Celebrating 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

VGM & Associates, U.S. Rehab, and NCART are partnering together to raise awareness for the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The anniversary campaign, which will run from May to July, will highlight the importance of equipment that meets an individual’s needs and how the ADA’s intent is a theme of our industry initiatives.

ADA and Complex Rehab Technology (CRT)

We recently sat down with Senator Tom Harkin (retired), a lifelong champion of people with disabilities. Sen. Harkin was the lead sponsor of the ADA when it passed in the Senate.

This video below restates the purpose of the ADA and how it applies to those who utilize CRT; urging policy makers to take action to ensure that people with disabilities have adequate access to CRT in order to gain the full promise of the ADA.

“We are so pleased to have worked with NCART and Senator Harkin to put some great info together for the anniversary of the ADA,” said Greg Packer, president of U.S. Rehab, the complex rehab division of VGM & Associates. “We must continue to move our support to help those who are vulnerable achieve the goals they are striving for to better themselves without jeopardizing the achievements they have made.”

Celebrating 30 Years of the ADA: An Interview with U.S. Rehab and Tim Ascherl

Listen in as U.S. Rehab President Greg Packer talks with Tim Ascherl who sustained a C-5/6 spinal cord injury in 1987 while wrestling for Drake University. As a quadriplegic, Tim uses a manual wheelchair, accessible ramp van, roll-in shower, and various hand splints on a daily basis. Tim was the President / Partner of Advanced Rehab Technologies (DME) from 2001-2015, and is currently a Board Member for the United Spinal Association Iowa Chapter, and a Board Member for the Permobil Foundation.

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History of the ADA

The ADA, signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, was intended to ensure that any individual was not socially defined or limited in life by a disability. For those who rely on the equipment and services provided by the Home Medical Equipment and Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) industry, the ADA is a promise only fulfilled when they have appropriate access to maintain their independence and protect their health.

ADA Titles

The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life.

Title I (Employment): Equal Employment Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities

This title is designed to help people with disabilities access the same employment opportunities and benefits available to people without disabilities.

Learn more about Title I here!

Title II (State and Local Government): Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services

Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in all programs, activities, and services of public entities.

Learn more about Title II here!

Title III (Public Accommodations): Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities

This title prohibits private places of public accommodation from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.

Learn more about Title III here!

Title IV (Telecommunications)

This title requires telephone and Internet companies to provide a nationwide system of interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services that allows individuals with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate over the telephone.

Learn more about Title IV here!

Title V (Miscellaneous Provisions)

The final title contains a variety of provisions relating to the ADA as a whole, including its relationship to other laws, state immunity, its impact on insurance providers and benefits, prohibition against retaliation and coercion, illegal use of drugs, and attorney’s fees.

Learn more about Title V here!

More information can be found here.

ADA Resources

Photo Gallery

Pictures Courtesy of Harkin Institute

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