University of Harford's Commitment to Students with Disabilities

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender. All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone, and thank you for your incredible support to all of my listeners in the United States. Around the world, uh, Richard Roberts with the State Department, Gang Young in South Korea, Vinya Min in Kazakhstan, Cheryl Harris in Tunisia, and all of my friends. Thank you for your support since Mary Brocker passed away. I cannot begin to tell you the love and support that you have shown me is overwhelming. Last week was my first show back in over 2 months where it wasn't a replay, and in that show I was interviewed by a host with Tony Coelho. This show is my first show where I'm just on my own, Yoshiko Dart, on my own, taking off. And that's why Joyce Bender, you have no idea when I saw that my first show back would be with Marc Boxer, I thought, you know what, God works everything out. You know that? He really does. And by the way, benderleadership.org, you know, Mary fought the fight for years for people with disabilities, especially high school students with mental health disabilities. Please go to benderleadership.org because I'm honoring Mary with this initiative. And I'll, by the way, speaking of that, Highmark, who is the sponsor of this show, unsolicited donated to that initiative $100,000, unsolicited. And that is why they are such a great company. And that's why David Holmberg even before this happened, is receiving the Corporate CEO Award from AAPD. They are, they are, I always say they set the high mark for other companies to follow. I've had wonderful friends in my life that have made such a difference in everything I do, including all of you, all of you listening today. But one In particular, that is, you know, just one of my closest friends in business, not a customer, a friend, is the prestigious Mark Boxer, Dr. Mark Boxer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Hartford, and an internationally known leader, a totally known disability rights leader who, from I knew him, called me to not only hire people but has spread the news about hiring people with disabilities. And no matter where you are in the world, you are in for a treat today with having Mark on my show. Mark, it is an honor to have you. As I said, what a perfect time to have some— you On the first show since I've come back that I hosted on my own. And as I told everyone, I mean, your career is like unbelievable. I mean, you have such a distinguished career. And I thought for all of our listeners everywhere, which we have a large listening audience in China, but everywhere, you know, I want them to know more about you. So could you take a few minutes and tell your story, Mark?

Sure, Joyce Bender, thank you very much for having me on the show. And it goes without saying that, you know, um, we honor and we remember Mary. Mary was a dear friend, a huge champion for those in the disability community, and a significant advocate. Um, and the work that she did and the legacy that she leaves, the impact will last for generations, and we will miss her dearly. But the people that she befriended and the people that she helped will be the legacy that she leaves. And it also goes without saying, Joyce, to thank you. Thank you for the work that you do and the impact that you're having and the lives that you are changing for the better. Um, we still have a lot more work to do in front of us, as you and I both agree, but the work that you and Mary did together and the work that you've championed with Tony and others, you know, has really had a significant positive impact on this nation. I would argue globally. So thank you again. Joyce Bender, thank you for having me today. It is an honor to be here with you. So my career, you know, I've been very fortunate in my career, and, you know, first-generation 4-year college graduate, as is my sister, obviously. And for me, education leveled the playing field. You know, I began my college career with a degree in engineering and a degree in physics and always thought I would go on to work in technology. But, you know, it was a very serendipitous journey. I started my career actually in finance in the utility industry and then got recruited to a finance role in a technology company, then transitioned to the IT discipline. They saw in me, you know, the potential for someone to become a technology leader even beyond those finance skills. And along the way, picked up, you know, beyond my degrees in engineering and physics, a degree in finance and another master's degree in Information Technology, and then concluded my educational career by getting a doctorate in Health Administration and a doctorate in Public Health. And I tell folks that, you know, I think for me, education really created the opportunity set and leveled the playing field. I was very, very fortunate to have wonderful mentors along the way, but with that, I think, comes an obligation to give back. And that's why the work that we sponsor, the work that we endorse, the work that we drive relative to leveling the playing field for those with disabilities is so, so important because, as you and Tony remind everyone constantly, you cannot truly be free unless you are employed. And it's, as you say, it's about paychecks, not pity. So I think, while I've been fortunate in my career, with that comes an obligation to give back, and that's why the work that we drive together is so, so important and so rewarding to do. Now it's about passing it along to others. And it's interesting because, you know, you noted that I am the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the University of Hartford, giving back there and helping advance, you know, the educational opportunity set for everyone. We're a very inclusive organization. We're over 40% diverse, 40% first-generation college at the University of Hartford. It's where I began my educational career. It's where I graduated. And I was fortunate to have that opportunity set. Now it's about giving back to others.

Well, you certainly do that beyond anything people could imagine. And I'm, I'm going to give an example. Yes, because you had a great career there. WellPoint that became Anthem, Cigna, Xerox, many boards. But what I wanted to talk about is something remarkable. I met you when you were at WellPoint, which as I said is Anthem, and as the Chief Information Officer. And we started working together and you got, let's see, 30 people hired with disabilities. And then, you know, you left the company and began this incredible career that has you where you are today and led through Xerox and Cigna. And no matter where you went— I want everyone to hear this— no matter where he went, you know how normally, like, you have to pick up the phone and then, "Hey, remember me? Would you consider working with us again?" Or, "Remember me and these projects we did?" No, he would call me. No matter where he went, he calls me, and he would say, "Hey Joyce, I'm here. I think we could do something together now. I, you know, I think we could work together." And that is what is astonishing. When you were in that world, I think young people listening to the show should see, wow, you started here and you ended up there, which is unbelievable. But I wanted to talk about Hartford. You know, until you went there, I wasn't as familiar with the University of Hartford. I wanted you to talk about the university a little bit, but also what, what what caused you to go there?

Yeah, so just even before that, Joyce, as you noted, you know, we first met at Anthem, which ultimately became WellPoint, became Anthem again as it rebranded. And then we worked together at Xerox and then at Cigna. And it was interesting, you referenced when we first talked and met, yourself and myself and Tony Coelho, and Tony said, can you help us hire 5 people? With disabilities. And I'm like, 5 people, that doesn't seem very challenging. And he said, try it, see what happens. And so we went out and it took some work because, you know, the barriers are not things like curb cuts or ramps or things like that. The barriers are attitudinal. And so getting the hiring managers to see past the disability and seeing the potential took some work, as Tony noted. But those folks become and became the highest-performing, highest-productive hiring the best employees one could ever hire, but it's about creating that opportunity set and getting past the attitudinal barriers that exist unfortunately in the workforce then and even now. And we were able to build on that program and then propagate that program out. But before I talk about the University of Hartford, I just want to put the challenge out there, Joyce, to all the leaders and managers and executives that are listening to sort of open up the mind and provide the opportunity and take a chance. And they will not regret it whatsoever because with employment comes freedom. And that's really what we're about at the end of the day is creating that opportunity. As you and I know, you know, the largest minority group actually are those with disabilities and they have among the highest rates of unemployment that one sees. And that's not just within the US, that's globally. You know, there's 1 in 6 people worldwide has a disability, right? About a billion people globally. Have disabilities. And so, you know, it's about leveling the playing field, and that certainly comes with education, but it also creates— it also comes with opportunity and creating those opportunities. And that's a challenge that I put out for folks today to think about. Coming back to university— go ahead, Joyce.

No, I was just going to say that's a great challenge. Go right ahead. Go right ahead.

It is. That is the challenge we put out there. So For me, it's, it's a bit like coming home at the university, right? It's, as I said, it's where I started and where I'm now retired from Cigna, working to help advance the mission. And the mission is very clear. We're dedicated to learning, to personal growth, to knowledge creation. But at the end of the day, we want a better society. And that means helping our students, engaging our students, acquiring knowledge and the skills and the values that are needed to thrive in what is becoming an even more complex world as we know. You know, we have a very, very strong commitment to our shared community values of support and encouragement, and we offer, you know, many, many programs and disciplines for the students, whether it's in the engineering disciplines or the health sciences or the liberal arts. I could go on and on about the programs that we offer and what we do to help our students prepare for a very active and engaged life. And we think about it through a holistic perspective in many ways. But, you know, we are here in Hartford, have a 350-acre campus, right? Part and parcel of the capital city. We have about 4,500 undergraduates, about another 2,000 graduate students that come from 49 states and 49 countries. But we all come together with a common purpose. It's to collaborate across all those different disciplines and, you know, respect and understand the diversity of perspectives and broaden our views. You know, we're a 4-year private university, and as I said, very, very focused on, you know, educating across a variety of, of disciplines, whether it be in the arts or humanities or business or engineering or technology or health and education, but doing the work that matters to help prepare our students for, as I said, a very, very complex world out there. And one that requires, you know, I would say the integration of all these disciplines coming together. We have, you know, 97 undergraduate majors. We have 64 graduate-level degree programs. We have 31 certificate programs. So, you know, just a whole range of opportunities. And if somebody has an interest or an area they want to focus on, chances are we offer it. Wow.

I had no idea. Wow. That is a very large campus. That's unbelievable. Well, I know with you there, Mark, they're lucky to have you. I know you'll do a lot of great things. And you did have an incredible career at Cigna on a global basis. You were the Chief Information Officer, you were the Global Digital Officer, right hand to the CEO. You did so much. What would you say were, to you, were some of your greatest accomplishments? While you were there?

Well, I think it goes to 3 dimensions, Joyce. Actually, I would say 4 dimensions. Number 1 is, you know, the mission, you know, at Cigna was very clear. It was improving health and the impact, the opportunity to have an impact on population health, especially when we're talking about the underserved populations, was significant and important and rewarding in its own right. And it's really, you know, Cigna being a health services company was all about improving population health. Keeping those who are healthy well, those that are at risk, getting them healthier, and those that have, you know, a chronic condition, having them have the best life they possibly can. But even beyond that, it was about leveraging technology to deliver on that mission. And innovation was a big part of that, and helping advance that agenda in one small way was so rewarding. But the third dimension would be about the people, and there's two dimensions here. It's about mentoring and bringing along the talent and helping prepare the future leaders of tomorrow, right? Number one. Um, but number two, creating opportunities, as I talked about, for those with disabilities to be actively engaged in the workforce and creating those opportunities for them, I would say was probably the best accomplishment that I could bring to the mix. And as I shared, having the opportunity to do that, whether it was at WellPoint or Anthem or Xerox, and then ending my career and retiring from Cigna, and having the chance to leave behind that legacy of talent, to me, at the end of the day, has to be the greatest accomplishment.

Wow.

Well, it takes a village. And I would add, Joyce Bender, it takes a village to do that. It's not something that one person can do. But creating the impetus for change and then embracing that change and helping others see the opportunity set was, again, very, very rewarding. It's about the people you sort of leave behind.

Well, you certainly changed a lot of lives, like Monica comes to my mind immediately. I mean, someone that had no hope of getting a job anywhere, but you know, you did. You made it happen. And with that, we have more to talk about, but we're going to take a quick break and then we'll be right back. If you just joined us, we are talking to a true champion and leader internationally, Marc Boxer, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at the University of Hartford, my friend, but more importantly, the friend of people with disabilities. We'll be right back with Marc. Don't go away. Ask the experts. Call toll-free right now, 1-866-472-5787.

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Since 1985, Bender Consulting Services has served as a national leader in advancing employment of people with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, with private sector companies and federal government agencies. Bender assists customers with achieving their diversity and workforce inclusion initiatives by tapping into a talent pool of individuals seeking professional positions, including those in the STEM fields. In addition, Bender Services include disability employment consulting, training in technology accessibility through their high-test line of service. For more information, please visit www.benderconsult.com. The Voice America Live Events Channel is here now to showcase your corporate, individual, or organization's live event. Visit voiceamerica.com/liveevents to see all of our past live events and find out more. Whether it's a multi-day conference, special speaker, or single-day event, we've got everything to make your event a success. We can do a few hours or a few days. For more information about taking your event to the next level, call Jeff Spinard at 480-294-6417 or email info@voiceamerica.com. Again, that's Jeff Spinard at 480-294-6417, or send us an email to info@voiceamerica.com. Voice America is where you are and where you want to be. Join us around the globe as we broadcast live from some of the most interesting events available. Don't forget to view all our live events, including on-demand access to past events that you may have missed, by visiting voiceamerica.com/liveevents.

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You're listening to Disability Matters. If you have a question or comment, call in toll-free at 1-866-472-5788. That's 1-866-472-5788. Now please welcome back the host of Disability Matters. Here's Joyce Bender.

Hi everyone, welcome back. We're talking to Marc Boxer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Hartford. And you know, I don't do this often, but I want to personally endorse an endorsement. I want to tell you, He is the real deal. I just can't tell you how wonderful he is. And I want all of you with disabilities to know how dedicated he has and still is to helping people with disabilities find employment. And right before break, for example, I met this young woman, Monica, and she just, with her disability, she could not find employment anywhere. Uh, and I told Mark about her, and here's— I remember his exact words. You know what they were? Well, let's change that. That's just how Mark is. Well, let's change that. And change it he did and got her this job. And, um, it ended up— Mark, you, you have like one of those, uh, God-wink connections. Do you want to tell everyone?

Yeah, so this, this is, this is an interesting story. So As you noted, Joyce Bender, the hiring manager interviewed Monica and was having trouble seeing past the disability. Had them interview her again, called her references, talked to her college guidance— her sponsor. Fantastic grades, wonderful person. We ended up hiring her. I noticed the last name was a bit unusual. It turned out she was the daughter of my high school science teacher. How do you like that?

That is like unbelievable.

Talk about coming full circle.

Wow. I mean, isn't that unbelievable though? I mean, that is such a great story.

Didn't know that when I first met her. Didn't know it when I first met her. And then I asked her, I said, you have a very unusual last name. I said, where are you from? She told me her hometown. I said, I went to high school there. I said, did you have a relative named so-and-so? She's like, that was my dad, my high school science teacher. Comes full circle.

Wow. I mean, that is amazing. That is absolutely an amazing story. And as I told everyone, not just with her, but like, I would get these emails. Mark would make a move and I'd get these emails. Joyce Bender, you would be short and to the point. I think we can hire people. Your friend Mark Bender. Joyce Bender, call me. I think we can hire people. And That is everywhere he went, every time he made a move. Who does that, really? I mean, to me, that is real, true dedication and love of people with disabilities. And as you could probably tell, Mark is, you know, paycheck's not pity. I mean, when he hires people, they have to be able to do the job, and he knows that if I send them, they will. And he is all about business. You heard his background, his prestigious background. And so I think you know know how he would be about hiring the right people. So this is my question, Mark. Why? Why do you do that?

Well, you know, I, as I said, first generation 4-year college, come from very, very modest background. My parents, you know, both of my parents worked 2 jobs each for my sister and myself. And I think it gave me an appreciation for the struggle a bit that folks go through. You know, my dad wanted to be a physician, didn't have the means or the sponsorship to do it, had a very challenging life and worked very, very hard. And to me, there's an opportunity, as I said, to level the playing field. I have a favorite quote, and the quote, you know, Winston Churchill goes as follows: "You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give." And to me, I think there's an obligation that comes when you are fortunate in your career, right, and when you've been given those opportunities and when folks have opened the door for you to pay it forward and do it for others. And, you know, I always say, who doesn't know someone that doesn't have some sort of a disability, right? Who doesn't know someone who doesn't have some sort of disability? As we age, every one of us is going to encounter a challenge relative to a disability. And so in my mind, we have an obligation to level the playing field and create employment for everyone. And I think, you know, inclusivity, you know, has taken on a much broader definition. But, you know, you and I both know it's over 10% of people with disabilities are unemployed. Almost 80% of people with disabilities are outside the workforce. And it just— and even beyond being the right thing to do, it just simply makes good business sense. Once these folks have an opportunity for employment, as I said before, they are the highest-performing highest productivity individuals you can ask for. Joyce Bender, your programs and your organization puts into the workforce the best prepared people I've ever encountered in terms of the hiring process. But again, you've got to see past the disability. It's attitudinal in many ways. The cost of accommodations, as Tony has reminded us time and time again, are typically below $500, right? Typically below $500. So to me, there's 3 important imperatives that we have to embrace, and I think we have an obligation to do that. One is we have to hire people with disabilities. Two, we have to address ableism in the workplace, right, and see past the disability. And most importantly, what I would say, and the challenge that I would put out there, is it's about creating a culture of inclusion in the broadest sense possible. And your organization has made great inroads in doing that and help advance that agenda. But there's more work to do. But at the end of the day, to me, I've been fortunate in my career and there's an opportunity to give back and create those pathways for everyone to have an opportunity to earn a living and create a life for themselves.

Well, you know, I, as I said, make sure, by the way, to all the listeners, you know, you can listen to this show on demand. So If you're listening and think, oh, I wish this person or that person had heard it, Apple, Spotify. As a matter of fact, on Spotify, you can subscribe to this show, the podcast Disability Matters with Joyce Bender, or go to voiceamerica.com or go to benderconsult.com. We have a huge on-demand listening audience, and so this can be shared. With anyone. And we have powerful guests, as you can see, and we have powerful people to call in, like my call-in right now. Tony, are you on the line?

I, I sure am, Joyce.

Hi, Tony, be on the call.

Um, how are you today?

I am doing great. And Tony was on last week.

Who do you have with you? Somebody that I might know?

I think you may. I think you may. Do you know Mark Boxer?

Hi, Tony. It's Mark Boxer. How are you, Tony? Hi, Mark. Congressman, how are you? Of course.

Good.

Hey, hey, don't—

I don't use that word. I heard your comments, and you're absolutely right about getting people employed and what Joyce has done. Over the years. It's not difficult.

Her—

the people she selects or works with are really talented. And it, as you know, because of all the times that you've been helpful, those individuals become strong employees. The great thing about them is that they show up to work on time, most times early. They're there. They work hard and so forth. And so I love you for what you've done over the years in helping Joyce Bender and helping the disability community in providing jobs for people in our community.

Well, thank you, Tony. And your story has been an inspiration to me, an inspiration to many who are trying to advance the rights of those with with disabilities, and the legislation was the start of leveling the playing field. But as you remind me time and time again, there's still a lot more work to do in terms of removing the attitudinal barriers and creating the opportunity set. And I'm hoping that those who are listening today take up the challenge that you gave to me personally and that you share with others in the community.

Yeah, Mark, today I was just on a call with a bunch of advocates from all over the country, and I pointed out that the ADA is a mere piece of paper, um, and that it gives folks in our community the rights to sue or, or whatever, but enforcement of it, or people in business to assume that that is something that they should follow, is the key to it all.. And we've made progress, but not enough. And we just got to keep fighting to get more and more people employed, because employment is the secret to our success. It's a main component of pride that you have a job and you can afford things. You then have the ability to buy or rent a home, buy a car, but more importantly, to provide for a family. And that's what a lot of people in our community have not been able to do. So a job is the key to all these things. So your help has been tremendous.

Well, thank you. And, you know, we are in a very, very tragic state, obviously, with the COVID crisis, but from that has become, you know, a lot more virtual work and a lot more remote work. And it is my hope my belief that, you know, this remote working opportunity set opens up a wider range of job opportunities for those in the disability community and, you know, creates, you know, opportunities for folks to perhaps do things that they may not have been able to do in an environment that's much more supportive. So out of tragedy, I certainly hope there is more opportunity for those in the disability community to do remote and virtual work. That is, that is my hope, and that is my belief, and technology will be key to that. I know you've been a great advocate for that, but I hope from this tragedy in some ways there is additional opportunities that come from this.

I totally agree with you. I totally, totally agree with you that now with the Supreme Court agreeing with the appellate court last October, just under a year, that the ADA does cover the internet. Now enforcement of that decision is what is being pursued now. But that will make a huge difference because, as you know, the internet will become stronger and stronger, and it will change as circumstances change as we go on. But this is the main source of information for folks, the main source of access. The purchasing power that you get through the internet is tremendous., but just in communication with others and staying informed and so forth. So it's stuff like that, Mark, that you're absolutely right on. So we appreciate— appreciate you a lot and all that you've done.

Well, thank you very much, Tony. You know, as Joyce Bender knows, I sit on the Internet Ecosystem Innovation Committee, and I've tried to be an advocate for, you know, connectivity and pervasive connectivity, and whether it's fintech or edtech or networking or the remote working that we've talked about, I think there is an opportunity for technology to level the playing field for the disabled people in the workforce, and it is something that I'm passionate about. I know something that you've taken up the challenge and the charge to, and I will continue to try to drive that forward as hard as I can.

I appreciate that very much. Well, it's great to have you on the show, Mark. I know Joyce Bender appreciates it, and, we in the community appreciate it as well. But thank you for all that you do.

And thank you, Tony, again for taking up the challenge.

Thanks, Tony. Thank you for calling in. Thank you. He's such a— so awesome. Thank you.

Okay, be well.

Thank you.

Such a great, such a great man. Uh, it's always an honor to me when Tony is on the show or calls in on the show because all of you No, and if you don't know, he is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is the one that put the charge forward for the American Amendments Act, the ADA Amendments Act. He is the one that got disability on the census. He is the one that worked 25 years to push forward with Section 503 of the Rehab Act. I mean, I could go on and on. He's— and he's the chair. Joyce Bender Advisory Board, and there he is. He's out there. He's still fighting the fight, fighting the fight for people with disabilities. And Mark, it's obvious how highly he thinks of you to call in.

Well, again, he has been a phenomenal friend and mentor and continues to put the challenge out there, and it's been my honor to know him and work with both you, Joyce, and himself as we try to advance this agenda. But when you think about someone who's had, you know, the impact that he has had in the leadership positions that he has embraced and the difference that he's made in people's lives, I'm humbled by the fact that he called in, and I'm humbled by the opportunity to call him a friend and a colleague.

Yes, and that he is, that he is. Mark, you mentioned right before we took— we talked to Tony about this high double unemployment rate for people with disabilities and almost 80% of people with disabilities not counted in the workforce. One question: why do you think that is?

I think it goes back to some of the things we talked about earlier, which is the attitudinal barriers that exist. And I think part of it is people's fear, and part of it are the misperceptions around what it means to have a disability. And that's why, you know, breaking through those barriers takes work. You know, and it's interesting because one of the questions you once asked me, Joyce Bender, and I recall this very, very clearly, was what advice would I have for others that are trying to take up this challenge? And, you know, it gets to the heart of this 80%. One is, you know, organizations have to have a champion. Somebody has to take up the charge, and it needs to be somebody in a very visible and senior position within the organization that has the gravitas to advance the agenda. One. The second point I would make is that there needs to be the broadest definition of inclusion in the organization, and that's why, you know, colleague resource groups that have, you know, a disability focus on it is so important within the organization to break through those attitudinal barriers that we talked about around that 80%, too. The third element is finding jobs, filling jobs. It's not about having conversations. At the end of the day, the rubber meets the road by identifying specific jobs to fill with people who happen to have a disability. And once the organization embraces that and brings folks with disabilities into roles, and it takes work, as you know, then behind them come others, and it begins to propagate and build momentum. And then the last element that I would say, it's about paying it forward. It's about finding other opportunities to bring the message out to other organizations, and that may be, for example, vendors or partners that you work with. So as you know, at WellPoint and Anthem and Xerox and Cigna, it went beyond just simply hiring our own folks into the organization, those with disabilities, but also in some ways pressing our partners and our vendors to do the same and building it into the contracts. And that way there, you know, you build a broader base of support even beyond the one organization that you're focused on. So that, you know, at the heart of it, I think that's why we have the challenge around the 80%, but I also think that's what we can do about the 80%.

Yeah.

We all— we already know we have this barrier. So what we have to do is break down the barrier. That is so true. Well, Mark, I know that you have a very important job coming up in 5 minutes. So before you go, before we end our conversation with you, which again, if you're listening to the show and you're thinking, oh, I wish so-and-so could hear this show, You can have that person go to Spotify, Apple, Voice America, benderconsult.com, Tumblr. I mean, so many social media venues carry this podcast and share that with someone else. So, Marc, before you go, you've done so much. Look, look how much you've done in your life. And I know you said, you know, at Cigna, your greatest accomplishment was this legacy of finding employment for people with disabilities. But overall, I mean, now in your entire life, what would you say are some of your greatest accomplishments?

I'm going to bring it back to family, Joyce. You know, I have a wonderful wife, Michelle, who I've been married to for 33 years, who puts up with, with all my nuances, I'll call them. And I have two wonderful daughters, Sarah, who's a Deputy Attorney General of the State of California, an attorney, and my younger daughter Elizabeth, who is going for her master's in public health and likely to go on for a doctorate in public health. And my greatest accomplishment really is my family. You know, the ability to help them and work with them and sponsor and, you know, again, create a path for, for my family to thrive. I'm incredibly proud of them. At the end of the day, when people ask me, you know, Mark, why did you work as hard as you did? For me, it's all about the family. It really is. It starts and ends with my family. And that has to be my greatest accomplishment is this wonderful wife, Michelle, and my two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth. And now I've got a new son-in-law, David, who is a landscape architect and just a wonderful individual and person. And to me, I'm incredibly proud of them. But that, I hope, is my greatest accomplishment in life. Is my family.

Well, well spoken. And, and you have— I've known you all these years. Uh, your daughters, wow, they have just really become so successful. Uh, and, and I know Michelle's a wonderful person, and they have a wonderful husband and father. And as I said earlier, a friend to all of us living with disabilities. Mark, thank you so much for joining us, and we all of us look forward to talking to you again.

Thank you, Joyce, and thank you for having me on the show. You're a good friend and a colleague. Be well and be safe.

Thank you. Mark Boxer, what a tremendous man and advocate he is. If only we had more business leaders like him, wouldn't that be great? Well, we had to today move our on-the-half-hour news break because of Mark's big event coming up. But it was so great that he, he would know he wanted to do this show. He had to leave at 2:45, so we moved things around. But that gives me a little bit more time with my favorite newscaster, Perry Jude Radesik of Advocacy Matters on our radio show. So Perry, how are you?

Joyce, I'm fine, thank you. And on behalf of all of us at Disability Rights Pennsylvania and the Protection and Advocacy Network, we are so sorry for your loss at Bender Consulting and for you personally of Mary Brocker. She was a friend to us and a great advocate, and we relied on Mary for many things, and she will be missed. And so we just wanted to— I know we've expressed our sympathy privately, but publicly share that with you. We're so sorry.

Well, thank you so much. And yes, she did. She loved this organization. And as I tell everyone, I will be on fire with this Mary Brooker Mental Health Initiative for high school students with disabilities. And I know that Perry knows very well how high school students with mental health disabilities need all the support they can get. So Perry—

They do.

I'm sorry, go ahead.

No, they do. And folks should certainly provide their financial support to the Leadership Academy for this great work.

Thank you. That's benderleadership.org. Okay, so Perry, what do we have in the news?

Well, Congress, that is the U.S. House and Senate, have returned from their August recess with a really full agenda, and, and the agenda is really about budgets and finance as they focus their work on a couple things. One, of funding the federal government when the new fiscal year begins on October 1st. So you may hear other individuals on the news talking about the expiration of federal funding on September 30th and what will Congress do about that. You've heard people talk about Congress needing to raise the debt ceiling, and you are hearing people talk about finding votes to pass the bipartisan Build Back Better infrastructure package. So the Majority Leader of the U.S. House has issued a Dear Colleague letter outlining the major initiatives, like I've just outlined, that are expected on the House floor before the end of September. Now, if you want to see a copy of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's letter, You can find that with our Advocacy Matters segment for today at www.disabilityrightsPA.org. Click on our website, find Advocacy Matters, and you'll find a link to that letter. Now, while all the budget initiatives certainly impact people with disabilities, today we want to talk about the progress being made to increase funding for for home and community-based services through the Build Back Better infrastructure package. Now, disability advocates across the country are hoping that the Build Back Better package will increase funding for services by $400 billion. That would be a great investment in home and community-based services. The U.S. Senate passed a $1 billion— I'm sorry, a $1 trillion infrastructure package in mid-August with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, that package did not contain the $400 billion initially promised for home and community-based services. So where do we go from here? Well, following the Senate vote, national organizations as well as individuals have sent letters to House and Senate leadership outlining the need for the $400 billion investment in home and community-based services. If you want to see a letter from the 45 national disability organizations sent to the House and Senate leadership, you can do so again by going to disabilityrightspa.org and clicking the link to that letter from these 45 national organizations. So what did the letter say? Well, the letter argues that there should be no debate over how much funding should be available for home and community-based services. The requested $400 billion investment in for-home and community-based services would close gaps in services, would open the waiting list for home and community-based services, not just in Pennsylvania but across the country, And even just as important, stabilize the direct support care workforce by increasing pay and benefits. Now the House is getting ready to move that infrastructure package, and unfortunately there's only $190 billion included for home and community-based services. So $190 billion falls short of what President Biden promised the disability community and fall short of what advocates say is necessary to increase pay and close gaps in services. So what can you do? At Advocacy Matters, we need your help. We need your help to include that $400 billion investment in home and community-based services in the Build Back Better infrastructure package. Now, again, if you go to disabilityrightspa.org and look for Advocacy Matters, today. The Arc of the United States, we have a link to the Arc of US. They have an action page dedicated just to building national support for home and community-based services. Please visit that page. And when you're there, please click on the link to call or send a letter to your lawmakers. Again, go to disabilityrightspa.org, look for our advocacy matters segment today on home and community-based services, and you'll find everything you need to be an effective advocate for home and community-based services in the country today. Thanks, Joyce.

All right, I have a question here. So, um, do you have any sense nationally what the disability rights leaders and groups, what are they sensing? Like, do they think this will happen, or are they afraid that, you know, there's— this is going to be insurmountable? Not to get it passed, but to get the higher amount of money. What do you think?

Well, I think it's going to be hard. I, and I think disability advocates nationally think it's going to be hard, which is why we need everyone's support. Because the $3.5 trillion package that the House is considering, there's a lot of debate among Democratic lawmakers who are in the progressive wing of the party and who are in the moderate wing of the party, who are debating how much to spend on infrastructure. And also, at least there's $190 billion in there right now, and an acknowledgement that home and community-based services is infrastructure. So that's certainly a step in the right direction., but we really do need that full amount of $400 billion. So, it's a tough road, but it's a road we're going to follow, and it's a road that we need everybody's help to include that $400 billion investment in home and community-based services.

What would happen if it wasn't passed with the full amount? What would that mean? I mean, what would that mean to the disability community? I'm sorry, what would that mean?

Yeah, so it's going to be a struggle without that investment because we have almost a million people waiting on waiver lists, waiting on lists to get services from their states. That's across the country, a million people. We have some 13,000 or so in Pennsylvania waiting for services. Who have nothing right now. We need to stabilize the direct support care workforce. Across the country, there's a 40 to 70% turnover rate in the direct support care workforce. And so we have to stabilize that. People have to make as much money or more than they can working at other careers. Like, you know, like here in Pennsylvania, we have Sheetz, and it's a gas station with a convenience store. You can make more money there than you can as a direct support care worker. So, it would increase that percentage that the federal government pays to states, so states could then turn around and fund higher rates for providers to pay their workers more and to increase benefits. So, you know, without that, we're going to continue to struggle with the infrastructure that is home and community-based services.

Yeah, and the thing right now, of course, uh, with COVID we have this disability coming upon us post-COVID. With the disabilities acquired from, with the people that have lived from that horrible disease. And there is an incredible need for CNAs and these direct care workers for people that are living at home or that are at an adult care center or some other facility, whatever it is. Just as you said, they're losing people to like Sheetz. You know, they're getting sign-on bonuses at McDonald's of $2,000. I mean, this is serious. It is really serious because people with disabilities, we need, we need, we need this to happen. And that really is frightening to me. And one other question, Perry. I see all this on the news, all the fighting about signing all this and the debt. So what happens if it isn't signed by September 30th, the budget?

Yes, so, uh, so, well, if the— if Congress cannot agree to fund the federal government, which includes so many disability programs that means the government shuts down. And that means money doesn't flow to states, and then it doesn't flow to community services for people with disabilities. So it's a serious crisis if Congress cannot agree to fund the government, even if it's what's called a continuing resolution through December to keep money flowing into federal agencies. And the, you know, the news is reporting that we're going to reach our debt ceiling by October, sometime in October. So it's important that they increase the government's ability to borrow money. And so it's important for the credit standing of the United States. So both things need to happen. They're actually tied together right now. And so we need members of Congress Congress to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open through December 3rd and then raise that debt ceiling so that disability services can be funded through December.

Well, everyone, disabilityrightspa.org, go to Advocacy Matters, read this, get involved, make a difference, and thank you so much, Perry. For calling in and doing our news. And we'll be talking, talking to you again next week, of course. Before we go, whether you are good or bad, you have a powerful influence. Mary Brooker had a powerful influence. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice. Where Disability Matters at VoiceAmerica.com. Talk to you all next week.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific time and 2 PM Eastern time for another installment of Disability Matters right here on the Voice America variety channel. We are the leader in live internet Voice America.com.