UMRBA Accessibility Plan for Hearing, Visual, Speech, and Other Physical Disabilities

Statement of Purpose

UMRBA is committed to providing equal opportunity to all UMRBA programs, services, and activities for individuals with disabilities at no direct cost to those individuals and in a timely manner and in such a way as to protect the privacy and independence of the individual.  UMRBA will provide services to individuals with hearing, visual, speech, and other physical disabilities in a manner consistent with applicable Federal civil rights statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders.

The purpose of this Disability Accessibility Plan is to identify potential barriers, actions for the removal of identified barriers, and the status of progress relative to planned actions. 

UMRBA uses its Notice of Non-Discrimination, Public Participation Plan, and Standard Operating Procedures for its Quarterly and Other Public-Facing Meetings to guide this Disability Accessibility Plan, and reviews adherence to UMRBA’s accessibility standards annually.

 

Domains of Accessibility

Community Integration and Attitudes

Community Integration and Attitudes barriers include i) any barrier that prevents an individual from returning to full participation in UMRBA’s programs, services, or activities and ii) preconceived opinions about persons with disabilities.  Examples might include how persons are viewed and treated and whether input from persons with disabilities are solicited and used.

Finances

Financial barriers include insufficient funding for services and supports. Examples include organizational financial security and funding for UMRBA programs, projects, and services.

Communication

Communication barriers include any absence of telecommunication or other devices that are used and/or the absence of material in a format that is accessible to persons with visual disabilities.

Technology

Technology barriers are present when useful and available technology is not accessible to persons with disabilities.

 

UMRBA Nondiscrimination Coordinator

The UMRBA Nondiscrimination Coordinator is Natalie Lenzen (nlenzen@umrba.org). Natalie Lenzen serves as UMRBA’s point-of-contact for any discrimination grievances and to coordinate UMRBA’s nondiscrimination policies, procedures, and activities. 

 

Planned Actions

Community Integration and Attitudes

  1. Training UMRBA staff 
    1. On an annual basis, the UMRBA Operations Manager will receive training on policies and procedures on how to facilitate accommodations for people with disabilities.
    2. New staff will receive training internally on how to use the UMRBA audio/visual equipment for in-person meetings, including best management practices for accommodating people with disabilities.
    3. In the scoping phase of a potential new and major UMRBA program, project, or activity:
      1. UMRBA will employ the UMRBA Public Participation Plan to determine community engagement strategies and whether any strategies involve training with respect to potential community integration or attitude barriers to the participation of individuals with disabilities.
      2. If specific training strategies are identified, UMRBA staff will explore opportunities for training that meet the particular needs for removing or minimizing the potential community integration or attitude barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities.
      3. UMRBA will first explore training strategy(ies) that are available at no or low cost to the Association.  If necessary, UMRBA will seek opportunities for financing the training strategy(ies) within the funding source for the program, project, or activity or seek additional funding. Explanatory note:  For the purposes of this document, a “major UMRBA program, project, or activity” involves an effort that shapes new or additional government resources or generates substantially new information.  An example includes strategic planning for state government-led interstate cooperation.
    4. As knowledge of barriers within UMRBA’s programs, projects, and activities are discovered, UMRBA staff will evaluate the specific barrier and identify and participate in the training necessary to address the barrier.  UMRBA will first explore training strategy(ies) that are available at no or low cost to the Association.  If necessary, UMRBA will seek opportunities for financing the training strategy(ies) within the funding source for the program, project, or activity or seek additional funding.

Finances

  1. Organizational resources
    1. On an ongoing basis, UMRBA will seek to secure sufficient resources for certain technologies (i.e., UserWay) to enable visual accessibility on UMRBA’s website.
    2. On an ongoing basis, UMRBA will seek to secure sufficient resources for staff training (as provided above).  In some instances, staff training may be supported by a grant, cooperative agreement, or other contractual agreement.
    3. Upon request, UMRBA will explore financial means to support accessibility services to persons with disabilities.  This will include requesting services that may be available using existing capacity within a UMRBA member state or federal liaison agency or exploring services that assist government or non-governmental organizations.  An example includes the Minnesota Department of Administration’s Cooperative Purchasing Venture.
  2. Resources from grants, cooperative agreements, or other contractual agreements
    1. In the scoping phase of a potential new and major UMRBA program, project, or activity:
      1. UMRBA will employ the UMRBA Public Participation Plan to determine potential community engagement strategies and what, if any, strategies involve communications with persons with disabilities.
      2. UMRBA will explore existing capabilities within partner organizations (funder, UMRBA member states, or implementing partners) that might be leveraged to implement the identified strategy(ies).
      3. UMRBA will estimate the costs of implementing the identified strategy(ies) and include the associated cost in the budget estimate in the application for a grant, cooperative agreement, or other activity.
      4. If necessary, UMRBA will seek additional funding sources to implement the identified strategy(ies). Explanatory note:  For the purposes of this document, a “major UMRBA program, project, or activity” involves an effort that shapes new or additional government resources or generates substantially new information.  An example includes strategic planning for state government-led interstate cooperation.
    2. Upon request, or as requested, UMRBA will seek to modify a grant, cooperative agreement, or other contractual agreement to support the requested accommodation(s).
  3. Partner resources
    1. UMRBA will explore and leverage existing programs and other activities offered by UMRBA member state agencies and federal agency partners to provide training, deliver an accommodation(s), or support another means for expanding accessibility to UMRBA’s programs, projects, and services.

Communication

  1. UMRBA website
    1. On an ongoing basis, UMRBA will secure sufficient resources for certain technologies 
      (i.e., UserWay) to enable visual accessibility on UMRBA’s website.
  2. UMRBA’s “vital” documents of interest
    1. UMRBA will place the text of UMRBA’s “vital” documents on the front web pages where those documents are linked so that they can be viewed in the preferred visual means through UserWay or other platform. 
    2. UMRBA’s recent documents are 508 compliant. However, upon discover and request, UMRBA will make available other “vital” documents of interest available within 508 compliance guidelines. Explanatory note:  For the purposes of this document, a “vital document of interest” include the UMRBA Notice of Non-Discrimination, Public Participation Plan, and Standard Operating Procedures for its Quarterly and Other Public-Facing Meetings, Accessibility Plans for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency and Disabilities.
  3. UMRBA’s quarterly meetings and other public meetings
    1. Per UMRBA’s Public Participation Plan and Standard Operating Procedures for its Quarterly and Other Public-Facing Meetings, UMRBA will post its Notice of Nondiscrimination prominently on the UMRBA website and publications, including meeting notices and in meeting materials.
    2. The in-person location (city) will be selected solely for the purposes of convening state and federal agency leadership.  The in-person location will be determined by the UMRBA Board Chair with consensus from the other Board Members.  In its evaluation of meeting venues, UMRBA will prioritize the facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities. 
    3. Upon request, UMRBA will provide accessibility services at no direct cost to those individuals.  UMRBA will seek to secure services available in UMRBA member state agencies, a federal agency, or other non-governmental organization.
    4. If UMRBA knows of any participation of persons with disabilities participating in a meeting or other activity, UMRBA, in consultation with the specific individual or community leader, will provide an oral statement at the beginning of the meeting regarding inclusive behavior and accessibility services.  An example includes proper use of microphones.

Technology

  1. Researching cost-effective solutions
    1. On an annual basis, the UMRBA Operations Manager will research technologies that can assist in UMRBA’s commitment to supporting meaningful access to all UMRBA programs, services, and activities for individuals with disabilities.  An example is incorporating UserWay onto UMRBA’s website.