Hi. I'm Troy balthazor, and you're listening to ADA live.
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Hi everybody. On behalf of the Southeast ADA Center, the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University and the ADA National Network, I want to welcome you to ADA live. I'm Barry Whaley. I'm the project director of the Southeast ADA Center, listening audience. If you have questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, you can use our online form anytime, at Adalive.org or you can call the southeast ADA Center at 404-541-9001,
Those calls are always free and confidential. Southeast ADA Center is one of 10 centers in the ADA National Network. The purpose of the network is to provide information, training and resources to people about their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability rights laws. Each year, the ADA National Network hosts the national ADA symposium. It's one way to inform and educate attendees about the ADA disability rights and accessibility. I'm pleased today on this episode to talk about the national ADA symposium. It'll be held in June 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, and that's going to be a special occasion in 2025 since it's the 35th anniversary of the ADA being signed into law in July 1990 Our guest today is Troy Balthazor. Troy is the Project Director of the Great Plains ADA Center, and the Great Plains ADA Center is the host of the national ADA symposium. So Troy, I want to welcome you to the show. Thank
you very much. It's great to be here with you all and to be with your audience.
Troy, we're excited to have you here as our guest. We're going to talk about the 2025 ADA symposium. It'll be in Atlanta, Georgia, from Sunday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 18. Our staff here at the southeast ADA Center are excited and very proud to be co hosts with you for the ADA symposium. As I mentioned, the National ADA symposium is sponsored by the ADA National Network. So I want to begin with, if you could explain what's the purpose of the ADA National Network,
the ADA National Network, the purpose is to provide that information, guidance training on how to implement the ADA and to support that mission of the ADA, which is to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. So the National Network and the centers are here to make that vision a reality. There's 10 centers around the nation, as you mentioned, serve all the states and the territories. In short, provide training, technical assistance and knowledge translation. We also have research projects, and we work individually to serve our regions, but we also work collaboratively as a network to enhance the best practices and maximize the outcomes of our efforts collectively.
Great. Thanks, Troy. So why should people go to the ADA symposium?
I'll start by saying, I think it's the best training available at a very reasonable price out there, if you are interested in obtaining training and information on the ADA. In addition to that, I think the community, the coming together of a lot of different types of folks from different backgrounds with different perspectives, building that community, building a network of people to be able to rely on, to build those resources that you can use and take home and back to your regions, back to your lawyers, back to your organizations. Ada is so wide ranging in how it affects different areas. The ADA is the same law, but it affects, for example, restaurant operations much differently than would a large healthcare facilities. So recognizing the big picture of the ADA, how a somewhat simple and expansive law covers a number of different areas of society in a lot of different ways, but the bottom line, it's best training you're going to find on the ADA certainly at the most reasonable price. And we hope continue to grow the number of people coming on in and joining us.
Well, we know it's well attended. I cannot tell you how often I'm in a meeting with somebody and they say, Oh, I've seen you at the ADA symposium. Or I look forward. Forward to seeing you next year. Will you be going? So that's great, Troy, maybe you could give us a little bit of the history of the ADA symposium. When did it start, and how it's grown?
Well, the symposium was created as an idea, originally by Jim Deyoung and Ray petty. Was a big part of that and the Paralyzed Veterans Association of Omaha. So that's sort of where the beginnings of the idea came along. The actual start date is somewhat nebulous, but the late 90s is really when it started germinating. The theory from the beginning was to bring together all people and entities affected or covered by the ADA didn't want it to be specifically for people with disabilities only. Sort of include local and county and state and federal groups, you know, and then looking at the different areas, such as engineers, architects, design professionals, people involved in recreation, and that's just to name a few. And after the initial conference in Omaha the Great Plains, ADA Center took full control of the symposium and moved it to our region, St Louis and Kansas City. But as we recognize getting more attendees from outside the region than we needed to go national with it, we worked with the ADA National Network to create a national training partner with a different center each time that we do it, and sort of get the backing and the support of those centers to make it happen. So it sort of grew over time. We've been holding a national ADA symposium for over 15 years now. Well,
that's great. I had no idea all that history. And you mentioned Jim Deyoung, and certainly Jim one of the great leaders of the disability rights movement. So I'm curious, Troy, how are locations selected? Where? How do you move the symposium each year? Well, now that
we're national, we want to spread it around the nations. We want to reach everybody at some point, and not neglect any areas. Now as far as how their locations and sites are chosen, we have to look at the capacity and capability of not only the hotels and the areas surrounding the conference area, but also capability for people to get there. So we have to look at costs such as logistics and travel. We lean towards one site for lodging and conferences for multiple reasons. In general, we receive proposals from targeted hotel and conference facilities, and then we review those and select those contenders, and then partner with the ADA Center in that region to assess what the best options are going to be for us. So there's a lot of things that come into play. Troy, so who
goes to symposium? How well is it attended? You can give us some ideas. The
first one, I think, was 300 people, and we've attracted up to 1200 for in person symposium events. Over the last few years, we've tended to target 800 people. It's been a manageable number, and we will be expanding that again in Phoenix, so we'll be shooting for 1100 there, and hopefully even more down the road. The other thing is the virtual side of symposium. So we've really been able to enhance and expand our virtual reach. I think the virtual has really opened up things for people to be able to attend. Who may not want to travel, may not be able to travel, may be at higher risk to travel, or for other reasons. So the different types of groups, diversity of our audience, and the variety of roles that they play in our communities, it's it's hard to adequately describe. You will run into people, all kinds of different people from you'll run into enforcement folks at at the federal level. You'll run into the people who wrote the 2010 standards. You'll run into people who have various types of disabilities and conditions. You'll run into people who are working in governments and advocates and employers and the mix is just amazing. And why do they come? People come again for that community to reconnect, to develop those relationships, be able to bring that and expand whatever is important to them in our lives, that the ADA might touch. You might run into anybody there. I really do think that it's the greatest strength of our conferencing.
So the audience is broad, and you have to have a broad range of topics covered, right? So who are the presenters at the symposium, and how are they chosen?
One of our slow. Logans, that I learned from Jim over time is we bring Washington DC to you. So it's important for us to have those authorities to come out and present this information and get it out there, so they're not the only group. And we have a mix of people with some have long term track records with us as presenters, and we know that this is specific information that we want to get out year in and year out. So we do identify some heavy hitters that said. We're also on the lookout at all times for new and emerging talent, people who have new ideas or different perspectives. Basically, the way it sort of works is we have a submission process. We get about 400 proposals competing for what ends up being about 75 open slots. So the competition is very strong. Then select based on tracks. Then we develop subject areas we may be covering. Mike Edwards, our assistant director sort of leads up the handling the selection of the speakers. We try to involve ADA National Network members much as possible as well, but we also can target some predictable needs and have identified speakers that can consistently meet those needs. So it's a bit of a multi layered approach in how we select those folks. I think one thing to emphasize is we're always looking for something new. So it's a frantic process, a bit because we're limited in time, we need to turn around and respond to all 400 of those proposals, but it's also a time where you really get down to brass tacks on the quality of your overall matrix and your overall program.
So I'm glad to hear you say that, because, you know, we have a pretty broad listening audience for this podcast. So if you are listening and you have a good idea, or maybe you always thought, gee, I'd really like to present at a National Symposium event. Here's your opportunity. Next time around, want to go to Phoenix. Send something to Troy. Thanks Troy for this great information about the history and the purpose of the ADA National Symposium. Listening audience. If you have questions about this topic or any other ADA live topic, you can submit your question online at Ada live.org or you can call the southeast ADA Center at 404-541-9001, we're going to pause now for a word from this month's sponsor, the ADA National Network.
The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act tailored to meet the needs of business, government and individuals at local, regional and national level. The ADA National Network consists of 10 regional ADA centers in the United States providing local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible. The ADA National Network is not an enforcement agency, but a helpful resource supporting the ADA mission to make it possible for everyone with a disability to live a life of freedom and equality. Hi
everybody. Welcome back. I'm Barry Whaley with the southeast ADA Center, and we're talking with Troy balthazor. Troy is a project director of the Great Plains ADA Center, one of the other centers in the ADA National Network. We've been talking about the ADA National Symposium, an annual conference that educates people about their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability rights law. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ADA, the symposium will take place over four days from Sunday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 18 in Atlanta, Georgia. We are so pleased to be partnering with the Great Plains ADA Center to host this next symposium. So Troy, I want to turn to more of the practical side of tending the event. What is a typical schedule look like?
Well, we tend to run it over four days. We'll start on generally on a Sunday, and then the conference hardcore sessions. And the matrix begins on Monday and runs through Wednesdays. So we get registration open on Sunday, and we coordinate that with our emerging program, find your fun. We will set up events that day and options for people to engage in recreation activities that may be available locally or on sites. And then our free conference sessions begin Monday morning. A lot of times those will be basic foundational classes for either people who are new to the program need that introduction to the ADA or need some foundation credits done for their ADA coordinator Training Certification Program, so then the full conferences Monday through Wednesday. I. We mix in some events through the week, so we'll do receptions and other ideas for people to get together. Then there's the virtual there's fewer sessions, but a similar Matrix style. But so for the in person one, we show up on Sunday, we have some fun. We get a lot of people registered, so avoid those long lines on Monday and get kicking on Monday through Wednesday for the full conference session, we've
been kind of focusing on the in person event in Atlanta. You You've mentioned a couple of times the virtual option. Maybe you want to tell us a little more about that and different from the in person.
Basically, this is just done through a simple zoom platform and the virtual we can't run as many sessions as you know. We obviously can't cover 90 sessions that we can do in person, but we tend to have three different options for each time slot, the virtual ones over a period of three days. It's going to provide those options and the ability to get in and start nailing down a lot of those ADA coordinator training sessions. I think the one thing you missed with the virtual is obviously the interaction, the in person, ability to network and things like that. But again, it's a fantastic option for people who don't have the time, don't have the resources, or have travel issues. We select speakers in the same way we developed a matrix in the same way, just a little more isolated, online for this year, the virtual ADA symposium will be May, 5 through seventh, 2025 and we're looking to have a registration open for that, hopefully right after the new year. So be looking for that. Turning
back to the in person, obviously you're you're hosting seven, 800 people, all with diverse needs. Talk to us a little bit about how you provide access and inclusion for folks
proactively. That's the key. It's really imperative to know these sites and where we're going to be taking our consumers, their customers. Planning ahead is crucial. And when we talk about planning ahead, talking a couple years out, if possible, taking the time to be in the area, to be at these hotels and these conference centers, and to start to feel it out and get a real sense of what it's going to be like to be there for somebody who may be blind, who may abuse a wheelchair, or just a newcomer to the to the scene. But I think the key is getting ahead of things that's also important in the networking and the collaboration with the center involved. So you know your center, the southeast ADA Center, where you guys have been integral in being able to go to that site, in addition to the research we did on the head of time to get out there and see how it's going to feel and make sure it's going to work for people and we identify, you know, no place is perfect, so we need to be able to identify things that we can predict that are going to affect people once they get there. I think the other thing is to involve people with disabilities throughout all stages of the process. It helps to have somebody there who uses a wheelchair, who is a person who is blind, is a person who can't hear. So having those different perspectives is really important. When the hotel comes down to hotels, we need to look at not only the physical access, okay, so the accessibility of the guest rooms, the accessibility of inside of the hotel, the routes, how thick the carpet is that's going to affect a lot of people, and how enjoyable their experience is if they use a wheelchair and the carpeting is high pile versus low. Those are the kind of things that we take into account and really zero in on at the beginning. But in addition to the physical access we assess, sort of the hotel where the hotel's at, when it comes to understanding the needs of their customers, with diverse ability levels, and then tailoring training always offer and really push for the ability to just get in a training with them prior to coming out. So the staff are not only understand what they have to do under the law, but so the staff are comfortable, and they recognize that, hey, we have policies for these things, but you know, this weekend, we're going to be working and welcoming a larger number of people who may have some predictable needs, talking to people of all capabilities, very competent people, part of that inclusion and that. At accessibility, I think it's important to impart the importance of respect and recognizing that, you know, you're welcoming a lot of very amazing and capable people, some of which will have disabilities. We have to look at the travel and the area around the symposium so thinking about how people are going to get there, how they're going to fly in. What's the accessibility at the airport? What's the options for getting from the airport to the location? What are the restaurants? What are the accessible routes once you get outside the hotel, how do you get out and enjoy the surrounding area while you're at a conference for three or four days, one thing is very important to us is effective communication throughout all the activities and things that we do, we devote 20 to 25% of our overall symposium budget to ensuring effective communication throughout and it is money well spent. Those are just some of the ways we look at and then I think it's our overall attitude when we come in
Troy a couple of times. Now, you've mentioned the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program, and I know that there is a specific track for that at symposium. For folks who are not aware, can you tell us a little bit about the actcp Absolutely,
and the actcp program is an acronym for ADA coordinator Training Certification Program. That is a program that we operate here at the Great Plains ADA center that provides through foundation training and then electives, a certification that a person has received training to be able to perform the job of an ADA coordinator. So that job that's delineated in title two of the Americans with Disabilities Act that certain entities of a certain size are going to have to have that responsible employee to help them organize and approach their disability effort, you know, to meet that those needs in the community and to meet the ADA standards, one of the main purposes of it was to professionalize that position, the ADA Coordinator position. It's also one of the few certifications or credentials that affects comes into play with the Americans with Disabilities acts. It's a program you sign up for. It's 300 bucks to get in. And then there's multiple means to obtain the training. Some classes are going to be free online, and others you can obtain in different ways. So we set up to cut to the chase here at the symposium. We do dedicate an ADA coordinator, Certification Training, Certification Program tracks, so it helps sort of guide some some people who are trying to obtain those credits towards certification. I think our certification program compliments the symposium and vice versa.
So we mentioned next year big event, 35th anniversary of the ADA. Do you have some special events built around the symposium in celebration of the 35th anniversary. Clearly,
this is a big year for it, and we will be recognizing that not only is it the 35th anniversary of the ADA, but this is also going to be the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and we're going to recognize the march in Selma, Selma Alabama, to push that effort forward. Being in that region, we have the opportunities you talk about a civil rights culture, and within the area we're going to be in, they have the National Museum on civil rights there. So we're going to be looking for opportunities to definitely promote and recognize and incorporate these important anniversaries and what we do so we're sort of still in the planning and development on that, still developing the overall framework for what things look beyond the sessions for our symposium, and we will be recognizing and hopefully coming up with some very stimulating events to do during that time.
Absolutely, I'm I'm looking forward to it. So Troy, we've talked about the history of the symposium. We've talked about the symposium as it currently exists. What happens in the future? What is the future of the ADA National Symposium?
I think the future of the ADA National Symposium, I'd like to keep changing with times. I think the symposium where as it's become a clearer and more solidified and stronger effort. I think it's also been able to adapt to to changes over time. Um, so I think it's important for us to keep up to speed on what's happening out there in the world of technology, what's happening out there in the world of health advancements, and what's happening out there as far as the culture goes so it's a whole different world. I think it's important for us to keep up to speed with that. So keeping up with the people, keeping up with the technology and part of our role too, is foster that next, those future generations to come up, whether it's education, whether it's advocacy, whether it's just improvement of quality of life for everybody, how they're going to do it, and because eventually, people who are doing it now won't be doing it. So I think that's an important role for us in general. I'd like to keep, keep growing, keep getting a little better. I need to find more efficient ways to do it overall. I I'd like to see it be a bigger event. I'd like, I'd like to track 1214, 1500 a year. But I think with all the things that we need to keep as we move forward, or that sense of community, the real important stuff, the the networking, the resources, the ability to feel a part of the overall movement. Troy,
where can our listeners find more details about registration sessions, costs, all those things. Where do they find that
first of all, you can go start with the GPA center.org you can get to the national ADA symposium page from there. You can also call us directly. If you're outside the region. I recommend calling 573-882-3600, you can ask for Troy or Mike, the registration hopefully will be open on February 12. Well
Troy, thank you again for talking with us today about the ADA National Symposium. As a reminder, we will be in Atlanta, Georgia in June of 2025 the Great Plains ADA Center and the Southeast ADA Center. Look forward to being your host for this 35th anniversary celebration of the ADA at the symposium. Listeners, thank you for joining us for this episode. You can access all ADA Live episodes with archived audio, accessible transcripts and resources on our website, Ada live.org you can listen to ADA live on our SoundCloud channel@soundcloud.com forward slash ADA live. You can download ADA live to your mobile device, go to your podcast app and search for ADA live. If you have questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, you can use our online form, Ada live.org or contact your Regional ADA Center at 1-800-949-4232 those calls are free and they're confidential. ADA live is a program of the southeast ADA Center, the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, and a collaboration with the disability inclusive employment policy, rehabilitation research and training center. We're produced by Celestia Ohrazda, with Cheri Hoffman, Mary Morder, Marsha Schwanke, Chase Coleman and me I'm Barry Whaley. Our music is from four wheel city, the movement for improvement. We also invite you to listen to our companion podcast, Disability Rights today for an in depth discussion of important court cases that shape disability rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act. You can find that podcast at Disability Rights today.org We'll see you in Atlanta, and we'll see you at the next episode.
