Welcome to
the Cross Disability Coalition

Hello! We would like to welcome you to the Cross Disability Website. The Coalition started in September of 2009 with assistance from the Council's Systems Advocacy Committee. The Coalition is for individuals with all disabilities to connect and talk about what is important in our lives and what we can do together to improve quality for all people! It is also an opportunity to become familiar with different services available from agencies in Rhode Island and learn what these agencies can do to support and meet the needs of individuals.

Please take a moment to browse our website and check out some of the helpful links we have provided. Come join us at one of our next meetings where you can meet new people, share your ideas, opinions, and concerns.

Thank you, and we look forward to meeting you!

Tanja Blicker-Ucran, Coordinator

Read more about Cross Disability Coalition Coordinator, Tanja Blicker-Ucran

Click here to see our mission and priority issue areas.

Click here to see what people are saying about employment!

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News

click here for older news posts

Pathways to Adult Services

3.27.13

In order for consumers/families to make informed decisions about life after high school, information is needed in understanding Rhode Island's adult service system for individuals with developmental disabilities. This workshop will provide families/guardians with a basic overview of adult services. Participants will explore a variety of options that will guide their decision making in determining how to direct supports and services necessary in creating a meaningful life!

Click here to view the flyer, or view upcoming workshop dates in our calendar.

A National Resource for Employers Interested in Hiring People with Disabilities

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) is a national resource for any employer who is interested in recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified employees with disabilities. Click here to read more about EARN or go to earn.org today!

Deanne Gagne New Assistant Coordinator for the Cross Disability Coalition

11.16.12

Deanne Gagne is now working part time as the new Assistant Coordinator for the RI Cross Disability Coalition. She will be responsible for assisting Tanja Blicker-Ucran, Coordinator, in organizing meetings and activities as well as implementing the Work Plan and Priority Areas of the Coalition.

Deanne earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Rhode Island College in 2006. Since 1997 she has been working as a Coordinator for Advocates in Action, which is Rhode Island's statewide Self-Advocacy Organization. She also worked for PAL, a statewide family advocacy organization, and was an Interviewer for the Rhode Island Support Intensity Scale (SIS) pilot project, developed by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Deanne's expertise includes coordinating events, public speaking, and training assistance around disability awareness issues. She was involved with the "ACT" Initiative from 2004-2010. Under the ACT Initiative PAL, DAY ONE, and the RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence collaborated to better ensure safety and decrease violence against women with disabilities. She is also a trained sexuality educator and a member of the RI Sexuality Educators Network.

In 2010 Deanne started her own consultant business called "Bridge Building Services" which serves as a change agent to assist individuals, families and their networks of support to plan quality outcomes that are important and meaningful to the individual.

RI Cross Disability Coalition Identifies Bullying as a Project Action Area

7.10.12

Read about the Coalition's position on bullying here.

Study: Students With Disabilities Often On Both Ends Of Bullying

Click here to read the article.

RIPTA in Dire Straits: Call your legislators today

6.6.12

Hello RIPTA supporters,

I have been waiting to gather as much information as possible before sending this report about RIPTA's financing situation, so that I wouldn't misrepresent the it.

I am sad to report that right now RIPTA has been left in the cold by the budget. Legislators feel like they have accomplished much by allaying RIPTA's need to borrow money to buy buses. However, they have done absolutely nothing to fix the crisis in the financing of its operations, which is the real problem. What I hear at the statehouse is that this is the short term solution and they'll to do the big fix next year when it's not an election year and not so hard (heard that before).



Unfortunately, RIPTA is looking at a 9 million deficit that is going to cause cash flow problems in December that will make it impossible for the authority to make payroll. Let me be plain, if nothing is done and there are no service cuts as many have promised, RIPTA WILL HAVE TO CLOSE ITS DOORS IN JANUARY. That, of course, will not be allowed to happen, and instead there will be massive service cuts and fare increases proposed. There will be very little we can do to stop these cuts, because RIPTA has done everything it can to control costs.

There was some hope that RIPTA could engage in deficit spending to get through the next legislative session when the big fix would come. It is not going to happen, and the people in the general assembly have to be made to understand this fact in these waning days of the legislative session.

Please call your legislator today: You can find who your rep and senator are here

Once you know who they are you can find your Senator's phone number here and your Representative's here.

Email them, too.

Campaign for Disability Employment Announces Winners of 'What Can YOU Do?' Video Contest

5.31.12

The Campaign for Disability Employment, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, has selected the winning videos in the 2012 "What can YOU do?" video contest. This nationwide contest challenged filmmakers to produce videos that show the diverse skills that people with disabilities offer and challenge misconceptions about people with disabilities in the workforce. Vote for your favorite runner-up videos.

Please Take the RISILC Survey!

5.24.12

Read more about the Needs Assessment Survey here or take the survey now.

Accessible Taxi Cabs Coming to RI

4.4.12

Read more about accessible taxi cabs and find out how to call for a ride.