Us Department Of Justice Official Release - 03326-526 Txt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1995

CR (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS $1.6 MILLION TO 16 STATE ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Organizations in 16 states across the country were awarded grants worth over $1.6 million to help teach local businesses and governments about how to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Justice Department announced today. The grants will be given to organizations to fund state outreach programs and to arrange state conferences on the ADA. "With accurate information, businesses and governments can make well-informed decisions about how they can best comply with the ADA at a minimal cost," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick. "These grant programs will help local businesses and governments to become more aware of the many resources already available within their own communities that can help them comply with the ADA." Ten organizations in Alaska, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas will conduct statewide projects to educate small businesses both about the variety of ADA resources available locally, regionally, and from the federal government, as well as the basic requirements of Title III of the ADA, which applies to public accommodations and commercial facilities. These small business education grants were awarded to: ​ Access Alaska, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska; ​ America's Woman's Economic Development Corporation of California, Long Beach, California; ​ Center for Independent Living of Central Nebraska, Inc., Grand Island, Nebraska; ​ Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; ​ Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities, Reno, Nevada; ​ The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research/Independent Living Rehabilitation Utilization, Houston, Texas; ​ Jefferson Parish, Harahan, Louisiana; ​ Michigan Retailers Association, Lansing, Michigan; ​ Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center/University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; ​ South Dakota Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, Pierre, South Dakota. Six additional organizations received funding to conduct statewide ADA information-sharing conferences for state and local government officials. Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and North Carolina will organize conferences to educate government officials about the resources available on the ADA and about the requirements of Title II of the law. Title II applies to activities, programs and services of state and local governments. Organizations awarded these statewide information-sharing grants were: ​ Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities, Phoenix, Arizona; ​ Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, New Haven, Connecticut;

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Granite State Independent Living Foundation, Concord, New Hampshire; Futures Unlimited, Inc./Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns, Wellington, Kansas; Massachusetts Office on Disability, Boston, Massachusetts; National Association of ADA Coordinators, Long Beach, California (to hold a conference for North Carolina).

These new projects will expand the reach of the Department's ADA technical assistance program by providing additional information and guidance tailored to meet the unique needs of local businesses and governments. The ADA, enacted in 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. The Department operates a toll-free ADA Information Line to obtain answers to questions they may have about the ADA. The numbers are 1-800-514-0301 (Voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY). # # # 95-526