May has arrived, flowers are in bloom, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network (ADANN) newsletter has arrived! Right now, we’re celebrating Speech-Language-Hearing Month! Additionally, with the 35th anniversary of the ADA in July, we are also highlighting the importance of creating accessible content for social media.
Speech-Language-Hearing Month
May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, a time to raise awareness about communication disabilities. These can include speech, language, hearing and cognitive-communication disabilities—and they are among the most common conditions that both children and adults experience. People with communication disabilities often find it hard to get the information and communication supports they need to fully access health services. This can lead to harmful outcomes, from delays in seeking care to medical errors to higher healthcare costs. Learn how you can support more effective communication using the simple ACCESS framework developed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Social Media Accessibility
The ADA anniversary is in July, and we’re getting ready by celebrating social media accessibility in May and June! Throughout the next two months we’ll be sharing social media accessibility tips, best practices, and recommendations. When you make your social media posts accessible, everyone can be included in the conversation. We look forward to continuing to support the creation of accessible social media content year-round! Keep up to date with our social media accessibility posts by checking out #Accessible35.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, May 21st, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
Mental Health Matters: The Most Frequently Requested Workplace Accommodations [WEBINAR]
Accommodating workers with mental health conditions in the workplace may pose unique considerations that do not exist with other disabilities, as the need for accommodations may not always be apparent. Potential complexities may arise in understanding employee limitations and determining effective accommodations. Discover how the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) can help organizations navigate the complexities of accommodating employees with mental health conditions while promoting productivity and well-being. Extensive and pertinent resources will be provided.
Learn More / Register for the Mental Health Matters Webinar
Thursday, May 22nd, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
ADA and Fostering an Inclusive Work Culture for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities [WEBINAR]
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 23% of American adults experience some form of mental illness (or psychiatric disability) on a yearly basis. And across the population, almost 6% of American adults live with a serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or long-term recurring major depression. For many individuals with psychiatric disabilities, work is key to their health and contributes to a sense of purpose and wellbeing. Thus, it is important that employers understand how to foster a mental health-friendly work culture. During this presentation, the presenter will use her own story to discuss how to disclose a disability, the pros and cons of disclosing a disability, how to request reasonable accommodations on the job, and steps we can take to create an inclusive work culture.
Learn More / Register for the ADA and Fostering Inclusive Work Culture Webinar