Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Sunday, July 26, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, education, health care, housing, transportation and public accommodations.  

The ADA ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and access to opportunities as everyone else. Since 1990 when President George H.W. Bush signed it into law, the ADA has improved the lives of millions of Americans, including those with autism.

Our advocacy team works to deliver on the ADA's goal to secure "equal opportunity" for people with disabilities, including autism. While the ADA protects individual rights, we continue to advocate for the necessary services that make those rights a reality. We do this by advocating for policies that increase access to and accessibility of the lifelong services people with autism rely upon to live, remain safe and fully participate in their communities.

Now more than ever, delivering on the promise of the ADA is important to our community as autistic individuals and their families face additional challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our advocacy during this time includes priorities to protect the rights of people with autism and ensure their various needs are met. We support

• Nondiscrimination in COVID-19 treatment decisions and allocation of care;
• Increased funding for home and community-based services;
• Educational supports for students with autism and protections for their rights under IDEA and other laws;
• Expanded eligibility for economic impact payments;
• Family caregiver eligibility for emergency paid sick and family medical leave

Join us in asking the U.S. Senate to include additional assistance for people with autism and their families in future COVID relief bills.