Federal Proposal Would Ease Path From Special Ed To College

Lawmakers are looking to make it easier for students with disabilities to transition to college. Read More ;

Disability Rights Advocate Launches Campaign For Congress

The former president and CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society is hoping to win a U.S. House seat from Kansas. Read More >

House Votes To Renew Program Helping People Leave Institutions

Following years of uncertainty, federal lawmakers are working to renew a popular Medicaid program that moves people with disabilities from institutions into the community. Read More >

Federal Disability Policy Office Proposed

Federal policy is often implemented with little consideration for how it will impact people with disabilities, but that could change under a new proposal. Read More >

When It Comes To Special Ed, States Largely Deficient

Federal officials say that fewer than half of states are adequately meeting their obligations to serve students with disabilities under special education law. Read More ;

Should A Disability Affect Who Gets Organ Transplants?

At least six states have laws aimed at making sure people cannot be kept off organ-transplant waiting lists solely because of their disability and more legislatures may soon follow suit. Read More >

Justice Department Pushes Law Enforcement On ADA Compliance

Federal officials are highlighting the responsibilities of everyone from police to courts and attorneys in ensuring that people with developmental disabilities are treated fairly. Read More ;

Law Handbook Now in English & Spanish

The Southwest ADA Center is pleased to announce the availability of the Disability Law Handbook now in Spanish, as well as English.
The Disability Law Handbook is written in FAQ format and answers questions about the ADA, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments.

Free copies may be downloaded or viewed at http://www.swdbtac.org/html/publications/Spanish/gld/index.html for the Spanish version and http://www.swdbtac.org/html/publications/dlh/index.html for the English version. Hard copies can be purchased for $5 (includes shipping/handling) or visiting our website at http://www.swdbtac.org/html/whatsnew/whats_new.html#dlh
Or call the ADA Center that serves you at 1.800.949.4232 v/tty to request a copy.

Vietnam Enacts Comprehensive Disability Rights Law

The National Assembly of Vietnam enacted a National Disability Law in June 2010 that guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities for the first time in the nation's history. The legislation strives to be inclusive of persons with disabilities by providing Vietnamese with disabilities equal access in an array of areas, including education, employment, health care, information technology, public places, & transportation. The National Disability Law is the result of twelve years of piecemeal legislation that began with the National Ordinance on People with Disabilities in 1998. Twelve years later Vietnam passed the comprehensive legislation, which is one of the most inclusive national legislation packages for persons with disabilities in the world.

Full Story: Vietnam Enacted the First Disability Law, PR Newswire, June 22, 2010, available at
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2010/06/22/prnewswire201006221152PR_NEWS_USPR_____DC24831.html

Incarcration not Treastment is Norm for People w/ Mental Illness

A May 2010 report conducted and released by the Treatment Advocacy Center and National Sheriffs' Association shows that Americans that have severe mental illnesses are at least three times more likely to be incarcerated than to receive treatment in a psychiatric hospital. The study broke down results by state and relied on data collected in 2004 and 2005 by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. In no state is a person more likely to receive treatment than to go to prison. Also, in some states, such as Nevada and Arizona, ten times more persons with severe mental illnesses are put in prison than receive treatment. In addition, a major finding of the study showed that states which spend less on mental health care services have more persons with mental illness in their jails. Moreover, the study indicates that over 16% of inmates today have mental illness, compared to 6.3% of inmates in 1983.

Full story: Michelle Diament, Jail More Likely Than Treatment for Americans with Psychiatric Disorders, Disability Scoop, May 13, 2010, available at
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/05/13/mental-illness-jail/8038/

Information on ADA Implementation

Information & updates from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) including status reports, settlements & ADA briefs, as well as information on how to file complaints, the ADA mediation program & the DOJ's program to monitor ADA civil litigation.

This information has can be read at: http://www.ada.gov/enforce.htm

Disability Rights Online Newsletter

You can look at current and past newsletters: http://www.ada.gov/disabilitynews.htm

Disability Law Handbook

The DBTAC Southwest ADA Center, has published The Disability Law Handbook, a 50-page guide to the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act & other disability related laws.


Written in an FAQ format, it answers questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, & the Fair Housing Act Amendments. Individual copies of The Disability Law Handbook are available at no charge by emailing Rauseo@bcm.edu, or by calling Dionne Rauseo at 713.520.0232.

Law Schools with Disability-related Curriculum

The American Bar Association has launched an online national directory that will allow potential law students to search for law schools that offer disability-related curriculum. Here's a link: http://www.abanet.org/disability/lawschools/