Blog | Tag: Accommodations (P10)

In 1990, President Bush pulled the equality and inclusion bus up to the White House and invited People with Disabilities to climb onboard. He compared the act of signing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the destruction of the Berlin Wall, a powerful symbol of Communist oppression that many of us feared, fought, and cheered when it finally fell. It was such a pivotal moment for that generation; how could we not cheer and applaud the fall of another wall of oppression a year later?

A woman has just been mugged and it has caused her to experience symptoms of her PTSD. She shouts at her apartment manager - “I’m going to burn the office down!” Every room in a woman’s apartment is full to the ceiling with clothes, crafts, and magazines. Only a narrow path remains for walking. A man is wandering around his apartment complex, shouting at people nobody else can see. Each of these people faced eviction and homelessness as the result of symptoms of their mental illness.

Guide dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), along with all service animals who perform other vital tasks. Let's talk about the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal, your legal rights when you own a service animal, and what to do when your rights are violated.

As this is the 45th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), I have been thinking about how this law has impacted the lives of the students with disabilities I have advocated for over the past 20+ years. I have had the pleasure of watching students who previously struggled receive the appropriate supports and services they need to progress, graduate, and move on to college, vocational training, and employment. But even with this law there is still one major barrier to overcome.

When President Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142), later known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in 1975, all children were given access to the public school system to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. From that time forward, students with disabilities had the right to receive an education with their non-disabled peers with all the same resources, teachers, and classrooms.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Please enjoy this blog post by Ilene Greenberg, mother of Richie, as she relays his journey to employment and independence.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). We continue to recognize NDEAM with this blog post written by Julie Stern. Julie's son, Brady, is on a path to employment and we are fortunate to share his story with you.

I do not refer to employment as “the road less traveled” because I think that people with disabilities are intentionally not seeking employment. Nothing could be further from the truth, because people with disabilities want to work and seek work daily. Rather, it is the road less traveled due to low expectations, stigma, and systems that limit employment potential through arbitrary limits on income which can constitute a choice between working and literally living.

Disability Rights Florida staff member Victor Panoff shares his thoughts about the ADA on the eve of its 30th anniversary.