DRC Priorities for Fiscal Year 2008

1. Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation - disability rights advocacy, including monitoring and investigations, for individuals who are at risk of, or have experienced abuse, neglect or exploitation.

   • Monitor community settings and public and private facilities and investigate cases of suspicious deaths and claims of abuse, neglect, unlawful commitment, physical or chemical restraint, and violations of rights. [PAIMI, PADD, PAIR, PATBI]

2. Community Services & Health Care - disability rights advocacy for consumer access to community-based services (Medicaid, Medicare, mental health services, long-term care, transportation, and home and community based services).

   • Provide representation to consumers who live in the community and are denied access to state or local community based services. [PADD, PAIR, PAIMI, PATBI]

3. Accessibility - disability rights advocacy to remove barriers that prevent access to state/local government services and places of public accommodation.

   • Provide representation and technical assistance to callers alleging that architectural barriers prevent them from having equal access to government services. [PAIR, PAAT]
   • Provide representation and technical assistance to callers alleging that architectural barriers prevent them from having equal access to businesses. [PAIR]
   • Conduct ADA polling site access surveys between 1/29/08 and 2/4/08 - the early voting for the Presidential preferential primary election. [HAVA]
   • Conduct ADA polling site access surveys on 2/5/08 - the Presidential preferential primary election. [HAVA]
   • Provide technical assistance to people with disabilities in filing complaints and representation in any hearing regarding the complaints. [HAVA]
   • Distribute DRC/Secretary of State produced Help American Vote Act DVDs during voters' rights trainings. [HAVA]

4. Fair Housing - disability rights advocacy for individuals whose rights under the Fair Housing Amendments Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Rehabilitation Act have been violated.

   • Represent people with disabilities regarding problems with architectural barriers. [PAIR, PAAT]
   • Represent people with disabilities regarding failure to accommodate their disability. [PAIR]
   • Represent people with disabilities regarding rental denial and/or eviction. [PAIMI, PAIR]
   • Represent people with disabilities regarding problems with subsidized/Section 8 housing. [PAIR]

5. Assistive Technology - disability rights advocacy for individuals to acquire or maintain devices or services that empower them to be successful in employment, education, community life and independent living.

   • Represent adults with disabilities who have been unable to receive needed AT devices or AT services and benefit from community living. [PAAT]
   • Represent students with disabilities in the public school system receiving special education services that have been denied appropriate evaluations or services in the area of assistive technology. [PAAT]

6. Employment - disability rights advocacy for beneficiaries of SSDI or recipients of SSI who are experiencing barriers to employment and for people with disabilities who have a right to services under the federal Rehabilitation Act.

   • Represent Vocational Rehabilitation consumers to ensure that they receive information and advice regarding obtaining vocational rehabilitation and employment services or other services that a beneficiary with a disability may need to secure, maintain, or regain gainful employment. [PABSS, CAP]
   • Identify and correct any identified deficiencies by entities providing services related to employment networks and other concerns related to the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program. [PABSS]
   • Represent consumers with transition issues from high school to higher education or job placement. [CAP, PABSS]
   • Investigate and review complaints by SSDI and/or SSI beneficiaries and take appropriate action to remedy the complaint. [PABSS]
   • Assist beneficiaries in identifying issues and obstacles to their return to work effort. [PABSS]
   • Assist beneficiaries with disabilities in disputes before SSA. [PABSS]
   • Attend transition conferences. [CAP]
   • Attend transition summit in FY 08. [CAP]
   • Distribute the new CAP brochures to high school Special Ed counselors. [CAP]
   • Represent FMLA eligible people with disabilities who have been denied FMLA leave by their employer. [PAIMI]

7. Special Education - disability rights advocacy for students with disabilities to enforce and protect their rights to special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Section 504 through individual advocacy, state complaints, due process and collaboration with other special education advocacy organizations.

   • Investigate claims of denial of access to a continuum of placement options regarding suspension and expulsion which result in a change of placement due to disability-related behaviors. [PADD, PAIMI, PAIR, PATBI]
   • Represent students with disabilities who are placed inappropriately into alternative learning environments. [PADD, PAIMI, PAIR]