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ADA INFORMATION BULLETIN MARCH, 2002

1. MARCH ADA TELECONFERECE ON PLAYGROUND ACCESS
2. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
3. TRAINING ON SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES
4. NEW ON-LINE COURSE ADDRESSES ONE-STOP ACCESS
5. SURVEY OF PERFORMING ARTS AND SPORTS VENUES
6. ONLINE EMPLOYEES DISCUSSION
7. WINTER PARALYMPICS TO BEGIN MARCH 7
8. CHEVRON VS. ECHAZABEL
9. EEOC RELEASES ENFORCEMENT AND LITIGATION STATS
10. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST IDAHO APARTMENT DEVELOPER

1. MARCH ADA TELECONFERENCE ON PLAYGROUND ACCESS

Playgrounds and Play Areas: Application of ADA, with speaker John McGovern, North Suburban Special Recreation Association, March 19, 2002, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information contact the ADA Information Center for the Mid-Atlantic Region at 1-800-949-4232 (voice or TTY) or visit http://www.adainfo.org/resources.html#distance

2. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

Workforce Innovation 2002 will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 9-11, 2002. This national conference is for professionals who work in public and private programs for training and job placement.

Some of the workshop and plenary sessions will cover technology for improving service and education, understanding global forces on American workers, and learning what role legislation plays in workforce planning.

Conference registration and details: http://www.wi2002.org/

3. TRAINING ON SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES

The National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health is offering a 5 day intensive training titled: Developing Local Systems of Care for Children and Adolescents with Emotional Disturbances and their Families on July 10-14, 2002 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Individuals representing mental health as well as other child-serving agencies such as child welfare, education, health, juvenile justice, and substance abuse are encouraged to attend. For more information: http://gucdc.georgetown.edu/institutes.html

4. NEW ON-LINE COURSE ADDRESSES ONE-STOP ACCESS

An educational tool titled At Your Service is available at no charge for people who wish to learn more about serving the disability community. Created with a grant from the Departments of Labor and Education, the course was developed primarily for directors and employees of One-Stop Career Centers - offices that link job-seekers with education, training, and employment opportunities around the country. However, the course content would be helpful to anyone, including businesses, who wants to learn more about serving people with disabilities.

Credit for authorship of this program goes to the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC), one of the 10 federally funded ADA technical assistance centers. You may access the course http://www.sedbtac.org/distanceEd/web/AtService/index.cfm Though the course is free, registration is required.

5. SURVEY OF PERFORMING ARTS AND SPORTS VENUES

The National Center on Accessibility-Indiana University is conducting a survey to identify policies and procedures common to accommodating people with disabilities in performance venues and sports arenas. In collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and the ADA/504 Coordinators in the Arts, administrators, directors, facility managers, accessibility coordinators and representatives of performance venues, performing arts centers, theaters and sports arenas are invited to participate in the on-line survey. The survey will ask about how your facility accommodates patrons with disabilities, from
accessible seating to the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

The survey will be available through April 1, 2002. For additional information on the Ticketing Policies Survey or to participate in the on-line survey, go to: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/~survey/

For questions or to receive the paper version of the survey, contact the National Center on Accessibility (812) 856-4422 (voice), (812) 856-4421 (TTY) or e-mail nca@indiana.edu

6. ONLINE EMPLOYEES DISCUSSION

The Federal Employees News Digest has a new online community for people to share, debate and discuss employment issues. Many court cases, including those related to on-the-job injuries and reasonable accommodations, are included. Registration to participate is free and is not limited to federal employees. Find this interactive site at: http://www.FederalSoup.com

7. WINTER PARALYMPICS TO BEGIN MARCH 7

Just ten days after the Winter Olympics close, athletes with disabilities from 36 countries will arrive in Salt Lake City for the
Paralympic Winter Games of 2002. This will be the first time the winter Paralympics will be held in the United States. People interested in following the competition can tune into A&E Network for highlights between 6 and 7 p.m., March 9 through 16. There will be 100 medal events in Alpine and Nordic skiing, and sledge hockey. For more details about the games and during the event, go to: http://www.paralympics2002.com/

8. CHEVRON VS. ECHAZABEL

The Supreme Court heard an important ADA case on February 27, which could determine if the ADA allows employers to exclude an otherwise qualified worker if the workplace presents a danger to that workers health. The case concerns Mario Echazabel, an oil refinery worker with a liver ailment who was denied employment with Chevron because the company thinks the workplace chemicals will put Mr. Echazabels health at serious risk. Echazabel worked at the plant for 20 years, for a company that contracts with Chevron. He had applied to work directly for the oil company to receive better pay and benefits. Chevron rescinded its offer of employment after a physical exam revealed that Echazabel had Hepatitis C. The employee filed suit under the ADA, claiming that Chevron was discriminating against him because of his disability. To read the brief filed in the case by the United States and the EEOC, go to http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/2001/3mer/1ami/2000-1406.mer.ami.html

To find briefs filed on behalf of Mr. Echazabel, visit the Bazelon Law Center: http://www.bazelon.org/echazabal.html

9. EEOC RELEASES ENFORCEMENT AND LITIGATION STATS

Discrimination charges filed against private employers increased one percent over last year, to nearly 81,000, the highest level since the mid-90s. The types of discrimination with the highest increase were those based on age and disability. Other types of charges either declined slightly or remained level. Despite the rise in complaints, the data show that the backlog of complaints decreased to its lowest level in nearly 20 years; the average processing time decreased by over a month; and the average time to resolve a charge through voluntary mediation was shortened by twelve days. To see the EEOC report: http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/ada.html For the EEOC press release: http://www.eeoc.gov/press/2-22-02.html

10. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST IDAHO APARTMENT
DEVELOPER

The builders of the Turnberry Village Green Apartments in Lewiston, Idaho are being sued by the Justice Department for failing to comply with the ADA and the federal Fair Housing Act. Both laws require that new multi-family housing be accessible to persons with disabilities. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to make common and public use areas accessible to people who use wheelchairs, and that living units lack the required features of accessibility or adaptability. In addition, the defendants are accused of retaliating against tenants with disabilities who have requested reasonable accommodations. To read a DOJ news release about this case: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2002/February/02_crt_078.htm To read the complaint itself: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/housing/documents/turnberrycomp.htm

People who believe their apartment or condominium buildings may violate the Fair Housing Act's accessibility requirements, or who believe that they have been otherwise discriminated against on the basis of disability, may contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-669-9777. Additional information is available on HUD's website at: http://www.hud.gov/groups/disabilities.cfm

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COALITION NEWS

The Times They Are A-changin'

A new national initiative funded by the Department of Education and the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR) will enable the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) to expand their missions. The DBTACs nationwide will work more closely with educational entities to assist them in procuring and providing accessible information technology to students and employees.

The ADA Information Center proposes to expand collaborations between its staff, the state ADA Coalitions, and the Assistive Technology (AT) Act projects throughout the region. The project, slated to begin October 1, will provide information, training, and technical assistance, particularly to schools, colleges, and other educational entities, on accessible information technology (IT). Each state ADA Coalition will continue to provide ADA education and training.

Each of the Mid-Atlantic state AT projects has many years of experience with assistive technology, as well as strong community partnerships with school systems, local governments, businesses, and non-profit agencies. Each state AT project provides a variety of information and programs, including many of the following services:

Regional AT Resource Centers