Volume 6, Number 4, August 2020 GCD: Governor’s Council on Disability Newsletter Image: Governor's Council on Disability logo Inside this Issue Page 1: . Missouri Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the ADA Page 2: . 75th Anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month . Disability Employment Awareness Month Poster Contest Page 3: . Missouri Service Animal Statute Changes . MO-YLF Alumni Spotlight Page 4: . Regional Leadership Forums: New Date for Jefferson City . Get Prepared for the Upcoming Elections Missouri Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the ADA by Claudia Browner Images: ADA 30th anniversary 1990 to 2020 logo; Governor Parson speaks at the ADA30 event; Madelyn Hubbs; Sam Doman All around the country, disability organizations have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this month and throughout the year, with webinars, documentaries, and events. On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Missouri celebrated this milestone with an event at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City and via Facebook live. Several dozen individuals attended the event at the capitol while thousands of others viewed it online. The Governor’s Council on Disability collaborated with the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation, Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Missouri Assistive Technology, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living, Missouri Rehabilitation Association, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, Missouri Mental Health Foundation, MU Pre-Employment Transition Services, Missouri Centers for Independent Living, and Paraquad to host this event. Thank you to all of the partner agencies! Speakers included Governor Michael L. Parson and Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin, who presented proclamations to celebrate the anniversary and designate July 26 as Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day, followed by Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Amber Cheek with the MU Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, and Julie Brinkhoff with the Great Plains ADA Center spoke to honor and celebrate the legacy of former Council member and state legislator Chuck Graham. Missouri Youth Leadership Forum alumna Madelyn Hubbs provided her perspective of a member of the ADA generation born after the passage of the ADA. Sam Doman, a violinist from Wardsville, played classical music during a slideshow of ADA Successes and Visions for the Future highlighting the accomplishments and successes of the ADA in the last three decades and visions for the future of inclusion and accessibility. More information about the ADA30 celebration and the slideshow can be found on our website at https://disability.mo.gov/ada30.htm. For additional photos and a recording of the event, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MissouriGCD/ Page 2 75th Anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month Image: The background color of the 2020 poster is royal blue. All lettering is gold. To the left, in upper case letters, is the theme INCREASING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY. Under the theme in upper and lower case lettering are the words Celebrating 30 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under this statement is blue space. At the bottom left are four elements: Two logos side-by-side: 30th/ADA ANNIVERSARY 75th/NDEAM ANNIVERSARY National Disability Employment Awareness Month #ADA30 | #NDEAM75 | dol.gov/odep DOL’s logo with the following, in upper case letters, to its right: OFFICE OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR To the right, cascading down to the bottom of the poster, are triangular shapes containing images of people with a range of disabilities working in various settings. This October, the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), along with disability organizations around the country will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) with a range of events and activities centered on the theme "Increasing Access and Opportunity”. The ODEP news release about this year’s event and ideas on how to participate in the celebration can be found at https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/odep/odep20200630 Disability Employment Awareness Month Poster Contest Image: Disability Employment Awareness Month contest flyer To raise awareness about NDEAM and the importance of employment inclusion for people with disabilities, the Governor’s Council on Disability hosts its annual Disability Employment Awareness Month Poster Contest. Missouri artists are invited to illustrate through their artwork what inclusion in employment means to them and how the ADA has positively affected diversity in the workforce. Artists are encouraged to incorporate the 30th anniversary of the ADA into their posters. The winning artwork will be featured in GCD’s NDEAM poster for 2020, which will be distributed statewide and featured on our website, Facebook page, GCD Newsletter, and in GCD’s annual report. Detailed information and Poster Contest Entry Forms can be found at: https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/PosterContest/ Please submit your artwork before the August 15 deadline. Page 3 Missouri Service Animal Statute Changes by Laura Mueth Image: service dog wearing a harness Beginning on August 28 Missouri service animal statutes will change. The definition of a service animal for all statutes will be “a dog that is being or has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.” The allowance of dogs “in training” is new to MO statute as it relates to public places, employment, and housing. Because the definition of service dog includes dogs who are in training and will apply to all statutes, 209.150 (public places), 209.162 (employment) and 209.190 (housing) will also include requirements to allow dogs “in training” in these environments. Mental health/psychiatric service dogs are added to the list of types of service dogs in statute 209.200. In order to qualify as this type of service dog the owner (handler) must have a medical condition or disability listed in the current DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Statute 209.204 now includes a list of actions that constitute misrepresentation of a service dog and adds misrepresenting an animal as an assistance animal for the purposes of housing as a misdemeanor. For those familiar with the current statute, the part related to service dogs is removed from the meaning of impersonating a person with a disability. Instead a new idea of misrepresentation of a dog as a service dog is included. GCD is in the process of creating a window/door placard and flyers to meet the obligations set forth in Senate Bills 644 and 656. A flyer will be designed for business owners. Another flyer will be for landlords and tenants. The placard will be created so that it can be placed on a business window or door. We are also revising one of our service animal videos to include the definition of disability used in the bills and the Service Animals Allowed booklet, which is already available on the Service Animals web page to reflect the new statutes. All of the items will be available at no cost to be downloaded and printed off the Missouri Disability Portal Service Animals web page at https://disability.mo.gov/serviceanimals.htm. MO-YLF alumni Spotlight on Candace Cunningham by Rachel Rackers Image: Candace Cunningham wearing a graduation cap and gown This month’s Missouri Youth Leadership Forum (MO-YLF) alumni spotlight is on Candace Cunningham. In July of 2009, Candace attended the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum, a leadership program for students with disabilities, and in the years following, she returned to participate as a team member. She is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Youth and Human Service and Child & Family Development. As Candace has overcome her own challenges and navigated through her own life experiences, she has found passion to help other young adults see their full potential through many different roles. She has served on the Jackson County Senate Bill 40 Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Board, APSE Board, the Summit Future Foundation, EITAS Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County and the Missouri Youth LEAD, Fellowship Participant in the LEND program, Peer to Peer Mentor Committee Chair, and Americorp Vista at the UMKC Propel Program. Candace is also a graduate of Missouri DD Council’s Partners in Policy Making. Most recently, Candace accepted the position as the People First of Missouri Coordinator at UMKC’s Institute for Human Development. This position fits very well with Candace’s passion for helping other individuals with different abilities to identify their strengths and achieve their full potential. Candace is a great example of a leader, advocate and mentor who will help pave the way for others with disabilities! Page 4 Regional Leadership Forums: New Date for Jefferson City by Rachel Rackers Image: Regional Leadership Forum flyer with disclaimer: To ensure the health and safety of all participants, safety precautions will be taken at the RLF to include PPE and social distancing. Should it become necessary to postpone the RLF due to changes in the COVID-19 pandemic, the alternate dates will be in Spring 2021. The Missouri Youth Leadership Forum is offering four, one day Regional Leadership Forums (RLF) for students with disabilities (ages 16-21) this fall! Our team is looking forward to connecting with youth throughout the different parts of the state. During each RLF, the youth will get a small glimpse into what the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum is and also build connections with local alumni, agencies, employers, etc. Dates for 2020 Regional Leadership Forums (RLF) are: October 3rd in Kansas City October 17th in Springfield October 24th in Jefferson City November 7th in Cape Girardeau Please help us share this exciting opportunity with students, parents, teachers and colleagues. Applications are now being accepted! For more information or to apply, visit our website at https://disability.mo.gov/gcd/ylf.htm Get Prepared for the Upcoming Elections by Claudia Browner Image: "Go Vote Missouri" logo from the Secretary of State's election website This year’s elections are right around the corner and Paraquad is leading the ‘Get Out the Vote’ campaign to increase voter turnout among Missourians with disabilities. The Missouri Disability Voter Coalition, a statewide group lead by Paraquad’s public policy & advocacy department, has created a series of ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ voter education presentations geared towards people with disabilities and people who work with them to explain why voting is important, the registration process, what to expect on Election Day, accessible voting, absentee voting, and your rights as a Missouri voter. To participate in one of the upcoming presentations, please visit their website at https://www.paraquad.org/voter-education-training/ or contact Briana Conley at Paraquad at bconley@paraquad.org or 314-289-4304. The Missouri Secretary of State’s “Go Vote Missouri” webpage also offers comprehensive information on Elections and Voting. There, you can find out if you are registered to vote, register, learn about different voting options, how to vote absentee, or to find the location of your polling place. To visit the Go Vote Missouri website, go to https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri Missouri Governor’s Council on Disability Members . Yvonne Wright, Chair, New Bloomfield . Joan Bergstrom, Ed. D, Lee’s Summit . Charles Comstock, Kirksville . Betty Davidson, Ph.D., St. Louis . Ronald Hack, St. Louis . Chip Hailey, Joplin . Rosemary Hendon, West Plains . Katie Jones, St. Charles . Kim Lackey, St. Louis . Elijah Mayfield, Jefferson City . DeAnna Noriega, Columbia . Susan Orton, Creve Coeur . Andrew Sartorius, Jefferson City . Lesia Shelton, Buffalo . Opeoluwa Sotonwa, Jefferson City . James Trout, St. Louis . Robert Wallace, St. Louis Missouri Governor’s Council on Disability Staff Members . Claudia Browner, Executive Director . Laura Mueth, Senior Program Specialist . Rachel Rackers, Senior Program Specialist . Jessica Zimmer, Lead Administrative Support Assistant