ADA Coordinator Profile: Michael Muehe
Author: Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD)Date: May 19, 2011
Michael Muehe
Michael Muehe is the Executive Director of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities in Cambridge, Massachusetts since 1994 and the ADA Coordinator for Cambridge. He has been an effective advocate for the disability community over the past twenty five years and his work has been the recipient of numerous awards and national recognition. He spoke with Access New England about the kinds of issues he regularly confronts and the successful, award-winning strategies he follows to advance the work of the Commission and implement the ADA.
Implementing the ADA - be proactive:
The Commission tries always to be proactive, focusing on outreach and community involvement. This means going to countless meetings and engaging residents and business owners whenever possible. For example, the Commission provides free accessibility training and technical assistance to Cambridge businesses and collaborates with an accessibility analyst in the building department who is available to review architectural plans.
Seek local participation:
Perhaps the most important single resource is the active participation of 12 Cambridge residents who sit on the Board of the Commission and meet monthly to highlight issues of concern.
Early involvement with projects is key:
With a high profile and an outstanding reputation for working collaboratively, many city entities seek the Commission’s involvement at the earliest planning stages for both new construction and renovation projects. This allows for the most effective and cost efficient input regarding accessibility and ADA compliance.
Unfortunately, in other cases the Commission is only made aware of a project when it is well under way or near completion. A recent Cambridge bridge rebuild by a state agency provides a good example. The project required the complete demolition and reconstruction of an automobile bridge with a pedestrian walkway. The Commission was not notified about the project and only discovered after the fact that the sidewalk that was installed has slopes that are noncompliant because they are too steep. Ironically, a temporary walkway that was erected during construction was compliant, but the final product is now the subject of a Section 504 complaint filed with the Federal Department of Transportation.
Incentives encourage ADA implementation:
The city’s Façade Improvement Program is a particularly successful example of the Commission’s efforts to incentivize improved access at places of commerce. Local business can apply for up to $15,000 in city matching funds to upgrade the façade of an existing storefront, and all approved projects must deliver an entryway that is ADA compliant. The result is that businesses get a facelift that attracts customers and all Cambridge residents experience better access at the places where they want to shop and conduct business. Importantly, the Façade Improvement Program also has what Michael calls a multiplier effect. Often as neighboring businesses see how easy it can be to make an establishment more welcoming to all, additional ADA compliant improvements are voluntarily initiated.
Look for new ways to address common problems:
Another important ADA issue in Cambridge is the need to address the presence of readily removable barriers at places of public accommodation. In an effort to bring about rapid and meaningful change, on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act the Access Cambridge project sent out 20 letters to 20 establishments in a single Cambridge neighborhood. All of the businesses had readily removable barriers such as a step at the main entry or narrow entry doors. Once the letters were mailed the Commission sought to work in a cooperative fashion and found that the businesses in that district were receptive to their efforts.
NOD’s Accessible America Award:
Michael’s work and the work of the Commission on Persons with Disabilities has not gone unnoticed. In 2006, Cambridge won the National Organization on Disability’s Accessible America contest. The city was presented with a $25,000 award for going above and beyond the basic requirements of the ADA to help make Cambridge a model city of accessibility. More details about the specifics of the award are available here
Never content to rest on their laurels, Cambridge used the award to give mini grants to local teachers to develop an elementary school disability awareness curriculum and to support the documentary, “Labeled Disabled” (http://www.labeleddisabledfilm.com/).
Award funds were also given to a service provider who works with Cambridge residents who have intellectual disabilities, providing expanded access to gym memberships, museum passes and other resources designed to increase integration in the community.
Personal history:
In 1976 Michael became a person with a disability when he sustained a spinal cord injury. As an undergraduate at Boston University he regularly confronted obstacles to navigating the campus and the city of Boston. For example, when cold temperatures and falling snow sent his classmates running to the Green line trolley, Michael found that most public transportation was not accessible to him.
One day while attending to business at Boston University’s Student Union he happened to notice a group of other students with disabilities gathered in a meeting room. When he went to investigate he discovered an access advisory meeting where recommendations were being developed for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This group provided an early opportunity to begin pushing for access and fairness and set Michael on a successful career path that continues today.
After completing his undergraduate studies at Boston University, Michael worked for the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) as an independent living specialist. From there he moved to the Massachusetts Office on Disability where he served as a client assistance program advocate. In that capacity he helped people navigate the often challenging vocational rehabilitation system and, when necessary, file appeals and represent clients at their fair hearings.
In 1991 Michael took a position as Director of Chapter Services at the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA). This allowed him the opportunity to travel throughout the country while providing training on the ADA to local NSCIA chapters.
Michael has been with the Cambridge, Massachusetts Commission for Persons with Disabilities since 1994. If you would like to contact Michael, he can be reached by email at: Mailto:mmuehe@cambridgema.gov
Send your story suggestions to Access New England:
Access New England encourages you to share your stories about individuals and organizations that make an important difference in implementing the ADA in your area. If you know of a story that we should consider sharing with our readers, please send an email with Access New England Story Suggestion in the subject line to mailto:ADAinfo@NewEnglandADA.org.
For a PDF version click here .
