Rocky Mountain ADA Center: Working Together to Create a More Accessible World
There are only ten ADA National Network Regional Centers in the United States of America, and here in Colorado Springs, we are fortunate to be the home of one of them. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the Centers “Provide information and referral, technical assistance, and training on all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).” They also “Perform a wide range of activities to promote public awareness of the ADA.”
The Rocky Mountain ADA Center1 is a nonprofit organization operated by Meeting the Challenge Inc. It handles ADA issues for not only the State of Colorado but also Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. This far-reaching nonprofit has a wide mandate to help individuals with disabilities in their neighborhoods.
What is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law. It was first enacted and signed in 1990, and was updated in 2008 as the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (yes, it uses “Act” twice)(ADAAA).2 The ADA was originally intended by Congress to “provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities.” The ADA covers a number of areas. It has five Titles that address: Employment, State and Local Governments, Public Accommodations, Telecommunication and Miscellaneous Provisions.
The Rocky Mountain Center
So what does a national ADA Center do? Its main function is to provide citizens with information for all aspects of the ADA. It receives a large number of phone calls daily. For instance, it often gets asked about service animals. The Rocky Mountain Center provides referrals for advocacy needs as well. It even has an ADA Leadership Network, where it has partnered with local organizations to help individuals in need of guidance. While the staff is happy to direct you to resources and point you to laws, they are not lawyers and will not give legal advice.
The Rocky Mountain Center promotes community awareness by providing various training programs, held both online and in person. The wide range of topics includes employment, rights of individuals with disabilities, and business compliance in human resources as well as barrier identification.
Business awareness and architectural issues
The Rocky Mountain Center often gets questions from business owners with architectural concerns. Each private (and public) entity must ensure that it meets the standards set forth in the ADA. The ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) is a comprehensive guide that is published by the Department of Justice (DOJ)3. It outlines exactly which businesses must follow what guidelines under the ADA. If you have any questions on architecture for disabilities, the Rocky Mountain Center probably knows your answer.
Some provisions are very specific, and being in violation could trigger a civil rights complaint. It’s important to remember that these are not building codes. This is a matter of civil rights, of making sure that all people have access. The court could require the business to make architectural changes and possibly even impose fines. Business owners need to know what is required, what their rights are, and how to protect their businesses, while ensuring that the businesses are accessible to people who have disabilities.
On a positive note, if a business decides to remodel to be more accessible, there are tax credits in place to compensate for a portion of the costs. In addition, it is important that business be accessible, not only legally but also for marketing purposes. Persons with disabilities are the largest minority group in America, numbering 57 million.
Access to the City
The Rocky Mountain Center also addresses architectural access to state and local governments within its region. The ADA ensures that the Public Right of Way (also known as the sidewalk) is accessible to persons with disability needs. For instance, City Parks must be accessible. Under the ADA, each city with a population of more than 50 people must have an ADA coordinator. Coordinators are the contact for the community and provide a grievance procedure for violations. Cities must also follow the rules in the ADA, and the DOJ performs random audits of cities across America.
People may be born with disabilities, be injured or diagnosed with an illness, or have age-related disabilities. The population of people with disabilities is growing at an incredible rate. As the baby boomers age, this rate will increase. Any person can become disabled; it is not dependent on education or economic status. People with disabilities want the same rights that are afforded to all people. The Rocky Mountain Center helps them access their environment.
To get information or advice from the Rocky Mountain ADA Center, you can simply call 800-949-4232 Monday through Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm or visit: www.adainformation.org.
1The Rocky Mountain Center can only address questions related directly to the ADA. To find help with other programs, such as housing, one must call the housing authority directly. The Rocky Mountain Center can and will furnish the phone numbers to other agencies when necessary.
2The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 is codified at 42 USC § 12101 et seq.
3You can file a complaint with the DOJ for various types of ADA violations.
Because of the generality of the information on this site, it may not apply to a given place, time, or set of facts. It is not intended to be legal advice, and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations