PAR — 2026-09-01
Original Increasing Equitable Access in Public Service: A Descriptive Study About Accessible Materials
Michelle Allgood
Abstract
ABSTRACT As the digital footprint of public service expands, the need for accessible materials for individuals with disabilities grows. Public servants must consider accessibility in the creation of all materials, from websites to PDFs to audio and visual media. However, research around accessible material creation in public service has been limited. This study uses data from a 2024 survey of MPA alumni from five universities to identify their familiarity with accessible material creation, including their awareness of their own organization's policies, processes, and training. The findings reveal that respondent awareness of their own organization's practices was correlated with higher familiarity in generating accessible materials. However, many respondents did not know about their organization's practices, identifying the need for increased dialogue about this essential element of social equity and inclusion. As such, suggestions for organizations to improve their practices around accessible material creation along with ideas for continued research are shared.
PA — 2026-04-07
Original Rethinking Reproductive Governance: What Can Public Administration on the Island of Ireland Learn From Abortion Accompaniment?
Anna Theresa Schmid
Abstract
ABSTRACT The recent decriminalization of abortion marked a crucial step toward improved reproductive care on the island of Ireland. However, this has not translated into fully accessible abortion provision—barriers, including inaccessible services, persist, leaving gaps that public administration has not formally addressed. In response, informal actors, particularly abortion accompaniers, may continue playing a critical role in enabling care. Drawing on asynchronous online discussions with 19 individuals who accompanied abortions over the past decade, this article examines how accompaniment operates not merely as individual support but as a structural necessity that illustrates alternative futures for abortion administration. The analysis demonstrates how accompaniment assumes a quasi‐administrative function, helping individuals navigate bureaucratic systems and compensating for shortcomings in formal provision. It also highlights how accompaniment embodies alternative models of care, rooted in demedicalization and reproductive justice. I outline key learnings for public administration: rethinking abortion governance as a system that centers on accessibility and dignity, learning from accompaniment to design community‐based services, and eliminating bureaucratic barriers to create more equitable abortion care. Current accompaniment practices are not simply a workaround for legal and medical failures but an indicator of systemic shortcomings—offering a blueprint for more accessible reproductive health care that truly serves the public.