CASPER – The Rocky Mountain ADA Center (RMADAC) will be hosting a one-and-a-half-day Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) workshop on Feb. 21 and 22 in Casper at the Ramkota Hotel. This workshop is a training session for those seeking to qualify for the ADA coordinator training certification program and will also provide information on rights and responsibilities.

RMADAC provides free technical assistance, training and information on ADA to the rocky mountain region. Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, RMADAC provides services to Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

According to rockymountainada.org, “RMADAC’s mission is to provide info, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) tailored to meet the needs of individuals and organizations.”

The first day of the workshop is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. and the second day will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. According to rockymountainada.org registration information, the classes will be an introduction and overview of the ADA, disability etiquette, Title I for employers, an overview of the 2010 ADA standards, effective communication and service animals.

Registration can be submitted by going to https://rockymountainada.org/events; the deadline is Feb. 13. The cost for the workshop is $269. This cost covers the workshop and lunch and snacks on both days, it does not cover any hotel accommodations. Hotel accommodations can be reserved by calling the Ramkota Hotel at 307-266-6000.

The RMADAC puts on three workshops a year throughout the rocky mountain region. Besides these training sessions, this organization’s primary service is providing technical assistance.

In an interview, Training Administrator Tess Stanton told the Telegram, “Our exact mission at (RMADAC) is to be that resource where you can get on the phone or email and talk to an actual person. If you’re just relying on Google or looking at the law, it can be really confusing. So, what we do is help people and give them informational guidance relevant to their particular circumstances. We are not an enforcement agency; we’re strictly educational.”

If someone is dealing with circumstances where they are not sure if ADA laws are being followed, that person can call and speak to a professional at RMADAC for advice. That professional will help evaluate the situation, explain the laws that are or are not being followed and guide the individual’s next steps.

Stanton has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communication. She has also completed the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (CTCP). Currently, she is in charge of training and the intake, design and execution of RMADAC’s group training.

Stanton said RMADAC also has online training classes, which are free and self-paced. This provides individual training rather than the typical group training at the workshop.

During the interview, Stanton provided more information on service animals and emotional support animals. Over the years, emotional support animals have increased in popularity, however, there are a few major differences.

“The big difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal is that a service animal is trained to do tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability,” Stanton explained. “Emotional support animals play a little more of a passive role. An emotional support animal is just comforting by its mere presence, it’s not actually trained to do an active task. While they can be beneficial, they’re not given protection under ADA, like service animals are.”

Another difference is only certain animals can be service animals, whereas support animals can be any species.

“If someone is not sure if an animal is a pet or a service animal, there are two questions they can ask,” Stanton advised. “They can basically ask, is this a service animal? And what tasks does it perform?”

While there is no certification or registration for service animals, under the ADA, a service animal must be trained to do a task for the benefit of a person with a disability. In addition, there are also behavioral expectations for service animals, including being house-trained, having no aggression and being quiet. If an animal is causing a disruption or not fulfilling those behavioral expectations, a service provider may request for the animal to leave the premises.

Stanton also provided information on disability inclusion and etiquette.

“Disability inclusion and etiquette are just making sure that your interactions and your environment are considering people with disabilities,” Stanton explained. “All environments should be as accessible to people with disabilities as they are to people without disabilities. Disability etiquette is really just a matter of basic respect to treating people as people.”

Another important piece of disability etiquette is making sure when you are trying to be helpful, that your help is wanted. Even when someone has the best intentions, they can actually create more problems for the person with the disability. For example, if they have mobility issues and you open the door for them, they may need the door for support. It is always a good idea to ask the person if they would like aid, instead of just assuming that they do.

For more information about the workshop, you can talk to Stanton by calling 720-370-4876 or emailing her at tstanton@cpyi.com. For ADA guidance, you can call RMADAC Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 800-949-4232. To sign up for newsletters, informational articles, and RMADAC’s blog you can go to their website rockymountanada.org.

When registering for the workshop, Stanton said, “(Make sure to) pay close attention to all the different information fields. During the registration process, we ask if people have any dietary restrictions or if they require any accommodations because of a disability. So just make sure that when (you’re) registering (you’re) filling out those fields accordingly. Also, make sure you complete the registration, at the end, you will receive a confirmation email when (you) are finished.”