Creating your Accessibility Plan. Readily Achievable Barrier Removal ◦ Individuals with...

Creating your Accessibility Plan

Readily Achievable Barrier Removal◦Individuals with disabilities may not be

denied the full and equal enjoyment of the goods and services, facilities, privileges, and advantages, or accommodations

◦Readily Achievable means “easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense”

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Reference: PRH Chapter 6: 6.11, R7 (g) Centers must complete and update annually

an accessibility plan. The plan should focus on readily achievable barrier removal – easily accomplished and inexpensive measures that staff members can take to make the center more accessible to those with disabilities

This plan is not intended to be used to determine compliance for new construction or facilities being altered and is separate from the center’s facility survey requirement in PRH 5:5.10

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The ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal was updated to reflect the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design

A new tool for assessing the programmatic accessibility was developed; the Center Accessibility Tool replaces the Center Self-Evaluation Tool

A sample accessibility plan is now available to give center staff members ideas for improving accessibility and a sample format for maintaining their plan

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The plan should be used as a tool to get the staff thinking about simple ways to ensure that students with disabilities can have access and participate in the program on a basis equal with students without disabilities

Through annual review of your plan, barrier removal that was not readily achievable initially may later become so because the center may have the additional resources

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Architectural and Programmatic Accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines an architectural barrier as any feature that prevents people with disabilities from accessing or mobilizing through a building ◦Use the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable

Barrier Removal to survey your centers entrances and exits: Are there ramps for access into and out of the

building? Are there lever door handles?

Available at http://www.adachecklist.org/checklist.html

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Use this checklist to survey your centers entrances and exits: ◦Are their ramps for access into and out of the

building? ◦Are there lever door handles? ◦Is their clear floor space with a wheelchair

turning radius?

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The ADA defines programmatic accessibility as all policies, practices and procedures that permit people with disabilities to participate in programs and to access important information

Determine programmatic accessibility by using the Center Accessibility Tool

◦ Are applicants/students made aware that they are entitled to reasonable accommodations?

◦ Are students with disabilities encouraged to participate in all recreational trips and programs?

Available on the Job Corps Disability website

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Are posters recognizing the rights of people with disabilities prominently displayed for staff and students to read?

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Does the center have accessible communication options available?

Qualified interpreters Large print materials Brailed materials

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Recruit support: The safety and facilities maintenance staff should play a primary role in completing the architectural portion of this task. Other members of the RAC (Career Tech, Counseling, Transition, Residential, Recreation and Human Resource Managers, etc.) should assist with programmatic aspects of the tool

Create the plan with the RAC: Develop an accessibility plan with priorities and next steps based on the results of the barrier removal checklist and Center Accessibility Tool

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A sample Center Accessibility Plan was created◦To provide centers a sample format for

maintaining their plan ◦To provide examples of solutions

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Review and update the plan annually Remember this should be a center-wide

task

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Program Instruction 12-18 requires center’s accessibility plan to be based on the new ADA Checklist and Center Accessibility Tool by August 2013

What does this mean?

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If your center does not have an accessibility plan, the Center Director should ensure the:

◦ Completion of the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal

◦ Completion of the program Center Accessibility Tool

◦ Development of an accessibility plan with priorities and next steps based on the results of the ADA Checklist and Center Accessibility tool

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If your center already has an accessibility plan in place, when the next annual update is due (or by August 2013 whichever comes first):

◦ Reassess the architectural accessibility using the updated ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal

◦ Reassess the programmatic accessibility using the Center Accessibility Tool

◦ Update current accessibility plan taking into consideration the results of the updated ADA Checklist and the new Center Accessibility Tool

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ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal is available at http://www.adachecklist.org/checklist.html

Center Accessibility Tool is available on the Job Corps Disability Website under Frequently Requested Documents

Sample Center Accessibility/Barrier Removal plan is also available on the Job Corps Disability Website under the Accessibility section of the Disability Coordinator Orientation

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Laura Kuhnlaura.kuhn@humanitas.com Nikki Jackson

nikki.jackson@humanitas.com Kim Joneskim.jones@humanitas.com Kristen Philbrookkristen.philbrook@humanitas.com

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