Accessibility Statement

Effective date: September 17, 2026  ·  Last reviewed: September 17, 2026  ·  Version: 1.0

1. Commitment

I am committed to making this website accessible to people with disabilities. Mental-health information should be usable by everyone, and I treat accessibility as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time checklist. The site is reviewed against current standards, and your feedback is welcome whenever something falls short.

2. Standard

This website is built to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA. Those guidelines are also the reference for the Americans with Disabilities Act as applied to websites.

Conformance status: the site is partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Partially conformant means most of the site meets the standard, with the known exceptions listed in Section 4 and some third-party content I do not control (Section 5).

3. Accessibility Features

The following are built into this website:

3.1 Structure and navigation

• Skip-to-main-content link at the top of every page for keyboard and screen-reader users.
• Semantic HTML landmarks: every page uses <header>, <nav>, <main>, and <footer> so assistive technology can orient.
• Logical heading order: one <h1> per page followed by properly nested <h2> and <h3> sections.
• Consistent navigation in the same place and order on every page.
• lang="en" on the document so screen readers use the right pronunciation.

3.2 Keyboard, focus, and input

• Full keyboard operation: links, buttons, form fields, the menu toggle, FAQ accordions, and the "scroll to top" control can all be reached and used with a keyboard alone.
• Visible focus: a clear :focus-visible outline shows where keyboard focus is, and focused elements are not hidden behind the sticky header (WCAG 2.2 criterion 2.4.11, Focus Not Obscured).
• Tab order that matches the visual reading order.
• Target size: interactive controls are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels (criterion 2.5.8), and most meet the 44 by 44 pixel comfort size on touch screens.
• No drag-only actions and no motion-based controls.

3.3 Text, color, and layout

• Color contrast: body text, links, and meaningful interface elements meet at least 4.5:1 against their backgrounds; large text meets 3:1.
• Not color alone: links, required fields, errors, and state changes are conveyed with text, shape, or icons as well as color.
• Responsive, zoomable layout that reflows on small screens and stays usable at 200% text size; the viewport allows user scaling.
• Readable type: body text is at least 16 pixels with generous line height and paragraph spacing.
• Print styles so pages read cleanly on paper.

3.4 Images, media, and motion

• Alt text on informative images; decorative images carry an empty alt="" so they are skipped by screen readers.
• Reduced motion: scroll animations and transitions are switched off when your system has prefers-reduced-motion: reduce enabled.
• No auto-playing audio or video and no flashing content.

3.5 Forms and dynamic components

• Labels on every contact-form field, plus autocomplete hints so browser autofill works.
• Required-field markers shown visually and set with the required attribute.
• Inline error messages announced through an ARIA live region, and no requirement to re-enter information you have already given in the same form (criterion 3.3.7).
• ARIA states on the menu toggle (aria-expanded, aria-controls), the FAQ accordions, and the form status message (aria-live).
• No cookie banner or modal: the site sets no cookies, so nothing interrupts the page or traps focus.

3.6 Crisis information

• Crisis resources (988 and 911) appear in plain text in the footer of every page and on the Contact and Resources pages, so someone in distress can find them without working through the interface.

4. Known Limitations

Despite the above, some content is not yet fully accessible:

• The Notice of Privacy Practices PDF is a scanned document without a text layer, so screen readers cannot read it and its text cannot be searched or resized. A text version is available on request: email or call using the details in Section 7 and I will send it, read it to you over the phone, or provide it in another format that works for you.
• The Alma booking page is a third-party website. Its accessibility depends on Alma, not on me. If you cannot complete booking there, contact me directly and I will schedule you by phone or email.
• Psychology Today profiles and other linked resources are external sites whose accessibility I do not control.

If you find an issue that is not listed here, please tell me. This list stays honest only with your feedback.

5. Third-Party Content

This site relies on a small number of outside services, listed in the Privacy Policy. I choose vendors that support accessibility where I can, but I do not control the internals of:

• Alma's booking interface, linked from the "Book a Session" buttons.
• Psychology Today's profile pages.
• The organizations linked from the Resources page.

If you hit a barrier in any of these, contact me and I will help you get the information or book a session another way.

6. How This Site Was Assessed

Accessibility has been self-assessed using:

• Keyboard-only testing across the site (tab order, focus visibility, skip link, Escape behavior in the menu).
• Screen-reader checks with NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on macOS on the main pages and the contact form.
• Automated tools including axe DevTools, the Lighthouse accessibility audit, and WAVE, run on each public page.
• Manual contrast checks of every text and background combination in the color palette.
• Zoom and responsive testing at 200% zoom and common mobile widths.
• Review against the WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria, with the exceptions recorded in Section 4.

No formal third-party audit has been performed yet.

7. Feedback and Alternative Contact

Your feedback on the accessibility of this website is welcome. If you encounter a barrier, need information in another format, or want to book a session through a channel other than the website, reach out and I will help.

Email: thomasjoneslcsw@gmail.com
Phone (voice): (775) 990-9846

When you write about an accessibility issue, it helps (but is not required) to include the page address, a short description of the problem, the assistive technology or browser you were using, and the best way to reach you.

8. Response Commitment

I aim to acknowledge accessibility feedback within 7 business days and to resolve reported issues within 30 days, or sooner when possible. If a fix depends on a third party and will take longer, I will tell you, keep you informed, and offer another way to get the information or service in the meantime.

9. Ongoing Improvement

This statement and the site are reviewed at least once a year and whenever a significant feature is added. New pages and components are designed to be accessible from the start rather than fixed afterward.

10. Updates to This Statement

When this statement changes to reflect new features, new testing, or updated standards, the "Last reviewed" date and version number at the top of the page will be revised.