MRPA ADA/Inclusion Summit
Removing Limitations, Empowering Potential
Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Location: Harriet Tubman Cultural Center
8045 Harriet Tubman Ln, Columbia, MD 21044
Time: 8:30am-4:30pm
CEUs Pending!
About the Summit
BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and ensures equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities. The ADA has been the law of the land for more than three decades; nonetheless, this civil rights law is also ever-changing, with new regulations, settlements, case law, and technology that continuously alters the landscape of compliance.
The NRPA is committed to ADA compliance, and the MRPA strives to be a leader in diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. By offering welcoming and adaptable recreation and sports programs, and building accessible buildings, parks, playgrounds, and amenities, we ensure that all people in our communities have an equal opportunity to benefit.
SUMMIT EDUCATION - Earn up to .4 CEU (pending)
This ADA and Inclusion Summit will concentrate on education and information relevant to Title II of the ADA, which covers state and local government agencies.
Administrative Track – Sessions are geared towards leaders, supervisors, and managers who can use their positions to champion change. Sessions will cover federal compliance mandates, ADA transition plans, and accessibility best practices from other municipalities.
Session Topics:
- Mandates and Myths of the ADA for Parks & Recreation Managers
- Moving Forward, Looking Back: Making the Case for ADA Compliance
- A Call to Action: Update or Create your ADA Transition Plan
- Beyond Minimum Requirements: Usability above Compliance
Programmer Track – Sessions are geared towards recreation programmers who are developing, facilitating, and modifying programs, classes, and events. Sessions will cover universal design strategies, best practices for special event accessibility, reasonable modifications, and positive behavioral support.
Session Topics:
- Universal Design: Approaches & Strategies for Today's Programmer
- Best Practice Guidelines for Ensuring Access at your Special Events
- Adjusting for Access: Reasonable Modifications & Accommodations
- When *it hits the Fan: Strategies to Overcome Behavioral Hurdles
SUMMIT OUTCOMES
This Summit serves as an educational experience for professionals in all levels of Parks and Recreation management positions to gain a deeper understanding of the intention of the ADA, and discover proactive techniques and methods that will enhance inclusive experiences for all.
Some of the goals and outcomes for the Summit (but not limited to):
- Gain knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact in the Parks and Recreation field.
- Acquire adaptive methods and techniques that can easily be used in programs to include people with disabilities.
- Discover ways to enhance communication efforts for all to feel included.
- Share methods to enhance collaborations and partnerships.
This ADA and Inclusion Summit will concentrate on education and information relevant to Title II. Under Title II, all state/local governments must follow the ADA regardless of their size. If you are part of a state/local government, there are many aspects of the ADA with which you should be familiar. This Summit is intended to assist you with relevant information.
Price:
- Before February 1, 2024- $75 (Early bird price)
- After February 1, 2024- $95 (Regular price)
- Register 5 people at once and get registration for $65 (early bird)/$85 (regular price) per person
- Cost Includes continental breakfast, lunch, sessions, and networking with vendors and other professionals.
The Schedule:
8:30am-9:15am: Check in
Continental breakfast
Visit exhibitors
Visit Sensory Exhibit
9:15am-9:45am: Welcome and Greetings in Auditorium
10am-11am: Sessions
- Administrator Track: "Mandates and Myths of the ADA for Parks & Recreation Managers"
Presented by: Jessica Homer, Esq. (.1 CEUs)
This session is geared towards leaders, supervisors, and managers who can use their positions to champion change within their agencies. Receive an overview of ADA basics and cover federal compliance mandates for Title II government agencies. Attendees will be able to critically analyze their own departments for compliance.
- Programmer Track: "Universal Design: Approaches & Strategies for Today's Programmer"
Presented by: Jennene Blakely, CTRS, CPRP and Emily Pendleton
(.1 CEUs)
By offering universally designed programs, we ensure that all people in our communities have an equal opportunity to benefit. Universal design (UD) results in a reduction of public modification/accommodation requests, as it reduces barriers that exist preventing full participation. UD can help parks and recreation departments save time, money, and administrative support. Come see how!
11:15am-12:15pm: Sessions
- Administrator Track: “Moving Forward, Looking Back: Making the Case for ADA Compliance”
Presented by: Susan Potts, MS, CTRS and Emily Lawrence, MS, CTRS, ADAC
(.1 CEUs)
The ADA has been the law of the land for more than three decades and this civil rights law changes with the times! New regulations, settlements, case law, and technology continuously alter the landscape of compliance. Ensuring your agency is up-to-date and compliant requires an ongoing effort. This session will review new and updated laws, regulations, and standards, as well as highlight
relevant case law and settlements.
- Programmer Track: "Best Practice Guidelines for Ensuring Access at your Special Events"
Presented by: Veronica Burke, MS, MBA, CPRP and George Moxley (.1 CEUs)
Parks and Recreation agencies have a rich history of hosting special events for our public to enjoy! To ensure our participants feel welcome and included, it is our responsibility to strive to make these events accessible for ALL. It takes the coordination of many people including planners, event staff, volunteers, maintenance staff and more to uphold physical and programmatic accessibility in all facets of the event. Gain the necessary information needed to eliminate potential barriers as you promote and embrace an inclusive event setting!
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch and Visit Exhibitors
1:30pm-2:30pm: Sessions
- Administrator Track: "A Call to Action: Update or Create your ADA Transition Plan"
Presented by: Keyonna Baker, ADAC (.1 CEUs)
The 1990 ADA regulation required all state and local government agencies to
evaluate their services, policies, and practices and to develop a transition to remove barriers to access. With the release of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, updated evaluations and plans were recommended. This session will review services that the Access Maryland Program can provide to assist your agency with the development of an ADA Transition plan.
- Programmer Track: "Adjusting for Access: Reasonable Modifications & Accommodations"
Presented by: Sharon Norcio, CTRS and Charlie Butler (.1 CEUs)
State and local government agencies make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures to make sure that a person with a disability can access programs, services, or activities. This session will review ADA mandates regarding welcome language, effective communication, and policy modifications, and review scenarios that recreation programmers face when assessing and providing modifications.
2:45pm-3:45pm: Sessions
- Administrator Track: "Beyond Minimum Requirements: Usability above Compliance"
Presented by: Mary Bowie, CTRS (.1 CEUs)
The ADA set minimum standards for compliance; however, there are many ways to design and build above those standards to provide enhanced accessibility for all patrons who utilize your parks and recreation facilities. Become aware of the many ideas on how to reduce the maintenance burden and improve the usability and cost-effectiveness of your amenities, parking, doorways, entrances, bathrooms, websites, and more.
- Programmer Track: "When *it hits the Fan: Strategies to Overcome Behavioral Hurdles"
Presented by: Susan Potts, MS, CTRS and Bradley Howington (.1 CEUs)
Seasoned recreation programmers know that it can be challenging in making decisions about incidents that occur in programs and facilities that could lead to suspensions and/or removal of an activity. In addition, you may face the possibility of non-responsive or unsupportive parents/guardians. Discover
strategies and best practices for overcoming these hurdles while gaining confidence in handling potentially stressful situations with the desired outcome of reaching a positive, inclusive experience for participants.
4pm-4:30pm: Closing and Thank You
Resources/Library
View and download the agenda, speaker bios, vendor info, resources, and more.
Check out our summit partners!
