BALANCING THE ADA WITH COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS: ADVICE FOR NEW JERSEY AGENCIES

The Individuals with Disabilities Section is sponsoring a free webinar next week presented by John McGovern, JD,  from WT Group.  Many of you know John from presentations he has done in the past here in NJ on the ADA and Inclusion.  Registration is limited to 100 people.  You must register to receive the login in information.  We hope you will join us for a session that we know will be provide you with excellent information.  Any questions, please contact Dina Trunzo at dtrunzo@scparks.org

Camps are open!  The New Jersey Department of Health has issued Summer Camp Standards, along with Summer Camp FAQ’s.  Those are helpful…but perhaps not complete, as they barely address the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements that camps be provided in the most integrated setting.  Are you worried about campers with disabilities not being able to wear masks?  Are you worried about campers with unusual behavior violating the 6’ physical distance “bubble”?  Are you worried about a negative impact on staff ratios when a camper with a disability registers and needs more supervision?  Are you worried about who the heck at your agency will help make these decisions?

This session will address those questions and more.  Relying on CDC and State of New Jersey Guidance, we will also review advice from the US Department of Justice. Many of these same requirements will apply to sports leagues as NJ begins to open adult and youth sports.   The ADA has not been “suspended”.