the advocacy monitor

Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Letter to the House Opposing The ADA Education and Reform Act

Note: H.R. 620 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and will now move to the Senate. See NCIL’s updated letter with additional signatories.

October 4, 2017

Addressed to: Representatives Paul Ryan (Speaker of the House) and Nancy Pelosi (Minority Leader)

Regarding the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 – the wrong avenue to “restore the integrity” of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – the following 508 organizations sign onto this letter.

On July 26, 2017, millions of people with disabilities throughout this country celebrated the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Unfortunately, many in the business community decided to celebrate the anniversary by diminishing this historic civil rights legislation through a letter of support for the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620). Their letter supporting this extremely dangerous legislation, which was sent to Congress, was titled It’s Time to Restore the Integrity of the ADA (PDF).

This bill was introduced by Representative Ted Poe of Texas in the 115th Congress. It would create significant obstacles for people with disabilities to enforce their rights under Title III of the ADA to access public accommodations and would impede their ability to engage in daily activities and participate in mainstream society.

It is supported by the businesses that signed on to the above letter, which feel they have been hurt by a “loophole” that punishes them for not being compliant with the ADA 27 years after its enactment. Their letter states, “We support the spirit and intent of the ADA and our members strive to remain fully accessible so that all of our customers and guests can enjoy a full range of services and amenities.”

However, what is being proposed actually harms millions of people with disabilities living in America by weakening their civil rights and punishing them for the awful actions of a few attorneys. The bill does the opposite of its intent. It places a new burden on individuals with disabilities, who must now prove the denial of access, and adds significant barriers to the process. The United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division agrees and did an analysis of H.R. 620 that was sent to Congress. This legislation extends the process by adding steps aimed at “eliminating the unintended consequences of drive-by lawsuits,” which will delay true access to those the ADA is intended to protect by:

  1. Removing the incentive for businesses to comply with the ADA
  2. Requiring a person with the disability to file a written notice specifying the exact ADA provisions that are being violated
  3. Giving the business owner 60 days to acknowledge the notice and 120 additional days to begin to fix the violation; a total of 180 days (6 months!) to deny access.

The ADA includes education, training, and technical support provided at no cost by the Department of Justice and the Regional ADA Centers across the country. There are multiple disability organizations around the country that assist with creating an accessible facility and/or business. Some do this important training for free, others will do at a nominal fee. They do this not only to ensure the rights of people with disabilities as users or customers, but also in the hopes of providing employment for the community. A person with a disability is unable to work in any business that is not accessible for entry, lacks ability to function (too high shelves), or has barriers to pathway of travel inside or for essential needs such as restroom facilities. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is currently around 11%, nearly twice the unemployment rate for the general population*. This number is even higher for people of color and other disenfranchised communities who also have disabilities. The numbers for Native Americans with disabilities are triple this estimate. Having access to work in these places of business would make a significant contribution to ending this horrible statistic.

Persons with disabilities have long been marginalized and discriminated against by society and the ADA provided human and civil rights for our community. H.R. 620 would significantly change civil rights law for all people. This will set precedent because, for the first time in history, a protected class would have to provide notification of its intent to exercise their civil rights. No other protected class has to do this for public accommodations.

Changing the ADA does not solve what many see as the problem. It prohibits millions of people with disabilities from being consumers and employees in these places of business.

We urge Congress to maintain the integrity of the ADA and REJECT the notion that this historic civil rights legislation lacks integrity as indicated by businesses in their letter to the Hill on the ADA’s 27th anniversary.

The undersigned organizations urge you to oppose The Education and Reform Act of 2017 and work on strengthening the rights of millions of people with disabilities.

Sincerely,

Alabama

  • Disability Rights and Resources (Birmingham, AL)
  • Lakeshore Foundation (Birmingham, AL)

Alaska

  • Access Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
  • Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Juneau, AK)
  • Disability Law Center of Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
  • Independent Living Center (Homer, AK)
  • Independent Living Center of Mobile (Mobile, AL)
  • SILC of Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
  • Southeast Alaska Independent Living, Inc. – SAIL (Juneau, AK)

Arizona

  • Ability360 (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Arizona Center for Disability Law (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Assist To Independence (Tuba City, AZ)
  • DIRECT Center for Independence (Tucson, AZ)
  • New Horizons Disability Empowerment Center (Prescott Valley, AZ)
  • Services Maximizing Independent Living and Empowerment (Yuma, AZ)
  • Spectrum Experience, LLC (Tempe, AZ)
  • The Arc of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ)
  • The Beacon Group (Tucson, AZ)

Arkansas

  • Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (Little Rock, AR)
  • Disability Resource & Advocacy Center (White Hall, AR)
  • Disability Rights Arkansas (Little Rock, AR)
  • Spa Area Independent Living Services, Inc. (Hot Springs, AR)

California

  • California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports (Sacramento, CA)
  • California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (Sacramento, CA)
  • Center for Disability and the Health Professions (Pomona, CA)
  • Center For Independence of Individuals with Disabilities (San Mateo, CA)
  • Center for Independent Living (Berkeley / Oakland / Alameda, CA)
  • Central Coast Center for Independent Living (Salinas, CA)
  • Community Resources for Independent Living (Hayward, CA)
  • Dayle McIntosh Center (Anaheim, CA)
  • Disability Community Resource Center (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Disability Organizing Group For Initiating Total Equality – DOGFITE (Sacramento, CA)
  • Disability Rights California (Sacramento, CA)
  • Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (Berkeley, CA)
  • Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living (Modesto, CA)
  • Disabled Resources Center, Inc. (Long Beach, CA)
  • East Bay Legislative Coalition (Oakland, CA)
  • FREED Center for Independent Living (Grass Valley, CA)
  • HospitalGlam (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Independent Living Center of Southern California (Van Nuys, CA)
  • Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
  • Independent Living Resource Center (Santa Barbara, CA)
  • Independent Living Resources of Solano & Contra Costa Counties (Concord, CA)
  • Marin Center for Independent Living (San Rafael, CA)
  • Placer Independent Resource Services (Auburn, CA)
  • Resources for Independence Central Valley (Fresno, CA)
  • Resources for Independent Living (Sacramento, CA)
  • Rolling Start Inc. (San Bernardino, CA)
  • Service Center for Independent Life (Claremont, CA)
  • SCRS-IL (East Los Angeles, CA)
  • Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (San Jose, CA)
  • Transgender Law Center (Oakland, CA)
  • Tri-County Independent Living (Eureka, CA)
  • UDW/AFSCME (San Diego, CA)
  • V-Day (San Francisco, CA)

Colorado

  • Association of Colorado Centers for Independent Living (Colorado Springs, CO)
  • Atlantis Community, Inc. (Denver, CO)
  • Center for People With Disabilities (Boulder, CO)
  • Center for Independence (Grand Junction, CO)
  • Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Denver, CO)
  • Disability Law Colorado (Denver, CO)
  • Disabled Resource Services (Fort Collins, CO)
  • Southwest Center for Independence (Durango, CO)
  • The Independence Center (Colorado Springs, CO)

Connecticut

  • Center for Disability Rights – CT (West Haven, CT)
  • Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc. (Middletown, CT)
  • Connecticut State Independent Living Council (Hartford, CT)
  • Counsel of people with disabilities (New Britain, CT)
  • Independence Northwest, Inc. (Naugatuck, CT)

Delaware

  • ADAPT Delaware (Newark, DE)
  • Disabilities Law Program of Community Legal Aid Society (Wilmington, DE)

District of Columbia

  • Allies for Independence (Washington, DC)
  • American Association of People with Disabilities (Washington, DC)
  • American Civil Liberties Union (Washington, DC)
  • American Network of Community Options and Resources – ANCOR (Washington, DC)
  • Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (Washington, DC)
  • Autistic Self Advocacy Network (Washington, DC)
  • Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (Washington, DC)
  • Center for Public Representation (Washington, DC)
  • Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (Washington, DC)
  • DC Center for Independent Living (Washington, DC)
  • Disability Power & Pride (Washington, DC)
  • DC Statewide Independent Living Council (Washington, DC)
  • Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of Deaf communities – HEARD (Washington, DC)
  • Howard McClintic & Associates (Washington, DC)
  • Justice in Aging (Washington, DC)
  • National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (Washington, DC)
  • National Black Justice Coalition (Washington, DC)
  • National Center for Learning Disabilities Washington, DC)
  • National Center for Transgender Equality (Washington, DC)
  • National Council on Independent Living – NCIL (Washington, DC)
  • National Disability Institute (Washington, DC)
  • National Disability Rights Network (Washington, DC)
  • National Health Law Program (Washington, DC)
  • National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund (Washington, DC)
  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society (Washington, DC)
  • Paralyzed Veterans of America (Washington, DC)
  • Parent to Parent USA (Washington, DC)
  • TASH (Washington, DC)
  • The Arc of the United States (Washington, DC)
  • The HSC Health Care System (Washington, DC)
  • The Recovery Group (Washington, DC)
  • United Spinal Association (Washington, DC)

Florida

  • Caring and Sharing Center for Independent Living (Largo, FL)
  • Center for Independent Living in Central Florida, Inc. (Winter Park, FL)
  • Disability Rights Florida (Tallahassee, FL)
  • disAbility Solutions for Independent Living, Inc. (Daytona Beach, FL)
  • Independent Living Resource Center (Jacksonville, FL)
  • Keys Advocacy Center, Inc. (Key Largo, FL)
  • PolicyWorks, Inc. (Tallahassee, FL)

Georgia

  • Disability Connections, Middle GA Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Macon, GA)
  • disABILITY LINK (Tucker, GA)
  • Georgia ADAPT (Atlanta, GA)
  • Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Decatur, GA)
  • National Down Syndrome Congress (Roswell, GA)
  • Statewide Independent Living Council (Decatur, GA)
  • Walton Options for Independent Living (Augusta, GA)

Hawaii

  • Aloha Independent Living Hawaii (Pearl City, HI)
  • Hawaii Disability Rights Center (Honolulu, HI)
  • Statewide Independent Living Council (Honolulu, HI)

Idaho

  • Access Concepts and Training, Inc. (Boise, ID)
  • Center for Independent Living (Twin Falls, ID)
  • Disability Action Center – NW, Inc. (Moscow, ID)
  • Disability Action Center (Lewiston, ID)
  • DisAbility Rights Idaho (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho Developmental Disability Council (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho Parents Unlimited (Boise, ID)
  • Idaho State Independent Living Council (Boise, ID)
  • LIFE, Inc. (Pocatello, ID)
  • Living Independence Network Corporation – LINC (Boise, ID)
  • Seven Peaks Counseling (Sandpoint, ID)
  • United Vision for Idaho (Boise, ID)

Illinois

  • Access Living (Chicago, IL)
  • American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Rosemont, IL)
  • Disability Resource Center (Joliet, IL)
  • HIGH IMPACT Mission-based Consulting & Training (Northbrook, IL)
  • Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Springfield, IL)
  • Illinois Iowa Center for Independent Living (Rock Island, IL)
  • Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, City of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
  • Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living – INCIL (Springfield, IL)
  • Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living (LaSalle, IL)
  • IMPACT CIL (Alton, IL)
  • IMPRUVE (Chicago, IL)
  • Jacksonville Area Center for Independent Living (Jacksonville, IL)
  • Lake County Center for Independent Living (Mundelein, IL)
  • LIFE Center for Independent Living (Bloomington, IL)
  • National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (Chicago, IL)
  • Opportunities For Access – OFA CIL (Mt. Vernon, IL)
  • Options Center for Independent Living (Bourbonnais, IL)
  • PACE, Inc. Center for Independent Living (Urbana, IL)
  • Progress Center for Independent Living (Forest Park, IL)
  • RAMP Center for Independent Living (Rockford, IL)
  • Sibling Leadership Network (Chicago, IL)
  • Smart Policy Works (Chicago, IL)
  • Soyland Access to Independent Living – SAIL (Decatur, IL)
  • Springfield Center for Independent Living (Springfield, IL)

Indiana

  • accessABILITY (Indianapolis, IN)
  • Everybody Counts (Merrillville, IN)
  • Everybody Counts North (Hammond, IN)
  • Fifth Freedom (Fort Wayne, IN)
  • Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Indianapolis, IN)
  • Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council (Indianapolis, IN)
  • The WILL Center (Terre Haute, IN)

Iowa

  • Access 2 Independence of the Eastern Iowa Corridor (Iowa City, IA)
  • Central Iowa Center for Independent Living (Des Moines, IA)
  • Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland (Sioux City, IA)
  • Iowa Statewide Independent Living Council (Des Moines, IA)
  • South Central Iowa Center for Independent Living (Oskaloosa, IA)

Kansas

  • Big Tent Coalition of Kansas (Topeka, KS)
  • Disability Rights Center of Kansas (Topeka, KS)
  • Independent Connection Inc. (Salina, KS)
  • Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (Topeka, KS)
  • Keys for Networking (Topeka, KS)
  • Prairie Independent Living Resource Center, Inc. (Hutchinson, KS)
  • Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Osage City, KS)
  • Southeast Kansas Independent Living – SKIL (Parsons, KS)
  • Sedan SKIL (Sedan, KS)
  • Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (Topeka, KS)

Kentucky

  • Center for Accessible Living (Louisville, KY)
  • Independence Place (Lexington, KY)
  • Kentucky Protection and Advocacy (Frankfort, KY)
  • Kentucky Statewide Independent Living Council (Lexington, KY)

Louisiana

  • Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council (Baton Rouge, LA)

Maine

  • Disability Rights Maine (Augusta, ME)

Maryland

  • Accessible Resources for Independence (Glen Burnie, MD)
  • American Association on Health and Disability (Rockville, MD)
  • Association of University Centers on Disabilities (Silver Spring, MD)
  • Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club (Baltimore, MD)
  • Disability Rights Maryland (Baltimore, MD)
  • Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (Chevy Chase, MD)
  • Maryland ADAPT (Towson, MD)
  • Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (Rockville, MD)
  • National Association of the Deaf (Silver Spring, MD)
  • Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (Gaithersburg, MD)
  • Peer Wellness & Recovery Services, Inc. Silver Spring, MD)
  • The Freedom Center (Frederick, MD)
  • The IMAGE Center of Maryland (Towson, MD)
  • Together We Will – Baltimore Area (Baltimore, MD)

Massachusetts

  • AdLib, Inc. (Pittsfield, MA)
  • Asperger Works, Inc. (Lawrence, MA)
  • Boston Center for Independent Living (Boston, MA)
  • Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled – CORD (Hyannis, MA)
  • Center for Living and Working (Worcester, MA)
  • Disability Law Center (Boston, MA)
  • Disability Policy Consortium of Massachusetts (Boston, MA)
  • Easter Seals Massachusetts (Worcester, MA)
  • Independence Associates, Inc. (East Bridgewater, MA)
  • Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, Inc. ( Salem, MA)
  • MassADAPT (Boston, MA)
  • Multicultural Independent Living Center of Boston (Boston, MA)
  • National Association of Benefits and Work Incentive Specialists (Boston, MA)
  • Northeast Independent Living Program Inc. (Lawrence, MA)
  • Southeast Center for Independent Living (Fall River, MA)
  • Stavros Center for Independent Living (Amherst, MA)

Michigan

  • Disability Network of Mid-Michigan (Midland, MI)
  • Disability Network Northern Michigan (Traverse City, MI)
  • Disability Network Oakland & Macomb (Troy, MI)
  • International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (Sterling Heights, MI)
  • Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service, Inc. (Lansing, MI)
  • Peer Action Alliance (Muskegon, MI)

Minnesota

  • Minnesota Association of Centers for Independent Living (Hibbing, MN)
  • SMILES CIL (Mankato, MN)

Mississippi

  • Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (Jackson, MS)
  • Disability Rights Mississippi (Jackson, MS)
  • Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi (Flowood , MS)
  • Families as Allies (Jackson, MS)
  • Just Advocacy of Mississippi (Jackson , MS)
  • Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Jackson, MS)
  • Mississippi Religious Leadership Council (Jackson, MS)
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness – Mississippi (Jackson, MS)
  • Parents for Public Schools, Inc. (Jackson, MS)
  • Parents United Together (Madison, MS)

Missouri

  • Nestle Purina (St. Louis, MO)
  • Paraquad (St. Louis, MO)
  • Rural Advocates for Independent Living (Kirksville, MO)
  • Services for Independent Living (Columbia, MO)
  • Starkloff Disability Institute (St. Louis, MO)
  • The Starkloff Disability Institute (St. Louis, MO)
  • The Whole Person (Kansas City, MO)

Montana

  • ADAPT Montana (Missoula, MT)
  • Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (Billings, MT)
  • Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (Helena, MT)
  • Montana Independent Living Project (Helena, MT)
  • Montana Statewide Independent Living Council (Helena, MT)
  • North Central Independent Living Services, Inc. (Black Eagle, MT)
  • Summit Independent Living (Missoula, MT)

Nebraska

  • Autism Women’s Network (Lincoln, NE)
  • Disability Rights Nebraska (Lincoln, NE)
  • Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (Lincoln, NE)
  • Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council (Lincoln, NE)

New Hampshire

  • Disability Rights Center – New Hampshire (Concord, NH)
  • Granite State Independent Living (Concord, NH)
  • New Hampshire Statewide Independent Living Council (Concord, NH)

New Jersey

  • Artemis Center for Independent Living (Galloway, NJ)
  • Alliance Center for Independence (Edison, NJ)
  • Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (Short Hills, NJ)
  • Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Organizations of New Jersey (Wayne, NJ)
  • Collaborative Support Programs of NJ – CSPNJ (Freehold, NJ)
  • Community Health Law Project (South Orange, NJ)
  • DAWN Center for Independent Living (Denville, NJ)
  • DIAL – Center for Independent Living (Clifton, NJ)
  • Disability Rights New Jersey (Trenton, NJ)
  • Family Voices NJ (Newark, NJ)
  • Heightened Independence and Progress Center for Independent Living (Hackensack, NJ)
  • Mental Health Association in NJ (Springfield, NJ)
  • NAMI New Jersey (North Brunswick, NJ)
  • National Center for Environmental Health Strategies (Voorhees, NJ)
  • New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. (Mercerville, NJ)
  • New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (Trenton, NJ)
  • People Support Network (Titusville, NJ)
  • Progressive Center IL (Hamilton, NJ)
  • Seeking Ways Out Together NJ (Titusville, NJ)
  • SPAN (Newark, NJ)
  • The Supportive Housing Association of NJ (South Orange, NJ)

Nevada

  • NNCIL (Sparks, NV)
  • Rural Center for Independent Living (Carson City, NV)
  • Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living (Las Vegas, NV)

New Mexico

  • Native American Disability Law Center (Farmington, NM)

New York

  • Access to Independence of Cortland County, Inc. (Cortland, NY)
  • Action Toward Independence (Monticello, NY)
  • AIM Independent Living Center (Corning, NY)
  • All About You Home Care (Rochester, NY)
  • ARISE (Syracuse, NY)
  • Bronx Independent Living Services (Bronx, NY)
  • Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Capital District Center for Independence Inc. (Albany, NY)
  • Catskill Center for Independence (Oneonta, NY)
  • Center for Disability Rights (Rochester, NY)
  • Center for Independence of the Disabled (New York, NY)
  • CONNECT (New York, NY)
  • Finger Lakes Independence Center Inc. (Ithaca, NY)
  • Harlem Independent Living Center (New York, NY)
  • Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley, Inc. (Troy, NY)
  • Independent Living of Niagara County (Niagara Falls, NY)
  • International Action Center (New York, NY)
  • Independent Living, Inc. (Newburgh, NY)
  • Long Island Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Levittown, NY)
  • Long Island ADAPT (Holtsville, NY)
  • Mental Patients Liberation Alliance in New York State (Sterling, NY)
  • National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (East Amherst, NY)
  • New York Association on Independent Living (Albany, NY)
  • New York Statewide Independent Living Council (Albany, NY)
  • New York State ADAPT (Albany, NY)
  • New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Albany, NY)
  • Northern Regional Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Watertown, NY)
  • North Country Center for Independence (Plattsburgh, NY)
  • Not Dead Yet (Rochester, NY)
  • NYAPRS (Albany, NY)
  • NYC ADAPT (New York, NY)
  • Peoples’ Power Assembly (New York, NY)
  • RCIL (Utica, NY)
  • Resource Center for Accessible Living, Inc. (Kingston, NY)
  • Regional Center for Independent Living (Rochester, NY)
  • Rochester ADAPT (Rochester, NY)
  • Rockland Independent Living Center (New City, NY)
  • Southern Adirondack Independent Living Center (Queensbury, NY)
  • Southern Tier ADAPT (Binghamton, NY)
  • Southern Tier Independence Center (Binghamton, NY)
  • Southwestern Independent Living Center (Jamestown, NY)
  • Staten Island Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Staten Island, NY)
  • Suffolk Independent Living Organization (Hotlsville, NY)
  • Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. (Poughkeepsie, NY)
  • The Resource Center for Accessible Living, Inc. (Kingston, NY)
  • Transcend Legal (New York, NY)
  • Tri-Lakes Center for Independent Living (Saranac Lake, NY)
  • United Spinal Association (Queens, NY)
  • Westchester Disabled On the Move Inc. (Yonkers, NY)
  • Westchester Independent Living Center (White Plains, New York)
  • Witness to Mass Incarceration (New York, NY)
  • Workers World Party (New York, NY)

North Carolina

  • Alliance of Disability Advocates (Raleigh, NC)
  • Disability Advocates & Resource Center (Greenville, NC)
  • DisAbility Partners (Sylva, NC)
  • DisAbility Partners-Asheville Office (Asheville, NC)
  • disAbility Resource Center (Wilmington, NC)
  • Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring – DREAM (Huntersville, NC)
  • Disability Rights North Carolina (Raleigh, NC)
  • Disability Rights & Resources (Charlotte, NC)
  • Joy A Shabazz Center for Disability Rights (Greensboro, NC)
  • North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Durham, NC)

North Dakota

  • Freedom Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Fargo, ND)
  • Protection & Advocacy Project (Bismarck, ND)

Ohio

  • Ability Center of Greater Toledo (Toledo, OH)
  • Access Center for Independent Living (Dayton, OH)
  • Getting Back Up (Westlake, OH)
  • Independent Living Center of North Central OH (Mansfield, OH)
  • Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential – LEAP (Cleveland, OH)
  • Ohio Domestic Violence Network (Columbus, OH)
  • The Center for Disability Empowerment (Columbus, OH)
  • Tri-County Independent Living Center (Akron, OH)
  • University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (Cincinnati, OH)
  • Western Reserve Independent Living Center (Warren, OH)

Oklahoma

  • Ability Resources (Tulsa, OK)
  • Dynamic Independence (Bartlesville, OK)
  • Oklahoma SILC (Oklahoma City, OK)
  • Progressive Independence (Norman, OK)

Oregon

  • Association of Oregon Centers for Independent Living – AOCIL (Portland, OR)
  • Community Bridges Consulting Group (West Linn, OR)
  • Disability Rights Oregon (Portland, OR)
  • Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (Ontario, OR)
  • Handicap Awareness & Support League – HASL (Grants Pass, OR)
  • Lane Independent Living Alliance – LILA (Eugene, OR)
  • Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (Portland, OR)
  • SPOKES Unlimited (Klamath Falls, OR)
  • The National Crittenton Foundation (Portland, OR)
  • Umpqua Valley disAbilities Network (Roseburg, OR)
  • Voices Set Free (Hillsboro, OR)

Pennsylvania

  • Center for Independent Living (Scranton, PA)
  • Center for Independent Living of North Central PA (Williamsport, PA)
  • #CripTheVote (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Disabled in Action (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Disability Rights Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, PA)
  • Learning Disabilities Association of America (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, Inc. – LVCIL (Allentown, PA)
  • Liberty Resources Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Harrisburg, PA)
  • Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council (Camp Hill, PA)
  • Public Interest Law Center (Philadelphia, PA)

Puerto Rico

  • Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente – MAVI (San Juan, PR)

Rhone Island

  • Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Warwick, RI)
  • Rhode Island Disability Law Center, Inc. (Providence, RI)

South Carolina

  • Able South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
  • AccessAbility (North Charleston, SC)
  • Beginnings South Carolina (West Columbia, SC)
  • Brain Injury Association of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
  • disAbility Resource Center (dba) AccessAbility (North Charleston, SC)
  • EQUIP Young Adults Leadership (Greenville, SC)
  • Family Connection of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
  • Impact South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
  • Portlight Strategies (Johns Island, SC)
  • Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. (Columbia, SC)
  • South Carolina Access & Independence Network (Columbia, SC)
  • South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Columbia, SC)
  • South Carolina Statewide Independent Living Council (Columbia, SC)
  • Spinal Cord Injury Association (Columbia, SC)
  • The Arc of South Carolina (Cayce, SC)
  • Trident Head Injury Support Group (Charleston, SC)
  • Walton Options (North Augusta, SC)
  • Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (Columbia, SC)

South Dakota

  • Independent Living Choices (Sioux Falls, SD)
  • South Dakota Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (Pierre, SD)

Tennessee

  • disABILITY Resource Center (Knoxville, TN)
  • Disability Rights Tennessee (Nashville, TN)
  • Empower Tennessee (Nashville, TN)
  • Memphis Center for Independent Living (Memphis, TN)
  • Mid-South ADAPT (Memphis, TN)

Texas

  • ADAPT of Texas (Austin, TX)
  • ARCIL, Inc. (Austin, TX)
  • Brazoria County Center for Independent Living (Angleton, TX)
  • Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (Bryan, TX)
  • Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (Austin, TX)
  • Coastal Bend Center for Independent Living (Corpus Christi, TX)
  • Crockett Resource Center for Independent Living (Crockett, TX)
  • El Paso Desert ADAPT (El Paso, TX)
  • Fort Bend Center for Independent Living (Sugar Land, TX)
  • Houston Center for Independent Living (Houston, TX)
  • Palestine Resource Center for Independent Living (Palestine, TX)
  • Panhandle Independent Living Center (Amarillo, TX)
  • Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas (Austin, TX)
  • REACH of Dallas Resource Center on Independent Living (Dallas, TX)
  • REACH of Denton Resource Center on Independent Living (Denton, TX)
  • REACH of Fort Worth Resource Center on Independent Living (Fort Worth, TX)
  • REACH of Plano Resource Center on Independent Living (Plano, TX)
  • RISE Center (Beaumont, TX)
  • Road to Freedom Bus Tour (Austin, TX)
  • SAILS (San Antonio, TX)
  • Valley Association for Independent Living, Inc. (McAllen, TX)
  • Volar Center for Independent Living (El Paso, TX)

Utah

  • ADAPT/Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Utah Statewide Independent Living Council (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Disabled Rights Action Committee (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Disability Law Center (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • OPTIONS for Independence (Logan, UT)
  • Roads To Independence (Ogden, UT)

Vermont

  • Disability Rights Vermont (Montpelier, VT)
  • Disabled Access & Advocacy of the Rutland Area (Rutland, VT)
  • Green Mountain ADAPT (Montpelier, VT)
  • Green Mountain Self-Advocates (Montpelier, VT)
  • National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (Waitsfield, VT)
  • Vermont Care Partners (Montpelier, VT)
  • Vermont Center for Independent Living (Montpelier, VT)
  • Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights (Montpelier, VT)
  • Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (Waterbury, VT)
  • Vermont Legal Aid, Inc. (Burlington, VT)
  • Women’s March Vermont (Burlington, VT)
  • Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (Montpelier, VT)
  • Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity (Brattleboro, VT)
  • Vermont Psychiatric Survivors, Inc. (Rutland, VT)
  • Vermont Statewide Independent Living Council (South Burlington, VT)

Virginia

  • Access Independence, Inc. (Winchester, VA)
  • American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (Reston, VA)
  • American Therapeutic Recreation Association (Reston, VA)
  • Appalachian Independence Center, Inc. (Abingdon, VA)
  • Blue Ridge Independent Living Center (Roanoke, VA)
  • Brain Injury Association of America (Vienna, VA)
  • Clinch Independent Living Services, Inc. (Grundy, VA)
  • Community Concepts, Inc. (Dumfries, VA)
  • DC Metro ADAPT (Fairfax, VA)
  • disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc. (Fredericksburg, VA)
  • Disability Rights and Resource Center (Rocky Mount, VA)
  • Eastern Shore Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Belle Haven, VA)
  • Endependence Center Inc. (Norfolk, VA)
  • ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (Arlington, VA)
  • Happy on Wheels, LLC (Arlington, VA)
  • Independence Empowerment Center, Inc. (Manassas, VA)
  • Junction Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Norton, VA)
  • Lynchburg Area Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Lynchburg, VA)
  • National Disability Mentoring Coalition (Falls Church, VA)
  • New River Valley Disability Resource Center (Christiansburg, VA)
  • Resources for Independent Living Inc. (Richmond, VA)
  • The Advocacy Institute (Marshall, VA)
  • The American Counseling Organization (Alexandria, VA)
  • The Arc of Northern Virginia (Falls Church, VA)
  • The Disability Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc. (Fredericksburg, VA)
  • Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (Harrisonburg, VA)
  • Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance (Richmond, VA)
  • Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (Henrico, VA)

Virgin Islands

  • V.I. Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Council (St. Croix, VI)

Washington

  • Center for Independence (Lakewood, WA)
  • Disability Rights Washington (Seattle, WA)
  • Rooted in Rights (Seattle, WA)
  • Spokane Center for Independent Living (Spokane, WA)
  • Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence – WSCADV (Seattle, WA)
  • Washington State Independent Living Council (Lacey, WA)

West Virginia

  • Appalachian Center for Independent Living (Charleston, WV)
  • Northern WV Center for Independent Living (Morgantown, WV)
  • West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (Institute, WV)
  • WVSU Student Access Advocates (Poca, WV)

Wisconsin

  • Access to Independence (Madison, WI)
  • Center for Independent Living Western Wisconsin (Menomonie, WI)
  • Central Wisconsin ADAPT (Plover/Stevens Point, WI)
  • Disability Rights Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
  • FORGE, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)
  • IndependenceFirst (Milwaukee, WI)
  • Independent Living Resources, Inc. (La Crosse, WI)
  • Midstate Independent Living Choices (Stevens Point, WI)
  • North Country Independent Living (Superior, WI)
  • Options for Independent Living (Green Bay, WI)
  • SEWI ADAPT Chapter (Milwaukee, WI)
  • Wisconsin ADAPT – Madison (Madison, WI)
  • Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (Madison, WI)
  • Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers (Madison, WI)

Wyoming

  • WSIL (Lander, WY)
  • Wyoming Independent Living (Casper, WY)
  • Wyoming State Independent Living Council (Casper, WY)

End Notes:

* U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (March 6, 2015). Employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted. Retrieved March 29, 2015.