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March 30, 2010
Executive Summary
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 mandates, among other things, accessibility to services, goods, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations for individuals with disabilities in the United States. It is the intention of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the provision of an accessible facility and safe environment for clients, staff and the community.
This is Cornerstone Counseling’s annual accessibility plan. The plan describes measures that Cornerstone Counseling has taken to date and the measures that the organization will take during the upcoming year (2010) to identify remove and prevents barriers for people with disabilities.
1. Aim
This plan describes the measures that Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. Has taken in the past and measures that will be taken this year (2010) to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities who work in, use or attend the
A) Describes initiatives that will remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities
B) Describes the process by which Cornerstone will identify, remove and prevent barriers for
people with disabilities
C) Describes the measures Cornerstone will take in the coming year (2010) to identify, remove
and prevent barriers for people with disabilities
D) Describes how Cornerstone will make this accessibility plan available to the public
2. Objectives
This Plan
A
) Describes initiatives that will remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities.
B) Describes the process by which Cornerstone will identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities.
C) Describes the measures Cornerstone will take in the coming year (2010) to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities.
D) Describes how Cornerstone will make this accessibility plan available to the public.
3. Definitions
Barrier - anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects
of society because of his or her disability - physical, architectural, information or
communication, attitudinal, technological, a policy or practice (obstacle).
Disability
a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness – includes diabetes, mellitus, epilepsy, brain injury, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impairment, deafness or hearing impairment, muteness or speech impairment.
b) Mental impairment or development disability
c) Learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more process involved in understanding or using symbols of spoken language
d) Mental disorder
e) Injury or disability for which benefits were received under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
f) The assessment of the disability of any person served or employee will be assessed and evaluated through applications for employment and development of Psychosocial Assessment. As the need arises for reasonable accommodations, this will be immediately Addressed by the Executive Team.
A disability may be a temporary or permanent infirmity.
The identification, removal and prevention of barriers for people with disabilities will impact all locations and programs of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc.
4. Commitment to Accessibility Planning
Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. is committed to:
A) Establishing an Accessibility Planning Work Group through the established Advisory Board
B) Consulting with people with disabilities and/or consumers in the development and review of its annual accessibility plan
C) Ensuring that policies and procedures are consistent with the principles of accessibility
D) Improving access to facilities, policies, programs, practices and services for consumers, parents/guardians and other members of the community
The Accessibility Planning Work Group will prepare the annual accessibility plans that will enable Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. to meet these commitments.
5. Description of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc.
Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. was established in September 2003. Cornerstone Counseling is located at 312 NE 28th, Suite 101, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105. The goal of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. is to establish and gain contracts that will enable the organization to provided therapeutic services within the Oklahoma County area. The current populations served at Cornerstone include therapeutic services for children, adolescents and adults. Additional services include sexual offender assessment and treatment, parenting groups, anger management groups, rehabilitation services and substance abuse treatment.
Our Mission:
The mission of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. is to provide a wide array of comprehensive, qualified services that will improve the quality of life for the persons served.
6. Preventing New Barriers
Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. is committed to creating an environment that is accessible to all people, regardless of ability. Through the annual accessibility planning process, Cornerstone’s practices, policies, services and programs will be assessed to ensure continuous improvement in accessibility.
7. Barrier Removal Initiatives:
A) Architectural Design
There are wheelchair accessible restrooms in the building. The offices of Cornerstone Counseling are also accessible to individuals with disabilities. Cornerstone Counseling will continually evaluate the office space to ensure that the needs of those with disabilities are met.
Timeline: Complete. To better meet the needs of the persons served, additional office space was leased to accommodate our clients. Goal: To obtain larger office space by 12/2006.
B) Environmental
Cornerstone Counseling is located in downtown Oklahoma City near several community mental health agencies, including hospitals and social service agencies. The office building is secured with a pass code after hours. The décor of the office will be continually evaluated to ensure that there is a high comfort level for the persons served.
Timeline: On-going
C) Attitudinal
Consumer input will be established through consumer satisfaction surveys, input on treatment planning, follow up surveys and a suggestion box that is located in the office area. The exclusionary criterion for services does not include consumers with disabilities. Each consumer and/or staff member is to be treated with the same respect and with the same goal of increasing the quality of life for the persons served.
Timeline: On-going. The suggestion box is located in the main office area, client satisfaction surveys are sent to clients on a quarterly basis. Follow-up surveys are done after the person served is discharged from services.
D) Communication
Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. will address the need of purchasing a telecommunication device for the deaf and will also secure s source for interpreter services.
Timeline: On-going. We are in the process of establishing a relationship with a service to provide interpreter services. In addition we are continually seeking bi-lingual therapists to provide services. An additional goal is to ensure that individuals served are able to understand information presented to them - this will continually be assessed.
E) Transportation
Cornerstone Counseling will ensure that those individuals who may be unable to participate in therapeutic services in the office will receive home and community based services.
Timeline: On-going. We continue to provide services in the home and community. We are also utilizing case management to set up transportation services for those individuals that are approved to receive transportation through their Medicaid coverage.
F) Service Components
1. Sex Offender Evaluations. To address the needs of sexual offenders who are unable to read assessment tools, an audio version of the MSI-II will be purchased.
Timeline: May 2004. Completed. An audiotape version of the MSI-II has been purchased.
2. To address the need for a racially diverse staff to meet the needs of the referral base, the recruitment process for therapists will include all major Oklahoma newspapers as well as those aimed at ethnic populations.
Timeline: On-going. Advertisements have been placed in Oklahoma newspapers with very little response. Word of mouth appears to have more impact on the recruitment of staff. We have also begun advertising on the website of the Oklahoma Counseling Agency and through Cornerstone's website. We have also advertised in ethnic newspapers within the Oklahoma County area.
3. Cornerstone Counseling will also develop a web site that will communicate services that are accessible to the public to include referral information, contact information and program components.
Timeline: Completed.
G) Financial
Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc. will maintain monitoring of the financial growth of the organization and procedures will be put in place to ensure the all legal compliance issues are addressed.
1. A Certified Public Accountant will be retained to manage financial accounting.
Timeline: Completed. A CPA completes quarterly and yearly financial accounting for Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting, Inc.
2. A strong effort towards obtaining financial contracts through insurance companies and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to strengthen the financial base of the organization.
Timeline: On-going. Contracts have been obtained through the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, United Behavioral Health, Department of Corrections, GEHA HMO, Tricare and Health Choice.
8. Communication of the Plan
Cornerstone Counseling’s accessibility plan will be available upon request. The accessibility plan is also available on the Cornerstone Counseling's website.
The Accessibility Work Group will investigate various accessible formats and alternative communication strategies that will be used to distribute future accessibility plan.
9. Responsibility of the Accessibility Work Group:
A) Review Collected Data
B) Formulate recommendation on which barriers to address in the following year, including:
- identifying the resources necessary for removal or prevention of the barrier
- identifying who is responsible for removal or prevention of the barrier
- determining the timeline for removal or prevention of the barrier
C) Develop performance evaluation criteria
D) Establish a review and monitoring process
E) Prepare the annual accessibility plan for approval by the Board |