New England ADA Center
July Newsletter

ADA Question of the Month - Do You Know the Answer?
Question : Must all facilities owned or operated by a public entity (state and local government) that are open to the public be fully accessible (comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design) no matter when they were built?

The answer is at the end of the newsletter.

Maine Human Rights Commission Releases New Service and Assistance Animal Video
Maine Human Rights CommissionWith funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and with Munzing Media, the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) created an informative video to illustrate the laws, rules, and issues that relate to service and assistance animals.


Beach Wheelchairs Brought to New Hampshire Shore
Beach Wheelchairs The New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Disability collaborated with the Governor's Office and the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources to bring five accessible, floating beach wheelchairs to various beaches in New Hampshire. Donation provided by SMILE Mass.

Photo provided by the Office of Governor Christopher T. Sununu. Pictured L to R: Jeffrey J. Rose, Commissioner, NH Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, Christopher T. Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire, Lotte Diomede, President, SMILE Mass, Adrienne Olney, Fundraiser, Susan Brown, Vice President, SMILE Mass, Charles J. Saia Esq., Executive Director, The Governor's Commission on Disability.

$6 Million Upgrade at Vermont's Rutland Regional Medical Center Means Better Psychiatric and Addiction Care
Rutland Vermont Regional Medical Center Vermont's Rutland Regional Medical Center is undergoing a $6 million upgrade of its emergency department. One of the most noticeable changes is a new wing that includes treatment rooms for people who might be having a psychiatric crisis, a reaction to drugs or alcohol, withdrawal from substances or an issue with dementia.
 

Rutland, Vermont Woman Accuses Walmart of Disabiity Discrimination
Walmart A woman with cerebral palsy is suing Walmart, alleging store officials failed to make accommodations for her to work as a department manager and then retaliated against her when she raised concerns.


HEALINGVOICES to Screen in Hartford, CT
Healing Voices Movie .COM The groundbreaking film HEALINGVOICES is spearheading a culture of dialogue and change in the mental health community and for those who care about someone in the community. Attend a free screening and dialogue in Hartford, Connecticut.


International Hearing Voices Congress is coming to Boston - First Time for Congress in US!
World Hearing Voices Congress Boston The international community of the Hearing Voices Movement is coming to US shores for the first time! Voice hearers, providers, friends, family, students, and other interested members of the community are welcome.

When: August 16-18, 2017
Where: Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts


News From Outside New England
FCC Increases Amount of Required Video Described Programming - Action Makes More TV Accessible to Blind or Visually Impaired
Federal Communications Comission Beginning in July 2018, broadcasters and pay-TV providers carrying one of the top networks must provide 87.5 hours of described programming per calendar quarter. This is an increase of 75 percent over the 50 hours per quarter presently required. 


Online Now! The ADA Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments!
ADA Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments - 7 Steps to  Implement the ADA Graphic State and local governments (public entities) have obligations under Title II of the ADA to provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all services, programs and activities. 
 
The ADA Title II Action Guide leads public entities through a process to compliance with the ADA.


Opioid Crisis is Draining America of Workers
Opioid Fentanyl The ballooning use of opioids -- whether as prescription drugs or heroin -- is preventing many workers from coming back into the job market. "The opioid epidemic is intertwined with the story of declining prime-age participation, especially for men," says Goldman economist David Mericle. The crisis has created "significant costs both to employers and the public sector."


Photo: By Dennis Yip, Creative Commons public domain.

Answer to the ADA Question of the Month

Answer: No. Title II focuses on making sure that state and local government programs, services and activities are available to people with disabilities. When a service, program, or activity is located in a building or part of a building that is not accessible, a public entity can achieve program accessibility by relocating the program or activity to an accessible facility, providing the service in an accessible area of the building or making structural changes to the building.

Visit the Program Accessibility section of the Title II Action Guide to learn more!
 
To learn more about the obligations of state and local governments (public entities) under the ADA, visit the ADA Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments. It is a free and available 24/7.

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New England ADA Center, a project of the Institute for Human Centered Design