Here is today's Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information Network message. I? hope you have a wonderful day.?

Martha

*Martha K. Gabehart* | "Executive Director
"Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC)
*Kansas Governor Laura Kelly
*900 SW Jackson, Suite 100 | Topeka, Kansas 66612
(785) 296-6525 (direct) | (785) 260-4027 (cell)

[email protected] | www.kcdcinfo.ks.gov [ [link removed] ]

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This message is from the US Access Board. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, requires federal agencies to use accessible technology and provide accessible telephones, computer systems and platforms, websites, apps and other technology used to communicate with people with disabilities including their employees. States are making sure they comply with the requirements even though they are not included in Section 508.

Section 508 Best Practices Webinar: Accessible Hybrid Meetings

Federal workspaces are required to be accessible in both physical and online environments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the widespread transition to telework made use of virtual meetings and conferences commonplace. Now that agencies are transitioning to a workspace which may be either physical, virtual, or hybrid, there are novel issues facing federal accessibility specialists.

The next webinar in the Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series will take place Tuesday, November 28 from 1:00 p.m. ? 2:30 p.m. (ET) and provide a review of the requirements for making the physical environment accessible under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) [ [link removed] ] and the virtual environment accessible under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act [ [link removed] ]. Presenters will also offer recommendations and best practices, as well as identify available resources to maximize participation in the federal workspace, whether physical, virtual, or hybrid.

This webinar session is intended for entry-level to intermediate audiences, but all are welcome to join. Section 508 Coordinators, IT Specialists, Reasonable Accommodation Specialists, and Disability Program Managers are especially encouraged to join this webinar to gain the following unique insights:

? What requirements make offices, conference rooms, and assembly areas accessible under the ABA.
? How the Section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria work to ensure an accessible online environment for all.
? How accommodations can improve the experience of federal employees in both physical and virtual environments.

For more details or to register, visit Great Lakes ADA Center?s Returning to the Office: Accessible Hybrid Meetings [ [link removed] ] webinar webpage. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the live webinar. Webinar attendees can receive a participation certificate for attending the 90-minute session.

Registration closes 24 hours before the start of the session. Instructions for accessing the webinar on the day of the session will be sent via email to registered individuals in advance of the session. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and Video Sign Language Interpreters are available for the session and will be broadcast via the webinar platform. A telephone option (not toll-free) for receiving audio is also available.

The Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series provides helpful information and best practices for federal agencies in meeting their obligations under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which ensures access to information and communication technology in the federal sector. This webinar series is made available by the Accessibility Community of Practice of the CIO Council in partnership with the U.S. Access Board. All webinars are archived and available on the Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Archives [ [link removed] ] webpage.

Learn More [ [link removed] ]

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This message is from the US Department of Justice (DOJ). It was sent Tuesday, November 7th.?

Today, the Department of Justice announced a proposed settlement agreement with Alameda County, California and private plaintiffs to expand access to community-based mental health services. This settlement agreement will resolve the department?s investigation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Through its investigation, the department concluded that it had reasonable cause to believe Alameda County violated the ADA by unnecessarily institutionalizing people with mental health disabilities who could otherwise avoid institutionalization ? as well as incarceration ? with access to appropriate community-based services. The settlement agreement will help ensure that individuals with mental health disabilities have access to needed community-based services and supports.

The settlement agreement requires the County to expand critical community-based services, including intensive mental health, housing, and employment services, and provide prompt mobile crisis response services on a county-wide basis. The County must improve connections to services for individuals at risk of unnecessary institutionalization or incarceration, as well as those currently in institutions or in Santa Rita Jail.

The Justice Department welcomes input regarding the implementation of the settlement agreement. People can contact the Department by email at [email protected], by phone at 844-491-4946, through the Civil Rights Division?s Civil Rights Portal [ [link removed] ], or by mail at Department of Justice, Special Litigation Section, Civil Rights Division, 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20530 (attn.: Alameda County Olmstead Team).

To learn more, please see the settlement agreement, attached below. To find out more about this settlement or the ADA, visit ada.gov [ [link removed] ] or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).

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This message is from the US Department of Justice and was received November 7, 2023.

The Justice Department announced today that the City of Anoka, Minnesota violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act by denying tenants with mental health disabilities an equal opportunity to receive emergency assistance. Under the City?s rental licensing and so-called ?crime free? housing ordinance, the City can penalize landlords for ?nuisance calls? to their properties. Tenants with mental health disabilities who need emergency service risk losing their home if the City flags that they were the subject of repeated calls. The City also sent weekly reports to licensed landlords detailing all calls for emergency service from all rental properties and often revealed personal and sensitive information about tenants? mental health disabilities. The Justice Department found that the City discouraged and prevented tenants with mental health disabilities and those associated with them from using its emergency response service. The Justice Department?s letter asks the City to change its policies and procedures, designate an ADA coordinator, and train staff.

To learn more, please read our press release [ [link removed] ]. Individuals with information about these findings are encouraged to contact the Justice Department via email at [email protected] or by calling 888-473-3940. For more information on the ADA, please visit ADA.gov [ [link removed] ] or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 833-610-1264).


* alameda_county_settlement.pdf [ [link removed] ]

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