Compliance with federal civil rights laws

Source; http://www.accessingsafety.org/index.php/main/main_menu/addressing_accessibility/your_rights_and_responsibilities


Understanding your legal requirements is a necessary and important starting point to meeting the needs of women through the course of your practice. These responsibilities are established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and The Fair Housing Act. Civil rights laws that protect persons with disabilities mandate serious affirmative and corrective actions by service providers.

Domestic violence shelters that offer residential services, even if temporary, are covered by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 as housing service providers. Shelters that receive funding though the Departments of Justice (DOJ), Health & Human Services (HHS), Housing & Urban Development (HUD) or other federal agencies, will be covered by Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The services provided by domestic violence and rape crisis centers, such as shelter, hotlines, support groups, etc. are considered public accommodations. Providers offering these services would be covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Titles I & III. It is not uncommon for a service provider to be responsible for meeting the requirements of each of these laws. (Note from Marc Dubin, Esq.: State and local governments operating sheltering programs are covered by title II of the ADA, and, if they receive federal financial assistance, are also covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended).

Compliance with civil rights may be challenging. Determining what requirements apply in what circumstances can be confusing. Detailed interpretive information and references to additional sources on the website will help you to build knowledge and confidence about the sequence of steps to take. Tackling your responsibilities is a key element of the planning process for your coalition.
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