Message from the Executive Director | |
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Dear MOD community:
Summer brings with it a new fiscal year (FY25), and it's off to a great start. Our initiatives for this year include:
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Increased financial and technical support to municipalities: This fiscal year, we’re providing $5 million in Municipal ADA Improvement Grant funds to give toward municipal accessibility planning and projects, an increase from previous years. Our Municipal ADA Coordinator Peer Resource Group continues to meet regularly for training and networking - email Julia.E.OLeary@mass.gov if you're a municipal ADA Coordinator interested in joining the group!
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Continued collaboration with our state partners to improve accessibility at the state level: Including the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB), the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board, and the Executive Office of Health and Human Service's Center for Staff Development.
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New trainings to expand your knowledge about your legal rights and obligations: New training topics coming this year include tips for hosting accessible events and meetings, site visit training (for those who have completed Beginner and Advanced Community Access Monitor training), and more
Whether you are a tenant with a disability wondering how to request a reasonable accommodation to equally enjoy your housing, a municipal ADA Coordinator wading through municipal accessibility legal requirements, or a state employee seeking guidance on making your agency’s website more accessible, MOD is here to help you. We look forward to working with you in FY25.
Mary Mahon McCauley
Executive Director
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Disability Pride: 34 Years of the ADA | |
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Thank you to those who joined us for Disability Pride: 34 Years of the ADA, a virtual celebration to commemorate Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)! In case you missed it, watch the Disability Pride recording on our YouTube channel. Thank you also to our panelists for sharing their stories and words of wisdom:
- Elaine “Lanie” Mullen, Longtime disability rights advocate
- Richard Rodriguez, ADA Coordinator, City of Lawrence
- Jim Wice, Board President, Boston Self Help Center
- Sarah Wiles, CAP Advocate, Massachusetts Office on Disability
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Upcoming MOD trainings and events | |
Quarterly Tea with MOD: Hosting Accessible Events and Meetings
Tuesday, August 27 | 1 - 3 PM
Whether they are in-person, virtual, or hybrid, it's critical that your events and meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Join MOD to learn about best practices for planning accessible events and meetings.
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CAP Disability in Employment Workshops
Multiple dates
MOD's Client Assistance Program (CAP) hosts a series of three separate workshops over Zoom. The series is aimed at employees and jobseekers with disabilities and their advocates. There is no cost to attendees.
Deciding to Disclose
Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing your disability at different stages of the employment process.
August 27 | 5:30 - 6:30 PM
November 13 | 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Reasonable Accommodations in Employment
This interactive workshop covers the steps people with disabilities should take to identify their essential job functions, supports they may need to fulfill them, and how to request a reasonable accommodation at work.
August 28 | 5:30 - 7 PM
November 13 | 11 AM - 12:30 PM
Disability Discrimination in Employment
Using real world examples, participants learn how to identify and address disability discrimination in the workplace.
August 29 | 5:30 - 7 PM
November 13 | 2:30 - 4 PM
View all upcoming CAP workshops and register
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Reasonable Accommodation and Modification Requests in Housing Workshop
Wednesday, September 18 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM
If you can't equally enjoy your housing because of a disability-related obstacle, what do you do? Join us for an interactive virtual workshop on the reasonable accommodation (RA) and modification (RM) request process in housing. This workshop provides information and examples to help you understand the process from start to finish and tips to avoid common pitfalls. This workshop is designed for residents with disabilities (or their advocates), whether they live in rented accommodation or are owners in a housing/condo association.
Register: Housing Workshop
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MOD ends Personal Emergency Preparedness program
As of July 1, 2024, the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) has ended our Personal Emergency Preparedness Program (PEPP). The program, which began in 2007, trained thousands of individuals with disabilities across the Commonwealth on tools and resources for preparing themselves for various emergencies. Although this program is coming to an end, we look forward to building on its impact at the statewide level through our continued work with Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
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Welcome Ralph DeCicco, Access Specialist
Ralph DeCicco joined MOD in July as the new Access Specialist. Ralph works within MOD's Community Services Unit to provide technical assistance to individuals seeking information on disability laws and architectural access codes. Ralph is a passionate advocate for the disability community, having served as Chair of a Commission on Disability and as an ADA Coordinator for a local municipality.
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Recorded trainings
Check out MOD's latest recorded trainings, available on our YouTube channel:
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Black Autism Coalition Family Day
Saturday, August 24 | 12 - 5 PM
YMCA Camp Lowes, 132 Fort Pond Inn Rd. Lancaster, MA
Black Autism Coalition
The Black Autism Coalition's Family Day brings together families and different collaborators from diverse communities to engage, collaborate and inspire each other. The event will include networking opportunities, basketball, soccer, face painting and delicious food.
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Visions of Employment webinar
Thursday, September 12 | 10 - 11 AM
Virtual
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB)
Join MCB to learn about the support they provide before, during and after the hiring process, from initial recruitment through workplace accommodations. The webinar will include presentations from MCB’s Employment Services team, employers who have successfully integrated legally blind employees into their workforce, and legally blind residents who will share their employment experiences.
Register: MCB Visions of Employment webinar
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Perkins Partner Appreciation Open House
Wednesday, September 18 | 9:30 AM - 12 PM
Grousbeck Center, 55 Beechwood Avenue, Watertown, MA
Perkins School for the Blind
Join Perkins School for the Blind for an open house and Disability Inclusion & Accessibility in the Workplace: Tips for Success, a panel discussion featuring MOD Executive Director Mary Mahon McCauley! Panelists also include Franchesca Carrington, Head of DEI at Philanthropy & Community Partnerships at SharkNinja; Kristine Biagiotti-Bridges, True Ability North American ERG Co-Lead at Dell Technologies; Alicia Smith, Director of Perkins' Employment Services; Kim Charlson, Executive Director of Perkins Library; and Gaymarie Brown, Consulting Practice Leader at Perkins Access.
Register: Perkins Open House
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BCIL 50th anniversary celebration
Saturday, September 21 | 1 - 4 PM
Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, Roxbury
Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL)
Join the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) for an afternoon of connection and celebration in honor of their 50th anniversary. The program will include speakers, live entertainment from Tunefoolery and DEAFinitely, Inc., light fare, and cake. There will also be recording booths set up for the BCIL community to share their stories.
Register: BCIL anniversary event
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Virtual Reverse Job Fair
Friday, September 27 from 10 - 11 AM and Thursday, October 10 from 1 - 2 PM
Virtual
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB)
MCB's virtual reverse job fair connects employers with talented, legally blind job seekers. Job seekers will present their skills, experience, and qualifications to employers, providing a streamlined way to discover highly motivated and skilled candidates who are ready to contribute to organizations across Massachusetts. Attendance on both dates is highly encouraged as different job seekers will be present each day.
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White Cane Awareness Day
Friday, October 18 | 10 AM - 1 PM
Massachusetts State House Great Hall, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) and Perkins School for the Blind
White Cane Day is a national observation in the United States to celebrate the abilities and achievements of blind or low vision individuals who use a white cane. MCB's White Cane Awareness Day event celebrates the independence of the white cane and raises awareness of the White Cane Law in Massachusetts, which requires drivers to identify and yield to pedestrians using a white cane or dog guide at street crossings. At the event, MCB will also announce the winners of the 4th Annual Meg Robertson Mobility Award.
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17th Annual Family Celebration: The Power of Partnerships
Thursday, October 24 | 6 - 9 PM
Four Points by Sheraton Norwood, 1125 Boston Providence Turnpike, Norwood, MA
Vinfen
Hosted by Jessica Brown from WCVB-TV, Vinfen's annual family celebration will honor families, staff, and others who are committed to advocacy, education, and leadership in the community. The program will include a keynote address from Mark X. and John Cronin, the father/son entrepreneurs behind John's Crazy Socks.
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