July is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Awareness Month and also the 20th anniversary of the signing into law of ADA. Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990, ADA established a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability. It was signed into law July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush.

Even as we celebrate the anniversary of the ADA, Oregonians with disabilities who count on state services to help them live independently are facing new challenges. The economic crisis has meant that there are fewer state resources to pay for these services.