Public Forums to Identify the Concerns of People with Disabilities and their Families

Every year during the week of the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26th) the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities and over 20 other state and non-profit agencies conduct a week long series of public forums to hear the concerns of people with disabilities and their families. The forums are open for anyone to come in and speak; representatives of the sponsoring agencies will be there to listen. It is important for state policy makers and planners to hear from people with disabilities and their families, their concerns about current services, needs that are not being addressed, and suggestions for improving services and expanding opportunities.

Monday July 26, 2010

2 – 4 pm, Middletown Public Library’s Community Room
700 West Main Road, Middletown
Hosted by Looking Upwards

Monday July 26, 2010

4 - 6 pm, RI Department of Administration’s 2nd floor Conference Room A
One Capitol Hill, Providence
Hosted by the RI Department of Health’s Office of Special Healthcare Needs

Tuesday July 27, 2010

2 - 4 pm, Barrington Public Library’s Gallery Room
281 County Road, Barrington
Hosted by the RI Statewide Independent Living Council

Wednesday July 28, 2010

4 - 6 pm, Warwick Public Library’s Community Room
600 Sandy Lane, Warwick
Hosted by the Ocean State Center for Independent Living

Wednesday July 28, 2010

4 - 6 pm, Independent Square
25 West Independence Way, Kingston
Hosted by the RI Parent Information Network

Thursday July 29, 2010

10 am - Noon, Cumberland Public Library’s Hayden Meeting Center
1464 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland
Hosted by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of RI

Submitting Comments

Comments may be made in person during the hearing, or you can e-mail disabilities@gcd.ri.gov, fax 462-0106 or mail them by August 2nd to:

Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
John O. Pastore Center
41 Cherry Dale Court, Cranston, RI 02920-3049

Attending the Forums

• We ask that you use unscented personal care products. Please realize that what may seem to you to be a mild fragrance can constitute a toxic exposure for a person with an environmental illness.
• CART Recorders (real-time captioning) and assistive listening devices will be at all sites, courtesy of the Assistive Technology Access Partnership. The RI Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing will provide sign language interpreters; contact the CDHH (voice) 222-1204 or (tty) 222-1205 to confirm which forums will have interpreters.
• When making the ADA reservation with RIde to get to and from the public forum, tell the RIde reservationist (1-800-479-6902) that this trip is for the Governor’s Commission’s Public Forums in order to guarantee your return trip, after normal RIde hours of operation. The ADA fare is still applicable.
• For more information or to request accommodation needed, please call: 462-0100 at least 3 business days in advance; arrangements will be provided at no cost. Requests for language interpreting should be made to 462-2130 at least 3 business days in advance.

Download the Forum Flyer.