Through the advocacy of Malden’s Disability Commission, the City recently received a $40,000 grant from Governor Baker’s Community Compact Program to complete an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. The grant will allow the City to conduct a comprehensive review of all programs and services as well as an audit of municipal buildings, schools and recreational spaces for conformance with ADA standards. A Transition Plan to address any gaps or deficiencies will be included as part of the evaluation.
Following a bid process, the City has retained the services of the UMASS Donahue Institute which has an extensive background in this area on both a municipal and state level. In addition to the awarded grant, the Malden Redevelopment Authority has agreed to contribute toward the cost. The Disability Commission will be working very closely with the Institute and will be seeking the community’s input as part of the process.