The Americans with Disabilities Act and Disability Rights
Written by Spinalpedia.com
One out of five Americans has a disability, making people with disabilities the largest minority group in the United States. Because disability affects so many people in the U.S., Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which protects the civil rights of people with disabilities. The ADA requires that all people with disabilities have the right to non-discrimination and the right to equal access in public and private spaces. For decades, the ADA has protected the disability community from incidents like facing discrimination in workplaces and being excluded from public spaces.
Unfortunately, the ADA is violated every day in many different ways across the nation. People with spinal cord injuries constantly face barriers that are supposed to be prohibited under the ADA, such as the lack of an accessible entrance to a restaurant. It is incredibly important to know your rights. If your rights under the ADA are violated, you may be entitled to legal relief. Read below to learn about the basic rights that the ADA guarantees all people with disabilities.
Title II: State and Local Services
Title II of the ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination and exclusion in state and local spaces. This means that all state and local services and activities are required to be fully accessible, regardless of whether the state or local entity receives money from the federal government or not. Title II also prohibits state and local workers from refusing service to people with disabilities. Title II regulations apply to public and local spaces such as stadiums, schools, sidewalks, and parks.
