Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to provide access to its programs and services for Virginians with disabilities in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).

Most requirements of Title II are based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in federally assisted programs and activities. Section 504 also applies to programs and activities conducted by Federal Executive agencies. The ADA similarly extends Section 504's nondiscrimination requirement to all activities of state and local governments, not only those that receive federal financial assistance.

Section 504 was implemented in 1977 for federally assisted programs in regulations issued by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.  Later, other federal agencies issued their own regulations for the programs and activities that they funded.  Public entities should be familiar with those regulations from their experience in applying for federal grant programs.  As mandated by the ADA, the requirements for public entities under Title II are consistent with and, in many areas, identical to the requirements of the Section 504 regulations.

The ADA, however, also mandates that the Title II regulations be consistent with the concepts of the ADA.  Therefore, the Title II regulations include language that is adapted from other parts of the ADA but not specifically found in Section 504 regulations.