DISABILITIES

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited JBSA Lackland today to have a roundtable discussion with military families who have children with disabilities. They wanted to talk about how to better support those families.

Disability rights advocates say the state has not provided enough guidance about the type of help people with disabilities can and cannot receive under new voting laws passed last year.

Disability Rights Texas filed the lawsuit on behalf of 14 child plaintiffs saying the ban violates federal anti-discrimination law under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Nearly one million workers with disabilities lost jobs in 2020, according to the New Hampshire University Institute on Disability.

Nearly one million workers with disabilities lost jobs in 2020, according to the New Hampshire University Institute on Disability.

While finding a job isn’t always easy, it can be particularly challenging for young women with disabilities.

The extent to which Republicans’ proposed voting restrictions might affect voters of color has received much attention, but Texans with disabilities also face the prospect of new barriers to the ballot box.

Proposed voting restrictions that could be resurrected during the upcoming special session starting July 8 led several disability organizations to send a statement to Texas lawmakers.

The Justice Department today moved to intervene in a disability discrimination lawsuit that private plaintiffs with visual disabilities brought against the City of Chicago under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). Pedestrian signal information, such as a flashing “Walk/Don’t Walk” signal, indicates when it is safe to cross the street. Since at least 2006, Chicago has recognized the need to install APSs for pedestrians with visual disabilities. Yet, while Chicago currently provides sighted pedestrians visual crossing signals at nearly 2,700 intersections, it has installed APSs at only 15 of those intersections. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report.

People with developmental disabilities overlooked in COVID pandemic, researchers say A year into the coronavirus pandemic, researchers fear that the risk to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may have been overlooked.

Because of the pandemic, access to the state Capitol could be limited this year: Many Texans with disabilities, including Broussard, do not want to risk testifying in person. With uncertain rules on virtual testimony, and at such an urgent and precarious time, many worry pandemic process changes could leave them out of an all-important session focused on managing a virus that has killed people with disabilities at uniquely high rates. Instead, advocates for those with disabilities and some lawmakers worry that high-profile lobbyists will have the ears of the policy makers if virtual testimony is limited and in-person visits remain the norm. “We would have a lot more concerns if we had any clue what they were going to do,” said Jeff Miller, a policy specialist at Disability Rights Texas. “We always need to be at the table when you're making big decisions,” Broussard said, directing his request toward lawmakers.

SAN ANTONIO – A change in policies has led to criticism of the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners after it announced Monday that social workers will now be able to turn away LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. According to the state’s current law, a social worker can face disciplinary action if they refuse services to clients based on religion, race or age. While these changes reflect the agency’s duty to duly enacted statutes, the Board and Council recognize the importance of legal protection from discrimination. Brown also serves as a licensed social worker. Brown said she believes social work is about adapting to others' needs, and refusing to help is detrimental.

School from home has become commonplace since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with many children it can be a real struggle. With roughly one in five kids in the U.S. having learning and attention issues, it can be very difficult to learn using a virtual platform. A study was done by researchers to better understand the online learning experience of students with disabilities and interviewed parents with children in third through eighth grade. Parents reported that online education requires a significant time commitment to help structure childrens time, to help implement learning activities, and to problem solve when issues arise. If you have any questions about remote learning for special education students, click here.

SAN ANTONIO Alternative baseball is a newer baseball league that gives teens and adults with disabilities and autism the opportunities to play the sport, and learn important life lessons. Growing up, I still faced a lot of social stigma, what one with autism can and cannot accomplish, Taylor Duncan said. Duncan started Alternative Baseball in 2016 to help those with disabilities and autism break the stereotype and become more included. This is a great opportunity to learn as much as possible about what we can do, not what we cant. We want to start something in San Antonio, if we could find the coach manager to do so.