[nagdu] working with local health departments

[Jenine Stanley]

Have any of the NAGDU affiliates, or NAGDU at the national level, undertaken
educational projects with local health departments regarding restaurant
regulations versus public access regs? 
 
I ask because I'm sure we've all encountered situations where restaurant
staff cite health department regs as a reason for denial of entry. We all
know this is usually a gross misunderstanding of the regs regarding animals
around food and is usually a result of poor staff training.I wonder though
if local health departments provide any information about service animals
and public access when discussing animals around food? I vaguely recall some
local health departments, and I want to say it was in the Orlando area when
I lived down there, that did include this type of info in educational
materials but that would have been over 15 years ago now. 
 
I also have experienced, and have certainly heard lots of anecdotes,
restaurant staff who will not even believe the police regarding access laws.
They will only trust the word of a health inspector. This is one reason why
it might be good to have a dialog with local health inspectors so they can
convey the difference between animals around food and service animal
handlers with public access rights. 
Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com