February 2013 Rocky Mountain Access

Welcome to the FEBRUARY 2013 Rocky Mountain Access

The Rocky Mountain Access is a free monthly online newsletter with current accessibility information for the Rocky Mountain region that includes Wyoming, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Colorado. Subscription also includes timely updates throughout the month.

2013 ADA Symposium                                                  

It's that time again - don't miss the 16th Annual National Conference on the ADA! 

 May 12-15

 San Antonio, Texas

ADA Quiz Book, 4th Edition - Check It Out Online

It’s easy to incorporate the ADA Quiz Book activities into your workplace and programs. Use a single page or combine various sections for ADA or disability etiquette trainings, seminars, or self-study. Use outtakes to enhance your various communication channels and engage your audience. Download our guide "How to Use the ADA Quiz Book Content in Your Communications & Outreach."

Justice Department Settles Three HIV Discrimination Cases
As part of its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached three settlements addressing HIV discrimination by medical providers over the past three weeks. Each of the settlements was reached under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities—including persons with HIV disease—in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.
 

Faces of Olmstead
The U.S. Department of Justice has added the personal stories of a few of the thousands of people whose lives have been improved by the Olmstead decision and the Department’s Olmstead enforcement work to their website.   The DOJ's complete website with Olmstead information is also available.

The ADA Legacy Project Survey
The ADA Legacy Project is focused on three things:

1. Helping to preserve disability history;

2. Planning celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the ADA and other accomplishments of the disability community;

3. Educating and raising awareness of disability history and the issues that people with disabilities continue to face today.

To ensure the success of The ADA Legacy Project, we want to hear from you and your network! Please take a moment to complete our online survey. What can you share with us about what is already going on in terms of preservation, celebration, and education? And how can you get involved?

The survey is easy and short and should only take a few minutes to complete.  You can also assist us by sharing this survey link with your network. We'd like for as many people as possible to complete it.

2013 Webinar Series for Business - Now Open for Registration
 

The Burton Blatt Institute-Southeast (Southeast ADA Center and Southeast TACE -Region IV) sponsor this Webinar Series for Business that focuses on leading practices that advance disability inclusion within business and your knowledge on regulations and trends under the ADA. Leaders in the field share their experience, success, and practical methods for promoting an inclusive workplace and the successful recruitment, hiring and retaining of individuals with disabilities.  The next training is:

Building Inclusion through Creative Hiring & Collaboration
Thursday February 21
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET
Cost: Free!

Hard-of-Hearing Employee Fired for Requesting Accommodations
Such alleged conduct violates the ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability.  The law also requires an employer to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for the employer.  D.O.E. Technologies and doeLegal will pay $130,000 to settle the disability discrimination lawsuit.
 

John Hawkes - What's Your Connection?

John Hawkes, actor and Golden Globe nominee, is taking part in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s “What’s Your Connection?” campaign, which emphasizes the connections among all people, including America’s more than 57 million people with disabilities. 

Project Endeavor - For Seniors with Hearing Loss

Sprint is trying to get the word out to seniors in our community about a new federal grant program called Project Endeavor.  This project provides phones with captioning to seniors with hearing loss - subsidized by the federal government.  The phone is $20 and looks like a standard phone but plugs into the internet to get real-time captions of the conversation.  For those seniors who don't have internet access, we are offering a hotspot with 2 years of service for $50 total (one-time fee - no monthly charge).  There are some limitations (age and income restrictions).  Hurry - the government program is scheduled to end at the end of February!

Social Security: New Webpage for Third Parties

Social Security has developed a new webpage for advocates, social service agencies, and other third parties, that contains a wealth of information on the expanded online services that are now available by using the "my Social Security" portal.   
 

ADA Pool and Spa Accessibility Compliance Deadline - January 31, 2013
Available Resources:

1. The ADA National Network hosted an Audio Conference Session on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 titled:  "Everyone Into the Pool: Refresher on the requirements for swimming pool lifts."  This 90 minute session reviewed the requirements under the 2010 ADA Standards for existing and newly constructed swimming pools and spas.   The training will be archived within two weeks of the original presentation.  Questions regarding this program can be directed to 877-232-1990 (V/TTY).

2. 2010 ADA Standards 

3. Technical Assistance Materials regarding Swimming Pools and Spas 

4. U.S. Access Board Technical Assistance Guide re:  Swimming Pools and Spas

5. The US Department of Justice held 2 webinars in May 2012 discussing the requirements for Title II and III entities.   The recording of these sessions is available for review.

New Settlement Agreement - Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
The US Department of Justice has entered into an agreement with the City of Memphis, Tennessee, to bring the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium into compliance with the ADA. Under the settlement agreement, Memphis will install 282 wheelchair spaces and an equal number of companion seats around the stadium, and will ensure ADA compliance for concession stands, gates, elevators, suites and press boxes, ramps, and toilet rooms throughout the Liberty Bowl within the next year. The agreement requires installation of additional wheelchair spaces in future renovated seating areas, such as the suites and press boxes, and will remain in effect for three years.

Lesley University Agreement and Potential Implications for Individuals with Food Allergies

The Justice Department has released a new technical assistance document, “Questions and Answers About the Lesley University Agreement and Potential Implications for Individuals with Food Allergies.”  

Review the Lesley University settlement agreement. 
The press release regarding this settlement was released in December 20, 2012.  
 

New Guidelines for Students with Disabilities and School Sports
A historic and significant milestone for our nations’ school children with disabilities has been reached with a guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The guidelines clarify schools’ responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide athletic opportunities for students with disabilities.

About the Rocky Mountain ADA Center...

The Rocky Mountain ADA Center operates under grant #H133A110018 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Rocky Mountain ADA Center / MTC Staff...

Robert H. Gattis - President, MTC 
Randy Dipner - MTC Founding Partner
Jana Burke, PhD – Project Director
Candice Alder – Director of Technical Assistance
Geoff Ames - Accessiblity Implementation Consultant 
Rob Gilkerson - Architectural Information Specialist
Kent Kelley - Director of Consulting Services
Maggie Sims – Editor, Communications Specialist
Chantal Woodyard - Outreach Specialist

The information provided in this publication is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility. The Rocky Mountain ADA Center is not responsible for other web sites that are referred to in the enewsletter.

Rocky Mountain ADA Center

www.adainformation.org

Operated by

Meeting the Challenge, Inc.

www.mtc-inc.com

Colorado Springs , CO
800-949-4232 (V, TTY)
719-358-2460 VideoPhone

Stay up-to-date with ADA issues by following us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RMADACenter.