ADA & 504 Services
Access and compliance are critical components in creating equitable and inclusive communities. We consult on practical solutions and offer interim support to help employers and schools effectively navigate accommodations and support for individuals with disabilities.
Process and Policy Development
We help develop effective accommodation processes that support employees and departments by emphasizing transparency, good-faith engagement, collaboration, compromise, and timeliness.
Accessibility Compliance Assessment
Our team provides an in-depth review of your institution’s approach to accessibility, accommodations, and compliance that includes policy review, meetings with stakeholders, and confidential recommendations.
Consulting Support
We provide mentoring and support to administrators who are responsible for institutional ADA & 504 compliance – whether they are new to the role, serving on an interim basis, or updating their skills for a new set of challenges.
Delegated Roles
Grand River Solutions can imbed a subject-matter expert to assist with ADA & 504 compliance on an interim basis. Short or long-term support can include managing the organization’s accommodation process, assisting departments with disability-related questions, and working with leadership as an interim coordinator.
ADA & 504 Investigations
We provide experienced investigators to address employee and student grievances of accommodation requests and offer in-depth investigations of claims of discrimination based on disability. In addition, our team consults with institutions for investigations that are initiated by outside agencies such as DOJ and OCR, addressing access, disability discrimination, and allegations of failure to enter into and maintain the ADA interactive process.
Training
Grand River Solutions provides custom disability-related topics training to ADA & 504 Coordinators, HR Professionals, compliance specialists, and on-staff investigators.
Learn more about our ADA & 504 Services
ADA & 504 Team
Judith Risch
Judith Risch, J.D., Ph.D., is the Title IX & Equity Access Services Special Advisor at Grand River Solutions. Judy brings over two decades of invaluable experience from her tenure at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education.
Crystal C. Coombes
Crystal C. Coombes joins Grand River Solutions as 504 Practice Lead with more than 35 years of experience in private and public industry, higher education, and disability management. Crystal previously served as ADA/504 Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator in addition to her role as the Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access Services with the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at George Mason University.
Andrea Stagg
Andrea Stagg has extensive experience in higher education in-house legal settings at public and private colleges and universities. As Deputy General Counsel and Director of Government Relations & Compliance at Barnard College she oversaw all legal and compliance matters, including navigating the pandemic as chair of the College’s COVID-19 Vaccine Working Group.
Myra Waddell
Myra Waddell is a Senior Solutions Specialist with over 30 years of experience in higher education. Myra served as the Director of Disability Services at Winston-Salem State University, and a Special Education Resource Teacher in Franklin County Schools, Virginia. She also served as an itinerant teacher to Greensboro City Schools and Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, in North Carolina.
Aniya Ward
Aniya Sutton Ward is a Senior Solutions Specialist with Grand River Solutions. Aniya previously served as the Title IX coordinator and EEO/Title IX investigator for four years at Winston-Salem State University, where she oversaw the Title IX and EEO office’s day-to-day functions while conducting Title IX EEO investigations involving faculty, staff, and students.
News from Our Experts
Department of Justice Weighs in on School District’s Potential Liability for Alleged Discrimination by Outsourced School Resource Officers
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently filed a statement of interest in a pending federal court case on disability discrimination. The DOJ files a brief like this when the government has an interest in clarifying the law at issue, or how the law is applied. Here the...
Sixth Circuit Opinion Provides Important Reminders for Employers about Pregnancy and Disability, ADA Protected Leave, and The Perils of Mismanaged Processes
On March 8, 2022, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an unpublished decision in Blanchett v. Charter Communications, LLC brimming with issues and reminders applicable to employers of all sizes. The plaintiff, Kelly Blanchet, was a high performing employee at...
Grand River’s Disability Access and Compliance Solutions
Furthering our vision, we are proud to announce that Grand River Solutions now offers expanded services on disability access and compliance. We recognize that disability is a critical component of equity and working to adequately support employees and students with...
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