Justice Department Releases New Americans With Disabilities Act
Technical Assistance Materials
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of
Justice today released new technical assistance materials to help state
and local governments comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). The materials are part of the "ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for
State and Local Governments," a project announced by Attorney General
Alberto R. Gonzales in October 2006.
"In our work with state and local governments throughout the
country, we see many common problems with ADA compliance," said Wan J.
Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "The
Department is issuing the Tool Kit to help state and local government
officials gain a better understanding of how to ensure equal access to
government programs and services for all of their citizens with a
disability."
The Tool Kit is a commonsense guide to achieving ADA compliance.
Chapters 3 and 4 of the Tool Kit, released today, address the ADA
requirement of ensuring effective communications for people with
disabilities. "People who are deaf or hard of hearing, those who are
blind or have low vision, and individuals with other types of
disabilities are entitled to equal access to state and local government
programs, services and activities," added Assistant Attorney General
Kim. "These new chapters of the Tool Kit contain practical guidance,
including checklists and action steps, that state, county and city
officials can use to identify and resolve ADA compliance issues in
government agencies and programs across the country, including public
hospitals, courts, law enforcement agencies,
9-1-1 emergency communication systems, and recreation programs." During
the past six years, through its Project Civic Access initiative,
the Civil Rights Division has worked cooperatively with city and county
officials to improve access for more than 2 million people with
disabilities. The Department has reached 152 agreements that improve
access for people with disabilities to city and county office buildings,
courts, polling places, emergency shelters, museums, parks, law
enforcement and corrections facilities, and websites.
The Tool Kit and other ADA materials are available on the
Department's ADA Web site at http://www.ada.gov.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
Related links:
http://www.USDOJ.gov
http://www.ada.gov
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