Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Stanley Holbrook, executive director and CEO of Three Rivers Center for Independent Living, stands in front of the facility in Wilkinsburg.

By Tina Calabro

For 54 million Americans with disabilities, the attainment of full civil rights is a work in progress.

The increased attention to disability rights in recent years began with activists in the 1960s and 1970s who demanded equal access to education, housing and other aspects of community life. Today's advocates stand on the shoulders of these pioneers to make sure that hard-won gains remain in place and even more is won.

	Essential Reading for Advocates A Slice of PIE (Policy and Information Exchange) is a free newsletter funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council to keep the public informed about policy issues that affect people with disabilities. To subscribe: 866-761-6129 or pie@ucpofpa.org.

These thoughts are much on the minds of disability rights advocates as we celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this month. Three Rivers Center for Independent Living will mark the anniversary with a rally at noon today.

The organization also held a "Disability Pride" event July 19 where historical benchmarks were noted and awards bestowed on those who have advanced the position of people with disabilities locally. Receiving awards were Katherine D. Seelman, associate dean for disability programs at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, and Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Dr. Seelman is well known in academia and the grass-roots disability community. Before joining Pitt in 2001, she was director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research for seven years.

"The work that Kate has done in government, her research, and her community efforts raises the quality of life for people with disabilities," said Stanley Holbrook, president and CEO of Three Rivers Center for Independent Living.

The organization recognized Westinghouse for its hands-on volunteer work at its Victorian-era facility in Wilkinsburg, the former Rebecca Residence. For the past several years, Westinghouse has provided a team of 100 volunteers on the annual United Way Day of Caring. Their labor on the building and grounds enables the organization to focus on its mission of helping people with disabilities lead independent, self-directed lives, said Mr. Holbrook.

This month's disability rights celebrations provide an opportunity to reflect on how advocacy has changed the local landscape for people with disabilities. Remember that as recently as a decade ago, not all of our sidewalks had curb cuts, not all of our buses announced upcoming stops, and many public buildings lacked access or accommodation.

It's also a time to consider how the act of advocacy itself brings a dimension to the lives of those involved.

"The thing that strikes me is that advocacy changes people," noted Rachel Freund of the Mental Health Association of Allegheny County. "People realize they can do things they didn't know they could do. They feel part of something that's bigger than self."

The following are some of the local groups and leaders who make sure that Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are "disability-friendly" places to live and work. All of these organizations welcome your involvement:

City of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities. (412-255-2102; Richard.Meritzer@city.pittsburgh.pa.us). Members of this group -- volunteers who are appointed by the mayor and county executive -- advise local government on issues affecting the lives of people with disabilities.

Let Our Voices Be Heard (412-391-3820; rfreund@mhaac.net). This group, coordinated by Rachel Freund of the Mental Health Association of Allegheny County and Paul O'Hanlon of the Disabilities Law Center, advocates for a variety of cross-disability rights. Although the group's recent campaign to persuade Allegheny County to buy totally accessible voting machines fell short of its goal (the county purchased machines that cannot be used by people with manual disabilities), the group continues to fight for accessible polling sites. About 120 of the county's 1,307 polling sites still have physical barriers, but the situation is improving. Two years ago, about 250 were inaccessible.

United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh (412-683-7100; lspruill@ucppittsburgh.org). Lucy Spruill leads a variety of advocacy efforts and was recently honored with the Disability Rights Advocacy Award from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Together with O'Hanlon of the Disabilities Law Center, Ms. Spruill coordinated a community-wide effort in 2004 to persuade City Council to pass an ordinance for "visitability" (basic changes that make homes more usable for people with mobility impairments). Efforts are under way to ensure that tax credits can be awarded for such improvements.

Committee for Accessible Transportation (412-562-5353; hdick@accesstransys.com) and the Allegheny County Transit Council (412-241-2989).

The two groups continue to work for adequate public transportation for people with disabilities. State funding, as always, is a front-and-center issue. The Port Authority has made several disability-related changes over the past two years, including ADA training for bus drivers and establishing its own facility to repair wheelchair lift systems on buses. PAT is also seeking a grant to bring accessible taxis into the area.

Achieva (412-995-5000; csmith@achieva.info) This organization advocates for improvements in state and federal programs affecting the well-being of people with developmental disabilities. Current efforts focus on reducing waiting lists for services and improving access to dental care.

Consumer Health Coalition (412-456-1877; jseabury@consumerhealthcoalition.org). Focuses on access to health care.

Three Rivers Center for Independent Living (412-371-7700, ext.148). Brenda Dare runs the monthly meetings of the aptly-named DARE (Disability Advocacy Rights and Equality) Committee and brings local issues to the attention of the state-wide Independent Living Council.

Education Law Center-PA (412-391-5225) and Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center (412-422-1040; info@pealcenter.org). Concerned with the educational rights of students with disabilities.