Accessible Public Communication

Policy

It is the policy of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County to ensure that program, service, and activity communications with participants and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. Toward that end, Metropolitan Government will furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services as necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, any Metro program, service, or activity.

Auxiliary Aids and Services

Auxiliary aids and services that Metro may provide for individuals with hearing impairments include: qualified interpreters, note takers, transcription services, written materials, telephone handset amplifiers, assistive listening devices, assistive listening systems, telephones compatible with hearing aids, closed caption decoders, open and closed captioning, telecommunications devices for deaf person (TDDs), video text displays, or other effective methods of making aurally delivered materials alternatively available.

For individuals with visual impairments, Metro may provide: qualified readers, taped texts, audio recordings, Brailled materials, large print materials, or other effective methods of making visually delivered materials alternatively available.

Disability

Disability means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such an individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.

Qualified Interpreter

A qualified interpreter means an interpreter who is able to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary.

Request Accessible Public Communication (auxiliary aid/service)

Accessible public communication (auxiliary aid/service) requests must be made:

• in advance to enable time to fulfill the request (while Metro will make good faith efforts to fulfill all accommodation requests, those relating to public meetings and hearings should be submitted at least one week in advance, and those relating to on-going services and programs should be submitted at least 48 hours in advance); and
• to the Metro Agency ADA Coordinator of the department or agency responsible for the program or service in advance of the meeting, hearing, service, or activity (if the responsible agency is unknown, a request may be submitted to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County ADA Coordinator at [email protected]).

In determining what type of auxiliary aid or service is necessary, Metro will give primary consideration to the requests of the individual with disabilities (other considerations include whether another effective means of communication is available, means of communication would result in a fundamental alteration in the service, program, or activity; means of communication would result in undue financial burden on taxpayers). As necessary, the responsible agency ADA coordinator will confer with the requesting party to identify how effective communication can be achieved in the context of the subject program, service or activity, and may ask for technical assistance and information on how to obtain a particular auxiliary aid or service.

Grievance Procedure: If the requesting individual is dissatisfied with the ADA department contact person's proposed auxiliary aid or service, the individual is encouraged to file a grievance with the Metropolitan Government ADA Coordinator.