Because of the elevated risk of serious illness and death due to COVID-19, vaccination is critically important for people with disabilities. However, we know that many face significant barriers to getting vaccinated. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has launched DIAL, the Disability Information and Access Line, to support the needs of people with disabilities seeking information and access to the COVID-19 vaccine in their communities. DIAL will connect people with disabilities to local resources that can provide information and assistance in obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, DIAL can connect callers to information and services that promote independent living, including inquiries related to food, housing, transportation, and a need for advocacy or peer counseling that may arise due to COVID-19.
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: 888-677-1199
DIAL was launched as a partnership between the n4a and a consortium of organizations serving people with disabilities. These include:
- Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
- Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
- Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU)
- National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)
- National Council on Independent Living (NCIL),
- National Disabilities Rights Network (NDRN), and
- The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies.
This partnership combines the disability networks’ extensive knowledge and expertise in meeting the needs of people with disabilities across the U.S. and n4a’s decades of experience in operating a national call center to connect people to information and services.