ADAPT
ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, formerly American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit) represents the militant side of the disability rights movement. In direct opposition to the role of persons with disabilities gladly accepting charity, ADAPT members have waged numerous protests and demonstrations. After passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, ADAPT changed its focus from public transit to the nursing home industry, believing that the billions of dollars generated by the industry should be appropriated instead for personal care assistants.
In taking on the nursing home industry, ADAPT drew attention to the need for personal assistance services (PAS). Personal assistants help persons with disabilities with the tasks they cannot do on their own, and PAS, like any other accommodation, allows an individual to live more independently. ADAPT members have noted that these services are less expensive than nursing homes or other institutions, and people are healthier when they can live in the community. This conflict, however, is a reminder that the medical model is still prevalent.
