Examples of Community and Systems Change - Appendix B

NYS ACCES-VR CIL Standards Updated October, 2015

Note: The examples below are hypothetical, meant to take place in local communities and are not presented in a prescriptive step by step format.

Advocacy Issue Activities Outcome(s)
Education
1		 The local High School offers driver education training to students when they reach the age to obtain a permit. Students with disabilities use the ascribed school period for study hall because vehicles are not modified or adapted.
  • Collect background information from students and parents.
  • Assist the student and family to prepare a written notice to the school protesting discriminatory practices.
  • Coordinate a meeting with school administration.
  • Identify alternatives such as driver evaluation and training programs or resources for obtaining necessary adaptive equipment.
  • With the students' and family consent, prepare an article about the advocacy activity and outcome for the newsletter and/or local newspaper. 
 The XYZ school district has adopted a policy and set of procedures that allows for equal access to driver education for all students.
2 At many schools Individual Education Programs (IEPs) are not effective in addressing the needs of students with disabilities as consumer centered planning is not utilized and parents are not involved in the process. 
  • Work with students and parents to increase their knowledge base of educational laws, rules, regulations, processes, and procedures and the obligations of the Committee on Special Education (CSE) that govern the development of an IEP.
  • Inform parents, students, and schools about available adaptive technology.
  • Provide information and education about employment and job training opportunities.
  • Train parents and students to participate in writing the IEP and advocating for implementation of the plan.
  • Work with schools to change the CSE and IEP process to enable parents to be actively involved.
 The HIJ school district changes its policies and procedures to engage parents in their child's school, CSE, and IEP development process at an earlier point in their child's education.
3 School personnel and students are not familiar with disability issues and Independent Living services.
  • Contact key school personnel to identify the need for a disabilities awareness track with a curriculum.
  • Provide a written proposal outlining a tentative plan for proposed learning track.
  • Meet with school and district personnel to discuss the proposal in detail.
  • Upon approval of proposal, a pilot project will be conducted.
  • Following a successful pilot program, a permanent disabilities awareness track will be established. 
 A disabilities awareness track developed by the ILC is instituted as part of the basic curriculum within a local school district. 
Employment
1		 XYZ County has inadequate supported employment resources to meet community needs. Consumers who could benefit from supported employment are placed in sheltered employment.
  • The ILC identifies the number of supported employment slots currently available, amount of funds allocated for supported employment and numbers of individuals placed in sheltered work over the past few years.
  • The ILC identifies consumers it knows about and serves that seek alternatives to sheltered work.
  • The ILC presents findings to local ACCES-VR offices and convenes a work group that includes providers of employment services to analyze information and make recommendations.
  • The ILC facilitates a process to reallocate existing sheltered work funding for supported employment services over a specified period of time.
  • The ILC assists with the development of a request for proposal to provide supported employment.
  • The ILC promotes the use of available supported employment services through their newsletter, support groups and peer counselors. 
 There is an increase in the availability of new supported employment programs in XYZ County. 
2 Local high schools do not provide students with disabilities with adequate information and job experiences before transitioning from high school and are unable to find jobs after leaving high school because of the lack of work experience.
  • Contact school transition coordinators to provide independent living services.
  • Assist with benefits planning and PASS development.
  • Increase on the job training opportunities by collaborating with schools, employers, and agencies.
  • Participate on the Youth Council of the Workforce Investment Board.
  • Increase the number of high school students, who have graduated, who are able to find employment through utilizing One Stop employment services. 
 A local high school changes its policies and procedures to increase the number of students and schools that participate in transition work programs.
3 Local businesses and corporations provide few employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
  • Identify and target local businesses that could potentially offer suitable employment for people with disabilities.
  • Contact Human Resource managers within these companies to discuss the employment of persons with disabilities.
  • Make formal presentations to Human Resource personnel with targeted companies. Presentations will underscore the fact that persons with disabilities are a rich resource from which corporations can benefit. Disability awareness issues and questions/concerns regarding interviewing, reasonable accommodations and tax incentives will be addressed.
 A local department store changes its recruitment process to eliminate questions that discriminate in regards to people with disabilities.
Health Care
1		 It is unknown whether accessible mammography equipment and other diagnostic services are accessible in a given area. People with physical disabilities need equal access to preventative health services.
  • A survey is developed to ascertain the level of accessibility of health care facilities in the area.
  • A group of ILC volunteers or staff is designated to conduct the needs assessment.
  • The information is compiled.
  • The information is disseminated to health care administrators, appropriate agencies and government officials.
  • A work group/task force is recommended and established to address the needs.
  • The findings and recommendations are published in the ILC newsletter and/or local media.
  • The ILC represents the needs of  its consumers on the work group/task force.
  • A set of recommendations to address accessibility is developed.
  • The ILC follows along the progress of the recommended changes to full implementation.
  • The ILC publicizes and promotes the availability services in the area. 
 XYZ area now has a range of mammography and health care diagnostic services that are accessible to people with physical disabilities.
2 Many local institutions are not providing options for persons with disabilities to return to or remain in the community. 
  • ILC staff will become a regular friendly visitor at institutional settings.
  • Contact social workers and discharge planners to identify consumers who would like to leave the institution.
  • Assist consumers in advocating for themselves.
  • Assist consumers in locating suitable housing and services to live more independently.
  • Contact consumers to determine which facilities are not compliant.
  • Collaborate with county Department of Social Services and area Office for the Aging volunteer ombudsmen.
 A nursing home changes policies and procedures to implement community based living options.

A local rehabilitation center makes a policy and procedural change to facilitate a more efficient referral process for community based living services. 
3 Individuals suspected of having Alzheimer’s Disease are often not being adequately evaluated.
  • Facilitate a meeting with staff of local health care facilities.
  • Address problems in current system such as the individual’s behavioral issues that make transporting the individual to a physician’s office and lengthy waiting time difficult.
  • Develop plan to provide Alzheimer’s Disease evaluations in individual’s home.
  • Follow progress of implementation of plan. 
 There is an increase in the number of new health care options for individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Commerce
1		 Town of XYZ's downtown business district has many shops. The majority of the shops are inaccessible and the disability community has no way of using many of the needed services. 
  • Identify the specific ADA Title III entities in the district.
  • Determine whether or not entities are franchise operations or independently owned.
  • Contact the local chamber of commerce to promote implementation of the ADA through training and information dissemination.
  • Enlist the chamber in efforts to learn more about responsibilities under the ADA.
  • Conduct an access survey of the Title III entities in the area.
  • Identify a group of consumers concerned about use of the local Title III entities.
  • Enlist consumers in a letter writing campaign.
  • Prepare an article for local media analyzing local implementation of the ADA.
  • Share national ADA legal judgements regarding franchise or chain operations with local chamber of commerce.
  • Prepare written notification to offer technical assistance to Title III entities to address readily achievable modifications.
 A diner, bakery, and laundry in the Town of XYZ's downtown business district become accessible by installing automatic door openers.

Several ADA complaints regarding business access have been filed and are successfully negotiated.
2 City courts are not compliant with ADA standards.
  • Survey City courts and make appropriate recommendations.
  • Work with court and government officials until completion to ensure that the work complies with ADA standards.
 X City court(s) provides access and effective communication for individuals who are Deaf by providing sign language interpreter services.
3 Public transportation is not fully accessible and there are limited transportation opportunities for consumers with disabilities.
  •  Establish a consumer focus group to collect data on transportation needs for persons with disabilities.
  • Work with the County Department of Social Services, which holds the public transit contract, to expand public transit services in the county based on needs of consumers.
  • Investigate the possibility of filing a class action lawsuit.
  • Participate with consumers in direct action if desired changes do not occur.
 ILC sponsored focus group results in the establishment of an advocacy network / infrastructure with organized teams of trained consumer advocates available to address transportation issues as they arise.

The MNO County public transit system expands service hours, and increases accessible cross-county service.
Social
1		 There are limited opportunities for integrated recreation for people with disabilities in the XYZ City area because most sports programs are highly competitive and require mobility, strength and endurance. The municipal recreation services are all of a similar competitive nature.
  • Find out what local parks and recreation services exist. 
  • Obtain budget information to understand how programs are funded.
  • Survey consumers to find out recreation/leisure interests.
  • Identify specific program(s) that would be valuable to consumers of the ILC.
  • Explore start up of new programs that people with disabilities can participate in as equals with nondisabled peers.
  • Dialogue with existing recreation facilities, YMCA's, sports clubs, etc.
  • Develop a recreation/leisure consumer advisory group at the ILC.
  • Develop a social club for integrated recreation.
  XYZ City now has adaptive equipment to  enable persons with disabilities to participate in local ski programs, fish and gun clubs, and 3 dimension shooting programs. 

The local YMCA and municipal parks and recreation programs have swimming lessons for people with disabilities and one park has modified playground equipment. 
2 Outdoor social and recreational activities are not accessible for persons with disabilities. 
  • Involve and organize consumers who would utilize park facilities.
  • Survey and consult with all appropriate agencies to address accessibility in the parks.
  • Educate legislators regarding recreation access needs of disabled persons with disabilities.
  • Obtain political support, community funds/matching funds to create accessible site.
 A recreational site to fish becomes accessible by constructing  an accessible fishing dock. Adirondack park outdoor environments and interpretive facilities become accessible. 
3 There are few accessible Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting sites in ABC County. 
  •  Establish a committee of persons with disabilities who are actively involved with the AA program.
  • Work with that committee to identify AA meeting sites that are not accessible.
  • Contact AA Intergroup to discuss issues of accessibility and possible solutions to remove accessibility barriers at meetings.
 There is an increase in the number of new accessible AA and/or other 12-step program meeting sites in ABC County as identified by published listings of meetings coded with "H" for access. 
Citizenship
1		 There is currently no representative from the disability community on the County Emergency Planning Committee. The Committee makes decisions about the structure, funding, and implementation of the emergency preparedness program for the County.
  • Information is gathered about the membership, nomination and appointment process, policy decisions made and general direction of the County Emergency Planning Committee over the past few years.
  • A request is made by the ILC to represent or identify a representative of the disability community to participate on the Committee.
  • Background information necessary for recruitment of Committee members is developed for the ILC designee.
  • Strategies are developed for communicating the value of disability representation to voting Committee members.
  • The ILC continues to prepare consumer advocates for future openings on the Committee.
  An ILC staff member is appointed to the County Emergency Planning Committee that previously did not have representation from the disability community.

The County Emergency Planning Committee provides meeting materials in alternate formats and holds meetings at an accessible location. 
2  Polling sites in XYZ County need to be accessible. 
  • Survey accessibility of every polling site in service area.
  • Report findings to appropriate municipal and election officials.
  • Advocate for recommended changes.
  • Note any increase in polling site accessibility.
  • Provide consumers with the location of their local polling place and information as to the accessibility of that polling place.
 Polling sites at X, Y, and Z locations in the Town of D have increased their accessibility by installing ramps and correcting entryway issues. 
3 Election officials do not have a clear understanding of the rights of persons with disabilities at the polling place. 
  • Collaborate with the County Board of Elections to develop disability awareness curriculum and arrange teaching materials.
  • Participate in Board of Election trainings for polling site personnel to introduce the curriculum.
  • Adopt/adapt evaluation tools already being used by Board of Elections to measure the success of these efforts. 
 The County Board of Elections incorporates the ILIC’s disability awareness curriculum to ensure that all newly hired election officials are aware of the needs of persons with disabilities.