Our Policy Positions

The Policy Positions Held by Access Living

Access Living’s official policy positions are decided through our established record of work in a specific area and/or through formal adoption via our board of directors. These policy positions guide our work and assist in things such as whether or not we sign on to campaigns or letters created by external organizations, how we respond to third-party inquiries regarding our policy positions, and screening requests that fall outside our established positions.

Access and Accommodations

• Access Living supports the active enforcement of disability civil rights laws and regulations that reduce/eliminate barriers to access for people with all kinds of disabilities.

Accessibility as a Social Determinant of Health

• Access Living views accessibility as a key social determinant of health (SDH) along with housing, education, transportation, employment, etc.

Assisted Suicide

• Access Living opposes assisted suicide efforts, in large part because requests for assisted suicide have been documented as stemming from lack of supports for people with disabilities. These requests can lead to abuse of assisted suicide policies, resulting in murder of persons with disabilities.

Civil Rights in the Criminal System

• Access Living supports the enforcement of civil rights laws within the criminal justice system, including accommodations, effective communication, appropriate supports, and access.

Communication

• Access Living supports the right of all people to effective and appropriate communication, including but not limited to spoken language translation, sign language translation, use of technology supports, and more.

Disability Criminalization

• Access Living supports ending the criminalization of disability, particularly at its intersections of race, ethnicity, poverty, gender identity, sexuality, immigration status, and sex work.

Disaster and Emergency Response

• Access Living supports inclusion of disability needs throughout planning for disasters and emergency response.

Domestic Violence/Abuse

• Access Living supports equal opportunity and access to supports for all people with disabilities experiencing domestic violence or abuse.

Economic Justice

• Access Living supports advocacy that will break the trap of poverty for people with disabilities.

Education

• Access Living supports access to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment for every child with a disability.

Employment

• Access Living supports equal opportunity and access to supports for all people with disabilities who are seeking jobs.  Access Living supports full enforcement of the law governing disability discrimination in employment.

Gender Equity

• Access Living supports equality for people of all genders.

Health Equity and Systemic Oppression

• Access Living acknowledges and fights against multiple systems of oppression in healthcare caused by racism, ableism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and classism.

Healthcare

• Every person with a disability deserves access to and information about their healthcare in a way that supports their ability to make choices in healthcare. Medical settings and programs should also be accessible as possible for all people with disabilities.

Home and Community-Based Services

• Every person with a disability deserves appropriate home and community based services (HCBS) in a community integrated setting. Access Living supports efforts to reduce reliance on institutions, and to ensure that people with disabilities have the support to live the lives of their choosing in integrated community settings. Access Living opposes institutionalization.

Housing

• Access Living supports efforts to further affordable, accessible, integrated housing.

Immigration

• Access Living supports the constitutional, disability and human rights of immigrants with disabilities of all statuses.

Parenting

• Access Living supports equal opportunity and access to supports for all people with disabilities who are parents. 

Police Accountability

• Access Living supports increased police accountability, including ending qualified immunity for police officers.

Public Safety and Restorative Justice

• Access Living supports access and equality for all persons with disabilities involved with police, jail, prison or the re-entry process.

Single-Use Plastic

• Access Living supports availability of single-use plastics where they are needed for people with disabilities to accomplish basic life activities such as eating and drinking.

Transportation

• Access Living supports the right of people with disabilities to use public and private transportation on an equal basis with non-disabled people.

Contact:

To request Access Living’s sign-on to a campaign or letter, or if you have questions about Access Living’s policy positions, please contact Amber Smock, Director of Advocacy.