Creating an Accessible Super Bowl

Written by Larry Markle, director of Disabled Student Development at Ball State University

Though the home town team will not be represented, the city of Indianapolis will be at the center of the football world on Sunday, February 5, when the Super Bowl is played at Lucas Oil Stadium. With a goal of hosting the most accessible Super Bowl ever, staff and volunteers have been at work for months to ensure that the game and all of the events surrounding it are welcoming and accessible for individuals with disabilities.

Ball State graduate and Indianapolis attorney Greg Fehribach is co-chairing the ADA Disability Inclusion Committee for the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee. Fehribach and his committee have been busy training the thousands of volunteers in best practices for making the game day and the events leading up to the Super Bowl as a first-class experience for fans with disabilities. In addition to providing training and literature detailing best practices in working with persons with disabilities, Fehribach and his committee have created a hotline that can be reached for specific questions relative to accessibility.

“Indianapolis has had over 15 years of commitment to accessibility for guests and neighbors who are aging and who have disabilities,” Fehribach stated. “This year’s Super Bowl is the marquee event that will illuminate the hospitality and commitment to the inclusion of fans and guests with disabilities.”

In addition to his work as an attorney and nationally-recognized expert on ADA issues pertaining to facilities (he consulted on the design of Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Governor’s Residence, and the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center), Fehribach is a Distinguished Fellow at Ball State’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs. Heading up the Disability Project at the Bowen Center, Fehribach is studying the employment of individuals with disabilities from a public policy perspective and working to create jobs and internships for college students with disabilities. As part of his work with the Bowen Center, Fehribach teaches courses at Ball State on the political and economic impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Fehribach has enlisted some of his students as volunteers for this year’s Super Bowl. “We’re excited that several of our students have immersed themselves as volunteers to assist with the Disability/Mobility Assistance Team,” Fehribach said. “This is exactly how we’d hoped the project would work.”

Greg Fehribach checks out accessibility options while attending the 2007 Super Bowl in Miami.

Accessibility at the Holidays

'Tis the season for gatherings. Beginning with the upcoming holidays and ending with the Super Bowl in February, Indianapolis will be host to a series of unforgettable parties and events, many of which will show our community at its absolute best.

Mary Beth and I understand how much work goes into planning events. We probably attend hundreds of receptions, dinners, parties and luncheons each year. It's one of the many aspects of our work that we really enjoy. We also have thrown our fair share of gatherings over the years. In September, we hosted a number of colleagues, neighbors and friends for an informational evening about the new Eskenazi Health.

In our years attending and hosting events, we've learned that things don't always go as planned. It may rain at an outdoor event. Perhaps a caterer gets stuck in traffic and is late. That's why most event planners and hosts begin planning well in advance, compiling detailed lists of tasks and responsibilities. Considerable care is taken to ensure the needs of guests are met, so everyone can fully participate in the festivities.

Recently, I attended a luncheon where I, along with numerous colleagues, was honored for a professional accomplishment. At the appointed time, everyone proceeded to the stage for a photo. But, because the location wasn't accessible, I couldn't get to the stage to participate. I couldn't even leave my table because the tables had been placed close together, so much so that it was impossible to navigate my wheelchair in a crowded room. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity to share in this special occasion with my colleagues.

Why do I share this? Because I hope others learn from my experience. Just as a host would note a guest's dietary restrictions, accessibility also should be on the checklist. As our population ages and Baby Boomers turn 65 at a record pace, it's very likely that someone at some point in time will require accessible accommodations. At the same time, I strongly encourage people with disabilities to take the initiative and make their hosts aware of their accessibility needs. All too often, misunderstandings arise because of a lack of communication. With the holidays and Super Bowl fast approaching, this is a timely topic for all of us to consider.

In this "teachable moment," I hope - and encourage - all of us to open the lines of communication with each other so we can all focus on the joy of the holiday season. Just add it to the list.

IndyStar Op-Ed: Be Careful Describing People with Disabilities

Today, The Indianapolis Star ran a letter to the editor that I wrote about how important it is to choose our words carefully in referring to people of diverse backgrounds, particularly people with disabilities. Below is the letter. I look forward to your comments.

"Blind." "Crippled." "Crazy." Those are words that hurt. They hurt the students and parents who choose to attend Indianapolis Public Schools. They hurt the children who excel in school. They hurt the teachers who are on the front lines educating our children. They are words that hurt our entire community.

I have spent my life with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, the reason why I have always used a wheelchair. As a lawyer, husband, father and wheelchair user, I have been on the receiving end of thoughtless comments. However, I generally take those opportunities and turn them into teachable moments.

Last week, Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White used those hurtful words during an interview with a local radio station where he discussed the challenges facing the state's largest school district.

Millions of Americans live with some type of disability. Anyone, at any point in time, can be affected by a disability, whether it's physical or cognitive. Maybe it's an aging baby boomer in need of a joint replacement, a child with autism, or a life forever changed by an unforeseen accident. A disability is simply not a condition of a select few.

Diversity encompasses more than just race and gender; it includes disability, educational background and, of course, economic status. At the same time, this unfortunate episode highlights how important it is that we choose our words wisely, because words -- and the context in which we use them -- have a lasting and damaging effect.

I don't doubt that White and the IPS system face tremendous challenges. But I hope, in this teachable moment, we all remember that we are a stronger -- and better -- community because of our willingness to embrace the diversity of our neighbor. Our children -- and their futures -- deserve no less.

Gregory S. Fehribach

Distinguished Fellow, Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Ball State University

The Transformative Eskenazi Health

Last week, Greg and I hosted an event for colleagues, friends, and neighbors to brief them about a project that is very important to us: the new Wishard Hospital, which will be called Eskenazi Health. When we welcomed our guests at our home I told them that the Foundation had approached us about making a donation and we were happy to do so - but we wanted to do it our way.

Doing it our way found us on our front porch in our downtown neighborhood, sharing critically important details about a community health initiative that stands to transform health care in Central Indiana. Eskenazi Health, as outlined by Matt Gutwein, president and CEO of Marion County's Health & Hospital Corporation, presents a unique opportunity for our community in that we are building a brand new 21st Century hospital facility, which will serve everyone.

How this hospital is being built is one of the many reasons why Indianapolis is a truly remarkable community. Ernie Vargo, president and CEO of the Eskenazi Health Foundation, shared how Sid and Lois Eskenazi's unprecedented gift of $40 million allowed the Foundation to set its fundraising goal even higher. The Indianapolis Business Journal reported last week that Fifth Third Bank's $5 million gift was inspired by Kevin Hipskind's experience with Wishard. Hipskind, an executive vice president with the bank, was treated at the hospital's renowned burn unit when he was burned on 37 percent of his body after a backyard brush fire.

And, more poignantly, Wishard Health Services employees have stepped up and have donated approximately $2.2 million to the Eskenazi Health Foundation. Dr. Lisa Harris, CEO and medical director of Eskenazi Health, shared with us how these employees, at every level, have come forward to join this effort. Their support speaks volumes about their commitment and dedication to the hospital's mission.

If you were to scan the faces of those at our gathering, nearly everyone present does not rely on Wishard as a safety net for their health care. Yet, everyone at some point in their lives could find themselves at Eskenazi Health for treatment, whether it's Midtown Community Mental Health, the trauma center, or preventative care.

Like Kevin Hipskind, they recognize that more than the county's underserved and uninsured are treated at the hospital. It's where Indiana's finest medical minds are trained through IU Medical School. It's where administrators from Eskenazi Health, the medical school, Regenstrief Institute and Purdue College of Pharmacy will be located together for the first time in a building named in honor of Fifth Third. And, it's where members of our community - from all walks of life - will join together in a profound and meaningful way to make life better for the people of our city.

-Mary Beth Fehribach

Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Jim Miner, chairman of the H&H Board of Trustees; Dr. David Crabb, H&H Board of Trustees member ; Dr. Lisa Harris; Ernie Vargo; Peggy Miner.

The Power of Self-Reliance

When I was a student at Ball State University many years ago, there were few people with disabilities that I could turn to for advice, particularly when it came to securing a job once I graduated. In fact, I graduated from college and earned masters and legal degrees – all before the ADA became law. I’ve written before how the ADA allowed me as a young lawyer to meet with nearly all of my clients without concerns about accessible accommodations.

More than 20 years later, people with disabilities are able to physically access the proverbial meetings with clients, thanks in large part to the ADA. However, people with disabilities are unemployed – and underemployed – at a rate that is disproportionately higher than people without disabilities. Looking for and maintaining a job has proven more challenging and complex for all Americans, and people with disabilities are particularly feeling that pain.

That’s one of the many reasons why the team at the Bowen Center is helping the students we serve as part of The Disability Project step up their game. This semester, we will be offering a series of forums that will assist students with disabilities learn how to make themselves marketable to future employers. We will teach them how to compete for and secure internships. We will connect them with the University’s Career Center. We will spend time helping them prepare a compelling resume. We’ll also explore and share strategies for succeeding in interviews.

Simply put, we’re going to help them learn how to help themselves find a job.

The students we work with, by the very nature of their circumstances, already are self-reliant and have proven their mettle in overcoming the obstacles of daily living. I have no doubt that they will continue to not just meet, but exceed, expectations. I’m looking forward to sharing more about their progress as they continue to make their way on the road to graduation, and ultimately, self sufficiency.

The Meaning of Labor Day for People with Disabilities

Earlier this week, the National Organization on Disability recognized nine U.S. companies for their work in hiring and engaging people with disabilities. You can read more about why the NOD selected these companies as the “Fine Nine” on their website.

Two things really stood out about the NOD’s announcement of the Fine Nine, which was wisely timed to coincide with Labor Day, a holiday dedicated to the American worker. First, the NOD cited some alarming statistics from a 2010 Harris survey that they sponsored with the Kessler Foundation. The survey found that employment remains the biggest gap between people with and without disabilities. Among working-age people with disabilities, only 21 percent reported that they are employed full or part time, compared to 59 percent of people without disabilities. That’s a gap of 38 points.

The second was the headline in the article the United Press International published about the study. “Disabled workers always in recession,” accurately sums up the situation that people with disabilities – many of whom are educated and eager to work – face throughout their lives. Unfortunately, when people with disabilities are denied access to employment opportunities, they are forced to rely on government assistance. In today’s economic climate of austerity and frugality, particularly on the state and local levels, people with disabilities may lose these critical safety nets they have come to rely on.

So, where do we go from here? We must continue to encourage people with disabilities to get an education, and challenge them to use that education in non-traditional ways. We must continue to educate businesses about the potential for people with disabilities to help boost their bottom line. We must continue an open and candid dialogue, especially as Baby Boomers reach retirement age – everyday.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Earns Top Local Honor for Commitment to Access & Inclusion

Indianapolis recently commemorated the 21st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act with the Mayor's Advisory Council on Disability's Access and Inclusion Awards. For the last several years, this annual awards ceremony honors individuals, businesses and organizations that promote enhanced access and quality of life for people with disabilities.

The list of local award recipients who have contributed to greater access and inclusion is both long and diverse. Previous honorees include the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana's Sports Program, CICOA's Lifelong Living Community Initiative, and the Indiana School for the Deaf's "Vibrations" program.

This year, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis received the Accessibility Award. I have been privileged to work with the Museum's president, Jeff Patchen, and the director of exhibit development, Jennifer Pace-Robinson, over the years. Under their leadership, The Children's Museum has made a concerted effort to develop an inclusive and seamless museum that everyone can participate in, regardless of whether or not they have a disability.

I have written before about how The Children's Museum is accommodating to all guests, including the personal recollections of staff members who have observed parents, children and grandparents with disabilities enjoying the many unique and customized exhibits. From a personal standpoint, the Museum is committed to ensuring a fully inclusive experience, and even has included accessibility checklists into their exhibit design and development process. They are most deserving of this recognition.

While the annual Access and Inclusion Awards have evolved into the leading event for the Indianapolis disability community, it's important to note the Indianapolis has made accessibility and inclusion an important part of city policy for decades. Before the ADA even was enacted, local disability activists led by James K. Pauley, founded the Mayor's Advisory Council on Disability in the '70s. The Council, which works directly with the Mayor's Office of Disability Affairs, is a key stakeholder in ensuring our city, its assets, and amenities are accessible for everyone. This work was recognized by a much wider audience in 2009, when the National Organization on Disability awarded Indianapolis with its Accessible America Award, touting the City as the nation's leader in accessible environments.

The awards remind us that we have much to celebrate. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. We may have made significant headway into ensuring physical accessibility, yet we now face an even greater challenge. Working together, we must find new and creative solutions to solving the employment gap for people with disabilities, particularly those individuals with college educations and other advanced degrees. I hope you'll join me in getting to work.