[nfbmi-talk] FW: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF SWANSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, TO ENSURE CIVIC ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

[Fred wurtzel]

From: Outreach , Disability (CRT) [mailto:Disability.Outreach at usdoj.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 11:09 AM
To: Basrawi, Mazen (CRT)
Subject: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF SWANSEA,
MASSACHUSETTS, TO ENSURE CIVIC ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

 

Description: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

___________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                  Civil
Rights Division

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011
( 202) 514-2007

WWW.JUSTICE.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF SWANSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, 

TO ENSURE CIVIC ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

WASHINGTON - An agreement has been reached with the town of Swansea, Mass.,
to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with
disabilities, the Justice Department today announced. The agreement was
reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the department's wide-ranging
initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"Individuals with disabilities must have the opportunity to participate in
local government programs, services and activities on an equal basis with
their neighbors," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General of the
Civil Rights Division.  "I commend Swansea's officials for their big
commitment to make this small town's programs and facilities accessible to
residents and visitors with disabilities.  We hope that other cities and
counties throughout the country will follow Swansea's example by working
with us to make their communities fully accessible." 

PCA was initiated to ensure that persons with disabilities have an equal
opportunity to participate in civic life, a fundamental part of American
society.  As part of the PCA initiative, Justice Department investigators,
attorneys and architects survey state and local government facilities,
services and programs in communities across the country to identify the
modifications needed for compliance with the ADA. The agreements are
tailored to address the steps each community must take to improve access.
This agreement is the 187th reached under the PCA initiative. 

        Under the agreement announced today, Swansea will take several
important steps to improve access for individuals with disabilities, such
as:

*	Making physical modifications to facilities surveyed by the
department so that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, service areas
and counters, restrooms, public telephones and drinking fountains are
accessible to people with disabilities;

*	Surveying other facilities and programs and making modifications
wherever necessary to achieve full compliance with ADA requirements;

*	Posting, publishing and distributing a notice to inform members of
the public of the provisions of Title II of the ADA and their applicability
to the town's programs, services and activities; 

*	Training town staff in using the Massachusetts Relay Service as a
key means of communicating with individuals who are deaf, are
hard-of-hearing or have speech impairments; 

*	Undertaking the required planning and modifications to ensure equal,
integrated access to emergency management for individuals with disabilities,
including emergency preparedness, notification, evacuation, sheltering,
response, clean up and recovery; 

*	Ensuring that the town's official website and other web-based
services are accessible to people with disabilities;

*	Developing a method for providing information for interested persons
with disabilities concerning the existence and location of the town's
accessible services, activities and programs; 

*	Installing signs at any inaccessible entrance to a facility
directing individuals with disabilities to an accessible entrance or to
information about accessing programs and services at other accessible
facilities; and 

*	Implementing a comprehensive plan to improve the accessibility of
sidewalks, transportation stops and pedestrian crossings by installing
accessible curb ramps throughout the town of Swansea. 

Swansea was established in 1663 as a colonial site.  The historical town is
located in Bristol County at the mouth of the Taunton River in southeastern
Massachusetts, less than 50 miles from Boston.  According to U.S. Census
data, Swansea has just under 16,000 residents.  Approximately 16 percent of
Swansea residents have a disability and will benefit from this agreement.

Today's agreement was reached under Title II of the ADA, which prohibits
discrimination against individuals with disabilities by state and local
governments. The agreement will remain in effect for three years from Feb.
15, 2011, or until all actions required by the agreement have been
completed, whichever is later.  The department will actively monitor
compliance with the agreement until all required actions have been
completed.

        People interested in finding out more about the ADA, today's
agreement with the town of Swansea, the Project Civic Access initiative or
the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments can access
the ADA Web page at www.ada.gov
<http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/April/www.ada.gov>  or call the
toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY).  

        More information regarding the agreement is available at
www.ada.gov/swansea_pca/swansea_facsht.html
<file:///\\www.ada.gov\swansea_pca\swansea_facsht.html> . 

###

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CONTACTS IN THE MESSAGE OR CALL THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT
202-514-2007.

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