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DISABILITY & MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT
ADA presentations to
highlight convention
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, so the organizers
behind the sixth annual Disability and
Mental Health Summit in Pittsburgh wanted
to go beyond what they’ve done in the past.
The summit on March 3 will be held for
the first time ever downtown at the David L.
Lawrence Convention Center and will feature
more than 200 organizations and 40 sessions
covering a wide array of topics from employment
for people with disabilities to mental
health in young people to elder care and
long-term needs planning. Programming runs
from 8 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.
The summit is free and open to the public.
“We’re trying to make an impact,” said
state representative Dan Miller, of the 42nd
District in the South Hills, who is hosting the
summit.
“There are some great conferences focused
on certain diagnoses or run by one agency or
another. What we’re trying to do is recognize
the similarities that impact a lot of people
with disabilities and to bring more people
together to realize you’re not alone when it
comes to dealing with these challenges.
“Our current environment is one where
we can work together to change and improve
things, and networking and being part of
everything will make that happen.”
Several presentations will center around the
ADA, with as many as 24 bipartisan lawmakers
on hand for a variety of discussions.
Miller will moderate a legislative panel
beginning at 1:10 p.m. with representatives,
senators and elected leaders from across the
area discussing state policies on disability
and mental health and initiatives that need
to advance in order to increase opportunities
and independence for everyone.
Then at 4:40 p.m., Tony Coelho, who
served on the House of Representatives from
1979-89 from the 15th Congressional District
of California and who helped introduce the
ADA, will deliver the keynote address talking
about how and why the bill was introduced,
his own disability story and what must come
next.
“You have to keep in mind that as a state
— and the number holds true across the
country — there are still 65 percent of people
with disabilities who aren’t engaged in the
workforce,” Miller said. “We know on the
employment side, we’re still failing to be as
inclusive as we need to be in providing all the
benefits that come with people having jobs
across the board. And on the mental health
side, let’s not forget that in Allegheny County,
the No. 1 daily mental health provider is the
county jail.
“The ADA has done things that have been
a tremendous help, like making sidewalks
accessible and so forth, but now we’re to the
point where we’re talking about quality of
life issues and the sorts of goals that everyone
wants to have with independence, being able
to get a job, work toward retirement, own a
home, have a family and everything else that
comes with it.”
There’s a lot to navigate through, Miller
said, so he advised those who are planning
to attend to look at the schedule at
disabilitysummit.com/sessions/ and plan
ahead.
In addition to the many sessions, there
are also hundreds of exhibitors from all over
Western Pennsylvania representing a wide
array of resources and advocacy groups.
Registration was requested by Feb. 23 but is
not necessary, Miller said.
Anyone can attend, whether they’re registered
or not.
Entrance is free, but attendees will need to
pay for parking and any food or beverages
while at the summit.
BY KAREN PRICE
FOR TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
“There are some great conferences
focused on certain diagnoses or run
by one agency or another. What we’re
trying to do is recognize the similarities
that impact a lot of people with
disabilities and to bring more people
together to realize you’re not alone
when it comes to dealing with these
challenges.”
DAN MILLER
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 42ND DISTRICT