Access Committee

We will assist the City of Dearborn in the identification, prioritization and removal of physical and communication barriers to City programs and services and to develop policies and practices which promote full participation by citizens with disabilities.

1. To help maintain full access for all people with disabilities to all city programs and services.

* Homecoming
* DDAD
* Commission meetings

2. To assure voting access at all poling places in Dearborn for persons with disabilities.

* Continue ongoing training to poll workers that will assure appropriate access for persons with disabilities.
* Advocate for maintaining and appropriate use of state of the art equipment to assure full access to people with disabilities.
* Spot check polls for accessibility.
* Register voters at Commission events.

3. To monitor transportation issues that impact the lives of persons with disabilities in Dearborn.

* Ensure accessible out-trips for seniors with disabilities
* Monitor local parking access

4. To advocate for improved accessibility in city parks.

* Create access to drinking fountains
* Promote installation of picnic tables that are accessible to persons with disabilities
* Promote installation of playground structures that are accessible to persons with disabilities.
* Advocate for emergency phones accessible to persons with disabilities.
* Monitor update of restroom facilities for accessibility.
* Recommend and monitor creation of pathways that are user friendly to persons with disabilities.

5. To advocate for visitable and accessible housing in conjunction with the Fair Housing Act in the City of Dearborn.

* To work and advocate with the City of Dearborn ADA coordinator and the State of Michigan to require Federal and state laws for visitability.
* To work with the city and ADA coordinator to assure that all new ground level housing developments, including condominiums and multi-family dwellings, have an agreed percentage of accessible units.
* To explore potential for all available monies for visitable and accessible housing.

Public Awareness and Education

We will be an advocate and resource for education, public awareness and training regarding disability concerns in the City of Dearborn.

1. To support the activities of Disability Awareness Day

* Distribute flyers for recognition awards
* Recruit presenters for workshops as needed
* Recruit volunteers to assist activities as needed

2. To create and maintain a local educational resource list and a collection of informational materials related to persons with disabilities.

* List, update, and expand resource list and informational materials
* Update website materials in coordination with ADA coordinator
* Investigate and consider other methods and formats of distribution for information

3. To advocate for full participation of Dearborn citizens with disabilities in Dearborn’s educational programs and city services.

4. To advocate for policies/practices which promote the city’s recruitment and employment of citizens with disabilities

5. To establish relationships and offer information and services to city organizations such as service clubs, Neighborhood clubs, universities and the Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of education and awareness of disability concerns.

6. To assist the City of Dearborn to prepare for future emergency events in order to assure safety for persons with disabilities.

* Update pertinent information to enclose in a pamphlet or post on a website that will assist people with disabilities in emergency situations.
* Explore having Red Cross presentations in conjunction with the city to prepare for emergency situations that include handling of persons with disabilities.

Communications Committee

To promote the awareness of disability issues, and the work of the Dearborn Commission of Disability Concerns, using print and broadcast media, the internet and through other community resources.

1. Media releases announcing the Pathway to Possibilities and other Commission work in the Dearborn Back Fence, local newsprint, CDTV, both the City and Commission websites, and other community resources.

* Dearborn Back Fence, local English newsprint, CDTV, and both the city and commission websites.
* Arabic language publications.
* Dearborn Chamber of Commerce.
* Flyer Distribution.
* Arabic radio stations.
* Email list.
* City Calendar
* Flyer in Water Bills
* Neighborhood groups
* Vendor/organization mailing lists/newsletters

2. To pre-plan Pathway to Possibilities.

3. To focus on Arab-American outreach regarding disability issues.

* Attending Arabic festival in June
* Getting acquainted with the parent groups
* Visiting schools to speak about the Commission so that educators and parents are aware of the Commission
* Translating the resource list into Arabic

4. To oversee the maintenance and updating of content for the Commission website.

* Provide updated content for our web page.
* Clarify coordination with City Website.

5. To assist the City to improve and maintain effective communication between residents and city departments.

* Promote access to city programs and services.
* Maintain effective 911/TTY services.
* Promote closed/open captioning on CDTV.
* Promote use of interpreters for the deaf, assistive listening devices for the hard of hearing, and real time captioning for city events and programs.
* Promote alternative formats in reading materials, telecommunications, appropriate signage in city facilities, and accessible computer services on the city web sites.