NOT FOR RELEASE - FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY CR
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2000 (202) 514-2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888
ACTING ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS BILL LANN LEE
TO PARTICIPATE IN CELEBRATION OF ADA 10TH ANNIVERSARY
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Bill Lann Lee, will participate in a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the ADA in Hartford on Friday, July 28, 2000. (A)AAG Lee, who will deliver remarks at 9:50 a.m., will announce the publication of "Pictograms for Hospital Communication" a new technical assistance document developed by the Department of Justice. The ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m., will be held at Conference Room C&D, Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford.
This document presents visual images of sign language phrases to assist hospital staff in communicating with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing before a sign language interpreter arrives on the scene to provide communication. Copies of the pictogram will be available to view at Friday's event.
In addition to (A)AAG Lee, participants include: representatives from the Office of the United States Attorney for the State of Connecticut; the Connecticut Children's Medical Center; the Connecticut Hospital Association, which assisted in the development of the pictogram; and June Freeman, the deaf parent of a child with cerebral palsy who regularly accompanies her daughter for care at Children's Medical Center. Additionally, the Connecticut Association for Protection and Advocacy will be present. They participated in litigation against Connecticut hospitals to provide effective communication especially through the use of a system of sign language interpreters.
Enacted on July 26, 1990, the ADA is a landmark civil rights law that guarantees equal opportunity for the nation's 54 million people with disabilities. Disability rights organizations, businesses and governments are planning a wide range of commemorative events at both the national and local level to celebrate the tenth anniversary.
WHEN: Friday, July 28
9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Conference Rooms C & D
282 Washington Street
Hartford, Connecticut
NOTE: This information is for planning purposes only and may not be released or distributed. This event is open to the press. Media interested in attending the event should contact Thomas Hanley, CCMC Director of Public Relations, (860) 545-9956.
###
00-429