As a caregiver and advocacy team leader, my daughter PJ, her caregivers, and I are rolling through St. Tammany—join us in our commUNITY adventures.
Nineteen years ago, our lives changed in an instant when my daughter, PJ, was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident at the age of nineteen. This event set us on an unexpected path—what we’ve come to think of as a lifetime of learning adventures.
We continue to face and solve these daily challenges, just as you do, so… let’s ROLL ON! :)
A little introduction to the law:
July, 2024 marked the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which states, under Title II, that the Act “prohibits public entities, including state and local governments, from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities by excluding them from services and activities due to their disability.” One of the regulations created by the United States Justice Department is called the “integration mandate.” This mandate requires public entities to “administer services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities.” The integration mandate became the basis of the Olmstead Act decision in 1999 (https://www.olmsteadrights.org).
The U.S. Department of Justice recently released guidelines for the “Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Government Entities” (https://www.ada.gov/resources/small-entity-compliance-guide).
We enjoy the opportunities and choices afforded to us by home and community-based services (HCBS for short) that fully integrate disabled citizens with their families (there truly is “no place like home”). We continue to search, grow, and network in our community of Covington, Louisiana, for events and attractions that are inclusive and wheelchair accessible.
For example, we embrace our Greater NOLA Ainsley’s Angels of America (https://ainsleysangels.org), a group of Northshore runners who help disabled riders participate in parades and race events by rolling them through the community or race course. Wave to us as we roll by in the hot pink and zebra print 3-wheel chariots during local events!
PJ Paulsell with Ainsley's Angels, Greater New Orleans Chapter
Some of our hometown favorite manual wheelchair-accessible outings include:
- Bogue Falaya Park - the parking is solid, wide, and slightly inclined, with a paved path around the entire park.
Bogue Falaya Park, Covington
- Downtown Covington—making great strides to enhance the Covington Trailhead with three newly marked handicap-accessible areas, as well as two others nearby. Always remember to arrive early for events because roads are blocked off, and these events are popular. Also, on weekends, the Mayor has told us that the Justice Center and parking structure are available, though at a distance to roll. PJ and I look forward to the promises of a new accessible tie-in with the St. Tammany Rails to Trails Historical District.
After all, to be a part of a commUNITY event, you must first find accessible PARKING. As we continue to be an advocacy voice in our commUNITY, my heart was warmed on Saturday, July 27, when a neighbor greeted PJ and her caregiver as they navigated out of an ox lot (Covington’s public parking lots, which over a century ago harbored oxen and carts full of goods for sale and trade) to the other side of Columbia Street, stating, “My, you guys just ROLL all over the place!”
Resources:
ADA Great Lakes: centerinfo@adagreatlakes.org
https://mn.gov/mnddc/banners/Disability-Rights-Banners.pdf
https://www.ada.gov/
https://sfm.dps.louisiana.gov
https://access-board.gov
www.adata.org