Celebrating the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
On July 23, 2024, Councilmember Gabe Albornoz presented a proclamation with the Department of General Services’ Office of ADA Compliance and the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, also known as the ADA. The Commission on People with Disabilities estimates that approximately 98,887 people in Montgomery County have disabilities, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Montgomery County MD celebrates the accomplishments that our valued residents with disabilities make to enrich our community every July, and recommits to exceeding ADA minimum requirements countywide by prioritizing equal access to all of the wonderful facilities, programs and services the County has to offer to people of all abilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the comprehensive, wide-ranging civil rights law enacted in 1990, protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The regulations implementing the law are organized into five titles or sections. Title II applies to public entities, including state and local governments, and prohibits discrimination based on disability in all aspects of government programs and services. Title II also requires that state and local governments communicate effectively with people with disabilities and make reasonable modifications to policies, procedures and practices upon request in order to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all programs and services.
Recreation and Library
Montgomery County has a long commitment to the goals of the ADA. In 1977, thirteen years before the ADA was signed, Montgomery County expanded its Human Rights law to include protection against discrimination based on disability. In Montgomery County the Department of General Services has overall responsibility for ensuring that the County’s programs, services and activities are accessible for people with disabilities. The Department’s ADA Compliance Team provides training and technical assistance to County departments, ensures that buildings and facilities are built and maintained in accordance with the ADA, provides information and assistance to the public on the accessibility of County programs and services and administers the County’s Title II grievance procedure. The Office of Human Resources has responsibility for ensuring that the County’s employment policies, procedures and practices are implemented in compliance with the ADA.
All Montgomery County government departments and agencies work to ensure accessibility and welcome participation by people with disabilities in all of their programs and services. Click any of the links on the right to find out what the County is doing to ensure that is programs and services are accessible.