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By: Van Arnold
As the year 2020 dawns, the United States, including the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This landmark civil rights legislation impacts the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities and protects against discrimination and ensures and improves access to opportunities afforded to all.
“The ADA cemented in federal law the civil rights of Americans living with disabilities. These expectations have served as a new foundation of inclusion for more than a generation. We hope you’ll join us in sharing your stories and celebrating three decades of its success during 2020.” said John Tschida, Acting Executive Director of AUCD.
The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Throughout the year and on the ADA Anniversary, AUCD and IDS will celebrate this landmark event as a way of bringing attention to the important work that has been done to promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities and to highlight the work that is yet to be done.
As noted by Dr. Rebekah Young, IDS Executive Director, “For 30 years, the ADA has provided a foundation to promote community inclusion and equal opportunity under the law for people with disabilities. We invite you to share your stories of encouragement and progress as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of ADA and look forward to continuing to build a successful future for all.”
AUCD and IDS honor our leaders in the disability community who worked tirelessly for the passage of the ADA and look to our emerging leaders, many of whom have grown up after the ADA became law, to carry on the mission, hope, and vision of the ADA.
Since the ADA, individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. Significant advances have been made to ensure people with disabilities live and work in the community with appropriate supports and services.
IDS and the other AUCD network of interdisciplinary centers in every state and territory have been instrumental in these efforts. We all have assisted in revolutionizing change in our states and transforming systems because of the ADA. AUCD is a network of leaders with rich stories to share about the real impact of the ADA across the nation.
IDS programs and services have directly supported the work of the ADA. For more over 40 years, IDS has assisted Mississippians with disabilities to live and work in their respective communities with any needed appropriate supports and services.
IDS maintains its mission to “positively affect the lives of Mississippi citizens with developmental and other disabilities and their families across the lifespan and to work toward increasing their independence, productivity, and community inclusion.”
To meet this mission, IDS concentrates its work in four emphasis areas: Early Childhood Inclusion and Education, Housing, Transition to Adulthood and Wellness. This month, IDS is participating in the Disability Day at the Capitol and continue celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA through planned activities throughout the year.
IDS has been located at Southern Miss for more than 40 years and has satellite offices on the Southern Miss Gulf Park campus in Long Beach and in Jackson. IDS provides pre-service training, community services and technical assistance programs for individuals with disabilities of all ages and their families. To learn more about IDS, visit www.usm.edu/ids or call 601.266.5163.
