From Deseret News archives:
Rural barriers: Rights of disabled often get short shrift
It was more than a bullet rendering Jamie Moore with quadriplegia, zapping all movement in her limbs with the exception of her right wrist.
It was more than being a farmer's wife with seven other children at home to look after.
The struggle was entrenched in geography, with distance and isolation serving as the barrier to services her daughter so desperately needed.
"The challenges are great in the rural areas," Nielson said. "As hard as it is for a person with a disability in the urban area, it is many times harder in the rurals because there just aren't the same services."
When Nielson is asked to describe the availability of public transportation while her daughter was growing up, her response is quick.
"There's none."
Home health care?
None.
Automatic doors at schools for people with disabilities?
Not until Nielson waged her battle, going to the school district and insisting on accommodations for her daughter.
The result?
The other result?
Nielson received a telephone call at home from a school official, who she said told her, "I just want you to know how much money this is costing us."
"The hair on my head just stood up. I will never stop advocating for kids with disabilities. And I told him this wasn't just for Jamie. When she leaves the school, there will be other kids who use it."
Across the state, there are 376,000 people with disabilities, according to numbers provided by the Disability Law Center. While the Wasatch Front has a network of providers and support systems in place to make services accessible, the same is often not true for rural areas, which suffer from lack of transportation, lack of coordinated support and buildings and sidewalks that are inaccessible. People with disabilities often face barriers when it comes to employment and getting an education. They also frequently encounter discrimination, especially if mental-health issues are involved.
To that end, the Disability Law Center launched its ambitious "Listen and Learn Tour," this year. The tour has held meetings in 19 rural counties so far from Randolph in the north to La Verkin in the south.
Comments
- Chiefs win 7th straight in Oakland 5:57 p.m.
- Motor sports: Hendrick denies deal 5:46 p.m.
- Seniors steady Texas in 89-42 win 5:41 p.m.
- Transactions 5:40 p.m.
- Hurricanes snap 14-game skid 5:31 p.m.
- Tar Heels beat Valparaiso, 88-77 5:28 p.m.
- Mountaineers outlast Loyola, Md. 5:27 p.m.
- Wie gets 1st LPGA Tour win 5:25 p.m.
- Surprising wisdom from children 5:13 p.m.
- Favre to Rice helps Vikings win 4:19 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
361 - BYU happy to escape with victory
224 - TCU creams U.
217 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
201 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
133 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - RSL heads to MLS title game
117 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
Sears is holding a special VIP night Sunday, Nov. 15, in stores and online.
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
to BYU. The talk before the season was that BYU had a shot, if they went...
Who says that third parties don't have a chance. Seems to me that every two...
1. Utah, is that the same red as the 80's, no. 2. BYU has the most fickle...
You guys have been our kids for 4 years and some of you more...what a bunch...
I couldn't agree more the game has been played and the best team on the night...
The funny part about all the BYU fans and the ranking stuff. The only ranking...
Clearly winning capped it, but it was great having Gameday and the Utes in...
Get rid of the incumbents!Get people in office that take their...
Way to go! Knock off the defending champions already twice!
I am a frog fan for forty years but the Utes showed class when a TCU player...


You can be the first to comment on this story.