Access Design Services: CILs As Experts
1999
by Ketra S. Crosson
Getting Started
Alpha One is Maine's largest center for independent living and offers
the state's broadest array of independent living services to customers
across the state. With all of our services, Alpha One has a twofold objective.
We strive to provide the best service one-to-one with our customers, whether
they are individual consumers or businesses. At the same time, we strive
to educate policy makers and those who carry out the laws with an understanding
of disability and independent living. In the case of our Access Design
Services, our ultimate goal is 100% accessibility in our state.
Alpha One's beginnings in 1979 and growth as a center for independent
living closely mirror the path of legislation for accessibility and customer
demand for access design, both locally and across the nation. In 1974,
Maine had enacted one of the earliest laws in this country for access
to public accommodations in its Maine Human Rights Act. However, architects
and contractors were not very knowledgeable about how to interpret the
law and build access features that were usable. Examples ranged from ramps
that were too steep to use, a step at the top or bottom of a ramp, or
bathroom dimensions too small to get a door closed. Consumers were filing
charges of discrimination using the Maine Human Rights Act, but businesses
were unsure as to how to go about implementing the changes mandated.
Through our information and referral contacts with consumers, we knew
that they wanted to take a more active role in their family and community.
This meant being able to get in and out of their home independently, modifications
to bathrooms that optimized independence with personal care, and modifications
or additions for ground level bedrooms. With these market needs, Alpha
One established Access Design Services as a core product.
These services were begun by essentially "hanging out a shingle"
and establishing a fee-for-service. To market Access Design, we focused
on why we wanted to be seen as the expert resource. This included the
fact that our employees had personal experience with disability; we had
a broad understanding of needs for all people with disabilities; and that
through our other services, we were becoming a clearing house for service
and product information unique to disability. All independent living staff
were expected to be part of the access design team and provide these services.
We provided on-the-job training and opportunities for staff to attend
workshops, conferences, and drafting classes.
Over the years this service has expanded as new state and federal legislation
was enacted. Alpha One is viewed as the expert resource for access design
in our state. This has allowed us to participate in the development of
access legislation and to influence the fabric of the construction community.
Consumer need and demand for independence at home has also greatly influenced
the skill development of our access design staff. By actively seeking
funding for home access we have improved the skills of this team. For
example, in 1987 we created the Environmental Access Grants and Loans
(EAGL) program in collaboration with the Maine State Housing Authority.
This enabled more than sixty consumers to make needed access changes to
their homes for entrances, bathrooms and kitchens. The funds covered access
design consultation, skills training and self-advocacy for consumers in
locating products and contractors, and the actual costs of the modifications.
While this program was seen as highly successful by both consumers and
policy makers, the funding was finite. However, the project helped our
access design staff to further focus and define our services, and developed
a framework for skills instruction and self-advocacy materials that we
continue to use today.
Access Design Services at the Brink of the Millennium
Following passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Alpha One
decided to add its first licensed architect to the access design team.
With the foundation of the ADA, we anticipated that demand for our Access
Design Services would increase, especially in the building and construction
industry. We sought an architect who could not only communicate in the
same language as other design professionals but who also had an understanding
and ability to educate the construction professionals about disability
and independent living. In 1992 we recruited such an architect. This indeed
was a beneficial decision, and we added another licensed architect to
the team in 1997.
Today our access design team includes staff statewide in four regional
locations. This group draws upon backgrounds of staff who have disabilities,
occupational therapists, peer support providers and others with accessibility
and design experience. The team expands its expertise through continuous
inservice education, project collaboration, brainstorming and information
sharing. For example, an architect and an occupational therapist will
make a visit to the consumer's home. Together with the consumer, they
problem solve the customized access needs to optimize his or her independence
and function around the house.
Focus of Services
Services for Individuals- These services were developed initially to
meet the needs of customers with disabilities. Today we have expanded
our services to include the fast growing group of seniors who seek to
remain independent and safe in their homes. These services include meeting
with consumers at their home to identify their access and assistive technology
needs. This may include a room-by-room review of existing barriers to
identify solutions or to develop plans for new construction. We also assist
in product research via resources such as ABLEDATA, the Internet, and
our own resource collection of local and national products and vendors.
Choosing a contractor who understands access and is easy to work with
can be a daunting process. We assist consumers in this effort by providing
educational workshops to contractors on ADA and accessibility and guiding
the consumer through the decision making process.
For customers who live in public or private sector housing we provide
education around the Fair Housing Act and how to advocate for personal
accessibility needs. We also address public and private sector housing
barriers and availability issues by working with local planning boards,
state and local housing authority staff, landlords and developers.
Financing home access construction and assistive technology for many
consumers is the biggest barrier to independence at home. In Maine, there
are a variety of funding options available; however, each option has its
own eligibility criteria, limitations and exceptions. Alpha One staff
assist consumers in determining whether they can access this funding for
their particular situation and provide contact information and assistance
through the process if requested.
Understanding that this "hodgepodge" of funding is difficult
for consumers to access equitably, Alpha One successfully created a revolving
financial loan program, the Adaptive Equipment Loan Program (AELP), in
1988. AELP, the first of its kind in the nation, provides consumer financing
for a variety of assistive technology products, from hearing aids to adapted
vehicles and home modifications. Borrowers must show that they are credit
worthy and have enough discretionary income to make a payment on what
they want to borrow. The loans are low interest with extended payment
terms. The program makes loans to individuals who in many cases would
not be eligible for loans from traditional lending institutions.
Commercial Customers- Our Access Design Services for businesses and
the construction community continue to evolve to keep pace with state
and federal access laws and innovations in technology. We actively promote
our expertise in accessibility to this group and have developed our high
demand information & referral service (I & R) to provide technical
assistance and product information. In 1998, of 5300 calls for I &
R, 2000 were access or ADA related. Typical questions from contractors
or architects include interpretations of the ADA for a particular situation,
design guidance, and how ADA interfaces with other design standards such
as plumbing codes, state access laws, town ordinances, etc. From these
calls, we establish long-term working relationships that develop into
paid fee-for-service work. For example, an initial successful collaboration
with a landscape architectural firm eight years ago has led to our inclusion
in bids this firm has made over the years. We have provided consultation
on projects ranging from multi-use recreational paths to contracts with
a local city to redesign playgrounds and outdoor access at five schools.
In another instance, a company that specializes in pre-fabricated buildings
contracts with us to review plans for ADA compliance for their commercial
customers, such as a home heating business or a real estate office.
We are unique in our state among services that specialize in ADA information
in that we do on-site work with customers. Meeting with the contractor
or business owner, we have a chance to educate and demonstrate that universal
or barrier-free design benefits everyone. We provide comprehensive accessibility
compliance surveys and reports, assist with barrier removal plans, and
provide budget, product and vendor information. We charge $60/hour for
this service. An average consultation is about 10 hours including travel,
site work, research, report writing and plan drawing. The work continues
to increase both with new customers and with firms or companies that come
to us for assistance with all their projects.
In Maine, all new construction must be approved by the state fire marshal's
office to meet state and federal access laws. A unique service of our
access design professionals is "plan review" prior to a business
seeking state approval. Through this process, developers, contractors
and architects gain a greater understanding about barrier free design.
Once at the fire marshal's office, plans are quickly approved.
Businesses also find funding access a major barrier in implementing
the ADA. We work with businesses to locate local funding sources and understand
tax credits and tax rebates for accessibility. The previously mentioned
Adaptive Equipment Loan Program is also available in Maine to businesses
to borrow up to $100,000 for accessibility features such as ramps, elevators,
accessible transportation vehicles, and automatic door openers, to name
a few. Favorable rates and terms are available.
In addition to one-to-one contacts with the construction community,
our Access Design Services also include public education on barrier free
and universal design. The state has contracted with us to develop a training
manual and multi-session workshop for code enforcement officers in all
municipalities. Other groups that have received training include architects,
town planning boards, chamber of commerce members, contractors, and other
business community groups. We also receive funds from the regional ADA
Technical Assistance Center to educate consumers on the ADA and how to
advocate for changes to businesses in their community.
We have recently begun to focus our consumer education efforts on employment
issues, reasonable accommodation and the use of assistive technology.
For example a local restaurant made access modifications for customers,
and this had the added advantage of creating an employment opportunity
in the business office for a bookkeeper who has a disability. In another
situation, Alpha One was hired by a university to address reasonable accommodation
needs of an employee with progressive multiple sclerosis in order to keep
her working productively on the job.
Nuts & Bolts for CIL's
For Alpha One, providing Access Design Services promotes 100% accessibility
and also provides a funding stream that will continue to grow and expand.
As a fee-for-service product it has successfully broadened our base of
income, thus decreasing our reliance on fluctuating public funding. It
also generates revenue to recruit and provide professional development
to a highly skilled staff that can continue to promote a quality service.
In addition to fee-for-service on a cash basis, we continue to seek
contracts and other funding to broaden this base. For example, in Maine,
access design service for a consumer may be funded through Vocational
Rehabilitation, Title VII, Worker's Compensation, or an insurance settlement.
Home based long-term care services funded through Medicaid in Maine are
now understanding how accessibility can affect personal care needs. We
have been contracted by Medicaid to meet with consumers to strategize
on home access and assistive technology needs that can make them less
dependent on personal care services.
Difficult Decisions
One of the difficult struggles our company has had is how to meet the
twofold objective of meeting customer needs and at the same time advocating
for access. Initially, this produced an adversarial situation between
the CIL and the commercial businesses that were our potential contractors.
For example, we advocated on behalf of consumers for access at restaurants
and other public buildings by filing more than 30 charges of discrimination
through the Maine Human Rights Act. In many ways this tactic was successful
in improving access in our communities in Maine. However, the business
community was disinclined to contact us for technical information or site
work for fear that we would file a charge of discrimination against them.
In 1992, our company made the decision to no longer file these charges
and began to promote our services as a resource, educator, and consultant
to businesses and law makers. Since that time, we have been able to make
a greater impact on improving access in our state. Over time businesses
have come to see us as a resource, willing to help, and tell us we make
"access easy." On an individualized basis, we continue to assist
consumers in their own advocacy by providing them with the tools and information
about access laws to help them successfully work with a local business
to improve access.
Maintaining our expertise in this area also continues to be a challenge.
Access laws are broad, subject to interpretation, and continue to change
and evolve. Advances in technology create more choices in products or
options for access. If a CIL is to promote and be successful with Access
Design Services, then they need to commit to staff who do this on a full
time basis. This allows them to keep current with changes and trends as
well as to educate and update the entire independent living staff.
Conclusion
CIL's across the country are in a strategic position to be the experts
in their states on accessibility for individual consumers, businesses
and the design/construction community. We have first hand experience with
disability, knowledge of the range of functioning among people with disabilities,
and the creative ability to develop common sense solutions. We can educate,
remove myths and misunderstandings, and effectively promote consumer choices
and options. The goal of complete community integration for people with
disabilities is achievable through our continuous commitment and hard
work.
Contact Information
Alpha
One Offices
127 Main St. 475 Western Ave.
S. Portland, ME 04106 Augusta, ME 04330
1-207-767-2189 (V/TTY) 1-207-623-1115 (V/TTY)
FAX: 207-799-8346 FAX: 207-623-1369
Acme Office Park 373 Main St.- Suite 1
41 Acme Rd. Presque Isle, ME 04769
Brewer, ME 04412 1-207-764-6466 (V/TTY)
1-207-989-6016 (V/TTY) FAX: 207-764-5396
FAX: 207-989-7976
Internet: http://www.alpha-one.org
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