ADA SETP
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires municipalities to complete and regularly update an ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP), helping city and town governments evaluate and improve upon the accessibility of their programs, services, and activities. In Massachusetts, the majority of SETPs are funded by the Accessibility Planning Grant Program administered through the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD). Since 2015, KMA has completed 31 two-part SETPs that include analysis of existing conditions and development of an improvement plan based on public input, municipal self-reporting, and KMA’s own findings.
In part one of the SETP, KMA evaluates the accessibility of all municipal facilities including parks, trailheads, parking lots, city offices, schools, polling locations, libraries, councils on aging, and other regular-use public spaces. At the same time, KMA assesses the accessibility of a municipality’s programs and activities—such as public events, emergency services, or snow removal. In part two, our team collaborates with the city to develop a long-term plan that includes both capital projects and operational initiatives geared toward improving accessibility overall. The plan, which includes schedules, budgets, and the responsible persons/ departments, becomes a living document through which the municipality may track its own progress toward greater accessibility.
Photos courtesy of the City of Malden