Today is National Call-in Day to support the Community Choice Act. This Act received national publicity on April 27th, when 91 people were arrested in front of the White House for participating in a peaceful protest. Although protesters being arrested is not unusual, what makes this instance unique is that a majority of those arrested were people with disabilities. Close to a hundred people with disabilities (many of whom are wheelchair users) handcuffed themselves to the fence of the White House attempting to urge President Obama to take action on the Community Choice Act, which is currently making its way through the House and Senate. Although our country’s health care system is in the midst of widespread reform, without the Community Choice Act, hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities will be unnecessarily segregated in institutions against their wishes.
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