ADALive!

Resources and transcript available at https://www.adalive.org/episode85

An important function of state and local governments is to help people prepare for and respond to emergencies. Making sure that state and local government emergency preparedness and response programs are accessible to people with disabilities is a critical part of this responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that state and local government programs and services are fully accessible and available to people with disabilities. Join us for this informative episode to learn about emergency preparedness and the ADA with our guest Robbie Kopp, Director of Advocacy and Community Access for ABLE South Carolina.

Plan. Prepare. Respond.

Make a list and keep important supplies with you.

Identify where you could go to shelter safely.

Listen and follow local news, weather reports, and social media.

**Keep in mind

You may need to adjust your emergency plan, supplies and actions based on the latest from your state, local officials and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Transcript and resources available at www.adalive.org/episode84

The shift to online instruction for schools across the United States has exposed troubling gaps in digital access and accessibility, especially for low income students and students with disabilities. Schools now face the difficult task of re-imagining what instruction will look like in the future.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities receive what is called a “Free Appropriate Public Education” or (FAPE), which are education services that are tailored to their individual needs. This episode of ADA Live! will focus on students receiving special education under IDEA and address questions and concerns about what going to school may look like during the pandemic and into the future.

To talk about all of these issues, our guest will be Phyllis Wolfram, Executive Director of the Council for Administrators of Special Education (CASE). She will discuss how our public schools can make sure that all students receive a high-quality education and also meet the unique needs of students with disabilities during these uncertain times.

Transcript and resources available at www.adalive.org/episode83-2

What better way to celebrate the 30th ADA anniversary than with the “chief architect” of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lex Frieden. Mr. Frieden is a well-known disability rights activist and a leader in the independent living movement. He is a professor of biomedical informatics and rehabilitation at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He also directs the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, home of the Southwest ADA Center, one of ten regional ADA centers in the ADA National Network. From 2002 until 2006, he served by appointment of President George W. Bush as Chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD).

Join in our celebration of the past, present and future of the disability rights movement with Lex Frieden and the host, Peter Blanck, J.D., PhD. University Professor and Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.

Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect and share in #ADA30 for the 30th ADA anniversary, and share your #ThanksToTheADA

For transcript and resources visit www.adalive.org/episode83

ADA30 - Celebrate. Learn. Share. The ground-breaking civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, turns thirty in 2020. What better way to celebrate than a conversation with the chief sponsor of the ADA bill in the House of Representatives, the Honorable Tony Coelho.

Mr. Coelho is a lifelong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and as someone with a disability who has faced discrimination, Tony shares his unique perspective on how the ADA has made an impact in the lives of people with disabilities. Mr. Coelho has had a distinguished career as a Congressman including serving as Chair of the President’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities from 1994 until 2001. He currently serves as Chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation.

Eve Hill, one of the nation’s foremost disability rights attorneys will chat with Mr. Coelho about the passage of the ADA, how the ADA has transformed the lives of people with disabilities, and a look toward the future of disability rights.

Don’t miss this episode to connect and engage in the #ADA30 celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and share your #ThanksToTheADA.

Resources, interactive captioning, and transcripts available at https://www.adalive.org/episode82

Speakers: Judy Heumann & Peter Blanck

Join us in a powerful and noteworthy conversation about the history and the future of the disability rights movement in celebration of the Olmstead Decision and the 30th ADA Anniversary.

Judy Heumann is an author, disability rights leader, founder of the World Institute on Disability, former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSSERS), former Special Advisor on Disability Rights for the U.S. State Department, and subject of the documentary Crip Camp. Judy will be our honored guest for this ADA Live! podcast, and the host will be Peter Blanck, Ph.D., J.D.,and University Professor & Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.

Judy will talk about her life and work from her early days at the Berkeley Center for Independent Living, her collaboration with Ed Roberts, the Section 504 sit-in of 1977, her work with the World Bank as Advisor on Disability and Development, and her position at the Ford Foundation as a Senior Fellow.

Judy and Peter will also talk about the progress of community integration of people with disabilities since the Olmstead court decision in June 1999, as well as the current challenges faced by the disability rights movement.

There’s more! Judy will also discuss her new book, Being Heumann and the documentary Crip Camp, which tells the story of the roots of modern disability rights activism.

Don’t miss this exciting chance to hear from one of the most powerful voices in the disability rights movement!

For alternative Formats, Resources, and transcripts visit https://www.adalive.org/episode81

The month of May celebrates “Older Americans,” and recognizes the contributions and key role that older adults play in the vitality of our neighborhoods, families, and lives.

One aspect of aging that can certainly impact quality of life is cognitive impairment. As the population in the United States ages, so does the number of people living with cognitive impairment. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)* estimates more than 16 million people in the United States are living with some level of cognitive impairment and age is the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment.

In this episode, we will discuss research and resources for aging and cognitive impairment. We will also feature the ENHANCE Center, a recent grant awarded from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The ENHANCE Center is short for Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement. The ENHANCE Center will focus on developing technologies to improve the lives of older adults living with cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment and traumatic brain injury.

GUESTS: Dr. Walter Boot, Professor Department of Psychology and Faculty Affiliate of the Institute for Successful Longevity; Dr. Neil Charness, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Successful Longevity; and Dr. Sara Czaja, Professor of Gerontology at Weill Cornell Medicine

For more information, resources, and transcript visit www.adalive.org/episode80 One of the many aspects of this public health crisis is the limited supply of equipment to treat patients in need. We face shortages of medical equipment and potential shortages of ventilators. Because the coronavirus COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, there is concern that ventilator demand may exceed supply. This will force medical staff to prioritize who gets life-saving treatment.

In this special episode of ADA Live!, we will talk with Alison Barkoff and Katheryn Rucker from the Center for Public Representation about rationing of medical care and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities are protected. We will discuss discrimination in medical care, anti-discrimination laws, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaints, and many other topics around this critical issue.

For more information, resources, and transcript visit https://www.adalive.org/episode79-3

The worldwide Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways. Now, more than ever, we need to know about resources and initiatives that support good mental health in these difficult times. In this third episode of our special three-part series, “Protecting Your Mental Health during the Coronavirus Outbreak,” Dr. Blake Jones, a faculty member at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work and a private therapist, will talk about how the mental health of teenagers and adults may be affected during this extraordinary time, how we might help them and ourselves maintain mental health, and also share his thoughts on physical isolation and its impact on our health.

For more information, resources, and transcript visit https://www.adalive.org/episode79-2

The worldwide Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways. Now, more than ever, we need to know about resources and initiatives that support good mental health in these difficult times. In this second of three special ADA Live! episodes, we speak with Debbie Plotnick, Vice President for State and Federal Advocacy at Mental Health America (MHA), about resources available for people who may feel isolated, medical professionals, and caregivers. She will also discuss policy initiatives championed by Mental Health America.

More Information and Interactive transcript available at www.adalive.org/episode79-1

The worldwide Coronavirus outbreak has disrupted our daily lives. Sheltering in place, social distancing, and shortages at the grocery, have created stress and anxiety. Those of us who live alone may feel especially isolated at this time. You may be feeling helpless or sad, angry or frustrated. In times like these, we need to remember to take care of our mental health and ourselves.

In this first of three special ADA Live! episodes, we speak with Doreen Marshall, Vice President of Programs at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Dr. Marshall will discuss practical strategies to take care of our mental health in this time of crisis. Keep in mind that we are in this together and help is always available.