Paul Parravano: Structured Negotiation Champion, Disability Advocate, Dies at 71

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When I submitted my book manuscript to the American Bar Association in 2015, an East Coast lawyer reviewer had but one question. It basically boiled down to this: “How the hell do I find clients who want to resolve legal claims without fighting? With collaboration, calmness, and kindness instead of conflict?” I don’t have to “find” these clients because for the past 29 years these committed and ethical problem-solvers have found me. One of those people was my friend and client Paul Parravano, a kind, generous man, an accomplished professional, a beloved community and family member, and an unsung hero of Structured Negotiation who died last month from cancer at the age of 71. Read more… Paul Parravano: Structured Negotiation Champion, Disability Advocate, Dies at 71

WellPoint (Anthem) Accessibility Press Release

Posted on Updated on April 1, 2021
WellPoint Announces Accessibility Initiative INDIANAPOLIS (February 12, 2014) — Consistent with its commitment to being a valued health care partner, WellPoint (NYSE: WLP) today announced an initiative to make its affiliated health plan websites, mobile applications, and print information more accessible and inclusive for all members. WellPoint’s initiative will especially improve the member experience for health plan members with visual impairments. Read more… WellPoint (Anthem) Accessibility Press Release

Catherine Skivers: Organizer, Activist, Friend, Blind Community Leader

Posted on Updated on September 29, 2020
[Update: Catherine Skivers died on December 12, 2019, a week after this post was written.] Catherine Skivers came to California in 1949 at the age of 23 with the man she had married at 16. Within a year, her husband had left her, offering her a one-way bus ticket back to her family in Missouri.… Read more… Catherine Skivers: Organizer, Activist, Friend, Blind Community Leader

Structured Negotiation helps parties resolve claims of blind Medi-Cal IHSS Recipients

Posted on Updated on August 28, 2020
In February, 2017 California disability rights organizations announced what they termed a “novel settlement” with the State of California. The settlement, reached in Structured Negotiation, guaranteed that blind state Medi-Cal In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) recipients received important government information in formats they could read, including braille, large print, and accessible electronic documents. Read the press… Read more… Structured Negotiation helps parties resolve claims of blind Medi-Cal IHSS Recipients

American Express Braille and Large Print Agreement

Posted on Updated on April 3, 2018
The American Express Braille Settlement Agreement was negotiated by Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian using Structured Negotiations on behalf of Paul Parravano and Clarence Whaley. In the Agreement, American Express agreed to provide monthly credit card statements and year end summaries in Braille and Large Print for all American Express customers in the United States. Read more… American Express Braille and Large Print Agreement

Talking Prescription Labels: Spring 2016 Update

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Without accessible prescription labels, blind people are forced to guess about the medication in their prescription containers. Would a pharmacy give medication to sighted consumers without a label? Of course not. A growing number of pharmacy chains and health care organizations in the United States now offer talking prescription labels and other forms of accessible prescription information for customers who cannot read standard print. This post will give you the details. Read more… Talking Prescription Labels: Spring 2016 Update