Dear Subscriber:
Thank you for augmenting your library with the 2021 edition of
Legal Rights of Individuals with Disabilities
. This latest edition brings updated resources within your immediate reach—for fast, accurate, and practical answers to your questions.
Highlights from the many issues addressed in this edition include
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the scope of employment protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Chapter 151B of the Massachusetts General Laws;
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reasonable accommodations in housing, including circumstances involving service animals, hoarding, parking, communications, soundproofing, transfers to other units, and scheduling of rent;
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a Supreme Judicial Court opinion defining educational use for purposes of zoning exceptions under the Dover Amendment;
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a U.S. Supreme Court opinion on the scope of a free appropriate public education and recent statistics on the decisions of the Board of Special Education Appeals;
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amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and detailed discussion of individualized plans for employment and limitations on the use of subminimum wages;
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extensive updates regarding health care access for individuals with disabilities;
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developments in law and practice affecting engagement in a wide range of public services, programs, and activities, including participation in educational programs, community activities, and postrelease programming for parolees;
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implications of COVID-19 for employment and public accommodations practice;
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emerging disability-related issues involving Internet activities, peer-to-peer services in the sharing economy, and auxiliary aids and services;
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new federal regulations on the use of service animals in air transportation;
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the introduction of a comprehensive overhaul to the mental health system in Massachusetts;
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case law on the "likelihood of serious harm" and "least restrictive alternative" standards applicable to involuntary commitment decisions;
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options available to inpatients in mental health settings and to patients receiving mental health services in the community;
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a wide range of changes affecting individuals with developmental disabilities, including program eligibility, scope of services, positive behavioral supports, and limitations on restraint;
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procedures applicable to guardianship under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code; and
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standards governing awards of attorney fees in disability-related litigation.
We trust you will find this latest version of
Legal Rights of Individuals with Disabilities
an invaluable resource for your busy practice.
Very truly yours,
John M. Lawlor, Esq.,
MCLE Publications Attorney