Virginia Beach Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities

09/20/2021

COVID-19 transmission at school rare for children with disabilities | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

rapid saliva test screenings — aimed at early detection of COVID-19 — contributed to exceedingly low transmission of the virus among students, teachers and staff

A study led by Washington University School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Special School District of St. Louis County, found that rapid saliva test screenings contributed to exceedingly low transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 among students, teachers and staff in those schools.

09/19/2021

Blind man, guide dog forced from North Carolina mall, lawsuit says

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District by Disability Rights North Carolina says that during a visit to Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem in November 2020, Wilmer Oliva visited a store to take advantage of post-Thanksgiving sales. The store manager tried to have Oliva removed because of his dog, the lawsuit said.

Police officers violated civil rights law when they forced a blind man and his service dog to leave a mall and threatened to arrest him for trespassing if he didn’t, according to a lawsuit filed by a North Carolina advocacy group.

09/17/2021

Virginia Voter Information – Citizen Portal

It's National Disability Voter Week and you can still register to vote, or update an existing registration until Tuesday, October 12, 2021. #NDVRW Go to https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Register to vote, update your current Virginia voter registration, apply to vote absentee by mail, or view your polling place, election district, absentee ballot status, and voting history.

09/17/2021

Webinar Registration - Zoom

Friday, September 17th, 3pm – 3:30pm ET
The White House Offices of Public Engagement and COVID-19 Response is hosting a conversation with Disabled Americans on President Biden’s plan to combat the Delta variant and boost vaccinations. ASL and CART will be provided. Registration Link

09/16/2021

09/15/2021

Citizen Portal: Register to vote, update your current Virginia voter registration, apply to vote absentee by mail, or view your polling place, election district, absentee ballot status, and voting history. You will need a DMV ID number to use the online system. https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Citizen Portal: Register to vote, update your current Virginia voter registration, apply to vote absentee by mail, or view your polling place, election district, absentee ballot status, and voting history. You will need a DMV ID number to use the online system. https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

09/15/2021

Governor Northam Encourages Virginians to Celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month

Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month proclaimed in recognition of contributions of Hispanic and Latino Virginians

Governor Ralph Northam, 73rd Governor of Virginia

09/14/2021

1. Any person, regardless of their disability status, has the right to register to vote at any office or agency that provides such a service.
2. A person with cognitive disabilities can be eligible to register and vote if not adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of law.
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/accessible-voting/

1. Any person, regardless of their disability status, has the right to register to vote at any office or agency that provides such a service.
2. A person with cognitive disabilities can be eligible to register and vote if not adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of law.
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/accessible-voting/

09/14/2021

ACTIVE | Families of Autistic Children in Tidewater

Join FACT and Arts for Learning for our first-ever Arts Adventures class! Arts Adventures is a 12-week creative dance and body movement program with Angela Taylor, certified yoga instructor, and teaching artist. Each session will explore communication, teamwork, and self-worth themes through a variety of dance and body movements in a peer-to-peer environment.

We will ask parents to participate in a pre/post survey as this will allow us to determine the success of our program(s). On the last day of class, we will host a culminating event that will showcase skills learned throughout the course.

Who: Individuals with autism in grades 6-12. This is a FREE program and top priority will be given to families who qualify for free or reduced lunch through the school system. FACT and Arts for Learning are joining forces to provide an art-based outlet for our families who are experiencing financial hardships

Where:
Heritage United Methodist Church
815 Baker Rd
Virginia Beach, VA 23462

When:
Monday and Wednesday evening's from 6:00-7:30 pm: September 20 - December 15, 2021

REGISTER HERE ➡️ https://conta.cc/3jbZcrD

09/14/2021

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Disability Vote Summit: Understanding the Disability Vote. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

The National Disability Rights Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities will be hosting the 2021 Disability Vote Summit on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 from 12:00 - 4:00 PM EST. At the virtual Summit, we will explore the power of the disability vote, lessons learned from 2020 turnout, and how to use data to mobilize the disability vote. Confirmed presenters include representatives from the National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, SABE Go Voter Project, and more! Join national disability advocates, state and local organizers, policymakers, and others who are working to get out the disability vote. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_luKRN0AXTz2reJ3xLeO4AQ

The National Disability Rights Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities will be hosting the 2021 Disability Vote Summit on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 from 12:00 - 4:00 PM EST. At the virtual Summit, we will explore the power of the disability vote, lessons learned from 2020....

09/13/2021

09/07/2021

Maryland settles lawsuit over machines used by blind voters

The state of Maryland will pay $230,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by visually impaired voters and the National Federation of the Blind that alleged the state’s electronic voting machines compromised voter secrecy and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The state of Maryland will pay $230,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by visually impaired voters and the National Federation of the Blind that alleged the state’s electronic voting machines compromised voter secrecy and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

09/03/2021

Advocating For Marriage Equity For People With Developmental Disabilities

Advocating For Marriage Equity For People With Developmental Disabilities

/PRNewswire/ -- A Bronx woman supported by AHRC New York City is sharing her stories of love and intimacy in hopes of influencing change to the Supplemental...

08/30/2021

National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) Kick-off
Join REV UP VA and VA Department of Elections Commissioner Christopher Piper on Monday, September 13, 2021
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Eastern Time as we kick-off NDVRW and work to ensure more disabled Virginian voters’ voices are heard this November and in future elections.
Register now to receive the zoom link.
Links will be sent out 1-2 days in advance of the event.
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScCcdibSk2BKK.../viewform
If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected]
#REVUP #DisabilityVote

National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) Kick-off
Join REV UP VA and VA Department of Elections Commissioner Christopher Piper on Monday, September 13, 2021
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Eastern Time as we kick-off NDVRW and work to ensure more disabled Virginian voters’ voices are heard this November and in future elections.
Register now to receive the zoom link.
Links will be sent out 1-2 days in advance of the event.
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScCcdibSk2BKK.../viewform
If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected]
#REVUP #DisabilityVote

08/29/2021

Should I Use a Special Needs Trust or ABLE Account?

Should I Use a Special Needs Trust or ABLE Account?

Information on ABLE accounts, special needs trusts, how to save money and navigate public benefits, and more.

08/27/2021

Pet project: Biden signs bill providing service dogs for struggling veterans

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/pet-project-biden-signs-bill-providing-service-dogs-struggling-veterans-n1277652?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm

The bipartisan PAWS Act calls for the VA to provide service dogs for military veterans who have PTSD.

08/24/2021

MCPD Meeting Schedule

For the foreseeable future we'll be meeting at
Bayside Special Service Library
936 Independence Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Continue to watch for posts before every meeting in case something changes at last minute.

08/21/2021

Hopes Run High For SSI Overhaul

Hopes Run High For SSI Overhaul

As federal lawmakers put together a $3.5 trillion budget bill, there are expectations that it could bring major changes to the Supplemental Security Income program for the first time in decades.

08/20/2021

Va Beach Disability Resources 2021

Welcome to Virginia Beach Disability Resources. If you have information about additional resources, feel free to contact us through FB Instant Messenger

Many additional resources as well as all information on the pages below can also be found under the Community Resource tab of www.CelebratingAllAbilities.com

08/20/2021

National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) Kick-off Event

National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) Kick-off Event

Join REV UP VA and VA Department of Elections Commissioner Christopher Piper as we kick-off NDVRW and work to ensure more disabled Virginian voters’ voices are heard this November and in future elections. Register now to receive the zoom link. Links will be sent out 1-2 days in advance of the even...

08/15/2021

Search the NLS catalog.​

Special Services Library
(757) 385-2684
[email protected]

NLS ensures That All May Read.​

08/13/2021

The Tide Light Rail Ten Year Anniversary!

Hampton Roads Transit will celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Tide light rail on Thursday, August 19, 2021.

To commemorate this milestone, HRT is proud to announce that all services (Bus, Light Rail, Ferry and Paratransit) will be free for the whole day! In addition, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM, the MacArthur Square light rail station will host a gathering featuring guest speakers, refreshments, and giveaways!
https://gohrt.com/alert/the-tide-light-rail-ten-year-anniversary/

Hampton Roads Transit will celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Tide light rail on Thursday, August 19, 2021. To commemorate this milestone, HRT is proud to announce that all services (Bus, Light Rail, Ferry and Paratransit) will be free for the whole day! In addition, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM, t...

08/08/2021

Review | Urging a new approach to autism: Stop looking for a cure and start listening

"Eric Garcia’s outstanding book, “We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation,” highlights how a lack of input from autistic people “can perpetuate stigmatizing ideas about autism,” which leads to his call to include autistic people in the conversations that concern them. As an autistic mother of autistic children, I couldn’t agree more with the main argument of Garcia’s book: “Society should stop trying to cure autistic people and instead help autistic people live fulfilling lives.”

Autistic people have been left out of conversations that concern them, Eric Garcia writes.

08/01/2021

The ADA is 31! Here's Seven Disability Rights Issues You Need to Know About - NDRN

The ADA is 31! Here's Seven Disability Rights Issues You Need to Know About - NDRN

For the 31st anniversary of the ADA, we partnered with The Leadership Conference to highlight some disability rights issues.

07/30/2021

Lawmakers Must Invest in SSI to Promote Disability Justice

Lawmakers Must Invest in SSI to Promote Disability Justice

In the upcoming economic recovery package, lawmakers have an opportunity to support people with disabilities through reforms to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.

07/28/2021

Kids and Money: Savings program for people with disabilities gaining popularity - Tribune Content Agency (July 16, 2021)

"Created by Congress in 2014 and rolled out gradually state-by-state two years later, ABLE accounts are designed to help individuals with disabilities save and fund a variety of qualified disability expenses, such as education, transportation, housing and employment training.

"Here’s the kicker: As long as eligibility rules are followed, account holders can use ABLEs without endangering eligibility for government programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Insurance."

Able is growing up fast. Five years after its launch, the ABLEnow savings program — as it is called — hit a milestone. The accounts, some in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, now hold more than $100 million in assets for more than 12,000 account holders. Not too shabby for a tax-advan...

07/27/2021

Today, July 26th 2021, we celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, providing an opportunity to reflect on the progress accomplished for individuals with disabilities. The ADA is a civil rights legislation in the United States that prohibits discrimination and removes barriers for people with disabilities. The Bazelon Center played a significant role in the ADA's passage by collaborating with the federal government as well as other advocacy groups to establish that the government and businesses adhere with the ADA, as well as filing or aiding in litigation that would promote compliance with the ADA.

Learn more at bazelon.org

07/27/2021

1. Any person, regardless of their disability status, has the right to register to vote at any office or agency that provides such a service.

2. A person with cognitive disabilities can be eligible to register and vote if not adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of law.

The Virginia Department of Elections is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 31st Anniversary by helping people with disabilities vote. Find out more: elections.virginia.gov/accessible. #ADA31 #VAisForVoters

07/26/2021

#ADA31 - Celebrate. Learn. Share. | ADA Anniversary Tool Kit

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.
What changes have you experienced?
What still needs to change?

Throughout the year, celebrate the 31st ADA anniversary and 30 years of the ADA National Network for information and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

07/26/2021

15 Books to Celebrate Disability Pride

Celebrate and elevate people with disabilites, call for disability justice, and challenge ableism through reading.

Through these #OwnVoices selections, we invite you to celebrate and elevate people with disabilities, call for disability justice, and challenge ableism through reading.

07/23/2021

Enhancing Accessibility in U.S. Elections - Center for American Progress

Enhancing Accessibility in U.S. Elections - Center for American Progress

Voters with disabilities must have full and equal access to the ballot box.

07/22/2021

5 wheelchair-friendly beaches in the U.S

"Here are five of the most accommodating beaches in the U.S." Alas, Virginia Beach was not included.

These five coastal areas have made accessibility a priority.

07/21/2021

A chance to 'amplify one another': What is Disability Pride Month?

"To me, Disability Pride is many things. It's a chance for disabled people to declare their inherent self-worth, something that isn't often done by individuals outside of the community. It's a chance for the disabled community to come together, uplift, and amplify one another," Ping-Wild, founder of The Rolling Explorerblog, told USA TODAY. "Perhaps most importantly, it's a time for us all to make a whole lot of noise in the fight for disability justice."

Although Disability Pride Day isn't nationally recognized, parades are held in a number of places nationwide to celebrate diversity and disabilities.