Disability and Diversity

ADA Anniversary 

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ADA, the city worked to create a public virtual event showcasing the many ways each department at the City of Bellevue recognizes and supports the disability community, above and beyond the minimum requirements set by the ADA. The ADA Anniversary page details many of the city's past accomplishments and ongoing efforts to build accessibility across services, facilities, and programs.

Hearing assistance devices

Bellevue has installed state-of-the-art assisted listening systems, including hearing loop systems, in multiple city facilities. These systems enable people with hearing aids or cochlear implants to connect directly to the sound system with much better sound quality and amplification. People without a hearing aid can use receivers and headsets to benefit as well. Below is a list of locations where the city has installed assistive listening systems:

• Council Chambers in City Hall
• Council Study Room in City Hall
• Stage and box office of Bellevue Youth Theatre
• North Bellevue Community Center
• Crossroads Community Center
• South Bellevue Community Center
• Northwest Arts Center
• Bellevue Botanical Garden Visitor Center

Closed captioning

The City of Bellevue provides closed captioning options on all content aired on Bellevue Television (BTV) Channel 21. Closed captioning is also available online on the city’s BTV YouTube channel. The city’s closed captioning system uses voice recognition to identify who is speaking when, which is especially helpful for city council meetings.

This provides access to spoken or audio content for those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, watching content in a space where audio can’t be used, or simply prefer to use captions.

Power wheelchair and mobility scooter charging stations

In 2019, the City of Bellevue installed power wheelchair charging stations in key locations throughout the community. The charging stations are specifically designed to connect to the charging ports on power wheelchairs and mobility scooters, giving users the ability to access nearby power if they are in the city and find their batteries running low. The connections are also intended to serve as a critical power resource during disaster events or widespread power outages, when the need to maintain mobility is critical and power sources may be difficult to locate. Publicly available wheelchair charging stations in strategic locations also help to ensure that those who use powered mobility equipment can stay engaged with their communities.

The charging stations are available in several locations throughout the city. Many of these locations are close to transit services and known gathering centers for the community. They are also key gathering spots for the public in case of emergency or disaster. Community centers, which may be activated as emergency shelters, are equipped with generators and will be able to provide energy stability even during a power outage. Below is a list of all locations where the city has installed charging stations:

• Bellevue City Hall
• Crossroads Community Center
• Highland Community Center
• North Bellevue Community Center
• South Bellevue Community Center
• Northwest Arts Center
• Bellevue Botanical Gardens Visitor Center Outdoor Gathering Space
• Bellevue Botanical Gardens Shorts House

Accessible changing tables

When Inspiration Playground, a playground designed for children of all abilities in Bellevue Downtown Park, was built in 2016, an accessible changing table was included in the playground restroom design. Since then, the city has received community feedback sharing how impactful those accessible changing tables have been, and how having more throughout the city would help promote community inclusion. Providing accessible changing tables at various locations across the city helps ensure that people with disabilities can be as integrated in the community as they want to be. The tables are larger in size than typical children's changing tables and can be electronically raised and lowered to meet the needs of the user. The city has installed accessible changing tables at the following locations, in addition to Inspiration Playground:

• Bannerwood Park Stadium
• Crossroads International Park
• Downtown Park (Inspiration Playground)
• Highland Community Center (inside building)
• Meydenbauer Bay Beach Park
• Newcastle Beach Park
• North Bellevue Community Center (Nurse’s Office)
• Wilburton Hills Park

Shelter in place guidance

Prior to a disaster occurring, everyone must think ahead and have a plan. This is especially true for those with disabilities. Those with disabilities or access and functional needs may require additional assistance before, during, and after an incident. In some cases, sheltering in place is the best option for someone who is not able to safely evacuate.

Sheltering in place means that you go to an identified, designated area of rescue assistance, call 9-1-1 to report your location, and wait for emergency rescue personnel to arrive. It is critical to have a personal preparedness plan, should you need to shelter in place or evacuate.

The City of Bellevue created a poster to help someone plan to shelter in place. There are other resources on sheltering in place and planning for disasters from FEMA and the Washington State Department of Health

Universal design

Universal design is a concept through which spaces and programming are intentionally created to be accessible to all people, without the need for individual modification or accommodation. The City of Bellevue has created a helpful Universal Design booklet with accessibility best practices for City of Bellevue staff who are planning events, trainings or meetings.

Embracing the principles of universal design creates an inviting space where all bodies and minds are considered and valued. Examples of a universally designed space include:

• Wide aisles that enable all people and mobility modes to access all areas of the room.
• Provision of meeting materials in hard copy and digital formats, along with large print versions.
• Pre-arranged accommodation of food and dietary needs.
• Meeting materials designed to be visually accessible with regards to color, font type and size.
• Hybrid and virtual environments designed with accessibility in mind.

Universal design promotes inclusion in ways that effectively develop community support and encourage changes in perspective to reflect dignity, self-respect, and involvement within the community.

Inclusive Interactions booklet 

The Inclusive Interactions booklet is a helpful guide that breaks down definitions of disability, thought processes and assumptions regarding disability, and considerations for creating inclusive interactions. While the booklet was created as a guide for city staff as they serve the public, it is equally applicable to life outside the office. It is just one of many projects that the City of Bellevue DART (Disabilities Allyship Resources Team) Employee Resource Group has worked on to improve inclusion and accessibility for both city staff and the public.

Ableism, Allyship, and Disability Justice training

The Ableism, Allyship, and Disability Justice staff training, taught by the city’s ADA, Title VI, and Equal Opportunity Officer, is a cornerstone of the City of Bellevue’s efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable community. This training introduces participants to the system of oppression related to disability (ableism), the modern disability justice movement, and disability allyship.

The ADA Core Team

The City of Bellevue ADA Core team is comprised of staff from departments that frequently interact with the ADA. These staff members serve as experts and advisers on the ADA within their department and help drive efforts to improve accessibility for the public. They also often work with departments to fulfill reasonable modification requests of all kinds. The ADA Core Team is led by the ADA, Title VI, and Equal Opportunity Officer. Check out some of the ADA Core Team’s recent successes and upcoming projects: