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ADA Question of the Month - Do You Know the Answer?
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Question
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True or False?
Under Title II of the ADA all cities and towns, no matter how small, are required to conduct a self-evaluation and develop a transition plan.
The answer is at the end of the newsletter.
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Massachusetts Universal Access Program's 15th Annual Adaptive Recreation Fair, June 1
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Join DCR's Universal Access Program and a host of other regional adaptive recreation organizations for a fun-filled day of accessible and inclusive activities and networking along the Charles River. Enjoy adaptive cycling, hiking, equipment demonstrations, face painting, music, refreshments, games and more!
For more information or to register, call Donna at [email protected] or (413) 545-5760.
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Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) Celebrates 40 Years
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VCIL started as a grassroots group of organizers who conducted thousands of interviews with people with disabilities and found that there was a great need for a broad range of independent living information, resources and opportunities for Vermonters with disabilities. The result was the formation of the first cross-disability, self-help and social change organization run for and by individuals with disabilities in the state
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Deborah Lisi-Baker, left, former executive director of the Vermont Center for Independent Living and current Executive Director Sarah Launderville. Image source: photo by Stefanie Monte.
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Rhode Island State House Accessibility Renovations
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The Governor's Commission on Disabilities (GCD) is pleased to report that the state Senate and House of Representatives chambers' galleries are now accessible.
The three galleries (two in the House and one in the Senate) now have wheelchair seating, automatic door openers and open caption TV monitors. While the televised and web streamed House and Senate sessions have been captioned for more than twenty years, the galleries did not have TV monitors, and the Senate and one of the two House galleries did not have wheelchair seating
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New seating area in the Rhode Island Legislature. Image source: photo by Bob Cooper.
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ADA 29th Save the Date: Lunch N' Learn Panel - The Forefront of Civil Rights for Addiction and Recovery
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On July 24th at 12:00 p.m., please join the New England ADA Center to discuss the current and future legal trends for addiction and recovery. Panelists include: Gregory Dorchak, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jared Owen, Communications Coordinator at Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, and Oce Harrison ED.d, Project Director of the New England ADA Center.
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Save the Date: Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) Fifth Annual Disability Summit: Improving Access in Our Communities
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Please join MOD on Friday, September 27, 2019 for their fifth annual summit. The event is an opportunity to network and hear from notable individuals from the Disability Community. The 2019 summit will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
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Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Offers App to People with Visual Impairments
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The tool is an app called Aira allows operators in remote locations to use their smartphone camera of the visually impaired people to guide them in real time through public spaces such as train stations. Recently, the MBTA announced it would make the app free to commuters for a six-month test.
Sassy Outwater-Wright, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Image source: photo courtesy of the Boston Globe, by Craig F. Walker.
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Remembering Disability Advocate and ADA Coalition of Connecticut Founder Stanley J. Kosloski Jr.
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It is with great sadness we announce the passing of a colleague and friend. Stan Kosloski Jr. had a distinguished career advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. He served as Assistant Director of the state Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities and in the Governor's office coordinating the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was an elite wheelchair athlete, earning a Paralympic gold medal in wheelchair basketball with the US team in 1972.
Image source: photo courtesy of the Hartford Courant.
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New Fact Sheet: The ADA, Addiction and Recovery
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 Many people in recovery from addiction are unaware of their civil rights under the ADA. Our goal at the ADA Center is to ensure that people with addiction and those in recovery know their rights under the law.
The ADA applies to addiction to alcohol and to the illegal use of drugs differently. This is a very complex subject due to developing court cases. If you have questions about the ADA, contact us: 1-800-949-4232
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Registration is Open for the 2019 ADA Symposium
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 This year's Symposium will be held in Grapevine, Texas (near Dallas) June 16-19. The event provides the latest information on regulations, guidelines, implementation strategies, and best practices related to the ADA. Sessions are presented by experts from the Dept. of Justice, EEOC, US Access Board, and Dept. of Health and Human Services.
To register and learn more about the Symposium click here.
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The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) Now Offers Addiction-Related Webinars with Closed Captioning
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NAADAC offers a free Webinar Series on a variety of addiction-related topics that has trained over 200,000 professionals to date.
The webinars occur twice each month and are available on demand 24/7 on the NAADAC website. NAADAC is proud to announce that closed captioning is now available on live NAADAC webinars! In addition, transcripts will be made available for on-demand webinars recorded on and after March 27, 2019
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Read more.
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Participate: Call to Action for People with Disabilities to Get Involved in the "All of Us Research Program"
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The All of Us Research Program is an effort to advance individualized prevention, treatment and care for people of all backgrounds, including people with disabilities
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What to Do on Your Next Flight If You Have Animal Allergies
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Image source: image courtesy of Getty Images by Richard Atrero de Guzman.
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Katherine Bouton: Theatre for All
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Theatre is one of the world's oldest forms of entertainment, but in recent years I'd stopped going. My hearing loss was too big a barrier to enjoyment. Now, thanks to technology, I once again have access to theatre, and I'm loving it.
Katherine Bouton Image source:
courtesy photo.
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Google Unveils New Accessibility Initiatives
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 Tech giant Google says it is working on multiple projects designed to improve day-to-day life for people with various disabilities.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai demonstrated how a new Live Caption feature on Android phones will transcribe any audio or video - no matter its origin - in real time and allow users who don't speak to respond by typing.
Image source: photo courtesy of disabilityscoop.
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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 Action Guide leads public entities through a process to compliance with the ADA.
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Answer to the ADA Question of the Month
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Answer: False. It's complicated, under Title II all municipalities, no matter how small, are required to conduct a self-evaluation. True, only municipalities with 50 or more employees (full and part-time) are required to develop a transition plan. Learn more about Title II obligations in the New England ADA Center's Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments.
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