Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • What Would 'Housing as a Human Right' Look Like in California?

    Although activists in California are currently arguing a case to make housing a human right, other states and counties have already successfully implemented this tactic. In one county in Wisconsin, housing as a human right has allowed county officials "to budget for homeless services, create an affordable housing fund, and open the county’s first homeless navigation system."

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  • In one revolutionary language, a community taps the power of touch

    American sign language has long been used to help populations to communicate with one another, but it does not serve the DeafBlind community very well because it is meant to be seen. To address this shortcoming, a group of DeafBlind people created a new way to communicate known as Protactile, or PT, which offers a greater sense of surroundings, connection, and engagement.

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  • They were paralyzed and alone. Here's what's happened since they started a gunshot survivor group.

    In the first six months of its existence, a support group for paralyzed gunshot survivors provided both emotional support and sharing of tips on getting the help its members need to regain control over their lives. Led by a victims' advocate who eventually plans to hand off her facilitator role to someone from the community it serves, the group has discussed everything from obtaining wheelchair lifts, accessible housing, and jobs to coping with anger and grief. Says one of the participants, "I had to learn everything myself. It doesn't have to be like that."

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  • Bonin/Huizar Look to Citywide Collaborative Housing Program to End Homelessness for Thousands of Angelenos

    The success of a pilot program that successfully housed several dozen people in Los Angeles is the basis of current proposed legislation. The program known as "SHARE! Collaborative Housing" finds housing for people with disabilities and those experiencing homelessness by matching people with homeowners in residential neighborhoods and places its members with other people who are going through similar struggles. Over 25 percent of participants are fully employed and move out within a year. SHARE! is more cost effective and successful than traditional government methods used to alleviate homelessness.

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  • A heavy-duty wheelchair expands mobility in post-war Colombia

    A new wheelchair design is helping to eliminate mobility barriers for those with disabilities who are living in regions with rough terrains and underdeveloped streets. Working with three wheelchair users, researchers are piloting a new type of wheelchair that utilizes affordable, yet heavy-duty materials that can withstand "rocks, roots and more."

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  • Everybody Needs a Home

    The Housing First model proposes finding homes for the unhoused without requiring employment, stability, or sobriety in order to qualify. Getting people off the street first and then helping them stay there through various services has been shown to be a successful approach to alleviating homelessness. Proponents of the model argue that having housing provides a foundation that allows people to remain sober, take medications, work, and function - all of which is more difficult to do consistently when sleeping on the streets or in a shelter.

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  • The Power of Housing

    Housing options for patients dealing with mental illness are bleak in New Mexico. Casa Milagro provides an alternative to the infamous board-and-care homes and offers a sense of community as well as medically trained staff. Residents pay a third of their monthly income in rent and can live there for as long as they want despite a waiting list to secure a spot. The safe and stable housing is supported by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and is a model that experts believe would mitigate the housing crisis, which is especially tough for those battling mental illness.

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  • 'It has transformed my life': the restaurant where all staff have a disability

    A haute cuisine restaurant in the Spanish city of Jerez offers employment only for people with disabilities who are left out of the mainstream workforce. The restaurant employs 20 people with conditions ranging from Down's syndrome to cerebral palsy, and they say that they are treated just like anyone else and that it has transformed their lives. The restaurant has also caught people's attention for the food alone and even receives recipes and guest chefs from the top chefs in the country.

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  • Let Me Help You Find Bliss

    There are many things to consider when it comes to the quality of life and psychological needs of people living with disabilities, but one need rarely remembered is their sexuality. A Czech organization called Freya trains people to be sexual assistants who work with people with a range of abilities to learn how to become more comfortable with their own bodies and sexuality and physical tactics to help them do so. The service offers them a chance to experience basic human pleasures, and many testify to how much it has shaped their self-esteem and psychological health.

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  • Pomůžu ti zažít slast

    Sexualita lidí se zdravotním postižením je v Česku tabu. I oni ale mají erotické touhy a potřebují sexuální prožitky. Situaci se v posledních letech snaží měnit spolek Freya, který vzdělává zájemce o práci sexuálních asistentů a asistentek. Ti pak pomáhají lidem s hendikepem cítit se lépe ve vlastním těle. Ukazují jim, jak jim v tom může pomoct sexualita, erotické pomůcky nebo různé typy dotyku. Služba klientům nabízí šanci naplnit základní lidské potřeby a zažít potěšení. Lidé, kteří sexuální asistenci využívají, říkají, že jim pomohla formovat sebevědomí i psychické zdraví.

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