News Release

DRAFT Communication Plan

Date: July 15, 2024
Contact: Tiffany Powers

DRAFT Communication Plan: Chiricahua National Monument Draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP)

Introduction
Chiricahua National Monument has prepared a Draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP) to document the assessment of the park’s facilities, services, and programs, as well as current policies and practices, and identify actions to correct in-park accessibility barriers. The SETP is intended to help the park improve accessibility for park visitors and to meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service Programs and Services.

Goals of the Chiricahua National Monument SETP include:
• Create a welcoming environment by increasing the ability of the National Park Service to serve visitors and staff with disabilities.
• Ensure that new facilities and programs are inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.
• Identify a strategy to upgrade existing facilities, programs, and services to be accessible to people with disabilities with a focus on investments to provide accessibility to key visitor experiences within the park.

Chiricahua National Monument has prepared a Draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP) to document existing in-park barriers to accessibility for people with disabilities and to identify a strategy to improve access to key visitor experiences within the park.

• Chiricahua National Monument offers recreational and educational opportunities in a wide range of scenic settings, including unique rock formations, high-desert forest, and a span of use through Human History perspectives, all in a relatively compact area that is within reach of both rural and urban population centers. It is a goal of the National Park Service to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for visitors of all abilities to experience, understand, and help care for Chiricahua National Monument.

• The Draft SETP includes a proposed strategy for accessibility that documents existing barriers, provides recommendations for improving access, identifies responsible parties for taking action, and proposed timeframes to implement changes. This includes improvements to the park’s built environment (buildings, picnic areas, etc.) and programs and services (ranger programs, interpretive and wayfinding materials).

Target Audiences
Communication products for the Chiricahua Accessibility SETP will be prepared to reach the following audiences and constituencies:
▪ Organizations with interest in improving accessibility to people with disabilities
▪ Park staff, volunteers, and partners
▪ General public
▪ Tribes
▪ Park visitors (physical and online)
▪ Concessioners and commercial operators
▪ Gateway businesses
▪ Tourism groups
▪ Congressional delegation staff

Actions identified in the Draft SETP include those that would be carried out in the following timeframes:
Immediate (0–1 years): Improvements that are easy, quick, and inexpensive to fix internally. It does not require supplemental NPS project funding.
Short-term (1–3 years): If the improvement does not require supplemental NPS project funding, park staff will initiate the elimination of the barrier internally; or, if a project is currently scheduled for funding, the improvement will be incorporated into the project and the barrier eliminated.
Mid-term (3–7 years): The park will develop a proposal and submit it for those projects requiring supplemental NPS project funding in the next annual service-wide budget call. Improvements will be scheduled dependent on the year funding is received. If the improvement does not require supplemental NPS project funding, park staff will continue the elimination of the barrier internally.
Long-term (>7 years): The park will eliminate the barrier when other work is taking place as part of facility alterations or as a component of a future planned construction project.

Public and civic engagement is an important part of Chiricahua's planning process. The park is hosting a public comment period August 01 - August 30, 2024 via the National Park Service's Public Comment site (PEPC). PEPC 122523 (nps.gov), the public comment link, will be posted on the www.nps/chir website on August 01.

Please reply via comment on proposed Draft; ParkPlanning - Chiricahua Nat'l Monument Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP) (nps.gov)

All replies must be received through the PEPC Comment or postal mail by August 30, 2024.

For those without internet access, comments may be submitted through postal mail:
Chiricahua National Monument
Attn: Tiffany Powers
12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd
Willcox, AZ 85643

For more information about Chiricahua National Monument, visit www.nps.gov/chir. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.