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Pushing the Envelope Blog

Enabling Mail for People with Disabilities

Date: 08/01/22 | Category: Delivery & Collection

Did you know the U.S. Postal Service has a legally mandated program that allows blind or other physically handicapped people to send and receive certain types of mail at no charge? Established more than a century ago — well before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 — the program is known as Free Matter for the Blind.

What qualifies as Free Matter? Large-type (14-point or larger) documents, braille, audio recordings, and talking book players. When mailed domestically, Free Matter is to be treated as First-Class Mail, and packaging must remain unsealed so that USPS can inspect contents to ensure they’re eligible for postage-free mailing.

Congress recently asked us to review the Postal Service’s procedures for accepting, handling, and delivering Free Matter. We noted that USPS last updated its policy for Free Matter preparation in 2015, but we found that several Free Matter processes could be improved.

For instance, the Postal Service hasn’t implemented procedures for employees carrying out inspections to ensure contents are eligible. We also found that employees didn’t always know policies and procedures for accepting Free Matter, and Free Matter was sometimes processed as Parcel Post instead of First-Class Mail.

But as our audit report points out, things are indeed improving: Postal Service management agreed with two of our three recommendations and either proposed or already took actions that addressed our concerns in the third. For instance, USPS issued a nationwide alert to all retail units on the proper acceptance and mailing of Free Matter. Then, about two months later, management notified all processing operations about the importance of recognizing and properly handling Free Matter.

Have you or someone you know used this program? If so, please tell us about the experience.

Leave a Comment

Your Name
Nora Hutchison
May 29, 2023
Your Comment
Can you please tell ne what the policy is for last mile deliveries to apartment communities. My son is visually impaired and the local post office rarely delivers those packages which means he has to ride his bike 7 miles in city traffic the balance packages home. Itnis incredibly dangerous not to mention last mile should actually mean last mile. The USPS is paid by companied to do tha.
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Billy Reddick
May 26, 2023
Your Comment
How can a disabled person have their mail delivered on their side of the highway so that the disabled wont need to be in danger of crossing the highway to get their mail?
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Delanee Talley
May 19, 2023
Your Comment
Hi, I have Multiple Sclerosis and would love to have mail delivered to my home! Is this possible?
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sharon nichols
May 16, 2023
Your Comment
I have mobility handicap and although I have used every “alert” system the P.O. offers on line many packages, 15 + in last month alone have not been delivered. My local P.O. , Summerside tx, Never answers the published number. Packages “delivered” to my front door as requested per the P.O. system are not being delivered.
Your Name
Wendy Bell
Apr 20, 2023
Your Comment
The mail carrier said she has held our mail for a month and won't deliver it until we move our box a block over. Isn't that against the Law? They never told us about where to put our mail box in the first place.So the US mail has the right no
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Geraldine Pariseau
Apr 9, 2023
Your Comment
Items placed in my CLOSED mailbox are constantly being stolen. I have mobility issues and am 40% blind, fighting macular degeneration in two eyes. I had a box installed next to my door so I can access my mail, but the postal workers KEEP untiring and uncapping their closed box at the street, damaging the mailbox, leaving it open to thieving eyes and rain. I was TOLD that according to ADA I am entitled to the box nearest my door.
Your Name
Mary Golden
Apr 4, 2023
Your Comment
The La Mirada post office has removed the handicapped placard for the disabled. They no longer have a place to stand for help except the line waiting. I can not stand for long because my back is so bad. I get epidurals and nerve ablations. The epidurals are every 3 months and only last sometimes for 2 months . When that happens I can hardly walk much less stand for any length of time without pain. I found that to be true for the La Habra, CA post office. There was a line out the door and they would not take me until another person asked for a chair for me. Finally the employee waiting took me before the line. I thanked everyone or I would have had to leave the post office without my purchase of a roll of stamps and one sheet of flower stamps Why did they change their policy for the handicapped to be waited on asap?

Your Name
j mcdonnell
Apr 2, 2023
Your Comment
need helps with getting disably folks rights and U.S. constitution and amens in large type sent bo me to by mail mans. Have many problems. Thank you
Your Name
Mitchell pflueger
Mar 18, 2023
Your Comment
My grandmother lives in a small town in Oklahoma. She has multiple disabilities reducing her mobility. Her local post office denies her the ability to install a mailbox and have her mail delivery to her address. Till this day she still has to drive to the mailbox once a week to get her mail.
Your Name
Melissa Palladino
Mar 7, 2023
Your Comment
I have had many issues receiving my package deliveries. Instead of them delivering them they just place a missed delivery notice and leave. They do not knock or ring my bell. They just put down I was not home. I am homebound and I can not go pick up packages and they place a non-redelivery availability to my packages. I never receive a first delivery attempt. I have filed complaints, spoke to so many employees. Nobody helps.
  
Your Name
OIG Webmaster
Mar 8, 2023
Your Comment
Thank you for your message. If your issue has not yet been resolved by the USPS Office of Consumer Affairs, please file a complaint with our Hotline. You can access the online complaint form at https://www.uspsoig.gov/form/file-online-complaint. This will allow us to look into the matter for you.
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Twila jackson
Mar 3, 2023
Your Comment
I have a neighborhood cluster mailbox in my neighborhood. However I am handicapped. Can I have a mailbox installed on my house?
Your Name
Kathleen
Mar 1, 2023
Your Comment
Our street has requested mail service since to my knowledge the early 1970’s. Each time we get a different excuse. When the consumer affairs representative finally called me after months of letters and fax, Ms Mackey told me we would never receive street mail delivery. Her reasoning , gas and time. I have documented at least 17 streets that have been created since the 1970 that the postal service delivers mail in front of there homes. Our street is approximately 1/2 mile and 95% people over the age of 60. Yet, in December a new subdivision on our street but on the other side of the stop sign got mail service. I guess she found the gas and time. We have contacted local post master, consumer affairs and OIG. Nobody has given us a written response. Who’s next in the chain of command? Local congressional representatives, media, somebody else? Just a side note, I am disable along with several others on the street. All except 2 households on fixed incomes and struggling to pay increasing box rental.
Your Name
Mary A Spoo
Jan 20, 2023
Your Comment
I had polio as child now as a senior I only walk a few steps the apartment complex has outside mail boxes my mail is only gotten when a kind neighbor offer what can be done
Your Name
Mildred
Jan 18, 2023
Your Comment
Defense mail
Your Name
Maria Lockwood
Jan 17, 2023
Your Comment
I would like to get more info on what is eligible to people with muscular dystrophy disability. Free resources and assistance with postage prices or mail pick up with mobility issues. During covid
Your Name
Donna
Jan 16, 2023
Your Comment
What happens to the mail if a person is approved for the hardship delivery but is not home when the mail is delivered. Specifically, medication.
Your Name
Mrs. Domonic Daisee Robbinson
Jan 12, 2023
Your Comment
I do not have any problem with the post office. I love to go to the post office. I go at least once a week. I go because I have a post office box. I do not worry about a thing in the post office because of the post office police stationed inside of the post office with their watchful eyes guarding me. Thank you.!
Your Name
Alona Whalen
Jan 11, 2023
Your Comment
I live in an area where they only use P.O. boxes. I have to pay for my PO box. Our towns post Office burned down over a year ago. The Current Post Office is extremely far and I am disabled. I pay for a ride once a month. The Post Office is now returning my packages in 15 Days. I have looked and The Post Office web site it says that packages that are PO Box assigned and general delivery packages get a 30 day return time. Last month on Christmas Eve, they sent back my heating oil for my heater. For two months I have had to freeze at night. Because of my disability, this has made me bed ridden because the pain of the cold makes it impossible to move the next day. The Post office I have to use has said that it doesn't say 30 day hold. They say 15 days and for me to get more rides. If I'm paying for a PO Box, paying shipping and I have to be signed in to get my mail, it seems like they can see that I come once a month. It seems to me they are returning packages so they can be paid shipping twice. Having to re order it gets refunds I don't get the shipping credited. I have filed several complaints.
Your Name
Diana L Jenkins
Jan 3, 2023
Your Comment
My postal office refuses to deliver my packages because I complain because I keep having Ms packages I've had a carrier still a cell phone and then when I called she came back about 15 minutes later and threw it in my driveway and now they're using the excuse that the driver's been threatened on my road and so she can't deliver packages anymore I'm disabled I don't drive I don't have I don't leave my home because of my mental is illness and they know this and now they're using lies saying there's threats I don't go out of my house so nobody's threatening anybody I have video of Everything where they say they missed me couldn't deliver a package never even came in my driveway I have video of them leaving my stuff in the pouring rain when I have a porch instead of walking two steps to the porch they leave it in the morning rain I have videos of them just doing horrible stuff with my mail and I'm not the only one it's my whole Road and now they're making up lies so they don't have to deliver the mail something needs to be done in Haughton Louisiana nobody's doing anything to correct the issues they just blow it under the rug I still have six packages missing from 2021 that no one's ever answered for I paid for and never got back and now they're using the inspector said not to deliver packages anymore on this road so how am I supposed to get my packages in my mail my medicine comes in the mail so I guess I just won't get my medicine my mental disorder will just get worse so there's got to be somebody in this country that will actually do the job and check these postal employees they have all the abuse of power is what they got and their horrible to people they're rude they tell you they'll call you back they never call back you talk to the postmaster there she's never at work it's ridiculous somebody needs to do something about these people they are actually abusing their power and they close before they're supposed to all the time so I won't get my mail anymore so when I go off rails with my mental disorder because I'm bipolar and I need my medicine will be sure and make note that the post office is the reason why but nobody wants to do their job nobody I don't understand how they can just make up lies so they don't have to deliver your mail it's ridiculous and I'm home 24/7 they never try to knock on my door ever I've had them honk for 20 minutes in my yard and I go out there and I say aren't you supposed to come knock on the door and I'm called a white bi-t blank blank blank but they're not racist and nobody cares you call and report the stuff nothing gets done it's ridiculous when is someone going to take responsibility and do the job they're hired to do
  
Your Name
OIG Webmaster
Jan 17, 2023
Your Comment
Thank you for your comments. The OIG is an independent agency of the Postal Service and many of these issues fall outside of our jurisdiction. However, we do read all blog comments and pass on relevant information to our auditors and investigators. If you have not already done so, please try contacting your local Post Office. If you have already done that, try contacting USPS Customer Service, 1 (800) 275-8777, or to file an online complaint with Customer Service (and for frequently asked questions), go to the USPS Website and enter "Customer Service Help" in the search function.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Your Name
Kori Noste
Dec 26, 2022
Your Comment
My boyfriends mail is on hold at Clayton CA post office 94517 I can't get there I'm disabled and I might have a package there
Your Name
michael Boitnott
Dec 23, 2022
Your Comment
I too am a disabled Veteran with neuropathy from knees to toes and unable to walk to street, I have fallen twice. I went to my post office today to let them know I was putting a mailbox next to front door. I filled out the postal form for disabled people but that was almost a year ago. Never heard anything. Woman at counter said "If you walked in here then you could walk to street to get mail" After I picked my jaw up off the floor everyone inside this busy post office was shocked. I could not believe your personnel treat anyone like this. I will be advising everyone of this. I still will be putting mailbox next to front door.
Your Name
Shanna Patnode
Dec 5, 2022
Your Comment
I recently purchased a house in Coeur D'Alene, ID 83814. I am 32 and am disabled. I have requested that packages be delivered to my porch (I had a sign posted ion the mailbox.) as it is difficult for me to get into a car and be driven to the post box. My caregiver has had to go 3 times to pick up my packages. We do get some snow here. I have complex medical issues which makes it a hardship for me to get a driver to go to the post office. Do I have any recourse?
  
Your Name
OIG Webmaster
Jan 17, 2023
Your Comment
Thank you for your comments. The OIG is an independent agency of the Postal Service and many of these issues fall outside of our jurisdiction. However, we do read all blog comments and pass on relevant information to our auditors and investigators. If you have not already done so, please try contacting your local Post Office. If you have already done that, try contacting USPS Customer Service, 1 (800) 275-8777, or to file an online complaint with Customer Service (and for frequently asked questions), go to the USPS Website and enter "Customer Service Help" in the search function.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)