2005-07-01 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes

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would be a good time for the people who wish to come forward to change some of the protocols for missing persons and work with the police department in a partnership to do so. T. Spinola-Campbell suggested that H. Marks attend one of MCPD meetings to provide an update. B. Whitney offered to follow up with H. Marks to determine if he would need assistance from MCPD. The State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities could ask the Mayor to consider the bracelet on the Big Island. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT AND ADA GUIDELINES UPDATE – A. MITCHENER No report. E. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS – L. SCADDEN No report. NEW BUSINESS A. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES – T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL T. Spinola-Campbell reported that the County of Hawaii has a sexual harassment policy on non-discrimination on the basis of disability. But, Hawaii State Law has a number of protected classes which prohibit discrimination. Some of these are based on state laws and others are also federal.The County of Hawaii wants to update and revise the anti-discrimination and harassment policy so it covers all the classes that are protected in Hawaii by state and federal law. In addition, the County receives federal financial assistance which requires compliance to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, Title VI and a number of other laws. The county departments have their own internal complaint procedures. Therefore, they would have to revise their internal complaint procedures to receive these claims. Also, people can contact T. Spinola- Campbell if they have a complaint against a particular department. She will either handle the complaint herself or refer it to the department for investigation if the matter violates the law. This anti-discrimination and harassment policy will rescind the other policy and put this one in its place. A public hearing needs to be held because the ADA grievance procedure was based on rule making. They have to go to rule making to repeal it and then the new rule will say that the Director of Personnel can promulgate new rules. The Corporation Counsel office has already reviewed the policy and will be forwarded to the Mayor for approval. The Department of Civil Service will provide training to the departments and to all employees. The policy articulates substantially more protection than were there before. Disability is also covered in this policy. D. Cowdrey asked if the policy affects agencies that contract through the state or the county to provide services. T. Spinola-Campbell said that agencies who contract with the county will be covered under the policy. The policy also covers residents of the county. 3