the third month in a row in August. The rate is now 16.9 percent, compared with 9.3 for the general population. Read more from Disability Scoop.

More Job Opportunities?

From U.S. News & World Report, "Teenagers With Autism: Want a Job?
New Programs Aim to Keep Kids with Autism out of Institutions":

"Around the country, innovative programs are now offering young people with autism a vital choice -- the chance to work, go to college, or even start a business, rather than go on disability and be consigned to a sheltered workshop. There's an economic incentive in this time of strained government budgets; a person with autism costs society about $3.2 million over his or her lifetime, including lost productivity and adult care. Each hour spent collecting a paycheck and not collecting disability lowers that cost. And the personal benefit is incalculable."

Read article.

Employment for People with Disabilities: Tips

Disability Scoop offers a great interview with Doreen Rosimos of IncomeLink, LLC, which helps find employment for people with disabilities. She says, "It’s tough to find a job right now for everybody, but I do believe it’s possible....Right now going to a small employer -- the corner market, the local bakery, the businesses with five to six people -- is the best place to get part-time employment, especially if you can go in and talk to the people there. Maybe they need someone just two hours a day."

She adds, "If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. When I help people find jobs, I don’t help them find a job. I help them find a place to be, where they can grow as a person and experience some satisfaction in their life, not just put band-aids in a box."

Department of Labor: Unemployment High for People with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Labor will begin releasing employment data for people with disabilities. Yesterday it released its first-ever report, showing that unemployment among people with disabilities is more common than the general public and is rising. In January the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 13.2 percent, compared with 12.3 percent in December. Among people withoug disabiliites, the rate rose during that time from 6.9 percent to 8.3 percent.