ADALive!

Archive, Bios, Description, Resources and Transcripts for Episode 146: In Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Transforming Disability Employment Services in Rhode Island https://adalive.org/episodes/episode-146/

Barry Whaley and Kiernan O'Donnell discuss the impact of the Olmstead case in Rhode Island, which led to a consent decree in 2014 aimed at transitioning people with disabilities from sheltered workshops to integrated community employment. O'Donnell highlights that 80% of Rhode Island's population with disabilities were in sheltered workshops, earning an average of $2.21 per hour, while only 12% were in integrated employment. The decree aimed to increase inclusive employment and reduce segregation. O'Donnell emphasizes the importance of family involvement, interagency collaboration, and customized employment strategies to achieve meaningful employment and community inclusion.

Archive, Bios, Description, Resources and Transcripts for Episode 145: Boys & Girls Clubs of America Empower Youth With and Without Disabilities https://adalive.org/episodes/episode-145/

Since 1860, Boys & Girls Clubs of America have unlocked the unlimited potential of youth in a safe, inclusive, and engaging setting. Each year these clubs serve over four million youth from early childhood to age 24. Boys & Girls Clubs of America programs provide important youth development at critical times outside of the classroom to promote school success, healthy choices, and leadership.

Our guest for this episode is Katie Anderson, Director of Youth Programs and Innovation for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Katie describes how Boys & Girls Clubs offer a welcoming program for young people with disabilities and their families. Katie also shares the importance of programs outside of school time and talks about the barriers like access and cost. She highlights the need for individual evaluations and inclusive practices like their Keystone Conference with sensory calming rooms. Katie also stresses the importance of youth choice and voice in programs together with universal access for all youth.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-144/. Individuals in mental health crisis often cannot make informed choices for themselves. Far too often, law enforcement or first responders must quickly assess a situation and make judgments about keeping the public and the individual in crisis safe and respond quickly to address their needs for mental health treatment. One tool currently being evaluated in California is Psychiatric Advanced Directives, also known as “pads” or P-A-D-S. PADs are used to protect the legal rights of people with mental health conditions.

Our host for this episode is Gary Shaheen. Gary is the Director for Mental Health Initiatives at Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. Gary will be speaking with Kiran Sahota, the founder of Concepts Forward Consulting. Kiran and Gary discuss the development and implementation of web-based psychiatric advance directives (PADs) in California. The project, involving seven counties, aims to enhance mental health crisis management by providing individuals with mental health conditions a platform to express their preferences and choices. The digital PADs platform, accessible in multiple languages, addresses issues of accessibility and usability. The project also involves training law enforcement and hospitals on utilizing PADs, which could reduce hospitalization and incarceration. The initiative highlights the importance of systems change and community engagement in mental health care.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-143/. Jeff Moyer, a musician and disability rights advocate, discusses his role in the disability rights movement, including the 504 sit-in in San Francisco in 1977, where his song "Hold On" became an anthem. Moyer recounted his experiences at the signing of the ADA in 1990, where he performed "ADA Anthem." He shared his book "Grit," which chronicles his life and contributions. Moyer also mentioned his upcoming book "The Giants and Me," which will feature stories of key figures in the disability rights movement. He emphasized the importance of music in advocacy and the need for continued efforts in disability rights.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-142/. According to 2023 data from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), in the U.S., 13.6 million workers or nine percent of all employed adults have current alcohol or illicit drug use disorders. In addition, 13.4 million workers, an almost equal number, report that they are in recovery from a substance use disorder. Our guest for this episode, Oce Harrison, currently oversees ADA Special Projects at the New England ADA Center, where she served as Project Director from 2001 to 2023. One of her passions is training and educating others about the rights of people with substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder. Among her many accomplishments, Oce created an ADA addiction recovery toolkit with the National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center. She also led the ADA National Network in creating the ADA, Addiction, and Recovery Fact Sheet Series.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-141/. Dr. Robin Powell, an assistant professor of law at Stetson University and a leading expert on the rights of parents with disabilities, discussed her extensive background in social work, law, and academia. She highlighted the discrimination faced by parents with disabilities, noting that 42 states and D.C. can terminate parental rights based on disability. Powell emphasized the importance of legal representation and resources like the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities and the Disabled Parenting Project. She also discussed the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive rights and the need for expanded disability rights to include family and parenting.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-140/. We all love to travel to learn new things, enjoy fun experiences, and make lasting memories. For many of us with disabilities, travel is not easy. We know that leaving home and going somewhere else has its own set of challenges. It can be difficult to visit a theme park or go to a baseball game, even one near our home. Our guest for this episode is Cory Lee, a wheelchair user and self-described “travel addict” who will share with us how and why accessible travel is possible and also fun! He shares his journey, starting with a trip to Walt Disney World at age four and his first international trip to the Bahamas at 15. In 2024, he traveled for 152 nights, working with destinations to promote accessibility. Corey emphasized the importance of early planning, often starting 6-12 months in advance. He highlighted the challenges of air travel and the need for positive attitudes. His website, Curb Free with Corey Lee, features 630 travel guides from 52 countries. He also co-authored a children's book, "Let's Explore with Core Core," to inspire accessible travel.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-139/. How many of us dreamed of running away to join the circus when we were kids? For many of us, the circus was bigger than life. In this episode of ADA Live! we are going to the “big top” to learn how a circus can be made accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. Our guest for this episode is Lisa Lewis, the founder and CEO of Omnium Circus, an inclusive and accessible circus created by and for the whole community, including people with disabilities.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-138/. Barry Whaley and Lisa Tucker discuss how to plan and host the ADA National Symposium, emphasizing the importance of accessibility for people with disabilities. As the Events Manager at the Great Plains ADA Center, Lisa outlines her role in choosing locations, contract management, assisting with the registration from start to finish, and ensuring ADA accommodations for all participants. Barry and Lisa discuss the challenges of making conference presentations accessible and why it is important to ask the right questions during the registration process. Lisa explains why technology like video remote captioning and sign language interpreters are required for accessibility. She also shares resources for accessible event planning and encourages self-advocacy for participants with disabilities.

For more information, bios, resources, and transcripts visit adalive.org/episodes/episode-137/ This ADA Live episode features Barry Whaley and Troy Balthazor discussing the 2025 ADA National Symposium, which will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ADA. The symposium, hosted by the Great Plains ADA Center, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 15-18, 2025. The event aims to provide comprehensive training on the ADA, attracting up to 1,200 attendees in person and a significant virtual audience. The symposium includes sessions on various ADA-related topics, a certification track for ADA coordinators, and special events to honor the ADA's 35th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.