News & Events

  • Beyond Code Minimums: Designing Accessible Kitchens and Bathrooms

    Free Webinar | June 16, 2026 | 2-3 p.m. EDT

    Between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Housing Act (FHA), Section 504, and general building codes, housing standards can be confusing for those with nondiscrimination requirements under the law as well as individuals with disabilities looking to live independently or age in place. In this webinar, attendees will learn practical design standards that go beyond minimal code compliance—so you can recognize quality accessibility when you see it (or request it when you don't). Our speakers will share a Reference Guide and Kitchen and Bathroom Prototypes that they developed to reflect an inclusive design approach to plan for accessibility in any housing type. This session would benefit architects, builders, developers, planners and community development professionals, municipal officials who review plans and anyone invested in housing that serves people across their lifespan.

    When accessibility is built in from the blueprint stage, everyone gains the freedom to age in place and adapt their homes as needs change. We're all aging. Let's design for that reality from day one.

  • Did you know the Northeast ADA Center is on social media?

    You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky. Follow us on social media and be the first to learn about disability-related news, hear about the research we are doing, and check out exciting projects like our infographics. Like, follow, and connect with us to keep in touch!

  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month

    Did you know many mental health conditions are protected disabilities under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Check out the Northeast ADA Center’s fact sheet on Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace and the ADA to learn more about the rights and responsibilities of employers, employees, and job applicants. You can also listen to our podcast episode interviewing lecturer Brittany Stone about mental health on college campuses and the ADA.

  • National Small Business Week and the ADA

    Every year, the first week of May is recognized as National Small Business Week to celebrate the hard work of small businesses and the value they bring to our communities. Did you know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) includes rights and responsibilities for employers, employees, and customers of small businesses? Want to learn more? Check out the Northeast ADA Center’s Small Business at Work toolkit to understand your rights and responsibilities.

  • 30,000+ New Places on DisabilityStatistics.org: Live Demo

    Free Webinar | May 11, 2026 | 1-2:30 p.m. EDT

    The DisabilityStatistics.org website is a free source of disability-related statistics and estimates. You can use maps, charts, and text-based summaries from the site to shape policy, make decisions, or request funding so that people with disabilities are more fully included in the workplace and community.  

    Join Disability Statistics Research Lead Bill Erickson and Development Lead Camille Lee as they explain the new features in the 2026 site update:  

    • View the newly processed 2024 statistics from the American Community Survey (ACS).  
    • Access “place” data that shows statistics for over 30,000 municipalities, cities, town, villages, and boroughs.  
    • Take advantage of new mapping functionality based on Esri’s ArcGIS geospatial platform.  

    You will learn why these new features are important and watch a live demonstration of how you can use them to create compelling content for use in your own presentations, documents, and other materials.  

  • Tales from the TA Line

    Free Webinar | May 5, 2026 | 1-2 p.m. EDT

    Join the Northeast ADA Center’s technical assistance team to learn about commonly asked questions and tricky technical assistance requests that they have received over the years. This webinar will feature a variety of ADA issues on topics from employment to service animals, education, effective communication, accessible websites, and more. The team will share specific cases, the questions asked, and how the team responded. It’s an opportunity to learn how to think through situations where the ADA is involved.

    Presented by: Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center | Jennifer Perry, Access Specialist Northeast ADA Center

  • Check out Paralympian-in-training in new Northeast ADA Center video!

    From Utica, New York, Jason Robinson is a wheelchair racer currently training for the 2028 Summer Paralympics while working towards his PhD at the University of Illinois. Learn more about Jason’s story and wheelchair racing in this new video from the Northeast ADA Center’s Animated School Series.

  • Register for the 2026 Virtual ADA Symposium!

    May 4-6, 2026

    Learn from anywhere. Advance your ADA expertise.

    - 36 expert-led sessions
    - Flexible scheduling options and day-rates
    - Earn continuing education credits
    - Ideal for people who want high-quality training without travel

    Registration closes April 24. Secure your spot now!

  • March 26 is International Purple Day

    In 2009, Cassidy Megan and the Epilepsy Association of The Maritimes joined forces with The Anita Kaufmann Foundation to launch Purple Day internationally. Cassidy created Purple Day to spread facts about seizures and remind people with seizures that they are not alone! Want to help? Visit PurpleDay.org to learn how!

  • Opening Doors: Empowering the Disability Talent Pipeline through Apprenticeships Webinar

    Free Webinar | March 26, 2026 | 1:30-3 p.m. ET

    Apprenticeships offer employers a direct pipeline to skilled talent while providing young people with disabilities valuable hands-on experience, industry-recognized credentials, and a pathway to long-term financial stability.

    This session will highlight recommendations state policymakers and apprenticeship partners can implement to increase the number of apprentices with disabilities in apprenticeship programs and showcase two model programs that lead to high wages and full-time employment.

  • The ADA Trainer Leadership Network and Centers for Independent Living

    June 16, 2026, 2:00-3:00 pm EST

    Join us for a webinar designed for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) staff to learn more about the ADA Trainer Leadership Network (TLN). This session is open to both current TLN members and CIL staff interested in becoming part of the network.

    Presenters Joe Zesski from the Northeast ADA Center and Ann Deschamps from the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center will discuss:

    • What is the ADA Trainer Leadership Network
    • How the ADA TLN curriculum can help participants strengthen their presentation and training skills
    • The training tools and resources available through the TLN
    • Ways CILs can incorporate the TLN into their work and outreach efforts

    Learn how the ADA TLN can help build your CIL’s capacity to deliver engaging, interactive presentations and strengthen your role as a trusted resource in the community.

    Register for the TLN webinar here!

    Presented By: Joe Zesski & Ann Deschamps

  • Overview of Accessible Parking

    July 7, 2026, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Join the Northeast ADA Center as we bring back a popular topic—accessible parking! We will review the ADA Standards for Design that apply to accessible parking spaces and also discuss some of the common questions we receive about accessible parking on our technical assistance line.

    Register for Overview of Accessible Parking webinar

    Presented By: Jennifer Perry