Other Related Laws

ADA, IDEA, TWIIA, Architectural Barriers Act

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities

Education• Education Consolidation and Improvement

Act

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

• Higher Education Act

• Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act

• National Library Service for Persons who are Blind & Physically Disabled

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.) Employment

• Job Training Partnership Act

• Fair Labor Standards Act

• Small Business Act

• Wagner-Peyser Act

• Targeted Jobs Tax Credit

• Federal Employment for Individuals with Disabilities

• Handicapped Federal Employees Personal Assistants

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.)

Health

• Medicare

• Medicaid

• National Research Institutes

• Other Programs & Services

• Military Medical Benefits Act

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.)

Income Maintenance

• Federal Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Benefits (Social Security)

• Supplemental Security Income

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.)

Rights

• Americans with Disabilities Act

• Fair Housing Act

• Architectural Barriers Removal

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.)

Transportation

• Urban Mass Transportation Act

Vocational Rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• Technology Assistance Act

Legislation Affecting Persons with Disabilities (cont.)

Miscellaneous

• Agricultural Research Facilities Act

Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA)

Throughout the 1970's and 1980's, Congress enacted numerous bills aimed at protecting individuals with disabilities against discrimination. Safeguards enacted included:

ADA (cont.)

Protection against discrimination in federally assisted and federally conducted programs

Accessibility to facilities and programs supported or operated by the federal government

The right to a free, appropriate education

ADA (cont.)

Entitlement to protection from harm in institutions

Access to protection and advocacy services for those who are developmentally disabled, chronically mentally ill, or severely disabled

The right to medically indicated treatment for infants with disabilities

ADA (cont.)

In 1990, Congress approved the Americans with Disabilities Act (P.L. 101-336), a sweeping affirmation of the rights of citizens with disabilities. A disability is defined as:

ADA (cont.)

A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual

A record of such an impairment or Being regarded as having such an

impairment

ADA (cont.)

The Americans with Disabilities Act, commonly referred to as "ADA," is divided into five titles:

Title I. Prohibits discriminatory employment practices.

Title II. Deals with discrimination in public services.

ADA (cont.)

Title III. Deals with rights and privileges in private settings.

Title IV. Requires phone companies to install telecommunication relay services for persons with speech and hearing impairments.

Title V. Contains miscellaneous provisions.

Architectural Barriers RemovalAct

The Architectural Barriers Act requires most buildings and facilities designed, constructed, or altered with federal funds after 1969 to be accessible to people with physical disabilities. It was intended as a clear statutory mandate for accessible public buildings.

Architectural Barriers Removal Act (cont.)

A compliance board-the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board-was established to ensure compliance and investigate alternative approaches to barriers. This board's responsibility was later expanded to include developing minimum accessibility standards for vehicles and public conveyances.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Called "IDEA," this piece of legislation is the primary source of federal aid to state and local school systems for instructional and support services to children with disabilities. The centerpiece of the Act is a state grant-in-aid program that requires participating states to furnish all children with disabilities a free, appropriate education in the least restrictive setting. Funding covers preschool, elementary, and secondary education.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (cont.)

A "free, appropriate education" includes: Special education, defined as "specially

designed instruction, at no cost to parents or guardians, to meet the unique needs of the child…including classroom instruction, instruction in physical education, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions;" and

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (cont.)

Related services, defined as "transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supported services" needed for the child to benefit from special education. Examples of related services are speech pathology, psychological services, recreation, and counseling.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (cont.)

Major programs funded under IDEA include:

Basic state grants for education Preschool state grants Early intervention state grants Innovative programs for children with

severe disabilities Post-secondary education

Ticket to Work (TWIIA) What is the Ticket Program? The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency

Program is an employment program for people with disabilities who are interested in going to work. The Ticket Program is part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 – legislation designed to remove many of the barriers that previously influenced people’s decisions about going to work because of the concerns over losing health care coverage

Ticket to Work (TWIIA) (cont.)

The goal of the Ticket Program is to increase opportunities and choices for Social Security disability beneficiaries to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other support services from public and private providers, employers, and other organizations.

Ticket to Work (TWIIA) (cont.)

Under the Ticket Program, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability beneficiaries with a Ticket to see an image of a Ticket) they may use to obtain the services and jobs they need from a new universe of organizations called Employment Networks (ENs).

Ticket to Work (TWIIA) (cont.)

Day-to-day administration of the Ticket Program is the responsibility of the Program Manager (PM). SSA has contracted with MAXIMUS, a private company, to perform this role.