WE KNOW WE KEEP SAYING THIS BUT...

GOVERNOR NEWSOM STILL HASN'T MADE A DECISION TO PRIORITIZE VACCINES
FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

PLEASE CALL THE GOVERNOR TODAY!
AND IF YOU ARE ALREADY CALLED,
DO IT AGAIN!

We are hearing that Governor is paying attention to our concerns. We are SO close but we need to KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!

Quick background: On Monday, Governor Newsom changed the tier priority for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to one based on age. This left people with disabilities out completely. 

Let's harness the energy from last week's Town Hall with over 1,600 people registered. The link to the video of the Town Hall and its Powerpoints are below.


The disability community's voice needs to be heard by our state leaders.
ADVOCATE RIGHT NOW!
Decisions are being made about us without us!
Tell our state leaders that WE CAN'T WAIT!
WHO TO CALL AND EMAIL:

  • Governor Gavin Newsom
  • Click HERE to email him
  • Or call at 916-445-2841
  • California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly
  • Click HERE to email him
  • Dr. Tomas Aragon, Director, California Dept of Public Health
  • Click HERE to email him

YOUR MESSAGE:

1) Introduce yourself - say if you are
  • a person with a disability
  • a family member of a person with a disability
  • a professional who works with people with disabilities

2) Explain why the vaccine is important for people with disabilities
  • We can't wait for a vaccine
  • People with disabilities are more at risk for getting and dying of COVID
  • People with disabilities need to be prioritized for vaccinations
  • The vaccine rollout must be accessible to people with disabilities

Your email or phone call doesn't have to be long. It just needs to be your words and feelings. AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAY!
USE SOCIAL MEDIA
TO TELL GOV. NEWSOM TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR THE VACCINE!

Tag the following:
@GavinNewsom
@CAgovernor
@CAPublicHealth
@CHHSAgency

Use the hashtags:
#HighRiskCA
#WeCantWait
#Vaccines
ACTION ALERT!

Please join DOnetwork (Disability Organizing Network)
and the California Crisis Care Coalition
TODAY! Monday, February 1
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. PT

Take action and let Governor Newsom know that Californians with disability who are #HighRiskCA — those who are feeling the most burden during the COVID-19: people with identified risk factors, people who rely on caregivers and personal care assistants and people of higher weight - deserve equitable access to vaccines NOW! We will be contacting the governor's office and staff in real time on the call. Join us! 
Check out the powerful op-ed by Disability Voices United board member Tim Jin below!
‌
¡COMIENCE A ABOGAR HOY MISMO!
¡Se están tomando decisiones sobre nosotros sin nosotros!
¡Dígales a nuestros líderes estatales que NO PODEMOS ESPERAR!
A QUIÉN LLAMAR Y ENVIAR CORREOS ELECTRÓNICOS:

  • Gobernador Gavin Newsom
  • Haga clic AQUÍ para enviarle un correo electrónico
  • O llame al 916-445-2841
  • Secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de California, Mark Ghaly
  • Haga clic AQUÍ para enviarle un correo electrónico
  • Dr. Tomas Aragon, Director, Depto. de Salud Pública California
  • Haga clic AQUÍ para enviarle un correo electrónico

SU MENSAJE:

1) Preséntese, diga si es:
  • persona con discapacidad
  • familiar de una persona con discapacidad
  • profesional que trabaja con personas con discapacidades 

2) Explique por qué la vacuna es importante para las personas con discapacidades
  • No podemos seguir esperando la vacuna
  • Las personas con discapacidad tienen un mayor riesgo de contraer COVID y de morir a causa de ello
  • Las personas con discapacidad necesitan recibir prioridad para la vacuna
  • La distribución de vacunas debe ser accesible para las personas con discapacidades

Su llamada o correo electrónico no tiene que ser largo. Solo se necesitan sus palabras y sentimientos. ¡Y DEBE HACERLO INMEDIATAMENTE!
COVID-19 Surges in California:
Resources for Staying Vigilant
California is now the epicenter of America's COVID-19 epidemic. Hospitals and intensive care units across the state are overwhelmed. Vaccines are being distributed, but rollout is slower than many of us would have hoped. And, as our health officials have explained, the less work we are giving the vaccines to do, the quicker the vaccines will help.

We all need to redouble our efforts in order to give each other the best chance of seeing loved ones, enjoying social events, and carrying out our lives again in the future.

Disability Voices United has some resources listed below to help you stay as safe as possible. Please understand that some of these resources were created at the very beginning of the pandemic. Some may not make reference to later developments because of this, but these resources still have good information. If you'd like more resources on coping with coronavirus as a person with a developmental disability or a family member, you can visit our coronavirus website.
This is Disability Voices United's new tip sheet for healthcare professionals on how to provide treatment to patients with developmental disabilities. Click the image to make it bigger. Consider printing this out and bringing it to any doctor's or hospital visits
Click the image below to view and fill out a Health Passport. This document helps people with developmental disabilities communicate with their doctors and nurses in case of hospitalization.
Hospital trips have become a big source of anxiety for many people during the pandemic. During the beginning of the pandemic, there was lots of concern from the developmental disability community regarding hospital bans on visitors. Linked below is the All-Facilities Letter from the California Department of Public Health that states that people with developmental disabilities may have 1 support person present with them in the hospital.
This awesome help sheet by Héctor M. Ramírez lists a number of resources that self-advocates can turn to. Click to enlarge.
Finally, self-advocates and families were excited to have this worksheet by Emma Erenmark on coping with social isolation. Now is a great time to brush up on your coping skills. Click below to enlarge.
Image of a photo collage of self-advocates and family members at the California State capitol and various other places around California.
Disability Voices United works for:

  • Choice and control over our lives

  • Meaningful outcomes that matter to us

  • Systems that are equitable and accountable to us

Please consider donating today to support our important work!