Michael Caldwell For the Poughkeepsie Journal
Twenty-five years ago, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees the same opportunities to participate in the mainstream of American life. The ADA provides that individuals with disabilities must equally enjoy employment opportunities, the ability to purchase goods and services, and equal participation in state and local government programs and services. Essentially, the ADA is equal opportunity law for people with disabilities.
As we celebrate, I reflect upon the pioneers who fought for their civil rights and the rights of those who followed. I think of my cousin Gregory, one of my public service heroes. I know that our country can thank Gregory and folks like him for tireless dedication to advocacy for the disadvantaged, especially the disabled.
In high school and college, I often remember our family's immense pride and admiration watching cousin Gregory in his wheelchair advocating for better access to public transportation. He served for many years as an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office. There are countless unsung heroes in our families that have physical and mental disabilities that have persevered.
The American with Disabilities Act actually helps all of us. Hannah Basciano for Storify.com noted some ways that the ADA is benefiting us all.
Universal Design
"Every space in every place." All of our buildings no matter how big or small, no matter public or private, is now designed with the universal design concept. You may think this is only for the frail elderly or permanently disabled. Actually, now everyone can access all buildings built after 1991 at all times. Perhaps you are recovering from a recent sports injury or recent surgery; and if you are carrying a lot of boxes one day, isn't it great to have the automatic door available? The ADA makes all places from parks and stadiums to grocery stores and shopping malls more accessible.
Easy access
ADA accessible door handles require they be straight across and able to be pressed down unlike the traditional rounded doorknobs. This works much better when our hands our full and we need to open a door. It is vital for someone who may have arthritis or other disability. Recently I took the train and the subway to JFK airport with my luggage, and I was so grateful there was an elevator available. I didn't have to drag my bags up some of the dark, crowded and narrow stairways. While the ADA was created to assist the permanently disabled, I know travelers, especially young families with their strollers, benefit from the extra ease of access.
Safety
Entrances and exits are now easier to identify and wider than in the past. The ADA has provided all of us with much greater safety and security. Hallways and staircases are wider and make exiting buildings more safe and efficient during fire drills or when there is a real emergency. The ADA works as intended and then some. We all live in safer buildings thanks to the ADA.
Diversity
People with disabilities have been treated poorly for centuries. They were even targeted for elimination by the Nazis. The reality is that everyone has the capacity to contribute to our society in some way. The ADA helps to maximize everyone's potential to do all they can and experience all that life has to offer. This adds to the diversity of our community, making it stronger. Disabled individuals have unique life experiences that help to enrich their perspectives of the world and often provide great contributions. Can we imagine throwing away Steven Hawking? We elected Hyde Park resident Franklin D. Roosevelt to the White House four times despite his confinement to a wheelchair. FDR is truly one of our bright lights of diversity from the early 20th century and offers special significance for us in Dutchess County.
Economic benefits
More disabled Americans are participating in the workforce than ever before. That provides them with more of a sense of contribution, self-worth and financial security. We all benefit when more people are working, paying taxes and having additional money to spend at our local businesses. I'm so pleased that many of our local Dutchess County businesses large and small make sure they include physically and mentally disabled workers on their payrolls. Our own Dutchess ARC (www.dutchess-acr.org) is a great resource for connecting businesses with the disabled communities.
Work safety
From automatic doors to task lighting to slip-resistant surfaces, our workplaces are improving every day. The concept of Universal Design makes every workspace better for all of us.
An estimated 37 to 57 million people are living with a disability in the United States and many people will experience a disability at some time during the course of their life. Enacted on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act is the most comprehensive federal civil-rights statute protecting the rights of people with disabilities. It affects access to employment; state and local government programs and services; access to places of public accommodation such as businesses, transportation and even telecommunications.
While more work is needed to achieve an even more accessible society, the ADA stands out as one of our government's greatest successes. It has helped all of us live better lives and has helped us all to look at disability in a more positive way. Professor Robert Silverstein of George Washington University has written, "Disability, like race and gender, is a natural and normal part of the human experience that in no way diminishes a person's right to live a normal life and participate in mainstream activities."
Dr. Michael Caldwell is an Executive Health Consultant and is the former Dutchess County Commissioner of Health. Send comments tohealthchief@yahoo.com; Twitter: @healthchief
Resources
•Dutchess ARC: www.dutchess-arc.org/services/employment_services.php
•Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/
•United States Department of Justice: http://www.ada.gov/index.html
•U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/ada18.cfm
This article was originally published by the Poughkeepsie Journal on September 12, 2015. You may find this article at: https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/health/2015/09/11/americans-disabilities-act/72062298/
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