Disability News Now

Supreme Court gives Gov. Gregoire, AG more time to appeal disability-cuts ruling | Political Buzz

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 28, 2012.

The U.S. Supreme Court is giving Gov. Chris Gregoire and state attorneys until Oct. 22 to decide if they will appeal a 9th Circuit Court ruling that struck down some across-the-board budget cuts that Gregoire tried to order in 2010. At issue in the case at hand are budget cuts that reduced the amount of in-home care hours available to Medicaid clients in Washington. The cuts meant fewer hours of homecare assistance with washing, laundry, cooking and other chores. The extension is the second granted after an original Sept. 17 deadine.

"It Is Totally Worth It" | City | Portland Mercury

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 28, 2012.

Adams Challenges Council to Back Court Fight in Frashour Case

Army Seeks To Curb Rising Tide Of Suicides : NPR

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 27, 2012.

Soldiers are told to ask questions, listen and escort the friend to a chaplain or hospital if necessary. This is the kind of training soldiers around the world are receiving Thursday. The sessions are aimed at beating back some of the misconceptions about military suicide — like the idea that only those in combat are at risk.

Oregon State Bar to prosecute Washington County district attorney, defense attorney on ethics violations | OregonLive.com

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 27, 2012.

Disability Rights Oregon launched an investigation last year after reading about Spinosa's case in The Oregonian. Bob Joondeph, the group's executive director, said in December the organization wanted to know why a judge would skip the civil commitment process and impose an order that doesn't exist within the law. At the end of that investigation in July, the advocacy group said in a report that Hermann, Axford and Kohl acted outside the law with the "mental illness magistrate hold." The legislature makes law, the report said, and in Spinosa's case, it was the attorneys and judge who "essentially created a new law that allows for a person with mental illness to be detained without the elements of due process."

Why disability history should be on the school curriculum | Social care network | Guardian Professional

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 26, 2012.

Teaching children how disabled people were treated in the past could reduce discrimination

Portland Public Schools agrees to increase services to eligible special education students | OregonLive.com

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 25, 2012.

Disability Rights Oregon and Youth, Rights and Justice, a non-profit law firm specializing in cases involving foster care, approached the district this spring because some students in the district’s Community Transition Program were receiving fewer hours of services.

Demonstrators decry order to reinstate Portland police officer Ronald Frashour | OregonLive.com

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 25, 2012.

About 30 community members gathered outside Portland City Hall on Tuesday to condemn a state board's ruling that orders the city to reinstate fired Police Officer Ron Frashour.

State employment board orders City of Portland to reinstate Ron Frashour | OregonLive.com

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 24, 2012.

The board used this three-part analysis to determine if the Frashour arbitration ruling was enforceable: a/ Did the arbitrator find Frashour engaged in misconduct b/ If so, did the arbitrator reinstate or relieve the employee of responsibility for the misconduct and c/ If so, is there a clearly defined policy, in statutes or judicial decisions, that makes the award unenforceable.

Saving Us from Ourselves | We Asked, the Feds Spoke: Portland Cops Use Excessive Force Against the Mentally Ill

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 24, 2012.

Finally, last Thursday, September 13, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) told everyone to knock it off. After a nearly 15-month investigation, the feds ruled that Portland cops routinely use excessive force against the mentally ill—a pattern that's unconstitutional and must change. That finding came with many of the same reforms that community groups and advocates have long demanded. The difference, this time? A federal court can make sure the police bureau, and its union leaders, are listening.

Fed criticism of police no surprise | Portland Tribune

By disabilitynewsnow from Delicious/disabilitynewsnow. Published on Sep 20, 2012.

While Mayor Sam Adams looks for money to meet crisis intervention requirements outlined last week in a U.S. Justice Department report, a news report by the Portland Tribune more than a year ago brought to light the same problems highlighted by federal investigators.