How well does your local domestic violence shelter serve victims with disabilities?

How well does your local domestic violence shelter serve victims with disabilities?

There are 42 certified domestic violence shelters in the state of Florida. 41 of them are nonprofits, covered by title III of the ADA - one (located in Miami-Dade County) is a title II shelter, operated by the County.

Does the shelter advertise its services to the disability community? Do its outreach materials show pictures of people with disabilities? Does it advertise its TTY number? Does it offer sign language interpreters during counseling sessions, free of charge? Does it let the public know that it offers printed material in alternative formats, upon request, such as Braille,large print, audio, and electronic format? Does it allow a person with a disability to bring her service animal into shelter with her? Are its facilities architecturally accessible?

For assistance with applying the ADA to sheltering programs, contact Marc Dubin, Esq. at 305-896-3000 or by email at mdubin@pobox.com.


Concerned about crime victims with disabilities? Visit www.victimswithdisabilities.org.
Available for consultations.

DOJ Mandates Accessible Exam Tables for Patients with Disabilities

When rape exams are given, are accessible examination tables provided?

Visit this site.

Click here for Settlement Agreement

The United States Department of Justice entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Brookline, Mass., to ensure access to medical facilities and services for individuals with disabilities.

BIDMC, a teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard University, encompasses more than 30 buildings and three community health clinics, and operates as a quaternary acute care facility and level one trauma center providing sub-specialty services. The agreement requires, among other things, that BIDMC ensure that accessible patient rooms and accessible medical equipment – such as examination tables – are available for each of its clinical services.

Among other things, the Agreement with BIDMC, which is the result of a compliance review conducted by the Department, requires BIDMC to:

•Ensure that each department and clinical practice provides at least one accessible examination table that lowers to 17 to 19" from the floor, thus enabling those with mobility disabilities to transfer to the exam table...



Concerned about crime victims with disabilities? Visit www.victimswithdisabilities.org.
Available for consultations.

New resource on crime victims with disabilities

There is a new Blog addressing crime victims with disabilities that has lots of information and resources on the subject, written by the former Special Counsel to the Justice Department's Office on Violence Against Women. It is located at http://www.victimswithdisabilities.org.



Concerned about crime victims with disabilities? Visit www.victimswithdisabilities.org.
Available for consultations.