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HEAL's Links provide a gateway to environment and health information on the World Wide Web.
HEALinks: Disability Information Services
Cover all bases
The web is a valuable source of information for people with disabilities. It is not the only source, however. We remind you to utilize all the resources available to you in your local community, and in your state, as well as those available on the web. A nearby Independent Living Center may be an excellent information resource on disability related services at all levels. Local chapters of organizations dedicated to disabling conditions may also be very helpful, even if their concern is with a disability other than the one that concerns you.

Disability resources on the world wide web

There is a wealth of information about disability available on the world wide web. This links page provides a few important links to essential sources of information. However, there are many, many more. We suggest that visitors to this HEALinks page read the Job Accommodation Network's advice on using the world wide web to search for information about disabilities and related issues.
It has been our experience that disability-related websites may move, change addresses, become quickly outdated, or disappear altogether. Users who find a particularly useful information source are advised to revisit the site frequently to make sure it's still there, and to update their bookmarks accordingly. Remember that documents posted on the web can be downloaded. This is a good way to insure that a document you wish to refer to later will be available.

The following links are likely to be useful those pursuing Social Security Disability , as well as to those seeking access or accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Social Security Disability

Newly disabled people and their families should be aware that obtaining Social Security Disability can be a lengthy process, taking years for some applicants. Those currently receiving SSDI should be aware that their cases may be reviewed periodically, and that their benefits may be withdrawn.
Basic information for applicants
Social Security Handbook online
Social Security Disability Determination: How Social Security determines that applicants are eligible for Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability: Determination-- the role of health professionals and school officials in determining disability. What Social Security tells doctors and school officials about assessing disability status.
Social Security Disability: Determination. State by state directory of Professional Relations Officers
Social Security Publications of Interest to Health Professionals-- read what doctors read about disabilities.
Social Security Disability Determination-- A fact sheet on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Of interest to those with other controversial health conditions.

Disability Law

Make sure that you understand which disability related law applies to your situation. The Department of Justice provides an overview: Consumers Guide to Disability Law
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) contains provisions that apply to the workplace, to government services, and to places of public accommodation (hotels, stores, etc.) as well as to transportation providers. Though comprehensive, ADA is not an all-purpose statute. The Department of Justice maintains a great deal of ADA information on-line. Go to the Department of Justice ADA homepage.
For details about ADA, see ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance Materials
Link to disability information services in your state at ADA Technical Assistance

Special topics

Text version of ADA and the Health Professional. Click here for graphic version.
ADA Guide for Small Towns
The Job Accommodation Network provides excellent information about a variety of disabilities and how they may be accommodated on the job. Note that some of the same things that work for employees and employers may also work for those seeking access under a variety of disability laws. Job Accommodation Network Homepage
Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Accommodating Workers with Visual and Hearing Disabilities here
Employment and Training Administration., U.S. Department of Labor
More on employment and disabilities from disAbility On-Line
From EEOC: Information about Supreme Court decisions addressing definitions of 'disability' and 'qualified'
Other websites of interest
Disability information from the Institute for Community Inclusion
Families of children with disabilities
Information about education issues and children with health conditions affected by environmental exposure is available from Healthy Schools Network, Inc.
Legal perspectives on disabilities-- see American Bar Association: Disability Page

HEALinks: Environmental Health and Science on the web

Your state of health affects how you respond to environmental exposures, and environmental exposures can affect your health. Understanding your environment -- and your exposures -- can help you protect your health, and the health of your family.
There are many sources of information on environment and health on the web. The selection below can help you sort out your concerns, and pursue them in an orderly fashion. Remember that websites can change addresses, and documents can vanish from the web. If you find a site particularly useful, add it to your list of favorite sites and visit it often. Particularly useful documents may be downloadable, so that you can keep your own copy for future reference.
Back to the HEAL homepage

Let's get personal: your environment and your health
Where you live
The air you breathe
Indoor air quality
The water you drink
The food you eat
The pesticides in your life
Your kids and the environment
Let's get healthy: health and medicine on the web
Information for consumers-- some basic sources
Environment and healthcare on the web
Environment and health: basic science
Let's get technical: the on-line reference shelf
Databases
Useful publications on-line
Useful sets of links
For workers and their doctors
HEALinks Environment and health special topic: MCS

Let's get personal: your environment and your health
Where you live:
How does Environmental Defense rate environmental quality in your hometown? Find out here.
Concerned about local industrial pollution? Check out EPA's Toxic Release Inventory
The air you breathe
EPA, MIT, Caltech, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology present air pollution information at Center for Airborne Organics
Allergy and asthma information from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: Something in the Air
Many consumer information sources are at the American Lung Association
Indoor air quality: You spend 90% of your time indoors. What are you breathing?
From the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: The Allergy Report
From the Institute of Medicine: Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures
Information about Consumer products and IAQ
EPA's Indoor Air Quality Home Page
EPA's The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
Use and Care of Home Humidifiers
Indoor Air Facts - Residential Air Cleaners
EPA's position on ozone generators
From Health Canada:
questions and answers about ozone generators
a warning about ozone generators and a list of ozone generators, manufacturers and other information
From EPA: Indoor Air Pollution-- An Introduction for Health Professionals
From EPA: An Office Building Occupant's Guide to Indoor Air Quality
From Health Canada: Indoor Air Quality in Office Buildings (.pdf file)
EPA's Building Air Quality Action Plan
Special topic: Mold indoors

The water you drink
EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water homepage.
How's your water quality? Surf your watershed with EPA
From EPA: municipal, county and state drinking water reports
From the American Water Works Association, more local water quality reports.
From EPA: browse for information about air, soil and water pollutants
Bad bugs: E.coli 0157H77 contamination in drinking water
From the National Sanitation Foundation:
Information about water filters and bottled water.
Consumer information about drinking water from the Water Quality Association

The food you eat:
Gateway to US federal food safety program information here
Find out about pesticide residues in your food from the Consumers Union project on the Food Quality Protection Act 1996
Information about food allergies and sensitivities from The Food Allergy Network

The pesticides in your life:
Concerned about pesticides? Start here
More on pesticides here
HEAL exclusive: How to report a pesticide exposure incident to EPA here

Your kids and the environment:
The ABC's of Safe and Healthy Child Care, from CDC
Consumers Union Report 2000:Update-- Pesticides in Children's Foods (.pdf)
Kids got head lice? Don't panic-- instead, go here
Environmental quality in your kid's school: EPA’s Tools for Schools (December 2000) can be downloaded here.
Resources for parents of allergic, asthmatic, sensitive or chronically ill children: Healthy Schools Network, Inc.
NOTE: Many print-only documents on all these topics are available from HEAL. Order the HEAL Service List for details

Let's get healthy: health and medicine on the web
Information for consumers — some basic sources
HealthFinder, the US government health links gateway
More consumer health information from NIH
Search for information at Health on the Net
Environment and healthcare on the web
Special topic: Dentistry links
Special topic: Latex links
American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology here
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology here
Interested in specialized health care? Consult a directory of US medical specialties here
A list of occupational and environmental medicine clinics
Looking for a medical expert? Try consulting a list of US medical schools here
Interested in Occupational and Environmental Medicine? Visit these links at Duke University

Environment and health: basic science:
What's the federal government doing about environment and health? Find out at
National Center for Environmental Health Sciences here
More from NIEHS--Environmental health information clearinghouse here
Search for information at EPA here
Medical news mavens can read all about it at Medscape
Emory University has information on a wide variety of medical problems at MedWeb
Curious about an environmental health problem or issue? Check out the Nelson Institute at NYU here.
Many print-only documents on all these topics are available from HEAL - order the Service List for details.

Let's get technical: the on-line reference shelf
Databases
Search the National Library of Medicine with PubMed
A large database of articles and other information on pesticides: PESTIS
Toxic substances database: EXTOXNET
Hazardous Substances and Health Effects Database from ATSDR here
Easy to read information about chemicals: ATSDR's ToxFaqs
Useful publications on-line
From the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: The Allergy Report
National Academy Press: on-line and print only books on a variety of health and environment topics here
From the Institute of Medicine: Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures
Martindale's Reference Desk-- many medical and health topics here
Chemistry encyclopedia from the American Chemical Society here
FAQs about health science journals on the web from McGill University
Science journals on-line from ChemPort
Health sciences journal list at Emory University’s MedWeb
Search the Physician's Desk Reference here
Information about solvents from the National Center for Materials Science here
You can read the product label but you don't know what it means. Look up the ingredients in Material Safety Data Sheets from Vermont SIRI here.
Also try the Seton Resource Center MSDS database
A guide to reading and using MSDS is here

Useful sets of links
FDA's Chemistry Resources here
Biomedical Information Resources from the Karolinska Institute here
Numerous and useful occupational and environmental health links from Hardin MD
Browse EPA’s topic index (air, soil, water and more) here.
NOTE: Many print-only documents on all these topics are available from HEAL - order the Service List for details.

For workers and their doctors
Material Safety Data Sheet database from Vermont SIRI
Seton Resource Center MSDS database
Information about pesticides, their health effects and more is available from the National Pesticide Information Center
The 1999 edition of EPA's Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings here
PESTIS -- a large database of articles and other information on pesticides here
Association of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinics
A list of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinics
Environmental Safety and Health links from Lawrence Livermore National Lab here
Research on exposures and health from the Health Effects Institute
A directory of occupational health and safety Internet resources from Canada
Health safety and environment links on the web
NOTE: Many print-only documents on all these topics are available from HEAL - order the Service List for details.

HEALinks Environment and health special topic: MCS
Interagency Predecisional Draft Report on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) August 1998 here
See the HEAL Governing Board's comment on the report here

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Disability resources on the world wide web

Social Security Disability

Disability Law

Special topics

More from HEAL on disability and related topics

HEALinks: Environmental Health and Science on the web