TandemStride announces the official launch of its purpose-built peer-to-peer platform, dedicated to supporting individuals and their families following a traumatic injury. United Spinal Association will be part of their peer network alongside the Trauma Survivors Network (TSN), Amputee Coalition and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. This will offer users a nationwide collection of resources and trained peers with lived experience. The power of peer support Millions of people experience trauma each year in the United States. TandemStride aims to create a robust community built on a found ..read more

The Brooke Ellison Community Visionary Award honors a wheelchair user who advances the fields of technology or business. Awardees exemplify civic engagement and social responsibility ideals — especially regarding the disability community. United Spinal Association will present this inaugural award at its 2024 Strongwheeled Together conference. Brooke Ellison was United Spinal Association’s Vice President of Technology and Innovation. She led the Tech Access Initiative, which collaborates with members of the technology sector and disability community to innovate inclusive technology. World-Clas ..read more

In this day of information overload, finding the most accurate and updated information is not easy. NASCIC and our principal members are trying to understand and then overcome the information gap experienced by people living with SCI, but we need to hear from you first. This survey is an effort to better understand the health information sources people use and value as well as the health information needs and gaps among the SCI Community. We are seeking input from people with SCI lived experience including those living with SCI, family members, spouses & partners as well as caregivers. The ..read more

Thanks to generous support from Byram Healthcare, United Spinal will distribute New Beginning Backpacks to over 100 hospital partners. They are filled with tools and resources to help people overcome the unique challenges of living with a new spinal cord injury or disorder. “Often, the New Beginning Backpack program serves as a tool that individuals may overlook until they find themselves in need. It may quietly occupy a corner of their room until the transition home occurs and they are inundated with inquiries, unsure of where to seek answers,” says Matt Castelluccio, United Spinal’s VP of Co ..read more

BREAKING NEWS: Together, we are making real progress in our fight for wheelchair users to fly safely and with dignity. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a proposed rule on February 28. The rule aims to improve the air travel experience for people with mobility impairments. Comments are due May 13. Most importantly, DOT needs to hear from you. Here are some points to highlight in your comments: Better training requirements to stop physical injuries and wheelchair damage, and Prompt return of wheelchairs and mobility devices and prompt repair or replacement of damaged wheelch ..read more

There is no such thing as “being grandfathered in” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, some businesses may be covered by something called “safe harbor.” To make it even more confusing, a business may comply with government guidelines but still be in violation of the ADA. Our ADA Expert, Marsha Mazz, is here to help you make sense of it all.  Do you have an accessibility-related question you’d like answered? Subscribe to our United Spinal Newsletter, hit reply, and Marsha will happily answer it for you! It started with a question: Why aren’t more buildings accessible? Ale ..read more

Meet Linda Norah-Davis, an attorney and the United Spinal Association of Houston Chapter Advocacy Coordinator. When she was 18, she was hospitalized for a spinal cord tumor that resulted in an SCI. She received a few months of physical therapy in her home state of Louisiana but was never referred to rehab. Over 30 years later, she decided to go to TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, for rehabilitation. It was a life-transforming decision. “My experience with TIRR, a Spinal Cord Injury Model System, changed my life tremendously,” says Linda. She shared why increasing funding for SCIMS, the ..read more

Like many others, I rely on rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to get around when I travel. I’m happy to report that most of my drivers are friendly and courteous, helping me load and unload my chair. However, there have been exceptions. Once, a driver peeled away from me when he realized I was a wheelchair user. It was like a bad movie! Another time, I was turned down because a driver thought my wheelchair would scratch his brand-new BMW. Even when an accessible vehicle shows up, I’m not in the clear. Sometimes, the ramp doesn’t work, or it’s covered in junk. Or, the ramp works, but the d ..read more

Seeking participants for a study on workplace experiences Illinois Tech is conducting a focus group study examining microaggressions and quality of work life among adults with SCI. Goal of the project: The goal of this study is to gather information on microaggression experiences, to better understand how they affect employment turnover, and to consider how personal strengths and values can help to cope with these experiences. What will I be asked to do?Participation in this study involves a 90-120 minute informal virtual focus group and a brief online survey. Who can participate?To participat ..read more

Our United Spinal Association Outdoor Access Working Group knows that having fun does not come cheap for the disability community. Adaptive equipment and activities can cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are funding sources to help offset the expense. This article shares our knowledge about writing successful grants for foundations and government sources. We have also compiled a list of organizations that welcome such grants. We hope our resource guide encourages you to get outside and enjoy a wide range of accessible outdoor activities. Before we begin … Our most important tim ..read more