One of the first civil rights laws offering protection to people with disabilities, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 set precedents for later legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. As the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Rehabilitation Act approaches, the Southeast ADA Center has launched a series of 14 episodes interviewing leaders of the disability rights movement. All episodes are available on the Section 504 at 50 webpage. A national law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects individuals from “discrimination based on their disability,” forbidding included entities from “excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services.” Nondiscrimination applies to any employers and organizations that receive financial support from a Federal department or agency, including many hospitals, nursing homes, mental health centers, and human service providers. Among those interviewed for this anniversary series are Andrew Imparato, executive director at Disability Rights California; Barry Whaley, project director at Southeast ADA Center; Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, global disability advisory, The World Bank; Judy Heumann, disability advocate; and Sanchin Pavithran, executive director of The Access Board, to name a few. Find out more by reading the article entitled Southeast ADA Center Launches Virtual Interview Series: Section 504 at 50.” For additional background information on the legislation, read the Wikipedia item on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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