Please find below a listing of Access Services that will be offered at the APHA Meeting in San Francisco. This information can also be found in the Accessibility Guide. Each year APHA provides these services for our members with accessibility concerns.
APHA is committed to making the Annual Meeting accessible to the widest range of people possible. Please let us know of ways in which we can better address issues of accessibility in the future (access@apha.org).
Accessibility Booth
Accessibility Guidelines for Oral Presentations
Accessibility Housing
Accessibility Policy
Accessible Transportation (including walking directions)
American Sign Language Interpreters (ASL)
APHA Disability Section
Assistive Listening Devices
Chemical Sensitivity
Chronic Pain
Convention Center
First Aid Station
Information Booth
Lactation Room
Meeting Room Setup
Scientific Program and Abstracts
Visual Impairment
Accessibility Booth
An Accessibility booth will be set up in the registration area of the Moscone Center. APHA continues to provide this service to address the concerns of registrants with accessibility needs. Stop by to find out how to navigate between APHA properties, arrange for the use of assistive listening devices, get information about the complimentary shuttle bus service, request accessible van pick up, and get answers to any additional questions.
The Accessibility Booth is also the place to pick up hard copies of the Access Guide and to register any concerns or ask for assistance. The booth is staffed during registration hours.
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Accessibility Guidelines for PowerPoint Presentations
The APHA Disability Section’s Accessibility Committee has developed Guidelines for Accessible PowerPoint Presentations (PDF) as well as a PowerPoint Template (PPT) for creating accessible presentations. Also see general guidelines regarding PowerPoint presentations.
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Accessibility Policy
It is the policy of APHA to hold events (meetings, conferences and professional gatherings) where physical and communication barriers do not exclude people with disabilities from attending and participating. Anyone requiring special assistance in order to participate in the APHA Annual Meeting is asked to check the appropriate box on the registration form and attach a written description of requirements. Specific requests can also be made directly to access@apha.org. Please be sure to communicate any special housing accommodations required to APHA Housing Services. NOTE: All ADA rooms are guaranteed.
Commitment to All Attendees
The American Public Health Association is committed to making the Annual Meeting accessible for the widest range of people possible. An Accessibility Guide is developed each year and will be available in June to provide city-specific information about accessibility at the APHA Annual Meeting (including information about transportation, housing, accessible tourist information, access services, equipment rental, etc.). Requests for a hard copy can be directed to access@apha.org.
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Chemical Sensitivity
The APHA Annual Meeting is a smoke-free event. Smoking is not permitted in any of the meeting rooms used for scientific sessions, business meetings or APHA sponsored social events. In addition, the Convention Center is a smoke-free building. Be aware however, that some hotels do allow smoking in some public areas. Specific requests will be made to the hotels that chemicals not be used on the meeting room carpeting within 4 days of the commencement of our meeting and that only unscented products be used in guest rooms. In addition, APHA requests that its meeting attendees refrain from the use of perfumes, hair sprays and other chemicals, for the comfort and health of all registrants.
APHA's official decorator, GES, installs new carpeting just before the Public Health Expo opens. This carpeting is made from 25% post industrial recycled fiber, is 100% recyclable, is classified as low voc (volatile organic compound), and should not pose a problem for people with chemical sensitivity.
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Chronic Pain
APHA members with disabilities (including chronic pain) have indicated that in crowded locations and at other times at APHA they experience perhaps unintended pushing or well-intended taps that have caused pain or have caused them to lose their balance. Please be aware of this and be considerate of all registrants.
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Convention Center
The Moscone Center is a state-of-the-art facility, fully accessible to wheelchair users. Meeting rooms, exhibit halls and public areas are all accessible and served by conveniently located elevators and escalators. Telephones, drinking fountains and restrooms located throughout the facility are also wheelchair accessible.
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First Aid Station
A First Aid Station will be staffed at the Moscone Convention Center during annual meeting hours. If you feel ill or need a place to lie down go to the First Aid Station. In case of a medical emergency in the Convention Center, please dial 511 from any house phone.
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Information Booth
APHA information desks will be set up at the APHA meeting hotel, as well as Moscone South and West. These desks will be staffed by temporary staff that are knowledgeable about the hotel/convention center properties. They will also be able to provide information about session locations, the APHA program, the shuttle schedules, accessibility information, etc. Registrants who need to request a wheelchair accessible pick up can use the information desk phone to do so.
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Lactation Room
In response to members requests, a breastfeeding room will be designated at the Moscone Center and the meeting hotels to enable new mothers to nurse or pump in a comfortable and private area.
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Meeting Room Setup
Specific requests will be made to the APHA Meeting Hotel and the Moscone Center regarding adequate aisle space and cutouts for wheel chair users in all meeting rooms. Please note the standard head table set up provides a podium and podium microphone.
If you are presenting a paper, and require a tabletop or lavaliere microphone, please notify APHA in writing at least 3 weeks in advance of the meeting. Every effort will be made to set meeting rooms to accommodate people with disabilities both as speakers and in the audience. Please contact us at access@apha.org with any accessibility requests.