TMC PULSE

t m c » p u l s e | j u ly 2 0 1 5 7 At the same time, Frieden was broadening his scope of interest to include the issue of discrimina- tion—spurred by a decade-late apology letter from Oral Roberts in 1978. After being appointed to report on potential accessibility improvements in Texas— which led to the state's new building code—Frieden testified before Congress in 1983. As executive director of the National Council on the Handicapped (now the National Council on Disability), Frieden and his peers were tasked with delivering a report on the legislative needs of peo- ple with disabilities. After crafting the report, titled "Toward Independence," they prepared to show their findings to President Ronald Reagan. When the explosion of the space shuttle 'Challenger' sent ripples across the globe—two hours before their meeting— the group found themselves face to face with the vice president the following morning—George H.W. Bush. "He had read our report the night before, and he seemed to relate to our issues. He told us that he and Barbara had a daughter who died as a result of leuke- mia at a very young age and that one of their sons had dyslexia, so it was a wonderful, productive conversa- tion," said Frieden. "By the end of it, vice president Bush said, 'I'll pass this along to the president, and I'm sure he will appreciate it, but you know I'm just the vice president.' And then he added, 'If in the future I ever have an opportunity to do more to help you, I will.'" Two years later, Bush was elected as the 41st president of the United States; two years after that, he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. Among many other significant developments, the law prompted wheelchair-accessible transit systems, led to our current electronic voting system—which allows blind voters to cast secret ballots—and barred employers from denying a qualified applicant based on a disability. While many physical and societal barriers have dissolved, people with disabilities still struggle to find sufficient employment and face less overt—but no less insidious—forms of discrimination. "There's another aspect when we're looking back at the past 25 years," said Frieden. "The unemployment rate among people with disabilities today is nearly as high as it was when the ADA was passed. That's counterintuitive. While all the buildings and facilities have been modified, some of the hiring practices and attitudes haven't changed. We've gone from the case of open discrimination to the case of subtle, poorly- informed judgments." On the cusp of the 25th anniversary of the law's passage, the opportunities to reinvigorate the conver- sation and correct misconceptions about disability rights are endless. "We've come a long way, but we need to continue to enforce change and empower people with disabilities," said Francisco. "You'd be surprised—many people are not familiar with the ADA, and part of that is that they were not educated. They may know some elements but don't know their overall rights. It's an ongoing process, and it should be." "While disability awareness has come a long way, it needs to go further," added Jay Stiteley, director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD). "One of the components of that is to accept individuals with disabilities the same way that you would accept anyone else. It's about recognizing that everybody is different—it doesn't matter who you are, whether you have blonde hair or black hair or whether you read with your fingers or read with your eyes. The bottom line is that everybody and anybody can be productive. That has to be recognized and we need to allow people to demonstrate their skills." At TIRR Memorial Hermann, advances in technology present another opportunity to level the playing field. From its affiliation with NASA to its ther- apy programs in wearable rehabilitation robotic sys- tems, the advanced technology available is allowing patients to better reintegrate into their communities. "Our objective is to study and develop clinical applications for wearable rehabilitation robotic sys- tems, such as exoskeletons, to facilitate recovery and community reintegration for people with spinal cord injury, stroke and other neurological disorders that lead to problems with walking," said Francisco. "The potential to use biomedical informatics to help people with disabilities is huge," said Jiajie Zhang, Ph.D., dean of the UTHealth School of Biomedical Informatics, where he holds the Dr. Doris L. Ross Professorship. "The technology is already there, so the question is how to bring together the designed products to help people. From cameras that can detect if you've sustained a fall, to voice activation technology, the potential to turn those advances into systematic products is huge." Frieden believes that Houston—with the Astrodome's long entrance ramps serving as a beacon of accessibility as far back as 1968—can continue to usher in an era of change. "Houston has been on the forefront in many of these breakthroughs largely because of the leadership in our community, through- out the medical center and as a result of public support for these issues," he concluded. "I'd like for Houston to be known worldwide as a model of full inclusion and equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of their personal circumstances." While disability awareness has come a long way, it needs to go further. [...] The bottom line is that everybody and anybody can be productive. That has to be recognized and we need to allow people to demonstrate their skills. — JAY STITELEY Director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities A LOOK BACK LEFT: Frieden helped establish the Independent Living Research Utilization Program at TIRR Memorial Hermann in 1979. MIDDLE: Vice President George H.W. Bush greets Frieden at the White House in 1984. RIGHT: In 1991, Frieden and President Bush celebrate the first anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the White House Rose Garden. (Credit: Lex Frieden)

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