Americans with Disabilities Act Archives - Disability Rights Maryland

4 older adults outside smiling (one in a wheelchair, one with a walker, and two with canes) and a worker

Celebrating 30 Years of PAIR Programming

Posted on August 11, 2023

We are excited to celebrate the anniversary of the Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) Program.

What is the PAIR Program?

Congress established the PAIR Program in 1993 under an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act. With PAIR Program funding, DRM protects and advances the legal and human rights of people with physical, hearing or vision disabilities.

What type of advocacy does the PAIR Program fund?

DRM used PAIR Program funding to help Baltimoreans who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing engage in local politics.

In 2021, DRM began working with a resident of Baltimore who is hard-of-hearing and has a keen interest in politics at all levels. Our client was extremely frustrated because virtual meetings hosted by Baltimore City were not accessible for them. These meetings were broadcast live on a platform called CharmTV.

DRM took action! We wrote a letter to the mayor highlighting our concerns about how d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens were being denied meaningful participation in the City’s programs, and stressing the City’s obligation to make all programs and services accessible. After several meetings involving DRM, our client, the City officials, and with the support of the Maryland Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, we achieved some positive outcomes.

The City agreed to incorporate American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for public addresses and introduced Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) captioning. CART captioning uses a special kind of keyboard to provide accurate translations that appear on screens, laptops, and devices. Further, the mayor’s office created a Frequently Asked Questions document and internal resource guide to make sure meetings are accessible to everyone.

DRM’s advocacy, funded by the PAIR Program, has the potential to impact the population of over 117,100 individuals who are hard of hearing or deaf in at least one ear in Baltimore City.

We are happy to be able to serve more people, creating a more integrated and just society, thanks to funding from PAIR program.

Honoring Judith Heumann’s Legacy on the Anniversary of the ADA

Posted on July 26, 2023

In July, we celebrate Disability Pride Month to commemorate the passing of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990. It is a time to acknowledge the history, accomplishments, experiences and challenges of disability communities. This is the first year we celebrate without Judith Heumann, “the mother” of the disability rights movement, who played an important role in advocating for passage of the ADA.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Judith’s courageous efforts and advocacy during public protests, including the famous 504 Sit-in, focused attention on the rights and needs of people with disabilities. Her work and that of other disability rights activists contributed to the momentum behind the push for comprehensive civil rights legislation for people with disabilities, leading to the eventual passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

The ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law enacted to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities and to ensure that they have equitable access and opportunities.

The ADA prohibits disability discrimination in many areas:

Employment: Employers cannot discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. They must provide reasonable accommodations to help employees perform their jobs.

State and Local Government Services: Government programs and services, including public education, health care and voting, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Transportation: Public transportation services must provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services.

Public Places: Business that are open to the public like restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues must be accessible to people with disabilities. Physical barriers should be removed or reduced.

Telecommunications: Phone companies must provide relay services for people with hearing or speech impairments.

The ADA has significantly improved the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities and fostered a more inclusive society in our nation. Judith Heumann’s leadership stood out in the crusade and victory for inclusion, as well as respect and acceptance of people with disabilities. Her voice defined what justice is and what justice means for people with disabilities.

DRM will continue to proudly celebrate Judith’s legacy and those that continue her work by presenting the Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award to individuals who embody the values, accomplishments, and spirit that she infused into the disability rights revolution.

Learn more about Judith Heumann and the Disability Rights Movement.

Learn more about why and how to celebrate Disability Pride Month 2023.

Happy 30th Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)!

Posted on July 26, 2020

On the 30th anniversary of the ADA, Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) salutes its community, partners, and friends who were instrumental in forging and implementing this landmark legislation for people with disabilities. DRM is singularly proud of its accomplishments, achieved in collaboration with its partners, in litigation, policy work and advocacy to actualize the principles of the ADA in Maryland which include:

Closure of Rosewood, formerly Maryland’s largest institution for people with developmental disabilities, where residents endured illegal and inhumane conditions;
Improvement in access to public transportation and quality of transportation services for over 30,000 persons with disabilities;
Significant increase in the availability of home and community-based care and services;
Requirement to have Braille signage and other accessibility modifications in medical centers;
Creation of accessible aisles in retail stores to accommodate shoppers using wheelchairs;
Requirement for flashing doorbells and smoke detectors to be in housing for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
Increased access for voters with disabilities to the electoral process and polling places that include accessible voting systems;
Inclusion of children and youth with disabilities in daycares and camps;
Inclusion of students with disabilities in extra curricular school activities;
Litigation resulting in the creation of thousands of units of affordable and accessible housing for people with disabilities.

Though we have come a long way, much work remains to be done. Together, in partnership with you, DRM is committed to creating a world in which people with disabilities are fully included in the workplace, neighborhoods and all aspects of community life.

Photo Credit: ADA National Network (adata.org)

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Celebrating 30 Years of PAIR Programming

Honoring Judith Heumann’s Legacy on the Anniversary of the ADA

Happy 30th Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)!

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Happy 30th Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)!