Access Salisbury

A GUIDE to Salisbury for People with DISABILITIES

By The Mayor's Disability Council

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE

The Mayor's Disability Council was established on October 1, 1991, to ensure that citizens with disabilities have an equitable opportunity to participate in, benefit from, contribute to and relish the opportunities Salisbury provides. These opportunities include housing, employment, transportation, communications, education and entertainment. The council assists the mayor with developing an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Plan, and serves as a means through which people with disabilities can express concerns relative to accessibility and accommodations. To contact the council, please call the Mayor's Office at 410-548-3100.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING

The City of Salisbury is served by the Wicomico County Transit Service (WCTS). WCTS provides reduced fares and accessible transportation throughout Salisbury and Wicomico County to people with disabilities. Transportation must be arranged with a reservation call at least one day in advance. For reduced-fare ticket book and service, call 410-548-7433.

Parking in the City of Salisbury is provided to drivers with disabilities who show evidence of a disability with either permanent "disabled" license tags or a temporary window or rear-view-mirror tag under the following circumstances:

1. Parking is free in any areas and at all street metered parking spaces for all drivers with disabilities for double the maximum time on the meter.

2. Free parking also is provided for up to two hours of parking in the city's enclosed parking garage and lot #1, located on the corner of S. Division and W. Market streets.

Disabled drivers with any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions about parking should address those issues to the Mayor's Disability Council.

EMPLOYMENT

There are a number of job retraining and employment opportunities in the area for those with disabilities. The first place one could start is the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS). Some of the services offered are vocational counseling; physical and mental restoration; services for deaf, hard of hearing, blind and sight impaired individuals; rehabilitation technology services; job skills training; and placement. Call 410-548-7025.

Employment Opportunities also can be found through the State Employment Service (410-543-6657) and the Job Line Employment Information Resource (800-765-8692).

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a toll-free (800-232-9675) consulting service that provides information about job accommodation and the employability of people with disabilities. These resources, along with the other service agencies in the area, are available to help with employment needs. A complete list of other service agencies can be found in the public library. Call 410-749-3612.

HOUSING

Persons with disabilities who are looking to own a home or for accessible rental units can call the Salisbury Area Property Owners Association. Contact can be made through any local Realtor.

Homeowners, or property owners, who are seeking technical assistance with making modifications to existing structures to make them accessible, can call the city's Department of Building, Housing and Zoning at 410-548-3130.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Salisbury offers many educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Having a physical or learning disability is not in any way viewed as an inhibiting factor for admission to any local educational institution. Post-secondary institutions are Wor-Wic Community College, Salisbury State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Each campus has a specific department charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all reasonable accommodations are provided in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Information about accessibility of public schools can be obtained from the Wicomico County Board of Education (410-543-4200). Additionally there are several private schools in the county listed in the phone book.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

Salisbury has a wealth of attractions, including Delmarva Shorebirds baseball, the scenic Salisbury Zoo and the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, which houses the most comprehensive collections of wildfowl carving in the world. The Wicomico Youth and Civic Center offers a versatile showplace for concerts, theme shows, conventions and meetings, trade shows and sports events, with emphasis on accessibility. Salisbury State University, recognized by the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities for its accessible facilities, stages an array of cultural events, from theatre and symphony performances to art shows and dance performances. For a schedule of events for the Salisbury Wicomico County area, contact the Wicomico County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 410-548-4914.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

The City of Salisbury has a variety of resources available to serve the needs of its population. Some of these include the Epilepsy Association, Department of Rehabilitative Services and the Deaf Interpreter Referral Service. Salisbury also has local offices for the Wicomico County Health Department and a full service medical center. For a more complete list of resources available, please contact the Health Department at 410-749-1244 or the Department of Rehabilitation Services at 410-548-7025. If there are concerns regarding possible human rights violations, contact the Human Relations Commission at 410-221-2565 or the Maryland Disability Law Center at 800-870-6362.

Another resource is the Lower Eastern Shore Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, a nonprofit organization serving as an advocacy group for the disabled by providing services and programs that enhance employment opportunities and quality of life.

125 N. Division St.
Salisbury, MD 21801-4940
mchurch@ci.salisbury.md.us