ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

G. Access to Social Services, Temporary Lodging or Housing, and Other Benefit Programs

State and local governments often provide social services and other benefit programs to assist people harmed by emergencies and disasters. These programs need to be accessible to all, including people with disabilities. Following are some important points to remember:

• Application procedures should not limit access by people with disabilities. For example, programs that require people to apply by telephone may exclude people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Inaccessible web-based application procedures and printed application forms may exclude people who are blind or have low vision. Programs that require in-person applications may exclude people who, because of their disabilities, are unable to leave shelters or their homes. Procedures that allow people to apply in different ways – providing auxiliary aids and services and reasonable modifications to application procedures when people with disabilities need them – is the most effective way to ensure equal access. 

• Information about social services and other benefit programs should be available in formats that people with communication disabilities can use. For example, during emergencies, announcements about the availability of social services and other benefits are often made orally, whether in radio and television broadcasts or in public announcements at emergency shelters. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may not receive information about these programs unless television broadcasts have open captions, materials describing the programs are posted on websites, or public announcements are translated by a sign language interpreter or posted on shelter bulletin boards. 

• Crisis counseling services will not be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing unless appropriate auxiliary aids and services are provided. In addition, these services need to be offered in physically accessible locations so people with mobility disabilities can use them. 

• Temporary lodging or housing programs will not be accessible to people with mobility disabilities or people who are deaf or hard of hearing unless accessible hotel rooms or accessible temporary housing is available. People with disabilities may be unable to utilize temporary lodging or housing programs without assistance in locating a hotel room or housing that meets their disability-related needs, or without accessible transportation. To prepare for the potential need for temporary housing, identify in your emergency response plan available physically accessible short-term housing, as well as housing with appropriate communication devices, such as TTY's. Temporary accessible housing (such as nearby accessible hotel rooms) may be used if people with disabilities cannot immediately return home after a disaster.