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Important ADA Announcements, Developments & Events

This month will mark two decades since the landmark passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On July 26, 1990, the ADA was signed into law signed into law by President George H.W. Bush with the promise of fostering full and equal access to civic, economic and social life for individuals with disabilities. All month, we've highlighted stories showing the law in action. Here are a few other highlights: On July 22, 2010, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights issued new technical assistance guidance for medical providers which will help people with mobility disabilities obtain accessible medical care.  Access to Medical Care for Persons with Mobility Disabilities will assist medical care providers in understanding how the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to them.  This 19-page document includes an overview of general ADA requirements, commonly asked questions, and illustrated examples of accessible facilities, examination rooms and medical equipment.  More information on the guidance is available at www.ada.gov/medcare_ta.htm.  Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez testified before the House Judiciary Committee at a hearing on the ADA.  Read his opening statement.   Assistant Attorney General Perez also delivered the keynote address at the National Council on Independent Living Annual Conference.   As part of the department’s Project Civic Access (PCA) initiative, the Civil Rights Division announced several agreements with towns and counties across the nation to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.  Agreements were signed with the town of Pomfret, Conn.; Pearl River County, Miss.; and Wilson County, N.C.  For more information on PCA, please visit www.ada.gov/civicac.htm.   The department reached settlements with Blockbuster Inc. and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union (MVLA), which owns and maintains Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, the home of the nation’s first president, George Washington.  The agreement with Blockbuster will ensure equal access to its stores nationwide for individuals with disabilities who use service animals.  The department and MVLA reached an amicable agreement under which the association will continue to bring Mount Vernon’s structures and facilities into compliance with the ADA accessible design standards and provide effective communication of the content of its audiovisual presentations, exhibitions, public programs and other offerings for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision.  For more information in these and other ADA developments, visit www.ada.gov.
Updated April 7, 2017