The U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement with Schuylkill County to improve access to all aspects of civic life for people with disabilities Thursday.
"We signed the agreement to show that we are in agreement with the ADA and we will do whatever we can to adhere to their regulations," county Commissioner Gary J. Hess said Thursday.
The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access, the department's initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the American with Disabilities Act.
The county commissioners signed the agreement March 23 and it went into effect with the signatures of members of the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday.
"All individuals have a civil right to equal access to civic facilities, programs and services and the ADA guarantees that right for individuals with disabilities," Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general of the Civil Rights Division, said in the press release.
The agreement was reached under Title II of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by state and local governments and will remain in effect for three years as the department will continue to monitor compliance.
According to the agreement, Schuylkill County will take the necessary steps to improve access for individuals with disabilities, including:
- Making physical modifications to facilities 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 of the ADA's requirements and their applicability to the county's programs, services and activities
- Training county staff in using the state Relay Service as a key means of communicating with individuals who are deaf, are hard-of-hearing or have speech disabilities
- 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 county'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 county'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
- Implementing a comprehensive plan to improve the accessibility of sidewalks, transportation stops, and pedestrian crossings by installing accessible curb ramps throughout Schuylkill County
Project Civic Access ensures that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in civic life, a fundamental part of American society. As part of the initiative, the department inspects state and local government facilities, services and programs throughout the country to identify any necessary modifications to meet ADA requirements.
The department inspects government buildings constructed after Jan. 26, 1992, as they must adhere to ADA regulations. These structures in Schuylkill County included the 911 Communication Center, Schuylkill Regional Resource Center, Sweet Arrow Lake Park, Schuylkill County Human Services Complex, Adult Probation and Rest Haven Nursing Home.
The Schuylkill County Courthouse and Prison were also inspected under the program access review.
"Someone from the department came in and went through all of our buildings," Hess said. "There were not a lot of corrective measures, but there were some minor things that we needed to change."
Hess said minor adjustments include changing a door knob to a lever and the elevator making a different noise for stops and ensuring it is level on each floor.
For more information about the agreement, the PCA initiative or the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for state and local governments, visit the ADA's website at www.ada.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).