July 2021 | Inaugural Issue
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In This Issue:
- The 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- The State ADA Coordinator’s Office
- COVID-19 Pandemic Update
- State of Georgia Agency ADA Coordinator Spotlight
- ADA Titles I and II
- Facility Access Considerations
- Accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Mental Health Wellness
- ADA Training Opportunities
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Join Us in Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act!
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“Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” These were the words of President George H.W. Bush on July 26th, 1990, when he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. This historic civil rights legislation was promulgated to ensure that people with disabilities receive equal opportunities to fully participate in all aspects of community life, live independently, and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Since then, much progress has been made to eradicate the segregation of people with disabilities and make the dream of access a reality. A gauge of how far we have come since 1990 is the fact that it is no longer an anomaly to have a sign language interpreter interpreting a news conference or music concert, to have accessible seating at a football stadium, to utilize an automatic door opener to access your college dining hall, to encounter a braille menu at your local restaurant, or to have the option of captioning for your favorite Netflix binge. Over the last 31 years, we have all learned that an accessible society is good for everyone.
And although the ADA has brought us 31 years of advocacy, there are still times when equity and inclusion are out-of-reach for many Americans with disabilities. Ensuring equity, access, and inclusion is a shared responsibility. Therefore, I ask that we all recommit ourselves to fulfilling the law's promise and strengthen the direct route to creating an inclusive, customer-oriented culture.
As Justin Dart, an American Activist, who is widely considered the father of the ADA, once said: “The ADA is a landmark commandment of fundamental, human morality.” It sends a resounding message to people with disabilities: You are equal. You are whole. You are a valued contributor to our society.
On this 31st Anniversary of the ADA, it is up to us to ensure that none of us are excluded from its promise.
Here are some things you can do, within your agency or organization, to help commemorate and celebrate the 31st Anniversary of the ADA in meaningful and impactful ways as we continue to celebrate throughout the entire year:
- Issue a press release expressing your agency’s or organization's commitment to the ADA and highlight the actions your agency or organization has taken to create a disability-inclusive environment.
- Review policies and procedures to ensure they convey a commitment to inclusivity and update and disseminate as needed.
- Conduct employee training on disability inclusion, covering topics such as disability etiquette and reasonable accommodation policies and procedures. A variety of ready-to-use materials are available to assist your agency or organization.
- Review the accessibility of your website, online services, and web applications, and make corrective changes when necessary.
- Become familiar with (and share) COVID-19 guidance from federal agencies to ensure your entity’s pandemic-related policies and procedures do not run afoul of the mandates of the ADA.
- Solicit feedback and suggestions from employees and customers with disabilities on how to improve accessibility within your agency or organization.
- Include ADA compliance provisions in all contract agreements to ensure that contractor-provided goods and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
- And seek out the assistance of accessibility and disability experts. Whether this is done by attending conferences, making direct requests for specific technical guidance, or accessing information online, do not hesitate to ask for support and guidance.
The State ADA Coordinator’s Office, as well as the entities featured in this newsletter, are here to assist you!
Stacey Valrie Peace, Esq.
State ADA Coordinator
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Living and Thriving with a Disability
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In this AccessGA presentation, learn about the experiences of three Georgia citizens with varying disabilities, as they share a definition of their disability, education, and employment setting encounters and daily life engagements. Far from being a weakness, people with disabilities often offer unique perspectives and understanding that can add tremendous value to a workplace and the people around them.
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The State ADA Coordinator’s Office: Who We Are, What We Do, and Who We Serve
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State of Georgia Agency ADA Coordinator Spotlight
Darrell Smith, ADA Coordinator/Safety Manager/HR Manager for the Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS)
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Years of service with the State of Georgia: 9 years
Years of service as an ADA Coordinator for DCS: 2 years
What do you enjoy most about being an ADA Coordinator?
“What I enjoy most about being an ADA Coordinator, is being able to help those with disabilities acquire the help and service they need. I also enjoy being able to service our agency and our employees, in training, coaching, and development in the area of working with individuals with disabilities and assisting them in better understanding and having knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act.” – Darrell Smith
Please tell us about a few ADA-related initiatives within the Department of Community Supervision that you are proud to share:
- “DCS has established an annual ADA training with the awesome collaboration of our agency’s training department. Our training department developed the training from a large amount of certified information, and we anticipate having additional trainings in the future.
- “DCS also has a collaborative initiative and partnership within the agency to capture supervisees with disabilities at the time they first become supervised by our agency. This allows a more accurate way for the ADA Coordinator to capture those who are in need.”
- “We also provided individualized coaching to employees, managers, and leadership to guide them through accommodating in compliance with the ADA.”
“Darrell is a joy to work with on the ADA journey. He’s very passionate about ensuring that all persons who interact with DCS have equal access to programs, services, and activities.” – Cheryl Ann Frazier, Assistant State ADA Coordinator, State ADA Coordinator’s Office
To learn more about our featured State of Georgia Agency ADA Coordinator, Darrell Smith, please see his bio below:
Darrell Smith has 9 years of service in Human Resources with the State of Georgia, and 12 years of service in Human Resources in the private sector. He currently holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.
He is currently the ADA Coordinator/Safety Manager/Human Resources Manager for the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. His experience varies from providing ADA training for the agency, individualized coaching for employees handling clients with disabilities, ADA accommodations, ADA grievances, monitoring for ADA compliance, ADA Office training sessions, ADA policy and public notice publications, ADA Legal declarations and discoveries, New Employee On-Boarding and Orientation, Payroll, Benefits, Workers Compensation, FMLA, GBA Contact and Coordinator relations, Employee Engagement Survey Rollout, State Charitable Contribution Program, Performance Management Processes – Notifications, training, & Peoplesoft records, Training, HR Transactions in Peoplesoft System (Previous Transactions Manager) Liaison for Police Officer Annuity and Benefit Fund of Georgia. He currently holds the SHRM-CP certification from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Are you proud of the work you are doing as a State of Georgia Agency ADA Coordinator? Would you like us to spotlight you in The ADA Informer? If so, please contact the State ADA Coordinator’s Office at:
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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Updates Its Pandemic Guidance
On June 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its Pandemic question and answer guidance entitled, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws. The EEO laws, including the ADA and Rehabilitation Act, continue to apply during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they do not interfere with or prevent employers from following the guidelines and suggestions made by the CDC or state/local public health authorities about steps employers should take regarding COVID-19. Employers should remember that guidance from public health authorities is likely to change as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Therefore, employers should continue to follow the most current information on maintaining workplace safety. These materials were prepared before the CDC’s updated guidance for fully vaccinated individuals issued on May 13, 2021 (and updated on May 28th, 2021) and any supplements. The EEOC is considering any impact of these developments on COVID-19 technical assistance provided to date.
For more information and to access this updated guidance, please visit: What You Should Know About Covid-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and Other EEO Laws.
Start Planning NOW for the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October!
Held every October, NDEAM is a fitting time to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The 2021 NDEAM theme will be “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.”
NDEAM is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. The State ADA Coordinator’s Office encourages agencies and organizations of all sizes to participate in NDEAM.
For more information on what you can do to help celebrate NDEAM, please visit the following websites:
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ADA Title II (State and Local Governments)
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Do you need an American Sign Language Interpreter or CART Services Provider for an upcoming meeting or virtual event? The State ADA Coordinator's Office's team has compiled a list of American Sign Language (ASL) and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) providers servicing Georgia for informational and resource purposes. This list of resources is not exhaustive. These service providers provide ASL and/or CART services to state, local, and private entities. State of Georgia Agency employees, please contact your agency’s Purchasing Officer or the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) for guidance on how you may access the services of these providers. To access ASL/CART Provider information, please visit the State ADA Coordinator’s Office link below:
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Facility Access Considerations
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Test your Facility Access Knowledge!
Question #1: Does the State of Georgia have its own Accessibility Code?
Question #2: What is missing from this photo to make this an accessible parking space?
Please note that the accessible entry is in the rear of the building.
Clue: There are eight (8) elements of compliance for an accessible parking space. The elements include Quantity, Location, Width, and adjacent Access Aisle, Level Surfaces, Vertical Clearance, Identification, and not obstructing Accessible Routes.
Answer: This space is missing an identification sign.
For more information on Parking - The US Access Board has a common language guide on Accessible Parking available for download at this link to their website.
Question #3: What access issues do you see in this photo?
There are many accessible features in this photo, and it is a very user-friendly space. However, there are some accessibility concerns present.
Answer: The items of non-compliance in this photo are:
- The leading drinking fountain is projecting into the circulation path and not detectable by a cane. This is called a Protruding Object in circulation and is required to be protected per §307 of the 2010 ADA Standards.
- The clear floor maneuvering area at the door to the Women’s room required by §404.2.4 of the Standards.
- The relationship of the tactile descriptors of the signage to the pictograms is not directly below them, required by §703.6.3 of the Standards. You can learn more about each of these items at the included links to the 2010 ADA Standards, or at the https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-5-parking/ , or even on their YouTube Channel U.S. Access Board - YouTube
The State ADA Coordinator’s Office’s team is always willing to help you evaluate any situation and help to reasonably resolve built environment compliance issues. Our goal is to engage as early in the design or construction process as possible, with the mantra, “The sooner the better.”
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Accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
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AccessGA is a joint initiative of the State ADA Coordinator's Office – Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission, and the Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation. AccessGA's purpose is to support State of Georgia agencies with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility, promoting equal and timely access for employees and customers with a wide range of disabilities. For more information on AccessGA, please visit: AccessGA Initiative.
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September is National Preparedness Month!
Each September, National Preparedness Month encourages and reminds Americans to be prepared for disasters or emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. For more information on National Preparedness Month, please visit: Ready.Gov.Did you know that there is an entity in Georgia working to advance the preparedness and planning efforts of individuals with disabilities and older adults? The Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities and Older Adults (GEPC), was established in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina. GEPC is a key component in statewide emergency preparedness efforts. It consists of stakeholder agencies throughout Georgia. The mission of the coalition is to serve as a comprehensive clearinghouse between local advocacy groups serving individuals with disabilities and older adults, and State agencies responsible for emergency preparedness and response under the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan (GEOP).
GEPC Community Network Members receive regular emergency preparedness, planning and response information and updates via email from the Coalition. Community Network Members also serve as a point of contact for emergency-related information dissemination within their agency. Members can also provide feedback to the Coalition (in the form of community-based meetings and/or surveys) on ways to better incorporate disability-related considerations into our state’s emergency preparedness plan. For more information on becoming a GEPC Community Network Member, please contact the State ADA Coordinator’s Office at:
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Mental Health Wellness
Talley Wells, Esq., Executive Director, North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD), sits down for an interview with Cheryl Ann Frazier, Assistant State ADA Coordinator, to discuss the status of Mental Health Wellness on the 31st Anniversary of the ADA. Talley did extensive work in Georgia in the areas of ADA and developmental disabilities before his present assignment.
Talley Wells is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD). At NCCDD, Talley works with the 40-member Council appointed by the Governor to improve systems for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities across the state of North Carolina. The goal of this work is to enable every person with a disability in the state to live a full and meaningful life in the community. Talley also serves as the Chair of the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Governor’s Taskforce for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice.
Talley previously worked in Georgia as the Executive Director of Georgia Appleseed and the Director of the Disability Integration Project at Atlanta Legal Aid. He also founded the Olmstead Disability Rights Clinic at Georgia State School of Law. For much of this time, his work focused on the implementation of the United States Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C. decision. Olmstead held that individuals with disabilities have the right to live and receive supports in the community, rather than in institutions under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Talley also worked with the Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts to develop a 2018 Guide for Georgia Courts on providing accommodations to people with mental health and cognitive disabilities.
Talley is a former skipper on the world-famous Jungle Cruise at Walt Disney World. |
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ADA Training Opportunities
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Sharpen your skills! Do you need to study the ADA? Check out the following free resources:
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