IS YOUR WEBSITE ADA COMPLIANT? GET IT DONE IN 2021!

How do you make sure your website is ADA compliant? That is a huge question with multiple answers and hazy guidelines. In this episode I (Stacey) unpack the topic with attorney Rachel Schumont of Counsel For Wellness, located in California. 

I was recently strolling thru Facebookland looking to see if there was anything interesting and topic worthy to dig into with the podcast when I saw that one of the Facebook Aculanders was being sued for ADA non-compliance on his website. He is a solo practitioner. Not a large corporation. It lit the acu-twitterland on FIRE! There were SO many offers of information and help but no one really had any definitive answers or solid solutions other than to hire an attorney. I genuinely think everyone wanted to help him but let’s be real, we really don’t want THAT to happen to us either! 

I have been working with Rachel on a series of podcasts to present this Spring about all things legal in an Acupuncture practice. Luckily for us, she was willing to do some digging and able to offer up some education for this podcast. 

FIND RACHEL HERE:
INSTAGRAM @COUNSELWELLNESS
COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS WEBSITE

YOU’LL LEARN

• The ADA is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life -- to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services. (www.ada.gov)
• Healthcare providers, even solo practices can be sued for ADA non-compliance. (Yes, you too.)
• The best way to ensure your site is compliant is to hire an expert to do an audit. 
• Your best practice is to align with WCAG. You can take a look at the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) here. Then, when you can’t understand what the F*** they are talking about, go ahead and hire that expert.  
• It is uncertain if your malpractice insurance will cover this if you get sued.You need to check with your carrier.
• Widgets are good but they are not the firewall you are looking for. (See above. Hire an audit.)
• Rachel discusses what happens when you get sued. What can those fines look like and will you have to hire an attorney? (If you are deaf, please reach out to me and I will send you a transcript of the show.) 

RESOURCES

• All things ADA.  
• All things WCAG. 
• Counsel For Wellness 

CALL TO ACTION

• If you appreciate this podcast, please leave a review on apple podcasts.  Don’t do it for me. Do it so other Acu’s can also access this info!

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Further episodes of AcuSprout: Acupuncture Podcast

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Website of Stacey Whitcomb Dipl OM, LAc.