This month, we recognize Disability Pride Month, an annual observation in July that celebrates people with disabilities and promotes disability culture and visibility. Disability Pride Month also recognizes the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This year is especially significant as it is the 35th anniversary of the ADA being signed into law.
More than one in four adults in the United States has a disability, yet many people with disabilities still face barriers to full inclusion and feeling valued. At Centra, we believe that everyone, including our Caregivers and patients, deserves respect and inclusion. Here are some of the ways Centra is making a difference for people with disabilities.
Building Accessible & Inclusive Spaces
As part of Centra’s Modernization Plan, creating strategies and considerations around ADA compliance and health equity has become a top priority. According to Roger Bradley, Vice President of Facilities Management & Construction, healthcare architecture plays a crucial role in promoting health equity by creating environments that are accessible, inclusive, culturally competent and conducive to healing.
Everyday features like parking, signage, elevators and restrooms can significantly impact how a person with a disability navigates a facility. Roger shared an example from his time at a different healthcare system, where they invited several wheelchair users to the facility wearing GoPro cameras. This allowed the architects and construction team to see the environment from the users’ perspective. The insights they gained were eye-opening and highlighted the importance of designing inclusive spaces.
Just a few of the examples of accessibility improvements being made at the Centra Langhorne Medical Center and the new tower at Centra Lynchburg General Hospital include:
- Wheelchair-accessible sidewalks, crosswalks and ramps.
- Benches for temporary waiting.
- Easy-to-read signage with appropriate color, contrast and font size.
- Use of icons and Braille for improved accessibility.
- Automatic doors at entrances.
- Check-in counters with varied heights and no obstructions.
- Wider doors in exam rooms for easier maneuverability.
- Adequate space in elevators for wheelchairs.
- Non-slip flooring throughout.
- Clear contrast between walls and floors for those with cognitive disabilities.
- A new handicap-accessible extension from the Black Water Creek Trail at Centra Langhorne Medical Center that will be open to the public.
“At the end of the day, we [Centra] have to be the ones who push for this,” Roger added. An architect will do the basics, but we have to be the ones to push to go the extra mile to make our spaces and buildings more accessible to everyone.”
Hiring & Employee Support for Disability Services
Centra’s Human Resources Team is dedicated to ensuring that all employees, current and prospective, have the tools and resources they need to be successful in their roles. To learn more about how HR is supporting inclusive initiatives, we spoke with Russell Walls, an HR employee relations consultant, and Scott Thompson, an HR business partner. Both shared personal connections that drive their commitment to inclusion.
Walls said his daughter has Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder while Thompson shared that his father is blind. These experiences have deepened their motivation to create inclusive hiring practices and better support individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
“At Centra, we want our current and future employees to reflect our values, and a key part of those values is a strong commitment to equity, Russell stated. “That means making sure our hiring practices and the support we provide to employees truly demonstrate that commitment.”
DARS
Centra’s Human Resources team partners with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), an agency that provides programs and support for individuals who are older or have disabilities. DARS offers employment assistance, including vocational rehabilitation, career development and access to assistive technology for people with disabilities.
Through this partnership, current and prospective employees can work with both Centra and DARS to ensure they receive the accommodations they need to succeed in the workplace. Examples of accommodations include flexible scheduling for medication needs, prompting support, reading assistance for individuals with vision impairments and headsets for those with hearing challenges.
Scott also shared that Centra partners with DARS to organize career fairs aimed at encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply for jobs within the organization. In fact, Centra is collaborating on an upcoming career fair in August.
“We want to make sure that applicants feel comfortable in applying for a job and assure them that they will be accepted in the workplace and receive accommodations to excel in the role,” Scott added.
Project SEARCH
DARS and Centra also partner with Project SEARCH, which works with our local school systems to support young adults who have disabilities with career pathways. Project SEARCH helps students find internships, many of which are within Centra, to practice job skills so that they can find gainful employment. Since the program began, several Project SEARCH interns have gone on to find meaningful employment opportunities at Centra.
“We all face challenges, but our goal is to ensure that there is equity for everyone, to treat all people fairly and consistently, regardless of our differences. It’s those very differences that make us great,” Russell concluded.
