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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2011
On Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Obama Administration Recommits to Enforcing and Protecting the Civil Rights of All
On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. That landmark civil rights legislation reaffirmed the idea that all our citizens, regardless of disability, are entitled to the same privileges, pursuits, and opportunities as everyone else. As the Obama Administration marks that anniversary, there still remain many steps we must take together to ensure that the spirit and letter of that law are upheld.
“The promise of the ADA was that all Americans should have equal access and equal opportunity, including Americans with disabilities,” said President Obama. “The ADA was about independence and the freedom to make of our lives what we will. We celebrate that today, and we recommit ourselves to ending discrimination in all its forms.”
Since its enactment, the ADA has opened many doors and sought to level the playing field for employment of Americans with disabilities. Still, however, the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities remains high. Last year, President Obama signed an Executive Order to make the federal government a model employer for individuals with disabilities.
Today, following on other steps already taken, the Obama Administration announced new efforts that will continue to support increased employment opportunities for persons with disabilities and will also help make the government more open and accessible to all citizens. Specifically, the administration is working to release a draft comprehensive strategic plan to improve compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Section 508 requires that federal agencies' electronic and information technology be accessible to people with disabilities, both inside and outside the government. 12 years after this law was enacted, many technological barriers still exist, limiting the ability of persons with disabilities when they try to interact with the federal government, whether as an employee or as a citizen seeking information or services.
Making electronic and information technology, such as websites, 508 compliant will ensure that applicants have equal access to apply for job opportunities. 508 compliance also will promote increased retention, as federal employees will be able to successfully utilize the technology - whether it be computers, telephones, fax machines, websites and many other technological tools - necessary to perform their duties. Moreover, it will make the government more open and accessible as people with disabilities will be able to better access all the information the federal government has placed online.
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SEEKING VOLUNTEER FOR AVRASA COMMITTEES
We are currently seeking to reinstate the Sub Committee listed below with a brief description of goals, tasks, and responsibilities:
 NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
o Goals: Expand awareness of AVRASA
Publish AVRASA Newsletter quarterly each year
Publish initial edition by April 15 for Apr-May-Jun quarter
o Tasks:
§ Name: AVRASA Newsletter (or committee may come up new name)
§ Schedule meetings
§ Solicit and assign contributions from board and committee
§ Design layout of newsletter
§ Produce desktop publication
§ Distribute to AVRASA website and at membership meetings, collaborations, and coalitions
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
o Goals: Expand awareness of AVRASA
Increase AVRASA by 10% for the 2009 Calendar Year
o Tasks:
§ Schedule meetings
§ Brainstorm ways to expand membership
§ Actively recruit new and past members
§ Design a recruitment tool that outreaches to cross-disciplinary potential members
§ Recruit early bird membership for 2010 by October 2009
§ Report membership progress at AVRASA meetings
Please contact 3rd Vice Chair Obie Nichols and the AVRASA board to join.
Contact information: obie.nichols@palladiainc.org (212) 979-8800 ext. 284
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Hunter College, CUNY Graduate Program in Counselor Education is
accepting applications to the Work-Study Project in Rehabilitation Counseling
with a Specialization in Substance Abuse. This Project is supported through a
grant from the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
(OASAS). Students have an opportunity to develop their skills as professional
Rehabilitation Counselors while attending graduate courses and earning a living
wage. Field placements in the project include, but are not limited to, therapeutic
communities, methadone maintenance treatment programs, and
outpatient drug-free programs. Tuition and student fees are funded by the grant.
Upon completion of the project, students are eligible to take the examination for
National Certification in Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) and the
Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC.)
For further information, please contact:
Valerie Lyons,M.S.Ed., CRC
at vlyons@hunter.cuny.edu
or Christina Boardman, M.S.Ed.,CRC
at cboardma@hunter.cuny.edu.
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GREAT NEWS . . .
DEAR AVRASA MEMBERS,
As a Rehabilitation Counselor, how many times
have you wished you had a forum where you could
receive professional guidance, receive
clinical supervision from a CRC, as well as,
share your challenges, concerns, and
accomplishments with your colleagues?
WELL WISH NO MORE...
AVRASA currently offers Group Supervision for
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Topics of discussion include but are not limited to the following:
· Understanding and embracing the politics at work
· Managing Your Manager
· How to Advance in the Field of Chemical Dependency
· Enhancing Vocational Services at Your Work Site
Please note that Supervision Sessions/ Meetings occur monthly.
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