The Fears of Transportation and Mobility- Resources to Help Lessen the Anxieties for Individuals with Disabilities

The fear of not having adequate transportation and the issues of mobility is a constant fear in an individual with a disability and his or her environment. Most individuals without a disability never think twice about transportation. The majority of individuals with a disability, such as, visual impairment, physical impairment, have constant worries about their safety in all aspects of their life.

If you find yourself asking questions like, “what if I miss my bus?”, “what if my transportation service is late…what will I do?” “How do I cross the street?” “What environmental accommodations can I utilize?” “What are the services available to assist an individual with transportation and mobility barriers?” “Will I feel like my independence is being hindered?”….THEN the following resources are invaluable to you and your success in the community and society as an individual with a disability.

Agencies/Advocacy Groups

1) ASK- Advocacy, Support, and Knowledge: http://www.arcjacksonville.org/
- Committed to helping individuals with developmental disabilities achieve improved self-sufficiency, independence and quality of life.
- Will provide and improve serve accessibility and integration throughout the community in a plethora of areas, in particular, transportation.
- Individuals with disabilities and their families will develop an improved understanding of how to access, participate in and influence the design and policies of the systems that serve them.
· This is a wonderful organization that advocates for individuals with disabilities rights and demands successful services through transportation and to ensure successful mobility in the community.

2) Florida School for the Deaf and Blind- Resourceful for Children with Visual Impairments
http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/
- School system assists blind and visually impaired children develop the skills and confidence to make their way through a world designed for the sighted.
-Offer special programs, such as, Travel Training, which inspires students to achieve increasingly difficult levels of mobility, with the ultimate freedom to venture outside on campus.
· Mobility training for individuals with disabilities is essential and must be addressed to promote independence and ensure safety.

3) Major’s Disability Council- Jacksonville, Florida: http://www.coj.net/
-Dedicated to improving the quality of a life for persons with disabilities and consists of a council of 13 members who have an array of disabilities, such as, visually impaired, hearing impaired, and mobility impaired.
- This council raises awareness of the needs of persons with disabilities by assisting in the formulation of solutions to meet those needs by providing a public forum.
- One of area of discussions is transportation and the issues as they relate to the Jacksonville area.

Accommodations and Available Services- the Do’s and Don’ts
This website provides information on services dogs for individuals with an array of disabilities and stressed the “Do’s and Don’ts When Relating to Service Dog Partners.”
http://cals.arizona.edu/agdiv/servicedog/info.html

· Do talk to the person about their service dog or other animals that serve - but avoid personal questions on a first encounter.
· If you are afraid of dogs, do place yourself away from the service dog.
· If the service dog barks, growls, or otherwise forgets its manners, do ask before taking action. The bark may be an alert signal used to warn its owner of an oncoming seizure or other event.
· Don't pet the service dog without permission - it will distract the dog from its work. Also avoid whistling, barking, motioning or interfering with a service dog.
· Don't feed the service dog - resist the temptation to offer treats.

Books

1) Mobility Training for People with Disabilities: Children and Adults with Physical, Mental, Visual, and Hearing Impairments Can Learn to Travel by William Goodman (Author)
2) Seating and Mobility for Persons With Physical Disabilities-by Elaine Trefler (Author), Douglas A. Hobson (Author), Susan Johnson Taylor (Author), Lynn C. Monahan (Author), C. Greg Shaw (Author)