Great Lakes ADA Center

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Great Lakes ADA Center The Great Lakes ADA Center provides information, guidance & training on the ADA. The Great Lakes ADA Center is a member of the ADA National Network.

The ADA National Network consists of ten Regional ADA National Network Centers located throughout the United States that provide personalized, local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible. We are not an enforcement or regulatory agency, but a helpful resource supporting the ADA’s mission to “make it possible for everyone with a disability to live a life of freedom and equality.”

We aim to create a safe space for our community to discuss ADA rights and responsibilities. To maintain a respectful dialogue, please refrain from social media comments that are hateful, defamatory, discriminatory, personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior. Please review our social media guidelines: bit.ly/guidelines-sm.

Stay informed on all things ADA! Join the Great Lakes ADA Center's mailing lists to receive the latest news, webinars, a...
10/18/2026

Stay informed on all things ADA! Join the Great Lakes ADA Center's mailing lists to receive the latest news, webinars, and resources on disability and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Choose from our four listservs: the Great Lakes Chronicle Newsletter, the ADA Monthly Webinars Listserv, the Great Lakes Listserv, and our Region 5 Latino Outreach Listserv, which provides ADA information and resources for Spanish speakers.

Subscribe today at: bit.ly/join-listserv-now

Content warning: Su***de.October is Depression Awareness Month. We want to share a report published by the National Coun...
10/17/2026

Content warning: Su***de.

October is Depression Awareness Month. We want to share a report published by the National Council on Disability in 2019 titled The Danger of Assisted Su***de Laws. One section discusses how depression is often present among people with disabilities who request assisted su***de, but is not reliably screened for or treated before a lethal prescription is written. As a result, people with disabilities experiencing depression may be at risk of harm where assisted su***de is legal.

The report further emphasizes that the lives of people with disabilities are frequently viewed as valueless by others, including members of the medical profession. People with disabilities may also face harassment and coercion to end their lives when confronted with life-threatening conditions, even if
the conditions are imminently treatable. The report identifies these practices as a form of disability discrimination, which the National Council on Disability's position statement on prejudice by health care professionals describes as contrary to the core values of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Read the full report: bit.ly/4zvXZ2G

Last week, on October 9, the Great Lakes ADA Center participated in the 2026 Disability:IN Wisconsin Summit. The event b...
10/16/2026

Last week, on October 9, the Great Lakes ADA Center participated in the 2026 Disability:IN Wisconsin Summit. The event brought together industry leaders, professionals, and disability advocates to share insights through engaging sessions focused on practical approaches to building inclusive workplaces.

Dr. Rob Gould (Director of Research) and Kelley Frake (Program Coordinator for Technical Assistance) from our Center shared their expertise in a session titled “Navigating Disability Identity at Work.” The session explored how disability identity shapes workplace experiences and how the ADA can guide conversations among employees, supervisors, human resources (HR) professionals, and coworkers.

Thank you for having us!

Does your organization need ADA training? Contact us! linktr.ee/GLAC5

White Cane Safety Day, observed on October 15, was established in 1964 by Congress and proclaimed by President Lyndon B....
10/15/2026

White Cane Safety Day, observed on October 15, was established in 1964 by Congress and proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to raise awareness of people who use a white cane. In 2011, President Barack Obama also proclaimed October 15 as Blind Americans Equality Day, reaffirming the importance of equality and opportunities for Americans who are blind or have low vision.

White cane laws vary by state, and drivers’ responsibilities may differ. Learn about your state’s white cane law before you get behind the wheel: bit.ly/4dJ36Eh.

10/15/2026

On January 1, HB 4758 goes into effect across Illinois, preventing companies from requiring new hires to have a driver’s licenses except for positions where driving is an essential job function.

So, what does that mean for your business?

Join Access Living and Great Lakes ADA Center for one of three webinars this fall—October 19, November 13, or December 9—to learn what's required of employers and to ensure your job postings comply with the new law.

Learn more and register: https://www.accessliving.org/series/accessible-job-application-webinar/

Illinois restricts driver’s license requirements in job postings. House Bill 4758 prohibits most employers and employmen...
10/14/2026

Illinois restricts driver’s license requirements in job postings. House Bill 4758 prohibits most employers and employment agencies from requiring a valid driver’s license in a job posting unless driving is an essential job function and a business necessity. When a license is required, the posting must briefly explain why. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

It is estimated that nearly 1.85 million Illinoisans do not have a driver’s license, including many people with disabilities. This law could help reduce unnecessary hiring barriers for people with disabilities by limiting driver’s license requirements for jobs that do not require driving.

Read more: bit.ly/47pfNR9

There's still time to register for our upcoming webinar titled "Navigating Performance Discussions and the Accommodation...
10/13/2026

There's still time to register for our upcoming webinar titled "Navigating Performance Discussions and the Accommodation Process Effectively."

This Job Accommodation Network (JAN) training includes effective strategies for facilitating performance conversations and navigating a disability disclosure that may lead to providing reasonable accommodations. Supervisors and managers will gain practical skills, knowledge, and confidence to navigate the interactive process effectively, including what to say and how to collaboratively explore accommodation solutions when performance is a factor.

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Registration required: bit.ly/47hL2xy

Registration closes one day before the webinar or when capacity is reached.

Helen Keller Services Announces 2026 AccessAbility Award Recipients, honoring five organizations for their exceptional c...
10/12/2026

Helen Keller Services Announces 2026 AccessAbility Award Recipients, honoring five organizations for their exceptional commitment to advancing accessibility for people with disabilities, particularly those who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision.

Here are this year’s recipients and why they are being recognized:

Canon U.S.A., Inc., for making visual content accessible through tactile printing technology.

Dot Inc., for expanding access to digital information through refreshable braille and tactile graphics.

The Michigan Road Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library, for fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace and community.

OXO, for its commitment to universal design, creating household products that are functional for the widest range of people.

Rylo (formerly Nagish), for developing private, AI-powered communication technology for Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard-of-hearing people.

Read more: bit.ly/3VLFUPC

Explore the Great Lakes ADA Center's research projects focused on Accessible Cities, Education, and Employment. Through ...
10/11/2026

Explore the Great Lakes ADA Center's research projects focused on Accessible Cities, Education, and Employment. Through our projects in these areas, we aim to uncover barriers and facilitators to effective implementation, enhance our understanding of stakeholders' requirements for disability rights information, and enhance the quality of ongoing ADA technical assistance initiatives. bit.ly/ada-research

Today, October 10, is World Mental Health Day.There are many myths about mental health in the workplace, including the a...
10/10/2026

Today, October 10, is World Mental Health Day.

There are many myths about mental health in the workplace, including the assumption that individuals with mental health conditions cannot work until they have completely recovered.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a mental health condition may qualify as a disability if it substantially limits one or more major life activities, which can include working.

The ADA requires employers to engage in an interactive process to explore reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities. Employers generally must provide effective reasonable accommodations that enable employees to perform the essential functions of their jobs, unless doing so would cause undue hardship.

Reasonable accommodations enable many with psychiatric disabilities to work effectively with their disability.

Learn more: Linktr.ee/MentalHealthADA

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1640 W Roosevelt Road, Rm 405
Chicago, IL
60608

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+18009494232

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