Americans with Disabilities Act Turns 20

Lex Frieden prepares to discuss his study at the National Press Club.

Twenty years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. The goal of the ADA was to guarantee people with disabilities the same basic rights most other citizens take for granted:

• the right to work without discrimination
• the right of access
• the right to live independently

While the changes of the past two decades have been remarkable, more work remains.

Lex Frieden, convener of the Amerigroup National Advisory Board (NAB) on Improving Health Care Services for Seniors and People with Disabilities, is among the original authors of the ADA. To commemorate the ADA’s 20th anniversary, Frieden recently conducted an exclusive online survey of leaders in the disability community, to measure the law’s effectiveness. 

According to Frieden’s research, 90 percent of the people surveyed said the quality of life for people with disabilities has “improved greatly” in the years since the law was passed.

Here are some of the observations shared with Frieden from the study’s participants:

Amerigroup CEO Jim Carlson and Lex Frieden discuss the results of Frieden’s study during an ADA anniversary event at the National Press Club.

“I became disabled in 1982. I woke up from a coma to find out I was a second-class citizen! I could not go anywhere or do anything. I was an RN and lost my license because I was disabled. In 1990, ADA changed all that. To me the ADA means I have my civil rights and liberties back. I’m a real person again just like everyone else.”

“Almost all shops and restaurants are now accessible in the small community I grew up in. It is wonderful to be able to access these establishments with our non-disabled peers.”

“The ADA has enabled my daughter to be part of the workforce and have a sense of purpose. Before, she sat at home with nothing to do. She is now more outgoing and just a totally different person.”

Unfortunately, not all people with disabilities have shared these experiences. According to Frieden, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is more than 50 percent, three times the rate for people without disabilities.

Frieden also observed the need to “liberate” the thousands of people with disabilities who are living in nursing homes who are capable of living independently with some assistance. He cites the need for on-going improvements in the areas of access, transportation and jobs as being particularly important as the Baby Boomer generation ages. The study conclusively found that while barriers have been lowered, they have not yet been removed entirely. The ADA is still a work in progress.

On this 20th anniversary, Amerigroup celebrates the progress and commits to working toward even more equality and independence for future generations.

To view the complete study, CLICK HERE >>.