Everybody Counts will be launching a survey and community forums to create a Northwest Indiana report card for accessibility for people with disabilities and senior citizens.
Indiana state officials are in the process of writing a plan for what people with disabilities and senior citizens need for independent living, said Teresa Torres, the director of Everybody Counts.
After hearing about this plan, Everybody Counts decided to create a report card specifically for Northwest Indiana by creating a survey and scheduling community forums to learn about accessibility in Lake and Porter counties to contribute to the state plan, Torres said.
The survey will ask people to rank how well both counties are doing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, access to services and community acceptance, Torres said. At the community events, Torres said the survey will be the structure for the dialogue of the forum, but those who attend will also be able to share their personal stories.
The target population of the survey and community events are people with disabilities and senior citizens, but anyone with concerns or suggestions on accessibility can fill out the survey and attend the events, Torres said.
“It’s about giving people an opportunity to share their concerns, but also share their stories of success – to paint a picture of how well we’re doing in Northwest Indiana,” Torres said. “The whole goal is to get people an opportunity to share their concerns, their success stories and then to get that information to the people that can use it for the best good.”
The goal is to get all survey results and community forums completed by the end of October, Torres said. The organization is in the process of finalizing the dates of the community forums, but they will be held in August, September and October in communities throughout Lake and Porter counties, she said.
The organization has already reached out to officials in Gary, Merrillville, Hobart, Munster and Hebron to schedule community forums, Torres said.
As the survey results come in, Torres said it is likely that residents will raise concerns about physical access to buildings, a lack of accessible housing and access to public transportation, public health and public education.
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The surveys will be characterized by community with the goal of sharing the survey results with community leaders, Torres said. The community leaders can then take the survey results and consider addressing the concerns raised in the survey, she said.
But, Everybody Counts will also ask those who share their concerns if they would be willing to work with the organization or community leaders to improve the concern, Torres said.
“We will be offering each community, would you like us to help you put together a task force,” Torres said. “Certainly one of the things that we would offer up is technical assistance to the creation of that type of committee or body in each community to assist.”
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a statement that the city’s participation in the Everybody Counts community forums will ensure the voices of seniors, residents with disabilities, caregivers and their families are able to have their voices heard.
Everybody Counts’ initiative aligns with the city’s commitment to equity, accessibility, and community engagement, Melton said. The city’s Human Relations and ADA Department has collaborated with many nonprofit organizations, faith-based partners, neighborhood groups, and community leaders that serve these populations, he said.
Gary city officials look forward to continued collaboration with Everybody Counts and other organizations throughout Gary to build a more inclusive community, Melton said.
“Our seniors, youth, and residents with disabilities are the heart of Gary, and their voices must actively shape our city’s future,” Melton said in the statement. “I have always believed that a strong community is one that supports and empowers every individual. This partnership is a critical step in ensuring everyone has a seat at the table.”
Everybody Counts has been creating the survey and scheduling the community forums around the 36th anniversary of the ADA, Torres said. The act was signed into federal law July 26, 1990 to ensure a level playing field for people with disabilities, she said.
“When the law was passed we were all very optimistic and excited. We thought it was going to harken a new day. There certainly had been a lot of changes and a lot of improvement, but not to the extent that we had hoped for,” Torres said.
The Department of Justice issued a memorandum last month that seeks to remove from the ADA the state requirement to serve people with disabilities in integrated spaces, Torres said.
“We see it as an indication that people in the current administration are not necessarily as committed to integration mandates,” Torres said. “The ADA is the bare bone beginning of those mandates. It’s one of the underpinnings of the laws that make inclusion possible. That’s what we’re worried about.”
Further, under the Trump administration, the word “diversity,” which includes people with disabilities, has become a bad word, Torres said.
“We’re optimistic that we can turn it around, but it’s one struggle more than we had expected to have,” Torres said.
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