The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990 to promote, among other goals, economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Nevertheless, many people with disabilities do not achieve this goal. In fact, people with disabilities and other underserved groups are disproportionately affected by poverty. Research shows that having a disability results in a higher risk of experiencing poverty. Underlying explanations point to people with disabilities not only having fewer opportunities for well-paying jobs, but also having extra costs associated with their disabilities, including medical treatment, care, housing, and transportation. Despite this well-established link between poverty and disability, the relationship between these factors and other characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and gender, remains understudied. Continue Reading
News
Dr. Nare Galstyan Appointed as BBI’s Assistant Director for the California Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs) Evaluation Project.
Dr. Nare Galstyan has been appointed to the position of Assistant Director of the California Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PADs) evaluation project. Continue Reading
New Research Brief – Dismantling Barriers: How Disability, Race, and Other Characteristics Influence Employment Outcomes
Because understanding intersectionality is critical in creating inclusive and effective policies and practices that reach all people with disabilities, we at the Southeast ADA Center are undertaking a four-part research project to identify the ways in which multiple forms of discrimination can intersect and compound and lead to disparate ADA-related outcomes. Continue Reading
New ADALive! Episode 137: Celebrate 35 Years of Progress at the 2025 National ADA Symposium
The ADA Live episode features Barry Whaley and Troy Balthazor discussing the 2025 ADA National Symposium, which will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ADA. The symposium, hosted by the Great Plains ADA Center, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 15-18, 2025. Continue Reading
BBI Welcomes Elaina Peterkin & Michelle D. Schilling, Research Associates for the Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PADs) Innovation Project in California
BBI welcomes two new team members, Elaina Peterkin & Michelle Schilling- Research Associates, that will work with the team evaluating the Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PADs) Innovation Project in California, which is designed to support people during a mental health crisis as well as during the recovery process. Continue Reading
ADALive! Episode 136: Advocating for Your Child and Disability Rights at School
Barry Whaley and Sally Miracle discuss the rights of children with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Sally, a special education consultant, explains these laws, emphasizing that the ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Continue Reading
New ADALive! Episode 135: The Open Road: Your Right to Accessible Travel
Our guest for this episode is Eric Lipp, founder and executive director of Open Doors Organization. The mission of the non-profit Open Doors Organization is to make goods and services accessible to people with disabilities in travel, tourism and transportation. Their goal is to teach businesses how to succeed in the disability market, while simultaneously empowering the disability community. Continue Reading
New ADALive! Episode 134: ‘I Am in Here’ – Elizabeth Bonker’s Mission to Expand the Power of Neurodiversity
As many as 40% of people with autism are non-speaking — which is more than 30 million worldwide. Yet only a small fraction of non-speakers have been taught how to type to communicate. We talk with Elizabeth Bonker about her mission to enable non-speaking persons with disabilities to find their voices and how the ADA helped her share her own remarkable story. Continue Reading
New Episode 133: ADA Rule on Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Government
State and local governments provide many services, programs, and activities through websites and mobile applications (apps). When these are not accessible, they create barriers for people with disabilities to access government services and programs, like tax information, building permits, or garbage collection payments. Inaccessibility can also keep people with disabilities from joining or fully participating in civic or other community events like town meetings or programs at their child’s school. Continue Reading
BBI welcomes Ingrid Stefano, Director of Research Administration
The Burton Blatt Institute welcomes our new Director of Research Administration, Ingrid Stefano. Originally from Norway, Ingrid has worked within financial grant management at a Norwegian university prior to joining BBI. Her background spans grant management, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting as well as finance transformation, service delivery design, and process improvement. As a former Manager at a Big 4 management consulting firm, she has worked with a broad range of organizations and industries, but is particularly interested in mission-driven organizations. She holds both an MA and MBA from universities in the U.S. and completed her undergraduate studies in Norway and Italy. As Director of Research Administration at BBI and in liaison with the Office of Research, she will oversee BBI’s budget, proposal processes and grant administration, including ensuring compliance with SU administrative processes.