Community Living for All: Celebrating 25 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Community Living for All: Celebrating 25 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Monday, June 22, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM (EDT), Washington, DC

Please join us for a celebration of two historic victories for inclusion and community living.

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, extending critical civil rights protections to people with disabilities. The ADA was a result of decades of efforts by disability rights advocates to raise awareness of the injustices and prejudice they so often experienced, change public perceptions of disability, and demand the full rights of citizenship. Because of these efforts, over the last 25 years the ADA has protected millions from discrimination and improved access to businesses, public spaces, transportation, communication, and employment.

Nine years after the ADA became law, on June 22, 1999, the Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v. L.C. that unjustified segregation of people with disabilities is a form of unlawful discrimination under the ADA. This landmark decision requires states to ensure that people with disabilities can receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

In observance of the anniversaries of these historic milestones, please join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for a celebration of the progress of the last 25 years and a discussion of the work that lies ahead.

Speakers include:
•Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator, Administration for Community Living
•Sharon Lewis, Principal Deputy Administrator, Administration for Community Living
•Jocelyn Samuels, Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
•Judy Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, U.S. Department of State
•Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director, Justice in Aging
 
Panel Discussion: Beyond Access – Creating Truly Inclusive Communities

The ADA literally opened doors for people with disabilities, and in the 25 years since, our country has become far more inclusive. But enabling full community participation and integration for all people requires deliberate planning and intentional decisions by both the community and people who need assistance to fully participate in them. Moderated by John Tschida, Director of ACL’s National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, this panel will talk about “livable communities,” universal design, and strategies for planning for and adapting to changing individual needs. The panel includes:
•Diana Braun, Disability Advocate and Volunteer, Illinois Department of Human Services
•Susan Reinhard, Senior Vice President for Public Policy, AARP
•Tom Seekins, Director, University of Montana Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
 
Registration is required by noon ET on Thursday, June 18th. Space is limited. CART and ASL interpreters will be provided; accommodations can be requested on the RSVP form. Please contact Zoe Gross or Rohmteen Mokhtari at aclinfo@acl.hhs.gov with additional questions.