FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1995                         (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                 
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS $1.6 MILLION TO 16 STATE ORGANIZATIONS
     TO PROMOTE THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) 

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Organizations in 16 states across the
country were awarded grants worth over $1.6 million to help teach
local businesses and governments about how to comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Justice Department
announced today.  
     The grants will be given to organizations to fund state
outreach programs and to arrange state conferences on the ADA.
     "With accurate information, businesses and governments can
make well-informed decisions about how they can best comply with
the ADA at a minimal cost," said Assistant Attorney General for
Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick.  "These grant programs will help
local businesses and governments to become more aware of the many
resources already available within their own communities that can
help them comply with the ADA."
     Ten organizations in Alaska, California, Louisiana,
Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,
and Texas will conduct statewide projects to educate small
businesses both about the variety of ADA resources available
locally, regionally, and from the federal government, as well as
the basic requirements of Title III of the ADA, which applies to
public accommodations and commercial facilities.    
     These small business education grants were awarded to:
         Access Alaska, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska;
         America's Woman's Economic Development Corporation of   
          California, Long Beach, California; 
         Center for Independent Living of Central Nebraska,
          Inc., Grand Island, Nebraska;
         Cornell University, Ithaca, New York;
         Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with
          Disabilities, Reno, Nevada; 
         The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research/Independent
          Living Rehabilitation Utilization, Houston, Texas; 
         Jefferson Parish, Harahan, Louisiana;
         Michigan Retailers Association, Lansing, Michigan; 
         Pennsylvania Small Business Development
          Center/University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
          Pennsylvania; 
         South Dakota Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities,
          Pierre, South Dakota. 

     Six additional organizations received funding to conduct
statewide ADA information-sharing conferences for state and local
government officials.  Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and North Carolina will organize
conferences to educate government officials about the resources
available on the ADA and about the requirements of Title II of
the law.  Title II applies to activities, programs and services
of state and local governments.  
     Organizations awarded these statewide information-sharing
grants were:
         Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities,
          Phoenix, Arizona; 
         Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, New Haven,    
          Connecticut; 
         Granite State Independent Living Foundation, Concord,
          New Hampshire;
         Futures Unlimited, Inc./Kansas Commission on Disability
          Concerns, Wellington, Kansas;
         Massachusetts Office on Disability, Boston,
          Massachusetts;
         National Association of ADA Coordinators, Long Beach,   
          California (to hold a conference for North Carolina).

     These new projects will expand the reach of the Department's
ADA technical assistance program by providing additional
information and guidance tailored to meet the unique needs of
local businesses and governments.
     The ADA, enacted in 1990, prohibits discrimination against
people with disabilities.  The Department operates a toll-free
ADA Information Line to obtain answers to questions they may have
about the ADA.  The numbers are 1-800-514-0301 (Voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).
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