July 26, 2022, marks 32 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. The ADA propelled disability rights into the public eye when it was passed in 1990, being the first comprehensive act of legislation to address the rights of people with disabilities. Prior to the disability rights movement, people who experienced a disability were largely unseen and unaccommodated in the community; public buildings and transportation were inaccessible. People with disabilities were routinely discriminated against in the workforce, and no avenues existed for people to take legal action against such discrimination.
In the 1960s, when the civil rights movement began to gain steam, disability rights activists saw the opportunity to fight alongside other marginalized groups and secure equal rights for people with disabilities. Disability rights activists had to fight through centuries of harmful biases and stereotypes to convince the public that people with disabilities deserve the same rights and opportunities to take part in society as everyone else.
Thirty-two years later, the ADA continues to support Americans with disabilities in their jobs, public activities and telecommunication. On the employment front, Washington state remains a national leader. We’ve emphasized the importance of competitive, integrated employment for years and as a “work first” state and we support employment services as the first use of employment and day funds. Today, more than 84% of people with developmental disabilities in Washington who participate in employment and day services do so in an integrated setting. That’s more than four times the national average.
Equity, diversity, access and inclusion for all is at the core of DSHS and we stand by our commitment to recruit, welcome and retain a diverse workforce to develop greater understanding and compassion for those we serve. Our agency maintains that it is to our advantage and benefit of the populations we serve to employ people who see, hear and navigate the world in a variety of ways. We are committed to supporting individuals with disabilities in their employment here in any way we can.
If you want to celebrate ADA’s 32nd anniversary, there is a variety of ways to do so!
- Post success stories about the ADA on social media with the hashtag #ThanksToTheADA.
- Post information about the ADA in public work spaces.
- Help the celebration continue by sharing the following resources about the ADA with others.
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