Brooke Ellison, an important disability rights advocate, died on February 4, 2024. One of the first quadriplegic Harvard graduates, she became an author, professor, and powerful voice for people with disabilities. She was very passionate about stem cell research and medical ethics issues and was recognized worldwide for her efforts. Brooke was Vice President of … Continued
The Disability Rights Bureau of California enforces state laws that protect people with disabilities from discrimination. These laws deal with things like employment, housing, education, and public services. The Bureau works with other parts of the government and deals with different issues related to fairness and equality. If you have a problem related to disability … Continued
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) has information about creating and maintaining effective community partnerships. These partnerships can help with hiring, keeping, and supporting employees with disabilities. Businesses gain from working with national, regional, and local organizations. The website talks about: Organizations that can help businesses find applicants with disabilities, Tips … Continued
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) thinks it’s possible for all cell phones in the US to work well with hearing aids. On January 26, 2024, they asked for people’s comments about how this requirement could be put into effect. They want comments on topics including: Using Bluetooth to connect between wireless handset models and hearing … Continued
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) has a new toolkit to help small businesses find, hire, keep, and promote people with disabilities. Meant for small business owners and hiring managers. Small businesses are super important for the economy and communities. Most businesses in the US are small and employ almost half … Continued
In this edition of Breaking Waves: Black History Month celebrates the strengths and talents of Black individuals. Black leaders supported disability rights through actions like protests and legal efforts. Black people and those with disabilities continue to face unfair treatment. A list of articles explores what it’s like for people who are Black and disabled … Continued
The U.S. Access Board has a helpful YouTube channel with videos about accessibility. Recently, they added three new videos: “Welcome to the U.S. Access Board” gives an overview of what the Board does. “Learn How to File an Architectural Barriers Act Complaint” covers filing complaints about accessibility issues. “Online Resources from the U.S. Access Board” … Continued
The Justice Department is providing information about what it’s doing to make sure upcoming elections are fair and safe for everyone. It has different divisions that help make sure: All eligible people can vote without dealing with discrimination and intimidation, and Our elections are protected and free from problems created by outside groups and governments. … Continued
The Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) wrote a letter to state Medicaid heads. They want to make sure Medicaid programs follow the rules of the ADA and allow people who have both Hepatitis C (HCV) and substance use disorder (SUD) to get medications called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). More than two … Continued
Senators Wyden and Duckworth think the Department of Transportation (DOT) is making it harder for people with service animals to travel. They want the DOT to use an easier, accessible online service animal travel form instead of the current difficult paperwork. The required form is currently only offered in a PDF format and is hard … Continued
