The Alabama Disabilities Action Coalition is a non-partisan coalition of individuals with disabilities and organizations representing them. ADAC was founded in the early 1990's as a local Birmingham group organized to conduct candidates' forums to inform local and state officeholders about issues and needs of individuals with disabilities. ADAC seeks to build a broad based statewide coalition of all people with disabilities in order to bring about positive changes in attitude among people without disabilities.
In Alabama, there are many individuals with a physical or mental disability who do not have equal access to resources vital to independence. Access includes physical access to public facilities, public transportation, and communication.
Members of ADAC fully support equal physical and communication access for people with disabilities in all aspects of American society including employment, public services, private businesses, transportation, and communication. ADAC supports compliance by covered entities with specific requirements related to architectural standards for new and altered buildings; reasonable modification to policies, practices, and procedures; effective communication with people with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; and other applicable access requirements.
Equal access to public accommodations (private businesses) must include the removal of all barriers in existing or older public buildings or the provision of equal alternatives to services or goods where it is not feasible to remove every barrier.
ADAC supports HR 5683, The Inclusive Home Design Act, which will mandate the following features in federally assisted homes:
ADAC supports the adoption of a state ordinance (or policy) that would require all newly constructed single family homes and townhouses financed with government funds (including flow through dollars), or land donated or provided at less than market value, be “visitable”, and that cities develop an enforcement mechanism. Such an ordinance or policy would also provide financial incentives to private developers and/or builders to construct visitable, single family homes and townhouses. Similar ordinances have been passed in Atlanta, Austin, TX, the state of Kansas, and other governmental entities. A “visitable” home is one that has at least one “no-step” entrance, an accessible path of travel to the home and throughout the home, doors widths in the path of travel at least 32”.
ADAC supports legislation that will allow people to use the money that Medicaid would spend on nursing home care to get care in their own homes.
ADAC supports the removal of barriers to full and equal enjoyment of programs, goods, services and activities of all public and private entities.
ADAC supports a process for removal of barriers that is positive and works in the existing system first before considering outside action. ADAC believes in contacting responsible parties first before taking any action to facilitate compliance with applicable accessibility laws.