ACCESS and the DOJ

I recently attended a 3 day ADA conference in San Diego of ADA administrators where there were speakers from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).  I have known John Wodatch, Chief of the Civil Rights Division at the DOJ for the last 12 - 15 years.  He was the feature speaker at the convention.  We have been on an ADA panel together in the past.  I told John of my redirection of efforts to make more owners be responsible in getting their non-compliant buildings ADA compliant with a new program called "Watchdogs in Wheelchairs".  I stated to him that our target was to get 100 cases a week by the end of 2011 in hopes to refocus DOJ's attention to non-compliant buildings with the help from the handicap community. 

John knows that ACCESS works in all 50 states.  He also knows that our goal to get 3,000-4,000 wheelchair users to join the "Watchdogs in Wheelchairs" program would be hard earn, but not impossible.  Especially with the fact that there would be no cost to the program participants.  He listened carefully as I told him that our target and focus was the lodging industry (hotels, motels and time-shares), which after 20 years of the signing of ADA, approximately 85%-90% of those buildings are still ADA non-compliant.

Although there have been leaps and bounds of improvement since the signing of the ADA for many of those wheelchair bound, there is still a long road to go.  Many are jaded when they hear that there is "another" solution to help further improve their lifestyle.  But here we are.  ACCESS "Watchdogs in Wheelchairs" program is here to help.  But we can't do it without the assistance and support from the handicap community.  Come join us in making a difference and getting these buildings ADA compliant one building at a time.

Comment here or on our FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Access-Technologies-Services-Inc/268659564730#!/.  Or better yet, call us at (702) 649-7575 and ask for me or Patti.  Or just send me an email at hfalstad@accessts.net.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Hank