Creating Spaces of Welcome

Even though religious organizations may be exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), providing access to church buildings and programs is a crucial first step to offering a hospitable welcome to all who might want to be part of the Body of Christ. For people living with disability, barriers in the church building or programs sometimes get in the way of participating fully in church life. Although these obstacles might be easy to remove, they are often invisible to people who don’t have a disability. An accessibility audit or survey offers a way to bring invisible barriers into full view for all so they can then be addressed.

Anabaptist Disabilities Network’s Congregational Accessibility Survey helps your congregation assess its level of accessibility to people with various disabilities, including mental illness. Our two goals are to celebrate the progress you are already making and to provide additional suggestions for increasing your accessibility.

ADN will use your results from the Congregational Accessibility Survey to create an ADN Accessibility Seal, which will reflect the ways your congregation is accessible to people with disabilities and mental illness. The Accessibility Seal has five emblems, one for each type of accessibility. Congregations can apply for emblems in as many of the five categories as desired. Meeting the majority of the requirements in a category will result in an emblem on your congregation’s seal. If you do not meet the requirements for an emblem, ADN will provide resources and guidance for your congregation.

The five types of accessibility, in the order they appear on the seal:

• Mobility: Congregations meet the criteria outlined for Parking, Entrance, Interior, Restrooms, and Worship Area. 
• Hearing: Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) and other aids are provided for those who are hard of hearing.
• Sign Language: Adequate sign language interpretation is provided.
• Vision: Aids are provided for people who have difficulty seeing. These aids can be in the form of large print, digital materials for personal devices and/or projection.
• Support: The congregation supports inclusion of people with disabilities and mental illness through awareness-raising events, educational materials and activities, support groups, and provision for individual differences in gifts, behavior, and learning style. This emblem will be awarded by meeting some criteria in each area.

Find more information about the ADN Accessibility Survey or contact us with questions.