Media Contact:            Mat McCollough; (202) 727-6744

As the nation marks the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this Sunday, the District’s Office of Disability Rights (ODR) is celebrating this monumental civil rights law in our country’s history.  The ADA and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities to access businesses, employment, transportation, state and local government programs, services, and telecommunications.

“ODR is dedicated to continuing our efforts to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life,” said Derek K. Orr, ODR Acting Director.  “We look forward to new collaborative opportunities and partnerships for increasing awareness and access for District residents with disabilities in the future.”

The ADA’s anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on how far the District Government has come in improving the “real life” opportunities for approximately 116,000 residents with disabilities serving and living in the community – roughly 20 percent of the population of the city.

Since its establishment in November 2007, the Office of Disability Rights (ODR) has worked tirelessly to promote and strengthen the compliance of the ADA.  Furthermore, ODR acknowledges and commends our fellow District agencies and all community organizations, advocates, and residents for their continued commitment and assistance with the District’s continuous efforts to meet the needs of our citizens with disabilities.  Some significant accomplishments in the past year include:

• Improved Communication with Residents with Disabilities: ODR has implemented a District-wide policy for the Provision of Auxiliary Aids for Communication with People with Disabilities. Under this policy, agencies will ensure that information is conveyed effectively to people with vision, hearing, and speech disabilities by providing sign language interpreters, Braille materials, and other auxiliary aids. In addition, ODR begun a project to centralize dispatch and payment of sign language interpreters. 
• DC: One Community for All – Integrating People with Disabilities into Their Communities:  ODR led the development of the District’s “Olmstead” Community Integration Plan known as DC: One Community for All.  This plan focuses on the collaborative efforts of 14 District agencies to move people with disabilities out of institutional settings and into home and community-based settings.
• Comprehensive Disability Rights Education Program:  ODR developed and disseminated training curricula on the Americans with Disabilities Act Title I and Title II, Disability Sensitivity, and the Fair Housing Act.  Over 800 District employees and contractors have participated in ODR’s disability rights education program in this fiscal year alone.
• Implemented the Reasonable Accommodation Program for District Employees:  ODR implemented initiatives to increase DC Government’s employment of qualified people with disabilities:

1. Manual for Accommodating Employees with Disabilities – This manual provides practical guidance for DC government employees, supervisors, and human resource personnel about the ADA requirements for reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities.
2. Reasonable Accommodations Program – ODR arranged and funded reasonable accommodations under the ADA for qualified employees and applicants with disabilities.
3. Surveys of District Agencies and Employees – In order to assess the District’s progress in hiring qualified candidates with disabilities.

For more information about the Office of Disability Rights, please contact (202) 724-5055 and visit the ODR website (http://odr.dc.gov/).