Letter: Strongly Against Bad Bills To Expand Accessible Parking Permit Holders

The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog.

To the Editor:

I am strongly against the two current bills mentioned in the media that would expand accessible parking permits to new groups.

As the current rules make clear, the accessible spaces are needed for individuals with physical conditions who need closest parking to get to stores, restaurants, medical facilities. The spaces are crucial for wheelchair-using people, who need the wider access aisles that are part of the accessible parking places to drop down their van ramps and have room to turn off the ramp.

The bills have not been thought out and are "feel good" bills, written without understanding of the issues I am describing.There is no need for those with PTSD, autistic people, or caregivers of disabled people to receive the placards. Instead of the care givers, the placard must be issued to the one who needs it, as is current law. The placard can go with that person to the driver's vehicle while the disabled person is in the vehicle. It would be tempting for care givers to park in the spaces even when they are not transporting a person with a disability.

PTSD does not require an accessible space. If the veteran has a physical disability, he or she can get a permit based on that fact.The same is true for people with autism.

Please remember the legal requirement under the New Jersey and federal law,(Americans with Disabilities Act , ADA) to provide parking for those with physical needs that prevent them from accessing places without those essential parking spaces.

We need much better enforcement of the mandated fines of $250 for first offenses; towing is also a legal punishment. Police should check that a disabled person with a required "disabled person's ID" card is using the space. If he or she loans the placard to someone not eligible, the placard can be confiscated!

As with spots set aside for pregnant drivers, a second tier for the proposed classes could be provided as a courtesy, but not in the legally reserved spaces under our current accessible parking laws.

All legislators should read the excellent N.J. Guide to Accessible Parking and refuse to pass the proposed laws.

http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dds/home/Guide%20to%20Accessible%20Parking-Web.pdf

Sincerely,

Carolyn Schwebel, Director
"Equalizers, "Advocates for People with Disabilities"

Equalizers Charge: Medical Facilities Discriminate: Not Accessible

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 11, 2013


LEONARDO, NJ : "Medical access delayed is medical access denied," said Carolyn Schwebel, Executive Director of the Equalizers, advocates for people with disabilities. "July 26th was the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ," she added, "but very few physicians' offices and hospitals are wheelchair-accessible as required by this law."

During the long and arduous diagnosis and treatment regimen commonly required for those with breast cancer, Schwebel herself has had to endure many incidents of lack of accessibility at a local hospital. For a minor operation, the surgeon had to call a security guard to physically lift her up onto a high table that she had been assured would be accessible. "That experience made a scary situation even scarier. I was anxious, angry, and embarrassed at being undressed." For daily radiation treatments, she had to rely on a very cooperative, strong staff member to do the lifting. Many patients, especially older ones, have said that they are afraid that if they ask for their safe access rights they will lose their doctors.

Medical facilities should be the most proactive in providing access for people with disabilities, including older patients and "wounded warriors." Still, 21 years after the required implementation of the ADA, patient tables, patient beds, toilets, diagnostic and radiation treatment machines are usually much too high; toilet seats and exam tables should be 17 to 19 inches from the floor for transfer from a wheelchair. Traditional exam tables are over a foot higher! While some medical providers have tried by buying newer tables, they are unaware that at 26 inches high, these tables are still dangerous and not accessible. The proper 17 to 19 inch height tables are now available.

Much guidance for medical providers is available at the Department of Justice's Web site, ADA.gov; in particular see "Access To Medical Care For Individuals With Mobility Disabilities" http://www.ada.gov/medcare_mobility_ta/medcare_ta.pdf

ADA Award Honors Atlantic Highlands Borough Administrator

Atlantic Highlands, NJ:  At the July 25th Atlantic Highlands Borough Council meeting, on the eve of the 22nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equalizers, advocates for people with disabilities, presented an Equalizer award to Borough Administrator Adam Hubeny in recognition of his excellent implementation of accessibility in the Borough Hall renovation.

(Carolyn Schwebel, Adam Hubeny, Jane Reynolds, Fred Rast)

Mayor Frederick J. Rast, III, read aloud the Equalizers letter praising  the Borough's accessibility accomplishments, recognizing Adam Hubeny, and presenting a $3000 check to Library Director Jane Reynolds for the Friends of the Library.

In presenting the award, Equalizers Executive Director Carolyn Schwebel stated: "Atlantic Highlands has been more cooperative than any other area town in achieving accessibility compliance."

Hubeny responded to an ADA lawsuit not defensively, but with determined efforts to provide the fullest ADA-compliance.  Schwebel stated that Adam  exceeded our expectations in his empathic awareness and attention to detail of access requirements. In a recent tour of the renovated borough hall, Adam commented, “I kept saying to myself how would I feel about not having access.”

After Schwebel commented that in the recent tour she was able to access the courtroom dais a perceptive council person recognizing the implications of integration told Carolyn, "Now that you got on the dais, you can run for office!" Schwebel responded, "But I live in Middletown, which doesn't provide that access."