Building a Washington County Where Everyone Can Access, Participate and Thrive
Washington County’s Office of Access & Opportunity works to help ensure County programs, services, information and opportunities are accessible and available to the people we serve.
Our work brings together civil rights and accessibility, community engagement, and access and opportunity practices to help remove barriers, strengthen public trust and improve how Washington County serves its communities.
Whether you need information in another language, have an accessibility need, want to participate in County decision-making, have a civil rights concern, or simply want to learn more about our work, the Office of Access & Opportunity is here to help connect you with the right resources.
What Does Access & Opportunity Mean?
Access means identifying and removing barriers so people can reach, understand and use County programs, services, spaces and information.
Opportunity means creating fair and meaningful opportunities for people to participate and thrive — including through County services, employment, contracting and community engagement.
Together, access and opportunity help Washington County build systems that work for the communities we serve.
How We Support Our Community
The Office of Access & Opportunity works to make Washington County programs, services, information and opportunities easier for everyone to access and participate in.
Our work focuses on three areas:
Civil Rights, Accessibility & Language Access
We help make sure people can access County programs, services and information and are treated fairly.
Our work includes:
- Civil Rights — Helping protect people’s civil rights when they interact with County programs and services, including addressing concerns about discrimination.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility — Helping make County programs, services, meetings, facilities and information accessible to people with disabilities.
- Accommodations — Helping people request reasonable modifications, accessible formats and other disability-related support they may need to participate in or access County services.
- Language Access — Helping people access County information and services in the language they understand, including interpretation and translated information.
Need help? You can contact us if you have a question, need assistance accessing a County program or service, or want to raise a civil rights or accessibility concern.
Community Engagement & Participation
We help create meaningful ways for community members to connect with Washington County, share their experiences and have a voice in decisions that affect them.
Our work includes:
- Creating opportunities for people to share ideas, experiences and feedback
- Supporting community meetings, listening sessions and other ways to participate
- Helping reduce barriers that may make it harder for people to participate
- Connecting with communities that have not always had meaningful opportunities to engage with County government
- Supporting advisory boards, community groups and other opportunities for public participation
- Helping County departments plan engagement that is accessible and meaningful
Our goal is to make it easier for people to learn what is happening, participate in ways that work for them and understand how their input is used.
Access & Opportunity
We work across Washington County to identify and remove barriers that can make it harder for people to access services, information and opportunities.
Our work includes:
- Looking at County policies and practices to identify barriers
- Helping make public information easier to understand and use
- Using data and community experiences to understand where improvements are needed
- Supporting fair access to County opportunities, including contracting and procurement
- Helping County departments improve how they serve and communicate with the public
- Developing tools and practices that help make access and opportunity part of everyday County government
Simply put: We work to make sure people can access County government, understand what is available, participate in decisions, receive the support they need and have a fair opportunity to benefit from County services and opportunities.
Our Mission
The Office of Access & Opportunity exists to cultivate change and build capacity to improve access, experiences and outcomes throughout the County to ensure a thriving community.
Our Vision
Washington County is a place where all community members thrive, regardless of their life experiences.
Our Values
- Continuous Improvement: We learn, evaluate and improve how we serve our communities.
- Collaborative Partnerships: We work alongside community members, organizations, County departments and other partners.
- Public Trust: We strive to be transparent, accountable and responsive in our work.
- Community Fairness: We work to identify and address barriers that affect people’s ability to access County programs, services and opportunities.
Our Story
Washington County has continued to strengthen its approach to access, civil rights and community participation.
In 2020, the County adopted the Equity Resolution, affirming its responsibility to address systemic barriers and inequities within County services and operations.
Building on that foundation, the County established the Office of Access & Opportunity to create a durable approach to improving access and outcomes while strengthening accountability across County government.
Today, the Office of Access & Opportunity brings together work related to civil rights compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, language access, community engagement, and broader access and opportunity efforts.
This evolution reflects both continuity and growth: honoring the County’s previous commitments while building systems that can be measured, improved and sustained over time.
Need Help Finding the Right Place?
County government can be complex. You do not need to know which office or program handles your question before contacting us.
If your question relates to accessibility, civil rights, language access, community participation or the Office of Access & Opportunity, please connect with us. If another County team is better positioned to assist you, we can help connect you.
Contact the Office of Access & Opportunity
General Questions: [email protected]
Civil Rights & ADA Questions: [email protected]
Community Engagement Opportunities: [email protected]