Mission, vision, and values
Our mission
The Pacific ADA Center’s mission is to provide resources, training, and support to improve awareness and understanding of the rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Our vision
A community that values the full and equal participation of people with disabilities
Our values
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)
We want to raise awareness about how common it is to have a disability. Disability includes:
- Physical
- Intellectual
- Psychiatric
- Developmental
- Cognitive
- Hearing
- Vision
- Sensory
- Communication
- Health disabilities
Learn more about what disability includes.
We want to make sure disability is included as part of DEIA efforts across our region.
Disability intersects with every race, gender, ethnicity, and cultural background.
We strive to provide:
- Culturally competent services to all individuals with disabilities. We have a priority to reach individuals with disabilities from minority populations that are most impacted by inequity.
- An inclusive environment that celebrates diversity. This includes sharing stories and thoughts from populations that have been underrepresented in the disability rights movement.
We commit to making sure our information and resources are fully accessible and easy to understand. We will provide any resource in an alternative format or another language upon request.
Reliable and knowledgeable
The majority of our staff have a disability. We have experienced the same barriers to access and inclusion as the community we serve.
Our staff have a wide range of degrees and training. This includes advanced degrees in public health, law, special education, and more. Our staff also includes:
- Former disability rights attorneys
- Certified ADA Coordinator
- Certified Access Specialist
Our staff commits to staying up-to-date with current legal, government, technology, and resource information. Each staff member is required to complete at least 18 hours of professional development training each year.
We seek to be subject matter experts who provide correct, timely, and useful resources and information to everyone who contacts us.
Collaborative, supportive, and approachable
We want to support individuals with disabilities when they face discrimination. We will give them the tools they need and connect them to our community partners to advocate for equal access.
We also want to be an ally to local governments, business owners, employers, and educators. We help them learn about their obligations under the ADA and other disability rights laws and reach their goals for access and inclusion.
We collaborate with different types of organizations throughout our region to reach as many people as possible. These partnerships are key to educating the community about the ADA and other related laws.
We seek to be an empowering, non-judgmental, and reliable resource for the community.