Materials and Information for Advocacy
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. P&As and CAPs work to improve the lives of people with disabilities by guarding against abuse; advocating for basic rights; and ensuring accountability in health care, education, employment, housing, transportation, and within the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
A component of the Disability Integration Project at the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, they brought the landmark Olmstead v. L.C. case on behalf of two women with mental illness and developmental disabilities from Georgia. Now offers self-help kits for individuals with developmental disabilities as well as their allies; there are also legal and educational advocacy tools.
Includes a Legislative Toolkit with an overview of the budget process and the legislative calendar, a template for writing to your representatives, and other useful information.
DLC is the federally mandated protection and advocacy (P&A) system in Massachusetts; mostly funded by the federal government, they offer legal advocacy and representation for individuals with disabilities along with investigations into abuses of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.