ADALive!

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-132. State and local governments provide many services, programs, and activities through websites and mobile applications (apps). When these are not accessible, they create barriers for people with disabilities to access government services and programs, like tax information, building permits, or garbage collection payments. Inaccessibility can also keep people with disabilities from joining or fully participating in civic or other community events like town meetings or programs at their child’s school.

In April 2024, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This final rule has specific requirements for ensuring that web content and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities. The compliance date for this rule depends on the population size of the public entity.

In this episode, we will share information and resources to learn more about the rule’s requirements. Our guest is Ruben Mota, ADA Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-132. One of the most important issues for people with disabilities is being able to get the health care they need in their communities.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

People with disabilities often experience a wide and varying range of health conditions leading to poorer health and shorter lifespan. In addition, discrimination, inequality and exclusionary structural practices, programs and policies [that] inhibit access to timely and comprehensive health care, which further results in poorer health outcomes. (Source: nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-designates-people-disabilities-population-health-disparities)

This episode features a project from the Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD), who is the Georgia Affiliate of the Southeast ADA Center. Their project will educate nurses and other health professionals on providing equitable and inclusive health care services for people with disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-131. Each July we celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The United States has come a long way in fulfilling the promise of the ADA since President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990, and said “let the shameful wall of exclusion come tumbling down”.

Today, our communities are more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. But there are still many barriers that people with disabilities face daily in communities, work, transportation, school, and civic participation.

Some people think only new construction and alterations need to be accessible – that older facilities are “grandfathered in,” and do not have to comply with the ADA. But that’s not true. Because the ADA is a civil rights law and not a building code, older facilities are often required to be accessible to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate.

The ADA requires that state and local governments (ADA Title II entities) must ensure “program accessibility” and make reasonable modification to policy, practice, and procedure so all citizens can equally participate in the programs and services of their state and local government.

Our guest for this episode is Stacey Peace. the State of Georgia ADA Coordinator.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-130.The Southeast ADA Center and the ADA National Network get a lot of questions about workplace accommodations. This includes questions about when and how employees can stay at work or return to work after a disabling illness or injury.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that millions of workers experience an injury that puts them at risk of leaving the workforce. While some injuries are work related, many happen off-the-job. These injuries impact not only workers, but family members, employers, and the economy. Many workers can return to work when the get timely and effective help. The RETAIN project, an initiative of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), seeks to aide injured workers in the recovery process and return to economic self-sufficiency.

Our guest for this episode is Kimberly Wickert with RETAIN Kentucky. Kimberly will be talking about the ways the RETAIN demonstration projects help employees and employers, along with other partners, work together so that employees facing illness or injury remain in the workforce.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-129. Each month, the 10 ADA Centers receive hundreds of calls and emails asking for disability-related information and guidance on their legal rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many people ask about their employment rights or about an employer’s duty to an employee with a disability.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the EEOC is responsible for enforcement of various employment rights laws. The EEOC handles complaints of employment discrimination that are based on issues such as a person’s disability, age, gender, race, or religion. In this episode, we will focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and employment discrimination against people with disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-128.

It’s April and in recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, we will talk about the rights autistic people have under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many people who are autistic or are neurodivergent have difficulty with social situations and personal interactions. We will also offer strategies for coping with workplace and community barriers. Our guest for this episode is Stacey Hoaglund, the President of the Board of Directors for the Autism Society of Florida.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-127.

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, when we raise awareness and promote acceptance of people with developmental disabilities.

In thinking about the barriers faced by people with developmental disabilities and their families, it can be hard to find up-to-date information on the quality services and programs you need to live independently in the community. One important resource for this information is the state Developmental Disabilities Councils, often called “DD Councils.”

Our guest for this episode of ADA Live! is Johnny Callebs, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-126/.

Synergies Work is the largest non-profit in the United States that enables entrepreneurs with disabilities to build sustainable micro-enterprises. They provide end-to-end business solutions and bridge the opportunity gaps between the disability and the business communities. Synergies Work believes that empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities can create a more inclusive society and a better world for all.

Synergies Work is a personal mission of its founder, Aarti Sahgal. Her vision stems from her life experiences as a parent of a young adult with Down syndrome, who constantly challenges the bias of low expectations that excludes people with disabilities from living their true potential. In this episode of ADA Live! Aarti talks about the organization she founded, Synergies Work, and her personal mission to create inclusive communities and workforce strategies for people with disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-125/. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), a significant number of individuals with disabilities spend their day receiving public services in sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs. In a report titled, Beyond Segregated and Exploited, the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) estimates that over 400,000 people are sent to sheltered workshops where they earn less than the federal minimum wage. This environment results in stigmatization and a lack of economic independence. These settings segregate individuals from the community and provide little or no opportunity to interact with people without disabilities, other than paid staff.

The Department of Justice implements the “integration mandate” of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires public entities to “administer services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities.”  The ADA’s “integration mandate” makes clear that public entities must provide reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures to avoid discrimination. On October 31, 2023, the DOJ issued guidance that the “integration mandate” applies to sheltered workshops and day centers, putting them in violation of the ADA and the Olmstead decision.

In this episode we will discuss the most recent guidance on the ADA’s “integration mandate” and the Olmstead decision and its application to employment and day services for people with disabilities. Our guest is Julie Kegley, Staff Attorney & Program Director - Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO).

More information, resources, and transcript visit: adalive.org/episodes/episode-124/

Each year the United Nations recognizes December 3 as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme is “United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for with and by people with disabilities.” Social Media Tags: #IDPD #DisabilityDay

We are honored to have as our guest today Gertrude or “Getty” Oforiwa Fefoame. Getty is Chair of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which sets out the fundamental human rights of people with disabilities all over the world. Getty also works as the Global Advocacy Manager for Social Inclusion for Sightsavers, a global nonprofit organization that works in more than 30 countries to prevent blindness and fight for the rights of people with disabilities.

In this episode we discuss the work and mission of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and highlight some of the important issues facing people with disabilities around the world.