Hawaii Disability Rights Center

When processes are made easier and more accessible, everybody wins!

New free UH program “Direct to UH” streamlines college applications for Hawaii seniors A new initiative from the University of Hawaii is streamlining the path to higher education for local high school students.

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Major Foundations Form Disability-Focused Credit Union A first-of-its-kind credit union specifically built to meet the needs of people with disabilities nationwide and those who support them is in the works.

Happy International Day of Sign Languages! Did you know that Hawaiian Sign Language is an indigenous sign language native to Hawaiʻi? Historical records document its presence on the islands as early as the 1820s, but HSL was not formally recognized by linguists until 2013.

More than 70 million people around the world are deaf. Collectively, they use over 300 different sign languages.

Wednesday’s International Day of Sign Languages highlights the importance of promoting and protecting sign language to uphold the human rights of deaf people.

September is Healthy Aging Month 🌈

Protecting seniors from scams: What Caregivers & Service Providers Should Know Virtual recording from 9/8/2026.Using data published in the Federa...

Worried about how work might affect your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? You’re not alone, and we’re here to help clear things up.

Join us on September 23 at 3 p.m. ET for our free WISE webinar: Debunking the 3 Biggest Myths About Disability Benefits and Ticket to Work.

Learn about Work Incentives that can help you keep your benefits while you try work!
💻 Register online: https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise/
📞 Register by Phone: 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY)

Is your health care facility accommodating of your needs?

So many of us spent more time in doctor’s office than anywhere else. ‌ We also face many barriers when trying to access care. Being unable to transfer to/from exam tables is one of the biggest barriers. ‌ New laws aim to change that and are supposed to be put in place in the next couple months. ‌ Swipe through to learn more and as always, share with your network. ‌ [Image descriptions: There are 8 slides with a photo of different medical settings at the top and text underneath. ‌ Slide 1: Starting This Summer, Many Hospitals And Doctor’s Offices Must Start Meeting New Accessibility Standards ‌ Slide 2: A pair of federal rules are imposing first-ever requirements designed to ensure that people with disabilities are better served when they visit the doctor. ‌ The regulations mandate more widespread adoption of accessible medical equipment including weight scales, examination tables, X-ray machines and more. ‌ Slide 3: Starting this summer, many hospitals and doctor’s offices that use examination tables or weight scales must have at least one that meets accessibility standards. Staff must be qualified to operate such equipment and assist with transfers. ‌ Slide 4: The mandate comes under largely identical rules issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services. The HHS rule under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act took effect July 8 and the Justice Department regulation issued under Title Il of the Americans with Disabilities Act had an Aug. 9 deadline. ‌ Despite laws prohibiting disability discrimination, federal officials said that “significant discrimination” in healthcare persisted when the rules were finalized by the Biden administration in 2024. ‌ Slide 5: To address the issue, the regulations adopted the U.S. Access Board’s standards for accessible medical diagnostic equipment and spelled out exactly what types of equipment hospitals and doctor’s offices must have. Since 2024, the rules have specified that any newly purchased or leased medical equipment must be accessible until health care providers subject to the regulations reach a minimum number. ‌ IDs cont’d in comments.] ‌ ‌ #DisabilityJustice #DisabilityRights

~for those who are struggling with mental and emotional stress due to the effects of adverse weather events~

Severe weather, including heavy rain, hurricanes, and floods, is the most common cause of natural disasters in the United States.

Learn how to prepare for and cope with floods, and how to support behavioral health and well-being, including children’s well-being, following floods. samhsa.gov/mental-health/disaster-preparedness/disaster-types/floods

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Hawaii Disability Rights Center