The following is a letter from NCSA to Kentucky officials considering in-home cameras in a community group home as a reasonable accommodation for a young woman with severe autism.
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March 27, 2024
To whom it may concern:
National Council on Severe Autism represents the interests of individuals and families affected by severe and profound autism and related disorders which are often incapacitating. Those we represent are exceedingly vulnerable individuals who, due to extreme cognitive and functional impairment, are unable to communicate their wants and needs, but also are unable to relate their experiences.
Those living in Community Homes are especially vulnerable in that they are left alone with caregivers who entirely control the narrative about what transpires in the home. While cameras in community homes are not a reasonable accommodation for many with disabilities, owing to their capacity for reason and communication, for those with severe and profound autism and related disorders, the cameras are a reasonable accommodation. Like a wheelchair ramp, they allow access to a standard level of community engagement, via a "prosthetic" device, the camera, which can communicate facts on behalf of the severely disabled individual, who is without a voice. Cameras in their community homes serve as their eyes and their voices. We at NCSA wholeheartedly endorse cameras as a "reasonable accommodation" in this case, as required by the Fair Housing Act.
Thank you for your consideration of our comments. If we can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@ncsautism.org.
Very truly yours,
Jill Escher
President
NCSAutism.org