Greetings everyone,
This and next week's newsletters are dedicated to informing our readers of the changes in some of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definitions that became effective last week. Therefore these are very important issues in our newsletter history. This newsletter will cover some of the changes and next week's newsletter will cover some additional changes affecting the deaf and disability communities. Information and explanations in this newsletter is not legal advice. For legal advice, please contact an attorney.
Lets celebrate National Deaf History Month with a day of positive relationships, a day of positive coexistence, and a day of fun at our bowing tournament today. More info on our bowling event http://www.deafadvocacy.org/bowl-a-thon and please join us.
Richard Roehm, Chairman
On behalf of Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
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Our ebay store http://stores.ebay.com/OCDAC-Adaptive-Equipment-and-More
Funds raised would go to supporting a variety of advocacy, training, education, outreach, and residency programs offered by the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center.
Were always adding many new items each month.
Your support is always needed. Please visit the store and see our new items.
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Our meetups scheduling will resume starting May 2011. Please join a group for more information.
The Orange County Deaf & Hearing Impaired Meetup Group http://www.meetup.com/deaf-38/
The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group http://www.meetup.com/asl-37/
Oral Deaf Orange County http://www.meetup.com/deaf-263/
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ADA Definition of : Qualified Interpreter
Qualified interpreter means an interpreter who, via a video remote interpreting (VRI) service or an on-site appearance, is able to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary. Qualified interpreters include, for example, sign language interpreters, oral transliterators, and cued-language transliterators.
Examples : Certification of interpreters through Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is not in the definition. RID certification is not necessary. Basically this is a re-empasization as there are many places throughout the USA still requiring the use of certified interpreters and is attributing to the "shortage of interpreters" condition that allows waivers from the ADA requirements.
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Help us raise some funds with our tupperware fundraiser.
Our tupperware fundraiser http://shortlinks.deafadvocacy.org/tupperware
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ADA Definition of : Service Animals
Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
Examples : Only trained dogs are service animals. Not monkeys, potbellied pigs, hissing cockroaches. Therapy animal services do not meet the definition of work that a service animals does. Minature horses may meet the service animal definition through a completely different, and complicated, set of rules.
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ADA Definition of : Video Remote Interpreting
Video remote interpreting (VRI) service means an interpreting service that uses video conference technology over dedicated lines or wireless technology offering high-speed, wide-bandwidth video connection that delivers high-quality video images as provided in Sec. 36.303(f). Qualified interpreters on-site or through video remote interpreting (VRI) services; notetakers; real-time computer-aided transcription services; written materials; exchange of written notes; telephone handset amplifiers; assistive listening devices; assistive listening systems; telephones compatible with hearing aids; closed caption decoders; open and closed captioning, including real-time captioning; voice, text, and video-based telecommunications products and systems, including text telephones (TTYs), videophones, and captioned telephones, or equally effective telecommunications devices; videotext displays; accessible electronic and information technology; or other effective methods of making aurally delivered information available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing;
Examples : This combines many communication services for the deaf and hard of hearing that were in separate categories into a single category. This probably complicates the separation between VRS and VRI for the purpose of receiving reimbursements from FCC and NECA.
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Donate to Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a transparent organization serving the needs of people with disabilities and our transparency is visible at http://rct.doj.ca.gov/MyLicenseVerification/Details.aspx?agency_id=1&license_id=1003712& and we are current with our State of California reporting requirements.
Give us a hand. Go to https://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=33-0806007
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ADA Definition of : Wheelchairs
Wheelchair means a manually-operated or power-driven device designed primarily for use by an individual with a mobility disability for the main purpose of indoor or of both indoor and outdoor locomotion. This definition does not apply to Federal wilderness areas; wheelchairs in such areas are defined in section 508(c)(2) of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. 12207(c)(2).
Examples : Wheelchairs dont have to look like wheelchairs. They can be walkers with seats or battery power razor scooters to name a few. This expands the definition of wheelchairs.
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Paypal is one super online payment system we all come to know for now. However a new company called VirtaPay is rising up using the same babysteps as paypal. They need at least 3 million members before they can open up to the public and your help is needed. We will get $10.00 for each new VirtaPay signup. New signups will be given $25.00 in startup funds. Now isn't that a win win situation for you and our organization?
Paybox http://www.virtapay.com/r/ocdac
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ADA Definition of : Mobility Devices
Other power-driven mobility device means any mobility device powered by batteries, fuel, or other engines--whether or not designed primarily for use by individuals with mobility disabilities--that is used by individuals with mobility disabilities for the purpose of locomotion, including golf cars, electronic personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMDs), such as the Segway[supreg] PT, or any mobility device designed to operate in areas without defined pedestrian routes, but that is not a wheelchair within the meaning of this section. This definition does not apply to Federal wilderness areas; wheelchairs in such areas are defined in section 508(c)(2) of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. 12207(c)(2).
Examples : This also means Fairview's community Segway users in Costa Mesa will no longer tickets from police!
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For over 37 years, Labels for Education® has supported organizations across the country by providing more than $110 million in free educational merchandise. This year, the Labels for Education program is getting even better with a new look and focus on the Arts, Athletics and Academic enrichment programs that can spark children's successes. Labels for Education is also adding new partnerships and resources. With your help, the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center can make this year the best ever! To meet our goals, we need to collect 1,000,000 points.
Campbells Labels For Education Program http://www.deafadvocacy.org/campbells
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ADA Definition of : Direct Threat
Direct threat means a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services, as provided in Sec. 36.208. In determining whether an individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, a public accommodation must make an individualized assessment, based on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best available objective evidence, to ascertain: The nature, duration, and severity of the risk; the probability that the potential injury will actually occur; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures or the provision of auxiliary aids or services will mitigate the risk.
Examples : A person, who has been making threats in the past, can no longer be perceived as a person capable of making threats in the future PROVIDED that there is treatment and or following self achievable procedures available to suppress the threat and the person has unrestricted access to and is ready, willing, and able to obtain treatment or follow procedures in order to suppress the capabilities of making the threats.
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**** DISCLAIMER ****
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The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community. Information circulated herein does not necessarily express the views of The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based organization that puts people with disabilities first in their advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled individuals and their families in our community who need help in navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training, education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.
Feel free to forward this email message IN ITS ENTIRETY to anyone and any of your personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Our physical address is P.O. Box 4339, Santa Ana, California, 92702-4339 and this email is in compliance with CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
To subscribe to this newsletter go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email to [email protected]
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