According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), a significant number of individuals with disabilities spend their day receiving public services in sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs. In a report titled, Beyond Segregated and Exploited, the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) estimates that over 400,000 people are sent to sheltered workshops where they earn less than the federal minimum wage. This environment results in stigmatization and a lack of economic independence. These settings segregate individuals from the community and provide little or no opportunity to interact with people without disabilities, other than paid staff. Continue Reading
ADA Live! Episode 125: Applying the ADA’s Integration Mandate and Olmstead v. L.C. to Sheltered Employment and Day Services for People with Disabilities
ADA Live! Episode 124: Global Disability Rights and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Each year the United Nations recognizes December 3 as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme is “United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for with and by people with disabilities.” In this episode we discuss the work and mission of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and highlight some of the important issues facing people with disabilities around the world. Continue Reading
Giuseppe Pagano
Giuseppe Franco “Joey” Pagano is a research assistant at the Burton Blatt Institute, contributing in a variety of ways. A writer by nature, he works across projects, assisting with knowledge translation efforts, managing social media accounts, developing research and policy briefs, contributing to academic papers, and more. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in education and disability studies, he seeks to combine his skills, knowledge and experience to help address barriers to employment, education and full economic and social equity facing those with disabilities.
Episode 123: Understanding the Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
On this episode of ADA Live! we discuss how people with disabilities can be affected by traumatic events or experiences, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person and the effects can be delayed. People who have PTSD may meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of a disability by having an impairment or condition that impacts one or more major life activities. Continue Reading
Episode 121: Suicide Awareness and Prevention
September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC: “Suicide rates increased about 36% from 2000 to 2021. Suicide resulted in 48,183 deaths in 2021, which is about one death every 11 minutes. The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. In 2021 about 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide and 1.7 million attempted suicide. “ (Source: cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html) Continue Reading
Jenny Sykes
Jenny has worked in the field of disability services for over twenty-five years. Her interest began early due to growing up with family members with disabilities. She saw the impact of disability discrimination and wanted to become an advocate for change.
Jenny has worked in community health centers, food banks, and shelters for families with no housing. In 2000, she began working specifically with individuals with disabilities as a Case Manager. Since then, her experience has been with state and local government operations.
Since locating to Florida, Jenny has held a variety of roles. She worked for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) as a Supports Consultant, Supported Employment Coordinator, and Licensing Specialist. While with APD, Jenny coordinated Disability Mentoring Day activities in central Florida. Jenny was also a Senior Counselor for Florida Vocational Rehabilitation and a part-time Care Manager for an elder-care service. Before joining the Southeast ADA Center, she was the ADA Specialist for the City of Lakeland, Florida.
Jenny received her undergraduate degree in Human Services from the University of Massachusetts and her Master of Science in Counseling from California State University. Jenny is certified as an ADA Coordinator by the University of Missouri-College of Human and Environmental Science, School of Architectural Studies.
Episode 119: Celebrate the ADA! Learn about ADA National Network and NIDILRR
Join our celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the ADA with our guest, Shelley Reeves, the ADA National Network Program Coordinator and Section 21 Program Coordinator for NIDILRR. On this episode we will learn more about NIDILLR’s mission, projects and programs that help each regional ADA Center in the ADA National Network serve and support diverse communities of people with disabilities and other ADA stakeholders throughout the United States.
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New ADA Live podcast! Episode 118: Learn about Aphasia
Aphasia is a communication disability that affects our ability to understand written and spoken language. Aphasia can happen suddenly, often following a stroke or head injury or it may also develop slowly, as the result of a brain tumor or a progressive neurological disease. Aphasia does not affect a person’s ability to think or reason. Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders, such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage. (Source: nidcd.nih.gov/health/aphasia)
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New Disability Rights Today podcast! Episode 8: Perez v Sturgis Public Schools
On March 21, 2023, the United States Supreme Court in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools unanimously decided that individuals who have entered into a settlement resolving their claims under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), can also pursue claims for money damages against school districts under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) without exhausting the administrative process under IDEA. This decision reverses a decision made by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Continue Reading
New ADA Live podcast! Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice
For people with hearing loss and deafness, communication barriers in health care result in the inability to understand critical health information. In the United States, about 1 in every 8 people of all ages has some form of hearing loss. Behind arthritis and heart disease, hearing loss is the third most common disability. (Source: HealthyHearing.com) Continue Reading