Ha'ilono Kina: September 2006 | Go Back

 

HA‘ILONO KINA

TO BRING THE NEWS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Published by the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB)

 

SEPTEMBER 2006

 

HaVa iMPRoVEMEnTS in PlacE FoR 2006 ElEcTionS

The Hawaii State Office of Elections, Offices of County

Clerks of Hawaii, and DCAB have been working together to improve accessibility to the voting process since the 2004 elections. Hawaii voters will have several options available to them that will make election day a smooth experience for voters with and without disabilities.

Polling sites statewide were surveyed for accessibility to people with disabilities. For sites that did not comply with all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA), temporary modifications have been made

and alternative voting methods have been established. Temporary ramps, parking signage, or alternate pathways will be designated. Some sites will have a Ballot call alert System outside the polling site. Using this system, voters can press a button to alert a poll worker that someone is waiting to vote. In this situation, the whole voting process will be conducted outside with a poll worker bringing the ballot to the voter.

All Hawaii polls will have a Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Voting System, which

provides both a visual and audio ballot for voters with a variety of accessibility needs. The controls are marked with Braille labels, and Gel Switches are available for voters with limited mobility. An easy to move wheel and button can also be utilized to mark

the electronic ballot. The DRE

machine will be available to ALL

voters during the Primary and General Elections.

Each polling site will also be equipped with an

auxiliary aids Kit for use by voters with a variety of disabilities. For voters with visual impairments, the kit contains: Dome Magnifiers, Lighted Magnifiers, Signature Guides, and Magnifier Sheet. (See graphics below.)  Pen Grips of differing sizes will be available to make it easier to grasp a pen and mark the ballot.

 

Communication Cards for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

are a new addition to the auxiliary aids kit. These Cards display both American Sign Language (ASL) and graphic/picture translations of questions commonly asked at a polling site. Paper on a clipboard is also available in the auxiliary aids kit.

All of these auxiliary aids are stored in a green bag with the “Hawaii Votes” logo and the International Symbol of

Accessibility on the front flap. Inform the poll worker

if you need to use any item and be sure to return it so

others can use them. Outreach efforts have been made to inform the community about these improvements to the voting process and to give voters a chance to become familiar

with the DRE before election day.  To find out about

outreach efforts in your area, check with your service

provider, County Clerk’s Office, or the Office of Election at 453-8683 v or 453-6150 tty.  To schedule an outreach opportunity or for more information, please call Joan Bird at 586-8121 v/tty.

 

HaWaii TRaVElERS TiPS uPdaTEd

DCAB has updated the Hawaii Traveler Tips guide which provides useful information for people with disabilities about the accessibility of all Hawaii’s airports and public transportation systems throughout the state. This guide also includes contact information for visitors to obtain medical supplies, adapted and accessible

vehicle rentals, home care support, and sign language interpreters. The Hawaii Traveler Tips will be distributed to the visitor and travel industry, and it is available on the DCAB website.

To obtain copies

or for more information,

contact Judy Paik

at the DCAB office.

 

 

Voca GRanT iMPRoVES HaWaii’S cRiMinal JuSTicE SySTEM

Last February DCAB received a grant award from the U. S. Department of Justice through the Hawaii

state Attorney General’s office to provide training to

personnel in law enforcement, criminal justice, and victim services on meeting the needs of victims who have disabilities. This training program was funded through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). With this VOCA grant DCAB funded the registration, travel,

and accommodations for 56 selected participants from

the neighbor islands to attend a series of workshops on access to law enforcement and the criminal justice system. These workshops were incorporated into the

2006 Disability Access Conference held on June 8-9

at the Hawaii Convention Center. Workshops were presented by both mainland and Hawaii speakers: John Wodatch, U.S. Department of Justice from Washington, D.C.; Mei Chun, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hawaii; jane knox, Hawaii consumer; and staff of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center. Plans are underway for more training opportunities on the neighbor islands. For more

information, contact Judy Paik at the DCAB office.

 

Car rental companies will install hand controls. Persons who rent vehicles may have to be transported from the car rental booth or airport terminal to the vehicle pick-up site. Contact the car rental agency in advance if you require hand controls and accessible transportation to the vehicle pick-up site.

Alamo Rent-A-Car 1-(800) 327-9633

(808) 833-4585

Avis Rent-A-Car 1-(800) 321-3712

(808) 834-5536

Budget Rent-A Car 1-(800) 527-7000

Dollar Rent-A-Car 1-(866) 434-2226

(808) 944-1544

Hertz Rent-A-Car 1-(800) 654-3011

(808) 831-3500

National Rent-A-Car 1-(800) 227-7368

(808) 831-3800

PaRKinG FoR PERSonS WiTH diSaBiliTiES PRoGRaM nEWS

 

Costs for Replacing Placards Increases

Newly amended Administrative Rules on parking for

persons with disabilities (Chapter 11-219) were signed by Governor Lingle on August 7, 2006. The new rules

mandate a $2.00 increase for all temporary and replacement parking placards. Although no fee is

charged for issuing a 4-year placard,

replacements for lost, stolen or mutilated placards, and for issuing temporary placards, will increase

from $10 to $12 beginning August 21, 2006. The fee increase will

cover costs incurred by the counties for their participation in the parking program. The new rules are posted on the DCAB website. For more

information, contact Peter Harrer at the DCAB office. 

 

Public Education Initiative for Accessible Parking Underway

As part of its strategy to encourage an appreciation for the rights of persons with disabilities, DCAB’s Statewide Program on Parking is inaugurating an education initiative to prevent abuse of disability parking spaces by the public. Starting this fall, a series of presentations will be conducted for high school students in driver’s education classes and to Hawaii civic organizations about the purpose of accessible parking spaces at public lots. By reaching out, the initiative will help to prevent abuse of accessible parking spaces and will encourage an awareness of this issue in young drivers and the public. Abuse of accessible parking is a chronic problem nationally and internationally. To schedule a 15 – 20 minute presentation or for more information, contact Peter Harrer at the DCAB office.

 

 

2006 diSaBiliTy accESS conFEREncE and ToolS FoR liFE EXPo WEll aTTEndEd

The Disability Access Conference was held June

9-10 at the Hawaii Convention Center.  A total of 440 attendees benefited from presentations on employment

discrimination, facility access and design, access to law enforcement, assistive technology and communication access, and access to other programs and services (e.g. health care, recreation services, etc.). The Tools for Life Expo was held in conjunction on June 10-11 and attracted approximately 2500 people. The Expo featured

a wide range of assistive technology, products and services for persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers, employers and service providers.

Mahalo for Making this Event Possible

          Pacific ADA and IT Center

         Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii (ATRC)

         Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB)

 

Tools for Life Expo Corporate Sponsor: Sprint Relay Hawaii

 

Supporting Sponsors and Planning Committee Members:

Access Aloha Travel

ALOHA Special Technology Access Center, Inc.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

Center for Disability Studies

Department of Health/Developmental Disabilities Division

Department of Health/Early Intervention Services

Department of Education/Special Education Services

Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC)

Elderly Affairs Division - City and County of Honolulu

Hawaii Disability Rights Center

PDMI Care

State Executive Office on Aging

 

 

ALOHA KIRBY SHAW, WELCOME BACK CHARLOTTE TOWNSEND With mixed emotions we announce that after 16 years, Kirby Shaw has left DCAB to pursue a law degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Kirby was involved in a long list of projects over the

years at DCAB – too many to list here – all of which had significant impact on improving access

for people with disabilities in Hawaii. Kirby’s most recent position at DCAB was Coordinator of the Program and Policy Development Unit. Prior to that he was the program specialist responsible for administering the parking for people with disabilities program. Kirby also responded to phone calls and other inquires about disability access in general and over the years he took countless phone calls from consumers, family members, services providers, and anyone who had a question or just needed to vent about access to programs and services for people with disabilities. Kirby always had a ‘patient ear’ and shared his wealth of knowledge freely and graciously. The local and national disability community will miss his keen historical and personal perspective on disability issues as well as his passion to serve the public. Kirby’s motivation is impressive, while maintaining his responsibilities

at DCAB he pursued post-graduate studies and completed his Masters Degree in Public Administration at UH in 2003. The pursuit of a law degree has now lured him away from DCAB.  Although we are sad to see him go, we wish

Kirby well and know that he will succeed and continue to make the world a better place. Mahalo for all your hard work Kirby! Kulia i ka nu’u. “Strive for the Highest.”

We are happy to announce that Charlotte Townsend, former long-time DCAB employee, has returned to the position vacated by Kirby. Charlotte returned to state service after a year and a half separation during which she was the Vice President and Director of Programs at Winners at Work.  Charlotte began her new position on August 21. 2006, and has smoothly transitioned back into the DCAB office. Welcome back Charlotte.

 

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: We provide access to our activities without regard to race, color, national origin (including language), age, sex, religion, or disability. If you have a concern, write or call the Disability and Communication Access Board or the Department of Health Affirmative Action Officer at P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801-3378, or call 586-4616 (v/tty) within 180 days of a problem.

 

DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD (DCAB)

Linda Lingle, Governor, State of Hawaii
Chiyome Leinaala Fukino, M.D., Director of Health
Patricia Nielsen, Chairperson  
Charles Fleming, Vice Chairperson
Francine Wai, Executive Director  

 

 

 

Disability and Communication Access Board
919 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 101
Honolulu, HI 96814

Oahu: (808) 586- 8121 (V/TTY) 
Kauai: 274- 3141, ext. 6-8121# (V/TTY)  
Hawaii: 974-4000, ext. 6-8121# (V/TTY ) 
Maui: 984- 2400, ext. 6-812 # (V/TTY)
Molokai & Lanai: 1(800) 468- 4644, ext. 6-8121# (V/TTY)

Fax: (808) 586-8129
E-mail: dcab@doh.hawaii.gov
Web Site: www.hawaii.gov/health/dcab