ACAC Accessible Community Advisory Committee Purpose The purpose

ACAC Accessible Community Advisory Committee

Purpose The purpose of The Accessible Communities Act (Chapter 215, Laws of 2010) is to provide resources for counties to promote better disability awareness and access for people who have disabilities.

Washington State Legislature Found that when people who have disabilities are welcomed and included as members of our communities and provided equal access to the opportunities available to others, their participation enriches those communities.

And…. . Found that more than 900, 000 Washington state residents with disabilities continue to face barriers…. barriers that could be eliminated easily.

The Accessible Communities website is accessiblecommunities. wa. gov

RCW 36. 01. 310 • advise the county and other local governments within the county on access to programs, services, and activities, new construction or renovation projects, sidewalks, other pedestrian routes of travel, and disability parking enforcement • advise on addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in emergency plans • develop local initiatives and activities to promote greater awareness of disability issues

Accessible Communities has money to grant!!

Business Sticker from Kitsap County Assistance and Awareness

Counties receiving grants…. so far

Does your County have an ACAC? Options to form one: • Expand your voting access advisory committee • Designate an existing disability advocacy organization • Create a new committee • Join with another county.

Who should serve on the committee? • People with disabilities and/or their family members; • People who have personal experience with disability and disability advocacy; • People who can speak broadly about different types of disabilities and about physical, communication, and program access issues.

Apply for acceptance Submit a Letter of Assurance to the GCDE. The Letter of Assurance indicates approval by your county legislative authority for establishing a cross-disability Accessible Communities Advisory Committee (ACAC), and confirms the qualifications and responsibilities of the ACAC.

Funding from GCDE is available for 1) Preparation and implementation of projects, ranging from elimination of physical barriers to dissemination of information, which promote accessibility for people with disabilities. 2) Reimbursement for costs of meetings and other activities of the ACAC, including meeting expenses, travel expenses, interpreters, translators.

Sample

Sample Project Lifesaver provides an invaluable service to people experiencing cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, down syndrome, and autism. The Project Lifesaver program provides participants with a bracelet that emits a radio signal that can assist in locating people who had the propensity to wander. The program also lessens the stress of the constant supervision of loved ones or caregivers by providing an extra level of security. Project Lifesaver

Sample Accessible Port Townsend Map The full page map is provided by the Port Townsend Department of Public Works, showing: • Locations of sidewalks and reasonably accessible curb cuts and curb ramps • Where to find accessible parking • Accessible public restrooms • Payphones with volume control • Buildings with accessible elevators • Transit stops • Accessible postal stations The reverse side contains information about parks shown on the map, Jefferson Transit, selected parks and trails not shown on the map and other useful accessibility information.

Sample Accessible Restaurant Guide • Hyperlink for DASH Accessible Restaurant Guide • Restaurants with Fully Accessible: • Parking & Entrance • Tables & Seating • Food Service • Rest rooms • DASH evaluated the accessibility of many local restaurants using ADA guidelines. This guide lists those found to be “disability friendly”. Restaurant fare, ambiance and expense were not considered, and not all restaurants were evaluated. DASH will gladly evaluate others upon request or recommendation. • Look for the DASH sticker displayed with pride by those restaurants listed as fully accessible.

Sample Service Animal Brochure • The Service Animal Brochure provides the following: • Definitions of what is a service dog/animal in comparison to an emotional support dog/animal or therapy dog, including identification of legal rights. • Explanation of situations where the a disability is not obvious and the need for a service animal is not clear. Information for businesses about whether the animal is a service animal, and an explanation of the businesses’ rights and obligations when a service animal is disruptive. • A goal of the Service Animal Brochure is for individuals with service animals to be better accepted in businesses of all kinds.

Sample Emergency Preparedness Brochure for the Medically Fragile • Emergency Preparedness Brochure for the Medically Fragile- provides information for those with functional and access needs where planning and a support network is critical. • Emergency preparedness can save lives especially for those with function and access needs where planning and a support network is critical.

Sample Co-sponsored movie • Becoming Bulletproof, a documentary about a camp in Vermont where people with disabilities can make movies. • The Jefferson County ACAC partnered with the Port Townsend Film Festival as a sponsor to show the film as well as meet the actors of the film who have disabilities.

Give us a call or email…we will help! Elaine Stefanowicz (pronounced Stef-aw-no-witz) Program Coordinator Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment estefanowicz@esd. wa. gov 360. 902. 9362 office 360. 789. 3029 work cell

This concludes our presentation