Communities Including & Empowering Citizens with Disabilities
Disability Education & Awareness for Municipalities (DEAM) is designed to create awareness at the municipal level for both elected officials and constituents to address municipal response (including emergency response) to those with disabilities in the municipality. DAT has identified DEAM as one of the main initiatives to ensuring total inclusion. Through Mr. Whalen’s role on the Town of Amherst (NY) Committee on Disabilities, he has seen the lack of awareness and subsequent poor response to the needs of citizens. The base of this is accessibility, hiring practices, department specific understanding (i.e. police, emergency services) and program options (i.e. recreation, parks), and employee education. This does not mean that employees and elected officials do not care and are not willing to learn, but it is a reflection of today’s society and their lack of knowledge to what is NOT being done to bring equity to the disabled community. This is oftentimes unintentionally discriminatory and, quite possibly, a violation of federal law. Department of Justice audits across the nation cite non-compliance, forcing municipalities into settlement agreements. We do not want to have to bait municipalities into responding appropriately, but if it takes the threat of DOJ citations, we will help your municipality to be proactive so as to avoid any greater issues.
DAT has developed a one day training course that provides all necessary information to carry out this initiative within the municipality. All resources and materials are included. The DAT team will be available for ongoing technical support and to answer all questions of concern the municipality may have, all in the best interests of their residents with disabilities. We are helping to ensure a community where each belongs and is accepted as a person. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
There are many resources available to assist municipalities in ensuring proper response to their residents with disabilities. While most of them are provided by the Department of Justice’s Disability Rights division relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), other entities like your regional ADA center or Independent Living Centers have developed materials to assist you.
The resources provided here serve to educate on specific matters relative to proper response within a municipality. There are many materials beyond what you can access here, but we feel this is a good start to your understanding of the areas that you need to be compliant with.
- Accessibility in NYC Parks – www.nycgovparks.org/accessibility – NYC Parks strives to help all New Yorkers discover how New York City’s 29,000 acres of parks can enrich their lives, promoting physical and emotional well-being, and providing venues for fitness and peaceful respite for the widest possible audience.
- Accessibility Services (United Spinal Association) – www.accessibility-services.com – With decades of experience, Accessibility Services can help you untangle the often conflicting requirements of aesthetics and accessibility, keep you up to speed on changes and revisions in building codes at all levels, and provide innovative solutions to accessibility at any type of facility.
- Inclusive Recreation Resource Center – www.inclusiverec.org – The mission of the IRRC is to promote and sustain participation by people of all abilities in inclusive recreation activities and resources.
- Innovative Solutions for Universal Design – www.thisisud.com – The leading source for news and information on Universal Design.
- My Blind Spot – Inspiring Accessibility for All – www.myblindspot.org – My Blind Spot’s mission is to advance equal access and promote understanding, respect, and opportunity for people who are blind, visually impaired and print disabled.
- WheelchairTraveling.com – www.wheelchairtraveling.com – Works to empower people with limited mobility, their friends, and loved ones to access and experience the world of adventure and leisure travel