We postponed our 4th birthday fundraiser in early October due to world events. This week, we are combining Giving Tuesday with that annual fundraiser and setting an ambitious goal of raising $25,000 by December 1! Help us celebrate our birthday and Giving Tuesday at the same time. We cannot advance our mission to improve the civil rights of people with speech disabilities without your support. The first $2,500 was matched by the law firm of Vanaman German LLP. The next $7,000 in contributions will be matched by The Gupta Foundation! Thank you for your generosity!
Help us reach our goal!
With your help, over the past 4 years, we have begun to transform the national conversation about the legal rights and lived experiences of people who need and use augmentative and alternative (AAC) tools and supports. We are ensuring conversations at the federal and state level around policy issues that impact us – guardianship, access to health care, restraint and seclusion, education, access to justice, employment, institutionalization, effective communication, and more – include our voices and address our interests. We are ambitious and unrelenting disabled advocates who believe in radical inclusion and acceptance. We are fighting to change hearts and minds, and to build a world that centers justice, community, dignity, and humanity. And we are just getting started. We have so much more to do and with your help, we will!
CommunicationFIRST Petitions FCC to Add Text and Video Options for Suicide Lifeline
On October 16, 2020, CommunicationFIRST joined with the National Association of the Deaf other communication rights organizations to formally petition the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include text and direct video calling options to allow people with speech and hearing disabilities to access a federally mandated three-digit National Suicide Lifeline that will launch in 2022.
Students, Know Your (Virtual) Access Rights!
In response to multiple requests, we’ve prepared a resource to help our student members (US residents who cannot rely on…
CommunicationFIRST Joins Complaint Against MedStar for Violating Communication Rights of DC Patient
Yesterday, CommunicationFIRST joined Disability Rights DC and other disability rights groups in filing a complaint against MedStar, a private hospital in the District of Columbia, for violating the communication rights of a patient for failing to provide him the in-person supports he requires to communicate with health care personnel and to provide informed consent.
When Professors Are Welcoming: Disability Inclusion Practices in the Classroom
Professor Simms’ course is an excellent example for instructors to follow, even after the pandemic ends. Open communication, with a commitment to disability inclusion in the classroom, is what ought to be exhibited by every instructor. Societal changes start at the community level, with education laying the foundation. As I watched my online commencement with my family and friends, I looked towards the future in hope, anticipating the day when the validation and accommodation of students and their experiences would be commonplace for all.
CommunicationFIRST Joins Amicus Brief Challenging Rollback of Communication Protections in Health Care Settings
Yesterday, CommunicationFIRST joined an amicus brief in federal court in support of Washington state’s Attorney General to seek a preliminary injunction to prevent a regulatory rollback of communication protections in health care settings.
Coalition Urges Virginia Governor to Prevent Discrimination Against Patients with Disabilities
RICHMOND, Va. — On Friday, July 17, 2020, CommunicationFIRST joined a coalition of state and national disability groups sent a letter to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam urging him to ensure Virginia hospitals and other health care facilities comply with federal civil rights law and recent guidance from the Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services to ensure patients with communication and other disability-related support needs are able to access the in-person supports they need while receiving medical treatment.
July 17 Event: AAC User Chat with Judy Heumann
We are excited to host this special opportunity for AAC users to engage with civil rights legend and CommunicationFIRST Board Member Judy Heumann on July 17!
Significant Victory for Patients with Disabilities in Response to Joint CommunicationFIRST Complaint on Hospital No-Visitor Policies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in response to the first federal complaint challenging discriminatory hospital “no-visitor” policies, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a resolution agreement making clear that federal law requires hospitals and the state agencies overseeing them to modify policies to ensure patients with disabilities can safely access the in-person supports needed to benefit from medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CommunicationFIRST Stands in Solidarity with All Those Impacted by Racial Injustice
Racism will not be defeated solely through the actions of those affected. We must work together toward this common goal. We will not, we cannot, be silent.