The Americans with Disabilities Act: SUDs and Barriers to Treatment and Recovery

There are thousands of people in recovery from addiction unaware of their civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This presentation will provide information on the ADA and how it applies to individuals in treatment for or recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). It will also explain how the ADA addresses alcohol, in addition to providing a general review of the law and cases that have interpreted the ADA’s protections for these individuals. This presentation will provide examples of instances when a person is covered under the ADA and how healthcare providers, advocates, attorneys, and others who help individuals with SUDs can support their client or patient’s ADA rights. This includes a discussion of where to file complaints if it appears that an individual’s ADA rights are being violated.

Learning Objectives

• Facilitate an understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) protections for people with substance use disorders, including alcohol and opioid use disorders.
• Learn to understand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections for people with substance use disorders in the context of employment, state and local government and public accommodations.
• Provide clear guidance on where to reach out to assist individuals in learning about rights and obligations (the ADA Centers), as well as filing complaints of discrimination (DOJ or other appropriate federal agency).

Price

Education is FREE to all professionals

Earn Continuing Education Hours (CEs)

If you have watched the webinar (either live or on-demand), you are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion to verify the continuing education hours you spent learning. To apply (only after watching the webinar), complete and pass the online CE Quiz at the top of this page. NAADAC members receive a CE certificate for 1.5 CEs for free. Non-members of NAADAC can receive 1.5 CEs for $20 (make payment here). A CE certificate will be emailed to you within 21 days of submission and receiving payment, if applicable. Click here for a complete list of who accepts NAADAC continuing education hours.

Presenters

Oce Harrison, EdD, has directed the New England ADA Center since 2001. She provides “ADA, Addiction, Recovery” trainings throughout the region. Harrison has presented a Massachusetts Organization for Addiction and Recovery (MOAR) Webinar, at the Massachusetts Alcohol and Drug Counselors Association Annual Conference (MAADAC) and in 18 cities and towns in Massachusetts. She also created the ADA National “The ADA, Addiction and Recovery Fact Sheet” and “The ADA, Addiction, Recovery Employment Fact Sheet.”

Charlotte Lanvers, JD, is a Trial Attorney in the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ), where she enforces the ADA. From 2012-2014, Lanvers worked as a Staff Attorney at the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Prior to joining OCR, Lanvers worked at Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund as a Skadden Fellow and Staff Attorney on cases enforcing the rights of individuals with disabilities. Lanvers holds an Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School and a Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School.

Who Should Attend

Addiction professionals, employee assistance professionals, social workers, mental health counselors, professional counselors, psychologists, and other helping professionals that are interested in learning about addiction-related matters.