Help Prioritize Restroom Accessibility for People with Disabilities
Help Prioritize Restroom Accessibility for People with Disabilities
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the landmark Americans with Disabilities (ADA) into law. The ADA is a landmark civil rights bill for people with disabilities that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in educational, employment and social opportunities as people without disabilities. But, despite the protection provided by the ADA, many people with physical disabilities are denied access to schools, jobs, and entertainment venues due to inaccessible bathrooms.
For many people with physical disabilities who rely on personal care attendants to use toilet facilities, an ADA “compliant” restroom is not sufficient to meet their needs and presents a significant barrier to their ability to fully participate in their community. Nationally, more than 8.4 million citizens require personal care attendants and would benefit greatly from adult changing tables and lifts to safely meet their hygiene needs.
Momentum is calling on the National Council on Disability (NCD) to add accessible toilet facilities that include adult changing tables and lifts to their FY2023—2028 strategic plan and develop recommendations on appropriate expansion of accessible toilet facilities utilizing current durable medical equipment capabilities. This request falls within their advisory roles regarding disability policies, programs, procedures, and practices that enhance equal opportunity by convening stakeholders to acquire timely and relevant input for recommendations and action steps, engaging and influencing current debates and agenda and identifying and formulating solutions to emerging and long-standing challenges. And this request is consistent with past efforts of the NCD to increase access to hotel swimming pools, medical office equipment, gym equipment and automated automobiles.