Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities - March 11, 2022
Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities Special Called Meeting of the Mayor''s Committee for People with Disabilities - Special Called Meeting of the Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities - Friday March 11, 2022
MAYOR’S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SPECIAL CALLED MEETING Friday, March 11, 2022 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Austin City Hall, Board & Commission Room, Room 1101 301 W 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may speak up to three minutes on an item only once either in-person or remotely. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register call or email the board liaison at 512-974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov. Jonathan Franks, Chair Emily Shryock, Vice Chair Diana Anzaldua Taurean Burt Kathryn Broadwater CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Joey Gidseg Diane Kearns-Osterweil Robin Orlowski Jennifer S. Powell Deborah Trejo CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA Speakers who register before the meeting is called to order will each be allowed three minutes to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. A. Consider approval of the minutes from the Mayor’s Committee for People with 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Disabilities June 11, 2021 Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS: A. Discussion and possible action to approve the 2022 meeting schedule. B. Discussion and possible action regarding selection of members to represent the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities on the Joint Inclusion Committee. C. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council related to the City of Austin Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget and Strategic Direction 2023: Economic Opportunity and Affordability; Mobility; Safety; Health and Environment; Culture and Lifelong Learning; and Government That Works for All. D. Discussion and possible action regarding moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program Into the Civil Rights Office. E. Discussion and possible action regarding Funding for Healthcare Navigation and Liaison Programs Benefiting Austin’s Immigrant Communities. F. Discussion and possible action regarding Family Connects in Response to the Resilient ATX Resolution. G. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation for a joint initiative by the City and County to create a downtown mental health diversion program. H. Discussion and possible action on a grant to address community-identified transportation challenges in North Austin's Georgian Acres neighborhood. 4. STAFF BRIEFINGS AND COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS 3. OLD BUSINESS None 5. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 6. ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and …
RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Recommendation Number 20220311-002D: Moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program Into the Civil Rights Office WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act has already been passed and signed into law by the United States explicitly, and publically as a “civil rights act” for people with disabilities in respect to employment, housing, voting, education, transportation, and public accommodations access; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin is a local government covered under Section II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act fully and explicitly covers all people with disabilities inside the City of Austin including those who were never employed, cannot work, and/or do not wish to be employed by the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act deliberately refers to a specific federal civil rights act with specific local responsibilities; and WHEREAS, Americans with Disabilities Act coverage is not something which somebody must first earn or accrue in order to receive civil rights coverage from municipalities; and WHEREAS the Americans with Disabilities Act Program is the only entity in the City of Austin authorized to evaluate and provide “reasonable accommodation” requests from all requesting people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHERAS, all people with disabilities needing “reasonable accommodations” to successfully access and receive City of Austin programs, services, and events are still instructed to contact the Americans with Disabilities Act Program; and WHEREAS, the accommodation process for Austin, Texas residents with disabilities is already publically described on official City of Austin publications including City website and social media; and WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Office was established in January 2021 specifically to provide a centralized location for all civil rights acts in the City of Austin, and this centralized location for civil rights coverage should also include a comprehensive civil rights act which explicitly covers and protects the civil rights of all people with disabilities; and WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Office current responsibilities includes enforcement of employment non-discrimination ordinances and HIV/AIDS, all of which is already specifically covered under the ADA; and WHERAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities was proactively and explicitly transferred to the Civil Rights Office April 2021 while the ADA Program remained behind in Human Resources; and WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities commissioners are not permitted to grant “reasonable accommodations” requests from individuals with disabilities …
RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Recommendation Number 20220311-002c: Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget Recommendation to increase funding for recreational services, including day habilitation services, for people with intellectual disabilities WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) regularly considers significant and diverse issues impacting residents of and visitors to the City of Austin with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities; WHEREAS, family members of children and adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced an acute lack of recreational and vocational programming for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Austin, including a long waiting list for recreational programming for children with intellectual disabilities and day habilitation services for adults using both state funds for people with disabilities and private pay at the McBeth Recreational Center; WHEREAS, the lack of available day habilitation programming for adults with intellectual disabilities impacts the ability of family members of adults with intellectual disabilities to work and support their families and impacts their quality of life; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the MCPD requests that the City prioritize for funding in its Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget increased programming through the City of Austin Parks Department for people with intellectual disabilities, including increased recreational programming for children and day habilitation programming for people with intellectual disabilities at the McBeth Recreational Center and at other recreational centers, for those paying for such programming using state funds or paying privately, and increased inclusive recreational programming for people with intellectual disabilities and those without in all parts of Austin. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities requests that the Austin City Council allocate funds and explore all available means to increase programming and improve services for people with disabilities. Date of Approval: March 11, 2022 Record of the vote: 6-0; Commissioner Trejo motion, Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil second. Voting in favor were Chair Franks, Commissioner Broadwater, Commissioner Gidseg, Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil, Commissioner Orlowski, and Commissioner Trejo. Attest: Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison
RECOMMENDATION Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Recommendation Number 20220311-002c: Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget Recommendation to provide funding for funding for a single-stall, gender-neutral, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with adult-sized changing table at Zilker Park WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) regularly considers significant and diverse issues impacting residents of and visitors to the City of Austin with disabilities, including those with physical and intellectual disabilities; WHEREAS, the lack of available bathrooms that have a single-stall and are gender-neutral and wheelchair-accessible where children and adult with physical disabilities can enter with an attendant, helper or aide impacts the ability of individuals and their family members and friends and limits their ability to attend recreational events at Zilker Park and other locations and impacts their quality of life; and WHEREAS, family members of children and adults with physical disabilities, including the elderly, have experienced a lack of available bathrooms for their use when attending publicly- funded events, including at Zilker Park, the City’s premier park; WHEREAS, some individuals, including children and adults with physical disabilities, are not able to use a toilet and need to use a changing table, therefore, the changing table must be able to support adult weight; WHEREAS, providing a single-stall, gender-neutral, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with adult- sized changing table at Zilker Park would be a benefit to families and care givers of individuals with disabilities, as well as typical families and individuals that use Austin’s premier park. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the MCPD requests that the City prioritize for funding in its Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget funding for a single-stall, gender-neutral, wheelchair- accessible bathroom with adult-sized changing table at Zilker Park NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities requests that the Austin City Council allocate funds for a single-stall, gender- neutral, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with adult-sized changing table at Zilker Park. Date of Approval: March 11, 2022 Record of the vote: 6-0; Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil motion, Commissioner Trejo second. Voting in favor were Chair Franks, Commissioner Broadwater, Commissioner Gidseg, Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil, Commissioner Orlowski, and Commissioner Trejo. Attest: Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Special Meeting Minutes March 11, 2022 Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES (11 March 2022) The City of Austin, Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities convened in a special meeting via hybrid conference on March 11, 2022, with a live broadcast on ATXN. CALL TO ORDER: With quorum present Chair Jonathan Franks called the March 11, 2022, meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities to order at 5:45pm Committee Members in Attendance: Chair Jonathan Franks, Commissioners: Joey Gidseg, Robin Orlowski, Deborah Trejo, Diane Kearns-Osterweil. Committee Members Absent: Commissioners: Vice Chair Emily Shyrock, Taurean Burt, Diana Anzaldua, Jennifer Powell Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Deborah Trejo made a motion to approve the minutes from the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities June 11, 2021, Special Called Meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Diane Kearns-Osterweil. The motion passed unanimously. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: No citizen communication that took place during the March 11, 2022, MCPD Special Called Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS: 2A. Motion to approve recommendation for the 2022 meeting schedule was approved. It was put forth by Commission Orlowski and seconded by Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil. The motion passed 6-0. 2B. Motion to approve selection of members to represent the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities on the Joint Inclusion Committee. It was put forth by Commissioner Trejo and seconded by Commission Orlowski. By a vote of 6-0 Commissioner Joey Gidseg was nominated as alternate. 2C. Motion to approve the draft recommendation to City Council related to the City of Austin Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget and Strategic Direction 2023: Economic Opportunity and Affordability; Mobility; Safety; Health and Environment; Culture and Lifelong Learning; and Government That Works for All, with changes was approved. It was put forth by Commissioner Trejo and seconded by Commission Kearns-Osterweil. The motion passed 6-0. Motion to approve the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget recommendation to provide funding for a single-stall, gender-neutral, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with adult-sized changing table at Zilker Park. It was put forth by Commission Kearns-Osterweil and seconded by Commissioner Orlowski. The motion passed 6-0. 2D. Motion to approve the draft recommendation to regarding moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program into the Civil Rights Office. It was put forth by Commission Orlowski and seconded by Commissioner Kearns-Osterweil. The motion passed 6-0. 2E. No discussion and action taken. 2F. No discussion …
