Today marks 34 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. The ADA propelled disability rights into the public eye when it was passed in 1990, being the first comprehensive legislation to address the rights of people with disabilities. Before 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-four years later, the ADA continues to support Americans with disabilities in their jobs, public activities and telecommunications. On the employment front, Washington state remains a national leader. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Washington as a “work first state,” and we continue to emphasize the importance of competitive, integrated employment for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We support employment services as the first use of employment and day funds. Today, 83% of individuals enrolled in employment and day services are in integrated employment services, more than four times the national average.
Equity, diversity, access and inclusion for all are 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 the 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 in any way we can.
There are many ways to celebrate ADA’s 34th anniversary!
- Post success stories about the ADA on social media with the hashtag #ThanksToTheADA.
- Post information about the ADA in public workspaces.
- Help the celebration continue by sharing the following resources about the ADA with others.
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