Your new initiatives. We have several new initiatives. The most important is employment first. Many initiatives across Government Agencies we like to think were talking the lead on to really make sure that people with disabilities under the mayors administration really have that pathway to the middle class, like anybody else in the city. So employment first is a big effort to make sure people with disabilities are included in the Workforce Development system. Take us back to 1991 when the facility was closed because of conditions there and because of the programs the lack of programs. There. Tell us what happened. The city was sued in the 1970s, actually on the conditions of the institution for people with intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. That lawsuit finally concluded with an order to close that institution. The condition in that institution, like many all over the country, was really inadequate. The services were poor the conditions people lived in were poor. It really was not a way to segregate and put people with intellectual and Developmental Disabilities away from your community. So it finally closed in 1991. People moved spot community, into small homes throughout washington, d. C. Unfortunately the quality never met standards in that court order and subsequent sellingment agreements that were crafted, so the case never ended. Now its 39 years old. It is the oldest class action in the United States but were happy to say that after many years of really hard work that we are approaching the end of the case. Weve met 66 out of 70 exit criteria. And the real story about that is that really peoples lives were supporting throughout the city have really improved in a substantial way and theres just been significant change in the quality of services that the City Residents have. Ricardo, you lived at forest haven with your wife. Yes. Tell us what life was like for you then. It was at first a place where we went we didnt have Decision Making at that time. We were there. We were in cot agestages. I got to know when i was there, i had a sister that was there, a brother that was there. So family disconnect trying to bring families together. Overall picture, it was an institution that had a little of good and a lot of bad, a lot of sad times. But sometimes we got over those. A lot has changed for you since then. A lot has changed. Got out. I was going to School Special ed graduated, got a little parttime job at the library. Going on 36 years at the library, which they said would probably last a year. Im still there. Im feeling like a part of a team. My wife works at walter g. Shes now working in bethesda. Youre a success story. Shes an amazing story. She had a dream. It all came from her dream, i guess, going down and asking for things she really want. When things got too hectic she had a dream she wanted to get married, raise a child and we did that. Dreams come true. Dreams come true. Were going to continue our talk with you about the department on Disabilities Service in the district right after the break. Stay with us. Lets say this is your tv and these are the channels you pay for with cable but these are the types of channels you actually want to watch what if you could pay for what you want, and not for what you dont so you could get kids channels sports. Or entertainment mix and match, or get them all. Now fios brings you a totally new way to customize your tv starting at 74. 99 including internet and phone. Cable just gives you channels. Fios gives you choice. Welcome back. Were talking about the department on Disability Services in the district. Andy reese, who is Deputy Director for Rehab Services administration. You are responsible for matching employers and people with disabilities. Talk about the work that youre doing and how what youre doing has helped us satisfy the criteria required by the court. Were working very closely within dds, we work very closely with Developmental Disability corporation so people with intellectual and Developmental Disabilities get the support they need in order to enter the workforce and be successful as rikd, a has been. Our goal is to see all people with disabilities are able to enter the workforce and create a workforce in the district that includes people with disabilities at all levels where the government is the leader in this where the government system is demonstrating to businesses that this is the way in terms of being an inconclusive workforce system creating opportunities. The mayor has created a new program this year project leap where they are creating positions. Initially this is to help people moving off of homelessness but its going to be a broader program, helping people enter middle class creating internships within the government where people can move into jobs. Thats the kind of work we do for people where we work with people with disabilities to help prepare them to help provide training. We start as early as high school with them to move them into the workforce. We also work on the other side with businesses to help them understand what it means to be an inconclusive business and help them see how hiring people with disabilities is a benefit to their business. We dont approach them asking them to do us a favor by hiring this person with disabilities we approach them to help them see that hiring the people that we have who need jobs are people that can benefit their business and demonstrate to them that the person working there and the kinds of supports they may need are not a big expense to them and that in fact they add to the benefit to the company. Laura, how receptive are d. C. Businesses and how do they stack up to businesses around the country when it comes to hiring and providing employee awareness about the needs of those with disabilities . I think they stack up well with the rest of the country and i think, perhaps, were probably a leader in some regards. We have a benefit of not just a lot of the work weve done in the city with our Business Leadership but then we also benefit from the federal government. The federal government has been a major leader in employment for people with disabilities. They have stepped up as an employer to make sure that people with disabilities are included in their workforce. So with that interchange with the federal government they have also passed regulations that their contractors must hire people with disabilities so that we in the washington metropolitan area clearly have that advantage of many businesses that do work with the federal government as well as d. C. Government. And so i think it gives us a bit of an advantage to have both d. C. Government and federal government really knowing how important that it is to include people to include diversity in the workforce. So i think they probably are helping us be leaders in the nation in this area to really demonstrate the value of people with disabilities in the workplace. You know we find our best advertising is the successful employer who has experienced what it means and how its benefited their entire company. So i think we do very well. Ricardo, tell us about the work that youre doing with the library. Yes. Well im now a Library Technician where i process material books. I dont get to see the public as much as i used to when i shelved books. But i get to process materials and get them ready to go downstairs so people receive their books for reading. I can tell you love your work. I found something, i think of my job as people that are part of a team. I get that from Special Olympics part of a team. In order to be successful i want to be part of a team. How did you find get your job . I got it through special ed half a day training half a day in school. They had a backlog and they called me when i graduated looking for parttimers. And i said yes, but i forgot i was still driving the bus to and from forest haven. The transition was i was getting ready to come into the community and i got a job. Moving those with disabilities into the community has been a challenge. Thats one of the areas dds is still working on . Helping people be successful in the community is the success. People welcoming to them. When ricardo talk about the important thing, he mentions he got his job in high school. One of the things we know is that youth who work prior to graduation are far more likely to then enter the workforce after graduation. So were working closely with the School System in the district with the public and public Charter Schools in order to create those types of opportunities for students with disabilities so they can exit school with a solid plan for their future. You also mentioned ricardo mentioned transportation. Thats a big problem can be a big problem for those with physical disabilities. Physical and cognitive disabilities. It can be. We are fortunate. We have a Good Relationship with metro. Metro has both Training Programs to help people with learning how to take Public Transportation how to navigate different Public Transportation routes. Theres also metro access which helps people with physical disabilities who cant use the regular metro system to get to certain areas. But they do this people with physical disabilities have extra challenges particularly when the elevators are broken in the metro system. We all experience that frustration. Imagine youre a person using a wheelchair that you cant go down the escalator, cant go down the stairs. Likewise metro access has been known to have some of their challenges sometimes with timing. But they have been very responsive to us. People with disabilities are on their advisory board. Its just recognizing theres additional challenges sometimes for people that we need to be mindful of. Well take a break and continue our discussion about dds right after this break. The answer to treating your dogs fleas and ticks is staring you right in the face. Nexgard, from the makers of frontline® plus. Its the only soft beefflavored chew that kills both fleas and ticks. Vets recommend it. And dogs, well theyre begging for it. Nexgard is for dogs only. And hasnt been evaluated for use in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs. Reported side effects include vomiting, dry flaky skin diarrhea, lethargy and lack of appetite. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures. Recommended by vets. Loved by dogs. From the makers of frontline plus. Looking for one of these . Yoplait. Smooth, creamy, and craved by the whole family. Welcome back. Andy reese just wanted to complete our discussion about transportation and those with disabilities face. The citys Taxicab Commission has changed its complaint project to address those with problems with disabilities and minorities have been facing in the taxi cub business. Thats correct. Recently they have also changed their rules to require Taxi Companies to provide a percentage of cabs accessible in wheelchairs. Because accessing a taxicab has been an issue for people with wheelchairs, being able to get their wheelchair into the cab. Having a certain percentage that are the right size and can accommodate a person in a wheelchair is a new rule they have instituted through the help of advocates in the community who have worked with the commission including people from statewide independent Living Commission who sit on the Taxicab Commission. Lawyer ark, how is the citys parking meter policy working . It had some challenges initially, but the red top program, it has had a lot of evaluation. It does seem to be working. The office of disability rights who is also in the district government they work closely with the department of public works and transportation to make sure they are working, they are in the right places theres enough of them. But you know while the community, i think, the at Large Community had a bit of a reaction to it initially, it does seem to be successful. And there are still those who complain that people who are not living with disabilities sometimes park in those places. Im sure they do. Or block those spaces. They do. But they are being enforced. You have to have handicap tags. So they are being enforced. Im sure youre always going to have complaints as with any program. But they really have made a difference for people who can now find parking, find it in a little more convenient location. It does provide a longer period of time. So that rather than two hours they get four hours of paid parking. While there were always be complaints and glitches it has really made a difference i think. Ricardo, you are working with project action which is an advocacy group. Tell us about the work that youre doing and why its making a difference . The work were doing is that were coming together have lots of issues and concerns things that wasnt working, problems after problems after problems so we came together with a group. Advocacy has been in action for years, but we came together and joined to become project in action. We do a lot of inviting laura and someone to come down and hear our concerns and complaints. We try to fix those and resolve some of the problems. Issues comes out a lot about transportation you just talked about, and the other one is about employment. One is about training going to the doctors. The doctors talking to the person and not talking to me. Im a person with a disability. Youre checking me out. Examine me. But sometimes they go to the person that brought me and give the information. We try to advocate to change things like that. Andy is that because of a lack of awareness . Are people trying to help when they do that or do they not realize that that may be offensive to the person to the patient. Exactly. Well exactly. Its a lack of awareness, a lack of understanding that the person youre treating is the person in front of you. That person is entitled to the same kinds of things any of us would want when we go to the doctor or when we go to work or when we go and engage with someone in a store somewhere is for them to treat us like they would treat any other person. Thats what being fully included in the community is about. All right. Well be back in just a moment. Wow something sounds sweet in here need a little honey in the bowl. Yeah badabopbopbopa no . Must be the honey lets say this is your tv and these are the channels you pay for with cable but these are the types of channels you actually want to watch what if you could pay for what you want, and not for what you dont so you could get kids channels sports. Or entertainment mix and match, or get them all. Now fios brings you a totally new way to customize your tv starting at 74. 99 including internet and phone. Cable just gives you channels. Fios gives you choice. Welcome back. Andy reese, you are putting people to work. Tell us about the jobs that are now available for those with disabilities. The whole range of jobs that are available for the rest of us. The people that we worked with last year include people who went on to do Office Cleaning offices as well as, you know attorneys, School Teachers social workers, people with disabilities represent the whole range of people in the community. Thats part of what people need to understand and what businesses need to understand. Sometimes they recognize the person as a disability sometimes they dont, but people with disabilities could be any one of us and they have the same strengths and abilities everyone else does. In your training are schools helping to improve the lives of young people . Yes. And were working closely with the school. A bill that passed last summer requires us to begin working with youth at 16 to help prepare for post school plans including employment or post secondary education. Youre working with the commission on disabilities. I was appointed by the president , barack obama, which was an honor and the committee were meeting, right now were in the process of getting a report through. So were meeting as a group. Its been awesome. Its been really really amazing work. Youre amazing, ricardo, you are. Laura, weve come a long way since the day of group homes and protests in group homes in neighborhoods. We have. Todays services are much more individualized much more personalized. We serve people actually people dont want group homes anymore, the people we support. People come to have Certain Services and supports that they can choose from. We support over 800 people who live with their families throughout the city or on their own, people who live in apartments in row homes, ricardo and donna have their own home in northwest. Todays services for people group homes are dead. We still have them. But when people come to us thats not what they want. They want services that are really tailored to specific interests and goals. Employment help with being included in their community, accessing Retirement ServicesRecreation Health care. Its no longer you come and we put you in a spot. Its really about how can we help you achieve your goals and ambitions just like you and i. So its really changed. All right. Laura nuss andy reese and ricardo thornton, thank you for joining us at viewpoint. Thank you. Thank you for being with us. Im pat lawson muse. Stay with us now for news 4 today. The search. What police are asking for you that could help locate two Montgomery County siblings who have been missing for seven months. Cooler today. But more importantly heavy rain and potentially severe thunderstorms in the forecast. The latest timing on what you can expect to begin this week coming up. Plus the big emergency metro is planning for today and why they are keeping trains in service. Good morning and welcome to news 4 today on this sunday. Im adam. Im angie goff. We do want to tell you bought a crash poking part