Easter Seals, Inc. (d/b/a "Easterseals") ("we," "our," or "us") understands that data privacy and the protection of personal information is important to you. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use and share your personal information, and your rights and choices regarding the personal information we collect about you.
Please read this Notice carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your personal information and how we will process it. You can also click on the links below to navigate to a specific section.
This Privacy Notice applies to all donors, members, website visitors, business partners, employees, job applicants, and individuals who otherwise interact with Easterseals whom we collect personal information from. We often refer to your interactions with us as using our "services" throughout this Notice.
2. Personal Information Collection
We collect a variety of information as part of our operations, including personal information and other information. "Personal information" is any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with an identifiable individual.
a. How We Collect Personal Information
Easterseals collects information, including personal information, from and about its donors, event attendees and program participants, individuals who interact with our affiliate members, employees and job applicants, individuals who visit our website and other individuals who choose to interact with us. We collect information from or about you in the following ways:
Directly from you. We collect information directly from you when you make a donation, create a user profile on our website, attend an event or program we are offering, apply for employment or gain employment with us, when you visit our website, and when you otherwise voluntarily submit or provide information to us.
Automatically. When you visit and interact with our website, we collect information automatically through cookies. For more information about cookies on our website, please visit the section below titled "Cookies."
From our Affiliate Members. We rely on our affiliate members to provide us with information about the individuals they provide services to and interact with so that we can understand the impact of our and our affiliate members' programs and services, yield actionable insights, and drive future-forward decision making to ensure that our services and programs make the most impact in the communities we serve.
From Other Sources. We may collect information about you from other sources and we may combine information from other sources with information we collect through our services or interactions with you. Examples of the other sources we most frequently collect information from includes national donor data bases and registries, and companies that compile mailing lists about individuals.
b. Types of Personal Information We Collect
The types of personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us, including whether the interaction is through one of our affiliate members or directly with us. In many cases, the personal information we collect will be apparent from the context in which you provide the information.
We collect the following types of personal information from you depending on how you interact with us (i.e., donor, employee, etc.).
Categories of Personal Information
Categories of individuals
Contact Information. This includes your name, mailing address, email address, social media handle, or other similar identifiers.
Donors
Employees and job applicants
Website visitors
Event attendees
Program participants
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Easterseals affiliate member users
Identification Information. This includes your SSN, driver's license number, passport number, or similar legal identification information.
Employees and job applicants
Profile Information. This includes information about your activity and interactions with us, including your donor tendencies and donation history, information you voluntarily provide to us or that we collect from other sources regarding your interests, preferences, and characteristics. We compile this information we collect about you to better understand you.
Donors
Website visitors
Event attendees
Program participants
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Easterseals affiliate member users
Health Information. This is information about your health, disability, or medical condition which may include "Protected Health Information" (PHI).
Event attendees
Program participants
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Employees and job applicants (if you choose to participate in our group health plan)
Financial Information. This includes information about your wealth and financial status, income, credit card, bank account, or payment information.
Donors
Employees and job applicants
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Location Information. This includes information about your location.
Donors
Website visitors
Easterseals affiliate member users
Professional or Employment-Related Information. Current or past job history or performance evaluations.
Employees and job applicants
Affiliate clinical and non-clinical service providers
Internet or other similar network activity. Browsing history, search history, information on your interaction with a website, application, or advertisement.
Website visitors
Donors
Easterseals affiliate member users
Interaction Information. This includes information about your attendance at events we host or programs we sponsor, as well as information about correspondence with us and other ways you interact with us.
Donors
Event attendees
Program participants
Website visitors
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Easterseals affiliate member users
Sensitive Personal Information. We may collect certain sensitive personal information including race, gender, and age information. This information is collected in aggregate form.
Employees and job applicants
Individuals who interact with our affiliate members
Easterseals affiliate member users
We may not collect all of the above categories of information from each category of individual who interacts with us. Please note that if you voluntarily provide us with additional information when you interact with us that does not fit one of these categories of information or individuals set forth above, we will collect the information and use it for the purposes you direct or that we disclose to you.
As noted above, in certain circumstances, we may also collect "Protected Health Information." "Protected Health Information" ("PHI") is individually identifiable health information. We sometimes collect PHI when we gather information about the effectiveness of our programs in order to understand whether a program that we or our affiliate members offered resulted in improved outcomes for the individuals or communities our programs are designed to serve.
3. How We Use Personal Information
We use personal information for our legitimate business purposes to further our mission and for other purposes disclosed to you at the time data is collected. More specifically, we use personal information in the following ways:
Provide our services, programs, and events to the communities and individuals we serve.
Send you confirmations about event or program registration, or donations.
Process donations and gifts made to Easterseals or our affiliate members.
Understand our donor base and potential donors.
Measure the effectiveness of our services, programs, and events, including services, programs, and events offered by our affiliate members.
Communicate with you about our services, programs, events, happenings, and news.
Respond to your comments, inquiries, and customer service requests.
Market our events, services, programs, and potential donor opportunities to you. You may opt-out of marketing communications at any time.
Provide you with employment, or consider you for employment with Easterseals.
Process payroll and other benefits afforded to our employees.
Improve and personalize our content and services.
Monitor and analyze trends regarding our services, programs, and events, including services, programs, and events offered by our affiliate members.
Protect against and prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions, and manage risk exposure.
Enforce our legal rights and agreements.
Comply with applicable legal requirements.
Carry out any other purpose you consent to, that we disclose to you at the time your data is collected, or that you direct us to.
We may aggregate and de-identify personal information we collect from you to understand the effectiveness of our programs, services, and offerings, as well as to understand our donor base and donor trends. When we aggregate or de-identify information, it is no longer personally identifiable.
4. How We Disclose Personal Information
Easterseals may share your personal information in the following circumstances, and as otherwise described in this Notice:
Affiliate Members. We share information with our affiliate members in order to understand and improve the impact of our and our affiliate members' programs, services, and offerings. Please see the section below titled "Easterseals Affiliate Members" for more information.
Service Providers, Vendors, and Consultants. We rely on third parties to perform functions on our behalf. Some of these service providers include marketing service providers, payment service providers who help us process donations and pay our employees, cloud storage providers, website hosting platforms, client relationship management providers, HR or employee benefits providers, and content providers. We endeavor to ensure written agreements are in place with all service providers, vendors, and consultants where feasible and appropriate. All service providers, vendors, and consultants are required to use the information we disclose to them at our direction and only for the purpose(s) for which it was disclosed to them, and they are required to adhere to security and confidentiality measures.
List Rental and Exchange Program. We may share certain information about our donors with national donor registration and list service providers in order to grow our donor base and more effectively reach current and prospective donors. If you do not wish for your information to be shared with these third parties, you may opt-out by contacting us via a method set forth in the "Contact Us" section below or by visiting our website and contacting us through a means listed on our website. If you would like to know which third parties participate in the list rental and exchange program, you may also contact us via one of the methods listed below.
Law Enforcement Agencies, Courts, Regulators, Government Authorities, or Other Third Parties. We may disclose your information: 1) to apply with a legal obligation or court order; 2) when we believe in good faith that the law requires it; 3) at the request of governmental authorities conducting an investigation; 4) to verify or enforce our policies, procedures, terms of service, and other agreements, or to protect the rights, property, safety, and security of Easterseals, our members, vendors, business partners, service providers, affiliate members, website visitors, or the public; 5) to respond to an emergency; or 6) when we believe it is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss, or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity.
Successor Entities, Buyers, Transfers and Mergers and Acquisitions. We may disclose your information to a buyer, potential buyer, successor in interest, or to an organization in connection with a bankruptcy, transfer, merger or acquisition, or other transfer of some or all of Easterseals' or an affiliate's assets, which may include your information. If this occurs, we will endeavor to ensure that the successor entity uses your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Notice, or provides you with notice and a choice about future use of your personal information.
5. Easterseals Affiliate Members
Easterseals has a number of affiliate members throughout the United States who interact directly with the populations we serve by bringing Easterseals' mission and work directly into the community in which the affiliate member operates. While our affiliate member organizations are associated with and use Easterseals branding, they may have their own practices regarding how they collect, use, share, and retain information when you interact with them.
As described above, affiliate members share information with us, and we share information with our affiliate members. This information sharing occurs so that we can understand the impact of our and our affiliate members' programs and services, yield actionable insights, and drive future-forward decision making so that we can continue to further the Easterseals' mission of equity, inclusion, and access for individuals with disabilities.
6. Links to Other Sites
Easterseals' website may contain links to other sites, including to our affiliate members, as well as links to non-affiliated third parties, such as social networks or business partners. These linked sites may have personal information collection, use, and disclosure practices that differ from Easterseals' practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of websites that you visit before sharing your personal information with them. Please also be aware that if you disclose personal information, PHI, or other sensitive information through public forums, at an event, or on online message boards, this information may be used by others. We take no responsibility for the content, security, or confidentiality of any information posted on or conveyed in these public spaces.
7. Security of Personal Information
Easterseals knows that information security is of the utmost important to our donors, affiliate members, website visitors, and individuals whose information we collect. We maintain reasonable technical, administrative, physical, and organizational safeguards in proportion to the sensitivity of information we collect that are designed to prevent unauthorized access, use, and disclosure of personal information.
However, no electronic data transmission or processing of personal information is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee the security of personal information. We encourage you to assist us with securing your personal information by using a strong password and not disclosing your login credentials, where applicable, to anyone. If we become aware of an incident that affects your personal information, we will investigate and comply with all reporting obligations.
8. Transmission of Health-Related Information
Easterseals understands the sensitivity of collecting and using health-related data. It is not Easterseals' intent to collect personally identifiable health-related information or PHI. If we do collect personally identifiable health-related information or PHI, it will not be used by or shared with entities other than Easterseals or our affiliate members, unless the information is de-identified. Any transfer of personally identifiable health-related data between Easterseals organizations will take place in a secure environment with access allowed only to certain qualified employees of Easterseals. Easterseals will comply with all regulations set forward by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To learn more about HIPAA, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
9. Retention of Personal Information
We will retain your information only for as long as necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. This may mean that we will continue to retain certain information even after we stop providing our services directly or indirectly to you, after you delete your user profile, or cease interacting with us, as required by law or for our legitimate business purposes. We may also retain de-identified, aggregated, or anonymous information that does not identify a particular individual. In all cases where we retain data, we do so in accordance with limitation periods and record retention obligations that are imposed by applicable law.
10. Your Rights and Choices Regarding your Personal Information
Easterseals offers various rights that are consistent with state consumer privacy laws. Easterseals offers the option to access, correct, and delete your personal information. If you are a registered user of our website, you can access your Easterseals profile and update your contact information and user preferences by clicking here. Upon your request, we will delete, aggregate, or de-identify personal information related to you that is retained in our organizational databases, unless we are required to continue to retain the information in an identifiable format. To exercise your right to deletion, or to modify or correct your information other than through the link above, please contact us via a method set forth in the below "Contact Us" section.
You can also change your communication preferences and opt-in or opt-out of marketing communications from Easterseals. To opt-out of receiving email communications, postal mail or from participating in the list rental and exchange program, or to request a disclosure of list rental and exchange information, please follow the directions below.
We will endeavor to fulfill all requests within a reasonable timeframe.
11. Cookies
Our website uses or may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, and similar technologies (collectively, "cookies"). Cookies are small text files stored directly on a website visitor's computer or mobile device that automatically collect certain information from users such as browser type, IP address, time spent online, pages visited, referring URL, and additional aggregated website traffic data. We also rely on partners to provide features of our services, which may involve using cookies.
We use cookies for the following purposes:
Functionality. These cookies are necessary for us to ensure that the website functions properly.
Security. These cookies are necessary for us to mitigate the risk of data breaches and similar attacks by ensuring that requests are submitted to our website from proper domains.
Authentication. These cookies allow us to authenticate user requests and to maintain session information related to users.
Preference. These cookies allow our website to remember which events you have signed up or registered for, the products you place in your shopping cart, and to recognize your device.
Advertising. These cookies allow us to provide you with more relevant advertisements.
Analytics. These cookies enable us to learn more about how users and visitors interact with our website, including pages visited, how much time is spent on each pages, and similar information. We use this information in aggregate.
Third-Party. These cookies are placed by third parties such as Google and social media networks. These cookies track and monitor how you interact with our services and other websites, provide us insight into how you interact with our website (such as analytics), facilitate account registration and login, and also enable the sharing of content from our services to these third parties. We do not control the data use or sharing practices of these third parties. If you do not wish to accept third party cookies, we encourage you to update your browser settings accordingly.
The use of cookies has become standard among website operators. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. You can usually set your browser to refuse cookies that are not necessary or to indicate when a cookie is being set. To understand your options regarding cookies, you can visit the help section of your web browser, or take a look at the links below:
If you refuse cookies, you may not be able to use certain functions on our website and our website may not function as smoothly as it does when cookies are enabled.
12. International Transfers of Personal Information
Easterseals and all of its affiliate members are located in the United States, and all programming offered by Easterseals and its affiliate members occurs in the United States. Because of the global nature of the internet, the Easterseals website may be accessible from jurisdictions other than the United States, even though Easterseals does not operate, provide, or market its services outside of the United States. If you access the Easterseals website outside of the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States. Since the data protection laws of various countries differ, information transferred to the United States may not be subject to the same level of protection as the jurisdiction in which you reside. If you choose to access our website from a jurisdiction outside the United States, we rely on your consent to transfer the data to the United States. To the extent you do not consent to data transfers to the United States, please do not provide us with your personal information or visit our website.
13. Information from Children
Our website is not directed towards children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13 through our website without parental consent. If you become aware that we have collected personal information from an individual under the age of 13 through our website without parental consent, please let us know so that we can take appropriate action.
14. Changes to this Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. If we make material updates to this Notice, we will endeavor to provide you notice by placing a prominent notice on this website and/or sending an email notification of the change. We will also update the "last updated" date at the top of this policy. Any changes will be effective immediately on posting unless otherwise indicated. Continued use of our services after updates to our Notice will be deemed consent to the changes.
Easter Seals Oregon promises to keep your Personal Health Information (PHI) private. When we work with you, we will have to write information down about the treatment and services we provide to you. The law says that we have to keep your health information private. The law also says that we have to give you this notice of what the law says about your personal health information and that we have to tell you how we keep your PHI private. Federal and state laws say that we have to follow the rules that we have in place at the time.
We realize that these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following important information:
How we may use and share your personal health information.
Your rights to keep your personal health information private
How we plan to use your personal health information, including who we might have to share it with, and what the law requires us to do.
This notice applies to everything we write down and keep about your PHI. We are allowed to change some of the information in this Notice of Privacy Practices. If we have to change this notice, the new rules will apply to all the information we have about you from the past and any information we might get or keep in the future. We will post a current copy of this Notice in our client waiting area and on our web site (www.or.easterseals.com). We will not mail you a new copy if we change it. You can ask for a copy of the Notice any time you want.
If You Have Questions About This Notice
If you have questions about this notice, please use one of the following methods to contact us:
Mail:
Privacy Officer 290 Moyer Ln NW PO Box 5193 Salem OR 97304
The following describes the different ways in which we are allowed to use and share your personal health information without your written permission unless Oregon State law does not allow us to share the information.
Treatment. We may use your PHI to treat you or for purposes related to your treatment. For example, we may share information with your doctor about your treatment progress or how you are doing. We may share your PHI with others who may help in your care such as another person in your family or the other parent. We may want to tell you about other treatments that are available to you or tell you about health-related benefits or services that might be of interest to you. Examples are support groups, parent education classes, community resources or durable medical equipment.
Payment. We may use and share your PHI in order to bill and collect payment for the services you receive from us. For example, we may talk to your health insurer to confirm that you are eligible for benefits and what those benefits may be. We may also tell your insurer about details regarding your treatment so your insurance company can decide if they will pay for your treatment. We may use and share your PHI to obtain payment from other people or companies that may be responsible for such costs, such as family members. We may use your PHI to send you a bill for services and items.
Health Care Operations. We may use and share your PHI to operate our business. Examples of health care operations would be measuring the quality of care you receive from us, using outside professional services, or carrying out cost-management and business planning activities for our practice. We may use and share your PHI to contact you to cancel or remind you of an appointment.
Disclosures Required By Law. We will use and share your PHI when we are required to do so by federal, state or local law.
Use and Disclosure of Your PHI in Certain Special Circumstances
The following categories describe unique ways in which we may use or release your personal health information without your written permission.
Public Health Risks. We may share your PHI with public health authorities, including Oregon Department of Human Services, that are allowed by law to collect information for the purpose of:
Reporting suspected child abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
Preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability.
Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease.
Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition.
Reporting reactions to drugs or problems with products or devices.
Notifying a person if a product or device they may be using has been recalled.
Health Oversight Activities. We may share your PHI with a health oversight agency. Activities allowed by law can include investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure and disciplinary action. They may also include civil, administrative and criminal procedures or actions, or other activities necessary to monitor our compliance with civil rights laws and the health care system in general.
Lawsuits and Similar Actions. We may use and share your PHI in response to a court order if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. We may share your PHI in response to a subpoena or other lawful process by another party involved in the dispute. However, we will make an effort to inform you of the request prior to sharing the information.
Law Enforcement. We may release PHI if asked to do so by law enforcement officials:
Regarding a crime victim in certain situations, if we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement.
Concerning a death we believe resulted from a criminal act.
Regarding criminal conduct at our offices.
In response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena or similar legal process.
To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive or missing person.
In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identity or location of the perpetrator).
Serious Threats to Health or Safety. We may use and share your PHI to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. In this case, we will only make disclosures to a person or agency able to help prevent the threat.
Inmates. We may share your PHI to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the custody of law enforcement officials. These disclosures would be necessary: (a) for us to provide health care services to you, (b) for the safety and security of our organization, and/or (c) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of other individuals.
Fundraising. We may send you fundraising solicitations for Easter Seals Oregon by mail. If you do not wish to receive such solicitations, you may choose to opt out of these mailings. To opt out, simply give us your name and address and we will kindly remove you from our fundraising list.
Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a particular manner or at a certain location. For instance, you may ask that we contact you at work, rather than home. Our practice will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
You may ask us to limit our use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment or health care operations. For example, you may request that we share your PHI with only certain individuals involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members and friends. We are not required to agree to your request. However, if we do agree, we must honor that agreement except when federal or state law says otherwise, for instance, in emergencies, or when the information is necessary to treat you. You must make your request in writing. Your request must be clear and concise and must include what information you wish restricted. Your request must also include whether you are requesting to limit our practice’s use, disclosure or both and to whom you want the limits to apply.
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the PHI that has been created by our agency. You may not, however, inspect the following records: psychotherapy notes; information compiled for use in a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding. You must submit your request in writing. Our practice may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing and other costs related to your request. Your request may only be for records created by our practice. Our practice may deny your request to inspect and/or copy in certain limited circumstances; however, you may have a right to have this decision reviewed.
You may ask us to correct your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and for as long as the information is kept by or for our practice. Any amendment request must be made in writing. You must provide us with a reason that supports your request for amendment. In certain cases, we may deny your request for an amendment. If we deny your request, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us.
You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your PHI. This accounting applies to disclosures allowed by law for which we are not required to obtain your written authorization. This list will not include the times that information was shared for treatment, payment or health care operations. The list will not include information provided directly to you or family members or information that was shared with your authorization. You must submit your request in writing. All requests for an “accounting of disclosures” must state a time period and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The right to receive this information is subject to certain restrictions. The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge. Our practice may charge you for additional lists within the same 12-month period. Our practice will notify you of the costs involved, and you may withdraw your request before you incur any costs.
You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy practices. You may also obtain a current Notice from our website (www.or.easterseals.com).
You have the right to file a complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
You have the right to provide an authorization for other uses and disclosures. We will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that are not identified by this notice or permitted by applicable law. Any authorization you provide to us may be revoked at any time in writing except to the extent that we have taken action in reliance upon it. After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or share your PHI for the reasons described in the authorization. Please note we are required to retain records of your care.
To obtain a form for any of the above requests or if you have any questions regarding this notice or our health information privacy policies, contact us using one of the methods listed under If You Have Questions About This Notice.
Navigating Through the Red Tape: Disabled Veterans and Financial Wellness
Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 11:48 AM
Earlier this month, Easterseals visited Washington D.C. to meet with representatives and share ways …
Earlier this month, Easterseals visited Washington D.C. to meet with representatives and share ways to break down barriers for our communities. We also had important conversations about supporting veterans and military families. We owe so much to our veterans and yet, according to our recent study about disabled veterans and employment, only about 1/3 of disabled veterans have enough money to handle their own emergency expenses. What do veterans experience when faced with financial challenges and what can they do to overcome them?
We chatted with Caleb Saxby, who was enlisted in the U.S. Army from 2002-2006, and deployed to Iraq from 2003-2004. Both Caleb and his wife, Amanda, who is also a veteran, are part of Easterseals Greater Houston’s Train your Own Service Dog program and attended Camp Coleman, a family retreat focused on integrating new service dogs into veteran and military families. Additionally, they have been guest speakers for Easterseals Greater Houston’s Youth Action Council.
Caleb and his family
How has Easterseals impacted your life?
My wife and I became connected with Easterseals when we moved to the Houston area a few years ago through the service dog program. At first, I was not sure about the service dog program, but honestly can’t imagine life without my service dog now.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge for military veterans and families when it comes to money management and financial literacy?
I know just from my own experience and from some of my close friends that leaving the military is a hard transition to make, even if it you weren’t injured or anything. Leaving the way that I did, after an injury, you aren’t necessarily super prepared for that change. Many did not plan on leaving and already have families to take care of and college is not always the best option. So, when you factor in not previously planning for it and work options being limited, many times veterans feel like it is an uphill battle immediately and they just can’t catch up.
How can having a disability impact a veteran’s financial options in your experience?
You have to take into consideration that we may or may not be able to physically do the same types of jobs you have training on or have previously done, so a lot of us go in the workforce again at the bottom rung when leaving the military. You also have to think about the missed wages due to multiple doctor appointments and various things that are now a regular thing for many veterans when coming home.
What do you wish more people knew about the process of reintegrating into civilian life and financial stability after service?
Well, if I could speak to the people who are currently in the military, I would advise them to start preparing now because it really does make a difference. If you are like me and many others though who left the military unprepared fully, there are options for help out there for you. There are people to even help with navigating your way through all the different programs you may be qualified for, so check into it and do your homework to find out what is out there.
What advice might you give a fellow veteran or military family members who are feeling overwhelmed about their financial situation?
I would just let them know that there is help available if you need it. Yes, there is red tape a lot of the time, and it can be a headache. It is worth it though for not just the veteran but their entire family. When you do get the help you need, use it for the intended purpose. Use it so you aren’t going paycheck to paycheck and wondering if there is enough in the bank to make it to the next payday.
Through our partnerships and referrals, Easterseals is dedicated to supporting the well-being of veterans in our communities. That’s why we have collaborated with Freddie Mac to share free and accessible money management tools for veterans and military families. Through CreditSmart Military, you can learn about building credit, working through debt and more. If homeownership is a goal, this program can set you up for success.
As Caleb pointed out, it can be overwhelming to navigate the help that is available. Easterseals is available to help shift through the red tape so that you are connected with the right support. Contact an Easterseals near you to learn more about services offered in your area.
Communities Making Accessible Transportation: How We Can Work Together
Monday, April 15, 2024, 10:56 AM
By Jeremy Johnson-Miller “How did you get here today?” For many, this may never be a second thought,…
By Jeremy Johnson-Miller
“How did you get here today?”
For many, this may never be a second thought, but for others, it is a daily reminder of the extra planning and reliance of others needed to get where they need to go. Many disabled people understand this well – whether it’s figuring out accessible public transit routes (Does this station have a working elevator? Does this bus route get me close to where I need to go?) or wondering if you will encounter ableism on your journey (Will a taxi pass me by when they see I use a wheelchair? Will people question my service animal?).
Even when someone reaches their destination, they may still encounter obstacles in their travel. A crack or broken sidewalk may not hinder someone who is not disabled, but for others it could mean they can’t use that route and must go blocks out of their way or even into the street to bypass the damaged pathways.
Transportation offers independence for people with disabilities, allowing them to get to school, work and social activities, but when one of these connections fails, it can disrupt their entire day or week.
Throughout my career, I met some amazing people who let me learn about life from their perspective.
Jeremy and Aunt Nancy
My passion for transportation started at an early age; my aunt Nancy had poor eyesight that barred her from driving, but that did not stop her from living a full life — she passed that life skill along to me. I would meet her downtown during summer breaks for lunch, picking out a book at the library and, of course, ice cream.
Michelle lives downtown and works several blocks away and uses a motorized wheelchair to traverse the city, but in the winter or during construction season, the path of travel is often blocked or unsafe. Michelle uses the phrase “the sidewalks are my roads” when speaking to city leaders about the importance of sidewalks for her to thrive, and if those fail, she is unable to succeed.
Immanuel lives and works along a bus route, but also values social life beyond work. Immanuel has used a wheelchair his entire life, but because of the limited hours of operation for transportation, he often says, “it’s like I am a 30-year-old with a curfew.” The bus does not operate after 10pm and they cannot go to a late movie or stay out late with friends.
Jeremy and Michelle
These are only a few stories from my 10-plus years working in transportation, but I have a motivation to keep going, nonetheless. People like Michelle and Immanuel, and of course Aunt Nancy, make me want to keep learning and showing up for those who cannot.
Part of my job at Easterseals is sharing ways all of us can make a difference in accessible transportation.
Here are a few actionable items:
The work we can do starts off with being aware of our surroundings and making sure there is adequate space for everyone to navigate walkways or paths.
If you notice obstacles blocking a sidewalk, driveway, or building entrance, find the appropriate person to move them.
If you are a business owner, make sure your signage or furniture is not blocking a path.
Notice an elevator is out of order? Tell the building staff, even if you don’t need the elevator.
During snow season, make sure your sidewalks are shoveled.
Attend town meetings to advocate for safe crosswalks and paths of travel.
Working for an organization like Easterseals has allowed me to put that knowledge into action and continue to create an accessible world for all. Easterseals offers vital resources like customized training and technical expertise on the Americans with Disabilities Act for transportation providers; develops resources to support organizations in their efforts to connect with transportation and mobility services in their community; and identifies organizations in your state, region, or local community that could connect you to the most appropriate transportation services and support the development of coordinated transportation networks.
To make safer, more accessible communities, we must plan transit alongside the disability community. They are the experts on their needs — we can connect with them to advocate and get the attention of government and transit officials. This is and should be a community effort as it benefits all of us to have accessible public transportation options.
To learn more about the Easterseals Transportation Group and what we are doing to create more equitable access to services and settings that everyone should be able to enjoy, visit our website.
Jeremy Johnson-Miller is the Communications Manager for the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) at Easterseals, a federally recognized technical assistance center funded by the Federal Transit Administration, focused on ADA accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities across the country. Jeremy coordinates the release of publications and reports from NADTC, also conducting training and group facilitation for transportation agencies and state DOTs across the country. Prior to joining Easterseals, Jeremy served as Mobility Programs Administrator at Iowa DOT Public Transit Bureau for 6.5 years, providing guidance and oversight of state and federally funded grant programs, also overseeing outreach and collaboration with communities and other state departments within Iowa. Jeremy holds a bachelors in Geography from the University of Iowa and is a Certified Public Manager from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
By Grant Stoner As a medium, video games allow us to remain connected. Whether it’s long-distance re…
By Grant Stoner
As a medium, video games allow us to remain connected. Whether it’s long-distance relationships or friendships, or the inability to physically or cognitively access a space, gaming is crucial in creating lifelong memories. And for some individuals, it’s one of the few mediums that anyone can explore, regardless of disability. According to Xbox, approximately 429 million players globally have some form of a disability.
The gaming industry is multifaceted through the opportunities it provides to both consumers and employees. From varying roles in studios, to content creation and media, there are numerous jobs to satisfy an array of interests. For disabled people especially, the capability to work fully remote, as well as create your own position in a massive industry is crucial for accessibility and independence. For this story, we spoke with a disabled streamer, member of the press, and consultant to explore why they work in gaming, the ways in which it could be more accessible, and their hopes for the future of employment for disabled individuals in this industry.
Mollie Evans
Mollie “LittleMoTac” Evans is a content creator and DE&I consultant who regularly streams on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok. For Evans, her career in streaming was a direct result of inaccessibility in her previous job. Yet, despite the independence, being a content creator can still be demanding, especially for a disabled individual.
“Streaming is both accessible and not accessible,” Evans said. “The streaming part itself is accessible, in that it allows me to make my own schedule, and I can work it around my disabilities. However, the inaccessible part is the demand for content creators to constantly be networking, attending events and continuously pushing out content. I cannot attend events, and if I can they’re incredible stressful, so all my work networking has basically been done online, which thankfully is becoming a more acceptable side of content creation.”
Aside from the challenges of growing and maintaining connections and an audience, disabled streamers and content creators need to purchase most, if not all their own equipment. Sponsorships and viewers are all dependent on what content you create, how often you go live, and the quality of broadcasts. It’s a career that can be physically, cognitively, and financially demanding. However, it provides unique methods to directly promote views, knowledge, and expertise on topics that each creator intimately understands. And for Evans, that means using streams and videos to educate about the disabled experience.
“Disability, for me, is such an integral part of who I am and my life. I don’t have a choice to hide how it affects me, and so I have been very open about it from very early on in my time streaming and creating content,” she said. “I have always been very open about my symptoms, and how they affect me on the day-to-day, especially as invisible disabilities are still so often disregarded. I feel like it was important for me to be open about it. A lot of my content now focuses on accessibility and disability in gaming, but also about inclusion of marginalized people in gaming in general.”
While streaming can always be more inclusive, especially through sponsored events pertaining to disabled communities, Evans can have a career in games because of her platform.
Antonio Martínez
Editor In Chief and Mobility Editor for Game Accessibility Nexus, Antonio Martínez creates and edits articles pertaining to accessibility and the disabled experience in games. Martínez’ stories help to inform disabled individuals about potential barriers they may experience with games. With a passion for writing, he is hopeful that his stories can educate, and occasionally protect disabled consumers. However, as a disabled member of the press, he regularly encounters his own inaccessible hurdles while trying to produce work for the public.
“I must say over the years it has become less and less accessible for me,” Martínez said. “SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) causes strength, endurance and mobility loss as time passes. I can’t use a physical keyboard as I used to, so it’s been years now with an on-screen keyboard. Voice dictation doesn’t work well for me due to my voice being inconsistent, not to mention my accent. In English it can go from totally wrong to acceptable. In Spanish, my native language, it works better.”
Beyond the lack of physical stamina and accessible technology, being a journalist dedicated exclusively to accessibility can be difficult. Despite the increased innovations across most AAA and Indie studios, establishing connections with PR companies and their respective studios is a constant struggle to prove the importance of highlighting accessible information. And when review codes are distributed, Martínez needs to consistently play, write, or edit to provide accurate information. Sometimes, as he notes, this can include stories with “over 4000+ words and that’s draining.” Yet, he is proud of the work he accomplishes, and is hopeful that more stories and more exposure will lead to opportunities for disabled journalists.
“I hope we get the chance to write in more mainstream media, about games, accessibility, disability, or any subject,” he said. “Disability is always part of our lives, and nobody is better than us to speak about things that we experience daily, but we are more than that. Limiting us to certain subjects is not fair. We have the same interests and hobbies as anyone else, disabled or not. Sports, history, science, entertainment, social issues, you name it.”
As accessibility knowledge and implementation continues to grow in gaming, journalists are desperately needed to cover these important topics. Martínez and others are opening career opportunities with every story.
Paul Lane
Accessibility consultant, Paul Lane has credits in some of the most accessible AAA titles. From The Last of Us, to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Lane’s career in consulting is only possible because of his lived experience as a physically disabled individual.
“What drew me to consulting was the opportunity to leverage my unique perspective as both an able-bodied and disabled gamer to improve the gaming experience for others,” Lane said. “I can share the frustrations I’ve faced as a disabled gamer and use that knowledge to advocate for better accessibility features. Companies and studios that I work with go the extra mile to make sure I have everything I need to succeed.”
As his career evolved, Lane was sought by studios to provide his unique expertise to accessibility. And as accessibility grew in popularity, particularly in gaming, other tech companies took notice, offering Lane roles to help make their products and businesses accessible. As the world becomes increasingly aware of accessibility and disabled individuals, Lane is hopeful more accessible consulting opportunities will arise for disabled people, especially in gaming.
“There is a growing awareness of disability rights and inclusion, which is creating a greater demand for accessibility consulting services,” he said. “I hope to see a future where disabled consultants have equal opportunities to succeed in the consulting industry. This includes having access to training, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.”
Streaming, media, and consultancy are only some of the opportunities that disabled individuals can explore for work in gaming. However, even with the increased awareness, accessibility and disabled inclusion still requires constant learning and understanding. While it’s great to see more disabled people enter the workforce, better resources, tools, and assistants are required before we can truly claim gaming is an inclusive industry.
Grant Stoner is a disabled journalist covering accessibility and the disabled perspective in the gaming industry. When not writing, he is usually screaming about Pokémon or his cat, Goomba, on social media.
Beyond Content Notices: Mental Health Accessibility in Gaming
Wednesday, March 13, 2024, 4:54 PM
Editor’s Note: This blog contains mentions of suicide, self-harm, and panic attacks. By Coty C…
Editor’s Note: This blog contains mentions of suicide, self-harm, and panic attacks.
By Coty Craven
Imagine this scenario:
You’re enduring a depressive episode. You’re isolated, you’re no good at asking for help, or maybe mental health care is inaccessible to you. The current state of the world is not helping things and suicidal ideation remains stuck at the back of your mind because nothing is showing any signs of getting better. You’re longing for a break from what you’re feeling and video games have always provided you with that, so you fire up the latest game you’ve just downloaded.
Instead of that desperately needed break, the first thing you’re met with is a cutscene in which a young woman is willing herself to commit suicide. Now the one place you can often find an escape is mirroring your reality and you had no idea that would happen when you bought the game. What goes through your mind?
Games are a powerful medium. Some of the most important relationships in my life began because of a shared love of them. I’ve used games as a tool to navigate grief, loneliness, and depression. I’ve cried during the death of a character I’ve spent dozens of hours with in a fictional world and agonized over who to pursue romantic relationships with in games that feature them. Games are a unique medium in that they put us in control of the characters and events in the way books, TV, and movies cannot. In games, we walk into the burning buildings, carry out acts of war, and face the deaths of loved ones. Given games’ unique nature, we can be impacted by them in unique ways.
The necessity – and the dire state – of mental health accessibility in games was recently brought into sharp focus for me a few months ago during what I’d intended to be a relaxing gaming session after my weekly therapy appointment. Undergoing EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy for a fire-related trauma, my session had been difficult with time spent recalling and focusing on the memory of the trauma I was processing. My therapist prescribed self-care and being gentle with myself as my homework that day and asked me to avoid triggers related to the work we were doing. My method of choice for self-care? Time spent continuing my fifth play through of one of my favorite games, The Witcher 3.
Screenshot from The Witcher 3.
Still on edge from EMDR, I launched the game and snuggled up on the couch with my dogs. Continuing the main quest line, I led Geralt to Crow’s Perch, the Bloody Baron’s hold in Velen. Geralt ran toward the castle where alarm bells were ringing and as he approached, the unmistakable roar of fire filled the air. I’ve played this game five times and knew precisely what to do. Run to the burning barn, climb the ladder, free the horses, unblock the barn door, and save the trapped man. But this time it was different. This time, the roar of flames was fresh in my mind, the urgency of escape and safety my only focus. My chest became tight and my vision narrowed. I could feel my heartbeat in my teeth and the metallic taste of adrenaline filled my mouth. Before I knew it, I, too, was surrounded by flames and choking on smoke.
From the safety of my home, this quest in a game I’ve played countless times brought on a panic attack. This usually mundane quest didn’t even cross my mind as being potentially triggering when I sat down to enjoy the game. I later asked my therapist why this time, what had changed since the first five playthroughs? She explained that my brain was essentially more primed for panic from things related to the trauma we were processing together because the event and all the emotions related to it were fresh and top of mind because we were revisiting them through EMDR. She also explained that it wouldn’t always be like that, which was a relief because I just wanted to enjoy time with Geralt.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) one in five adults and one in six youth in the US experience mental illness every year. Among them are PTSD, depression, and anxiety. With 65% of the US population playing video games (ESA, 2023) it’s safe to say that far more than just me stands to have their mental health impacted by video game content.
The games industry has made massive strides in accessibility in recent years with the launches of games like Forza Motorsport and Stories of Blossom and updates to games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 which brought audio description and full closed captions among many other improvements. Though we still have a ways to go, games can be enjoyed by more people than ever before. There’s one area in which we’re still regularly failing in accessibility though – mental health. While we are seeing many games addressing things like thalassophobia (the fear of deep water) and arachnophobia, there’s still little being done to aid gamers with things like PTSD, anxiety, and depression beyond the general “this game contains depictions of…” warning many games display upon launching them. If your mental health could be impacted or even harmed by content such as structure fires, racist violence, or the death of a child, there’s not really a standard in place to support you in making your gaming choices. So what’s a person to do if like me, they’ve been given instructions to avoid triggering topics and have no way to tell what they may experience in a game?
Chicory: A Colorful Tale allows gamers to skip certain content.
In the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines, Microsoft offers guidance on how to support players wanting to protect their mental health. They advise providing players with information on game and story content and tools to skip or avoid potentially triggering content. Recently, we’ve seen more games trying to address mental health. Horizon Forbidden West patched in a thalassophobia mode which lessens the deep water effect for underwater areas. Lethal Company has an arachnophobia mode which turns all in-game spiders into the word “Spider.” The Dead Space Remake has a robust content warning system that allows players to both be warned when triggering content is coming up and skip it entirely, similar to that of Chicory: A Colorful Tale.
So many of us play games both to connect and escape and nothing can wrench someone out of that joyful place quite like being unknowingly confronted with something traumatic or triggering. As conversations on mental health become more and more commonplace and accepted, I hope that games can catch up to meet the needs of those of us who love the medium and want to protect our peace by building better and more thoughtful content warning systems, so we can enjoy our hobby while also caring for ourselves.
Coty Craven is a game accessibility and inclusion expert and the founder of game accessibility sites Can I Play That and the Game Content Triggers Database. He lives in Michigan with his dogs and works as a project manager at Descriptive Video Works. He loves exploring fictional worlds in games and exploring the outside world on hikes.
By Mike Ervin Every once in a while, I have what I call a “green-bus nightmare”: I’m out…
By Mike Ervin
Every once in a while, I have what I call a “green-bus nightmare”: I’m out and about and all of a sudden, a public transit bus goes by and it’s painted green and there are three big steps inside the front door — so it’s inaccessible as hell for someone who uses a wheelchair, like me.
The public transit buses in Chicago are much different today. They’re painted white, red and blue and inside the front door is a ramp that flips out onto the curb when the driver flips a switch so a wheelchair user can roll right in.
So in my nightmare, I’m mad as a hornet when I see the green bus go by. I say to myself, “What the hell is this? I thought those inaccessible buses were long gone!”
And then I wake up and realize it was just a bad dream.
But that’s how things were in Chicago prior to 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. The ADA requires that all public transit buses put into service must be wheelchair accessible. But without any federal mandate like that, there wasn’t a single accessible bus in the street fleet of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). You can imagine how frustrating that was for anyone who didn’t have the physical ability to board CTA buses. It was as if the CTA system didn’t even exist. To give people today some context on that situation, I ask people to imagine that the entire CTA system is suddenly and indefinitely shut down! How would that impact their lives? How would they get around? How isolated, abandoned and angry would they feel?
This is why I became an activist. I graduated from college in 1978 and I was living with my mother and sister in the house in which I was raised. The house was on a main street and a green CTA bus passed by several times a day. Come about 1983 or so, I began hearing word-of-mouth tales from other disabled folks about a group of disabled activists in Denver, Colorado who called themselves American Disabled for Accessible Public Transportation (ADAPT). There were public transit buses with wheelchair lifts in operation in Denver mostly because ADAPT organized aggressive protests where people in wheelchairs did things like surround inaccessible buses that were on the street waiting at intersections. The protesters wouldn’t move for several hours so the bus couldn’t move either. And sometimes ADAPTers even got arrested for protesting like that.
Right around that same time, a man from Chicago named Kent Jones, who used a wheelchair, went to Denver to attend an ADAPT organizing training for people from around the country. When he returned, he called a meeting for the purpose of organizing a local chapter of ADAPT.
I attended the meeting because I was mad. Hearing about the exploits of Denver ADAPT forever changed my perspective on those green buses that passed my house daily. I now saw them as an essential public facility as much as city hall or the library. Thus, I was mad at myself that I wasn’t as mad a lot sooner as I was now about what the inaccessibility of that public facility meant. It meant that if I wanted to go somewhere, I either had to spend a lot of money purchasing a vehicle and adapting it to be accessible, spend a lot of money hiring an accessible vehicle such as a med-i-car, to take me there or just forget about it and not go. But if my neighbors who weren’t wheelchair users wanted to go somewhere, all they had to do was wait at the bus stop. And that meant that those who designed the CTA thought that disabled people like me never could or should use it.
The ADAPT principle of direct-action protest says that you take your demands directly to the person or entity that has the power to meet your demands. In our case, that was the seven-member CTA board of directors. Four are appointed by the mayor of Chicago and three are appointed by the governor of Illinois.
So for our first action, we attended one of their monthly public board meetings where all of their decisions are made. We presented our demands and the first one was that every bus that they ordered from now on must be equipped with a wheelchair lift. We disrupted the meeting with chanting and noisemakers to demonstrate our resolve.
ADAPT protesters during the lead up to the passage of the ADA.
But the CTA board voted unanimously not to include lifts on any new buses. So we continued disrupting their meetings, blocking traffic in our wheelchairs so buses couldn’t get through and staging similarly aggressive but nonviolent protests. Sometimes we got arrested. We also pursued a discrimination lawsuit against the CTA with the help of pro-bono lawyers.
The lawsuit eventually went to trial and in January of 1988, the judge who presided over the trial ruled that CTA illegally discriminated against the disabled under state law by not having any mainline accessibility. Shortly after that, the CTA board, which now had a member who was a wheelchair user who was an ardent ADAPT supporter and had been appointed by Mayor Hafold Washington, voted 6-1 to equip future buses with wheelchair lifts.
And shortly after that, the ADA was signed.
When I reflect on all this, I feel our campaign to make public transit accessible was motivated by love — love for ourselves as people with disabilities and love for the disabled community. It’s true that we simply wanted more freedom to travel independently. But there was much more to it than that. It was so important to us because we were insulted that we were being denied a basic freedom just because we were disabled. We loved and respected ourselves and each other too much to accept the notion that we deserved and should settle for less because of our disabilities. We deserved to be accommodated and included and we wouldn’t take no for an answer.
We also hoped that bringing about this change would pay dividends far into the future, not just by making it easier for further generators of disabled people to get from one place to another but by lessening the debilitating sting of disability stigma, which is so often used to rationalize exclusion. The more we are a natural element of the daily routines of people whose lives aren’t affected by disability, the less they will be inclined to believe that we don’t deserve to be among them. And hopefully that has made and will make it easier for others to break down the many other walls of disability segregation.
A famous quote by Che Guevara is, “the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.”
Regardless of one’s opinion of Che Guevara, he was sure right about that.
Mike Ervin is a writer and disability-rights activist living in Chicago. He is a columnist for the Progressive magazine and writes the blog Smart Ass Cripple.