Bill Set Out to Serve Small Businesses Who Are Being Threatened with Costly Lawsuits Regarding ADA Compliance

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The California state senate has recently passed a bipartisan bill that is aiming to protect small businesses from attorneys who demand quick settlement money under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This bill would require lawyers to give small businesses at least 30 days’ notice before suing for damages.

The bill is set out to serve those small businesses who are being threatened with costly lawsuits for failing to improve access for the disabled. 

 Lawmakers are trying to balance the civil rights of the disabled versus concerns about a growing predatory practice.The bill was passed on a 36-0 vote and will now move to Assembly. 

What are your thoughts about this bill being passed? Let us know on ADA Lifestyles Facebook page linked here!

Is Your Project a DIY or Professional's Task?

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When considering remodeling any part of your home, most people debate whether to make it a DIY project (do it yourself) or hire a professional. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has much advice to share with those who are considering DIY projects.

NARI recently polled consumers are found that 40% of people report that the largest determining factor in deciding between hiring a professional or DIY is cost. The second largest consideration is the project type and knowing how to do it at 30% and not far behind at 25% is the level of difficulty.

NARI reports that it is extremely important for consumers to consider all options before starting a DIY project in order to avoid disaster. Some of the most important factors for homeowners to consider include physical ability, skills, time and understanding of what needs to be done. Often times, individuals underestimate the difficulty level of a project they want to take on and also the time it will take to complete it. It is also important to plan your project from beginning to end, including cost for all materials.

Meeting ADA Guidelines in Danville, Illinois

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To meet the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, city officials in Danville, Illinois, will be integrating many changes throughout the city. City officials are planning to resurface heavily traveled streets, fix pedestrian curb ramps and overlay streets.

The city has already begun to make several changes and will continue to do so.

To meet guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, upgrades to pedestrian curb ramps will include ensuring that ramps don’t have too much vertical rise or that warning features like raised texture, are incorporated. 

A Robot Who Sense What a Stroke Victim Wants

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Fifteen years ago, Cathy Hutchinson suffered a stroke and hasn’t been able to do much on her own without the assistance of her caregiver, until now. Hutchinson allowed scientists to place a small chip on her motor cortex in 2005 that would allow for a robot to sense what she wanted.

Thanks to this new technology, Hutchinson was able to take a sip of her coffee by simply just thinking about doing so. The robotic prosthetic can be completely controlled by the mind and even more, can revolutionize how those individuals who are paralyzed interact and in any given environment.

Although the new technology has a long way to go and many alterations are still to be made, this is a great start. Researcher’s main concern is safety. Nature reported that seven people have received the implant and thus far, none of them have experienced any adverse side effects.

Researchers are extremely optimistic about the future and hold many plans in regard to this new technology. They’re hoping one day that they develop wireless systems that require no surgery at all and they’d also like to get rid of the robots altogether. Also, they want to help paralyzed individuals to use technology to move their own limbs again! 

US Department of Housing and Urban Development Announce Support for Extremely Low-Income Persons with Disabilities

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This week, it was announced by www.grants.gov that the  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is allowing for $85 million available for state housing agencies to provide affordable supportive housing for extremely low-income persons with disabilities.

This project is aiming to help those individuals with disabilities live as independently as possible in a community which provides access and opportunity to do so. 

This is the first time that the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 811 SupportiveHousing for Persons with Disabilities Program will be funding state housing agencies. All agencies must meet certain eligibility criteria which involves having a partnership with a state health and human services and Medicaid agency to provide essential support and service.

The Section 811 Project is aiming to serve 2,800 extremely low-income persons with disabilities. All who are entitled to be served by the project must apply for funding no later than July 31, 2012.

The Dispute of New Regulations Requiring Public Pools to Install Lifts

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With summer and pool season quickly approaching, the dispute of a new regulation that requires all hotel and recreations centers that have public pools and spas is to install or order permanent lifts to better assist individuals with disabilities is becoming quite the battle.

To renovate certain pools and spas and insert the lifts, it can cost anywhere between $2,500 and $6,500 plus installation fees. All renovations were supposed to be completed by May 21^st. The new requirement for pools and spas could also be settled by adding a pool ramp; however, they are much more expensive. Many hotel owners want to improve pool access, but need the regulation deadline to be extended.

The new regulation was presented by Congress in March and agreed that if pool owners couldn’t comply with permanent lifts or other sources of access, they could buy portable lifts and delay implementation for 12 months.  Congress also informed any hotel owners who do not follow these regulations will be faced with many lawsuits.

Many individuals with disabilities want to be treated equally, fairly and be acknowledged.

A New Soccer Program for Children with Special Needs

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This fall, Fair Lawn All-Sports will collaborate with the Saddle Brook Soccer Association in offering a new soccer program for children with special needs. The program will be open to all Fair Lawn and Saddle Brook children with special needs between the ages of 5 and 16.

The program is set out to promote an active lifestyle for these children. It also intended to provide and give opportunities for children with special needs to participate in athletics in a safe, organized and non-competitive environment.

The league is scheduled to begin in September and will cost $35 per child. The cost includes a t-shirt, shin guards, a soccer ball, a trophy and an end of the year pizza party. 

Many people from these communities think this is a great idea and have many people supporting the new soccer league. They also have many individuals eager to help out and even coach! 

What do you think? Let us know on the ADA Lifestyles Facebook Wall, linked HERE.

Goodwill Industries International to host Virtual Career Fair

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Goodwill Industries International is the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of job placement and training programs for individuals with disabilities. They specialize for those who lack education, job experience or others who face challenges to finding employment.  

Goodwill Industries International will launch an inaugural vital career fair from May 7-10^th. The career fair will be sponsored by Cintas and hosted by Monster.com. The virtual career fair will complement Goodwill’s community-based career fairs, allowing employers around the United States and Canada to refine their recruiting strategies expand their candidate pools and serve individuals who may not be able to attend an “in-person” fair.

Goodwill has 165 member agencies throughout the United States and Canada. They help to create a variety of opportunities that help people gain and maintain valuable employment.

Check Out Our New Video!

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Check out ADA Lifestyles new video! Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, linked HERE. 

 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme

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The National Disability Insurance Scheme is scheduled to start in July of next year. This scheme will serve about 10,000 severely disabled people, who will get money for their life-long care and support. 

Some of the populations that will be amongst the first to benefit from this are those with permanent disabilities such as paraplegics, cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome and brain injuries.

This will give those individuals who are severely disabled the chance to have all of their care needs assessed by a government agency. It will also decide the financial aspects and support that that will be required for life and the money that is needed to do so.

Many are hoping this will end the cruelty and discrimination that some disabled individuals unfortunately face.

Global Positioning Systems & Security Cameras

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In an attempt to cut down on cases of abuse, New York State will begin placing monitoring security cameras in public vehicles used to transport people with developmental disabilities in Albany.

The security cameras along with Global Positioning Systems will be installed in state buses, vans and cars used to transport developmentally disabled people in the Albany area. The state hopes to expand the effort statewide within a month.

Placing these cameras in public transportation automobiles is just one step the Office of People With Disabilities is taking to limit the amount of abuse of the developmentally disabled. In the future, many hope that it will be required to install cameras in the common areas of all group homes for the developmentally disabled, as well as in public and private transportation buses, cars and vans.

The Lacey A. Collier Sensory Complex at Escambia Westgate School - One Like No Other!

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The Lacey A. Collier Sensory Complex at Escambia Westgate School is one like no other. The school serves more than 200 of the 7,000 students with disabilities in Escambia. This multi-sensory complex which was completed in 2005, is the largest of its kind in the world.

The complex is based on the Snoezelen complex, which uses colors, lights, textures, and music to elicit responses from people with disabilities. Upon entering the complex’s atrium, visitors are greeted with relaxing music, plants and twinkling lights. In the jungle room, you immediately feel that the carpet is textured. There are also swings and a set of stairs that lead to a swinging bridge into artificial trees.

The school reports that swinging is a very sensory activity that many of their students enjoy/crave. There are also vibrating bubble tubes and fiber optic strands for kids to look at and touch along with iridescent plastic balls in a “ball bath.” There are also soothing aromas located around the facility that are pumped into the rooms to intensify effects.

Many of these children with disabilities seem to respond extremely well to the services provided at Westgate. One mother states that her son is legally blind but when she brings him to the school he is able to follow the lights. 

Many of the teacher’s report that these sensory effects help the students to be more focused. They also say that a lot of lower-functioning kids seem to be very motivated by the environment and are eager to participate and learn.

To read the entire article, click HERE.  

Disability Advocates of Delmarva Inc. Aims to Help People with Disabilities

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Disability Advocates of Delmarva Inc. (DADI) have accomplished so much since their start 11 years ago. DADI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that aims to help people with disabilities in as many ways as they can.

The program that has made DADI one of the best in the country is their scholarship program. This program is for graduating high school seniors with disabilities. The scholarship grants each individual $1,000 per semester up until their graduation.

With any funds left over, the corporation has helped fund community college students, trade school students and even pay for books and lab fees per semester to other students. DADI has been recognized as the top group of their kind in Maryland, and one of the top 10 groups in the nation for a rural area. The corporation has also created a jobs program for people with disabilities.

DADI is looking to expand their group with the addition of people in businesses, public education, scholarships, local government and elected officials, fundraising and public information.

Adaptive Sports Expand for People with Disabilities

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Sports are continuing to expand for people with disabilities. Because more disabled people are eager to get involved, access and variety are continuing to increase. A new bike was designed specifically for a 13-year-old boy Josh Silvern to overcome his disability with balance.

The new bike is extremely stable because of the wheels and its accommodating seat promises the individual to be at a high degree of independence and mobility that has been impossible before.

This new bicycle that is designed for better balance is a Hallmark in the movement to help disabled people to be physically active. Wheelchair basketball is one of the many sports available for disabled people that have been modified with equipment so that disabled people can experience the sport.

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability leads in research and advocacy for the field. Also, the Americans With Disabilities Act is working on improving access but not all sports facilities are cooperating and complying with the guidelines that have been set.