32 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act!
Happy (Belated) Birthday to the Americans with Disabilities Act! On July 26, 1990 the United States became the first country to adopt a comprehensive civil rights declaration for people with disabilities.
As much as I LOVE national parks, and I don't think I could love national parks more than I do, I think the ADA may actually be America's even better BEST idea. (Sidebar: Thank goodness we don't really have to rank our best ideas. We are blessed to have a number to choose from.)
I just finished speaking on a podcast with a small group of advocates assembled by Utah's DSPD (Division of Services for People with Disabilities.) I learned so much!
* The moderator asked each of us about our role in connection with the ADA. I said that government's role (which I assume as a representative) should be removing obstacles for ALL people (including anyone with disabilities) in order to maximize human flourishing, remembering that disabilities are not always visible or obvious.
* People with disabilities make up the largest minority group, yet their voices are often subdivided and, therefore, limited. About 20% of the population is disabled in some way. Disabilities affect everyone. For example, almost all of us, if we live long enough, will experience the physical disabilities that come with aging.
* The ADA has gone a long way toward making the United States a more accessible place to live (this is very noticeable when you travel outside of the U.S.), but we need to BE AWARE of barriers that still exist, PLAN ahead when designing living and working spaces, and CONSULT with people who are disabled to understand the difficulties they continue to experience. There's a phrase that applies here: NOTHING ABOUT ME, WITHOUT ME. We can all be advocates for better access and more inclusion.
* July is INDEPENDENCE month, and independence is a worthy goal. People with disabilities, by and large, aren't seeking special treatment. They want to maximize their independence.
* Most employers and businesses want to accommodate people with disabilities, but they are often not sure how to go about it. That's where DSPD and other advocate groups come in. The Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice at USU, for example, can help employers find inexpensive, simple solutions to accommodate employees with disabilities in ways that will also enhance productivity.
* You can't talk about disability in Utah without mentioning the waitlist, which is too long and unpredictable for people and families who are waiting for services. The waitlist comes up more and more frequently in legislative budget discussions. There is definitely an appetite to reduce the waitlist! Each state handles disability funding issues differently. I would like to see our state remove the severity requirement for "clearing" the waitlist so that a person with a diagnosed disability can receive services when they need them.
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