Help the Community, Help OT

I’m working on the news, and the press release I just read is making me feel very patriotic. The feeling might also have something to do with the upcoming 4^th of July celebration, and the fact that I have a deep desire to go blueberry picking. (So I can then also buy some strawberries and make red, white, and blue baked goods, of course.) But I think mostly it’s from reading about President Obama’s recognition of the 10^th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Olmstead case.

For those of you who don’t know (and I didn’t know anything about this until I read the press release) a decade ago the Supreme Court ruled that the unjustified institutional isolation of people with disabilities is a form of unlawful discrimination under the ADA. When I first read this, it was one of those brief moments of incredulity, disbelief that there even needed to be a ruling on such a thing. Like when you think about how people back in the day didn’t think smoking was bad for your health, and you’re all, “For real? You all didn’t think it was doing harm?” My thought, on reading the ruling on the Olmstead case was, “Well, duh. Of COURSE that is discrimination. Wait…people thought otherwise?” There is something very strange knowing that a mere 10 years ago we still had to have rulings on this topic. But there is also something empowering about it, knowing that there is an official ruling on this topic, and that it’s on the books, and look, there, right there, it states it right there in black and white print. It’s heartening and encouraging to know a wrong was made right.

In addition to President Obama recognizing the ruling, he also stated that this is “The Year of Community Living.” According to the press release, Obama directed the HHS and HUD secretaries to collaborate on “identifying ways to improve access to housing, community supports, and independent living arrangements.” Ding! Ding! Ding! I sense an OT opportunity! The release went on to say that Obama’s administration provided $140 million in the Recovery Act funding for independent living centers across the country, which is a good start—now the next part of the equation is how can OTs get in on that action? If OTs are already in on the action, how can the role of OT be made bigger? Because I know, and you know, that OTs can make a HUGE difference in this arena, and it’s worth everyone’s while to make sure people know that. I don’t have any answers, and I don’t know if there’s anything in the works, but it’s something to think about over this long 4^th of July weekend.

You know, while you’re eating red, white, and blue baked goods.