People with Disabilities

A majority of Missourians sent to restrictive nursing homes because of mental illness would be better served in a less restrictive setting, a year-and-a-half federal investigation determined.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit, a disability advocacy group, released its June report card that assesses Metro Transit. The group gave poor scores in customer service and engagement with people with disabilities and failed Metro on Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

Disability rights advocates don’t want Metro Transit to cut back on Call-A-Ride reservations — and suggest that it do a better job providing services federally mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The STL Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit report card gave near-failing scores in customer service and engagement with people with disabilities, and failed Metro for not being ADA compliant.

A Missouri Foundation for Health report finds both planned and unexpected costs of medical care create financial, physical and emotional burdens for the state’s residents.

A team of researchers led by St. Louis University professor Jenna Gorlewicz will put a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to work building software that will make visual materials more legible for people with visual impairments.

Metro Call-A-Ride reduced services in parts of St. Louis County in April, and officials cut more fixed bus routes in early June. Advocates for people with disabilities and riders say they want to have input before the agency makes any route changes.

Some Metro Call-A-Ride users who have depended on the service for decades will soon have to find alternatives, because the paratransit service is reducing routes in St. Louis County beginning April 10. One rider says she will lose her independence and miss out on social activities.

Advocates said it's hard for disabled people to find jobs and get to medical appointments without paratransit services that would be cut in some areas on April 10.

Metro Call-A-Ride paratransit services will reduce services in parts of St. Louis County starting next month. Metro officials say they need to cut routes to help reduce trip denials and phone reservation wait times. But advocates for people with disabilities worry that the reduced bus service will limit their independence.