News about us (See agency events also)
April 2013
- LA County developing a voting system for the digital age, 89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio, 4/4/13
March 2013
- State lawmakers briefed on a different kind of fiscal cliff, California Bar Journal, 3/13
- Deal will avoid deep cuts in home care for elderly, disabled, Los Angeles Times, 3/19/13
February 2013
- Article quotes DRC attorney about difficulties in finding housing using Section 8 income, San Diego City Beat, 2/27/13
January 2013
- Forced mental health services drive people away: DRC article published, Sacramento Bee, 1/27/13
- Sacbee cites DRC advocate about foster child's difficulty in obtaining disability services, Sacramento Bee, 1/28/13
- New state law expands reporting of elder abuse, Napa Valley Register, 1/9/13
December 2012
- California senator seeks investigations of abuse of disabled people, Los Angeles Times, 12/19/12
- Developmentally Disabled Victims of Sex Crimes To Be Protected By New Pavley Bill, KHTS-AM-1220, 12/19/12
- California home for developmentally disabled faces abuse inquiry, Reuters, 12/15/12
- Calif. threatens to shut down Sonoma disability center amid patient abuse, News10, 12/13/12
- Sonoma Center Facing State Sanctions, California Healthline, 12/14/12
- Police Ignored, Mishandled Sexual Assaults Reported by Disabled, The California Report, 12/3/12
- Lawsuits upholding rights of prisoners with disabilities
- At-Home Nursing Services Rules Challenged
- Twenty one year old with muscular dystrophy in danger of being forced into a medical facility: DRC files lawsuit
October 2012
- San Francisco school official targets special education to cut costs: DRC attorney quoted
- Tragic result of out -of -service elevators in LA metro station: DRC attorney emphasizes why we need more focus on accessibility of system
- Western Center for Law and Poverty celebrates Dara Schur as its Advocate of the Year, Dara Schur, Litigation Director for Disability Rights California, was recognized on October 3 for her many achievements in protecting and expanding housing opportunities for Californians with disabilities, and for her extraordinary mentoring and training of the next generation of legal service lawyers. As noted by the Western Center during its celebration of social justice work since 1967, Dara's efforts have resulted in accessible, affordable housing and kept many people with disabilities from losing their homes
- California Bar Association selects social change leader Melinda Bird for prestigious lifetime achievement award
- Brown Signs Bills on Developmental Center Abuse, NBC News, 10/1/12
September 2012
- County lifts mental health load from hospitals - New unit will relieve ERs of hundreds of low-income patients each year, Sacramento Business Journal, 9/28/12
- Disability Rights California advocate interviewed about abuse of man with autism in San Diego and importance of screening caregivers, CBS8.com, 9/21/12
- Brown Signs Bill Targeting Disability Access Lawsuits, Metropolitan News-Enterprise, 9/20/12
- New law ends disability suit shakedowns, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/19/12
- Release of uncensored developmental center citations ordered, California Watch, 9/19/12
- Jerry Brown signs bill targeting abuses of disability access law, Sacramento Bee, 9/19/12
- ABC News San Francisco interviews DRC investigator in its story about pervasive, systemic problems at Sonoma Developmental Center - On August 23, California Watch released details from the annual review of the Sonoma Developmental Center, revealing numerous problems including abuse, neglect and lack of safety seriously affecting the quality of care for the 531 residents with developmental disabilities. Leslie Morrison, head of DRC investigations, was among those interviewed about the dismaying findings. Watch the ABC7 news video here and read our press release here.
- State fights disabled access 'shakedowns', SFGate.com, 9/8/12
- Family of Down syndrome teen faults second airline, Fresno Bee, 9/6/12
August 2012
- Sacramento Bee reports on statewide plans to challenge increase of disabled parking placards: DRC advocate Deborah Doctor, Sac Bee, 8/8/12
- More about taser assaults on residents of Sonoma Developmental Center: DRC investigator Leslie Morrison quoted. Read the Bay Citizen article here. 8/1/12
July 2012
- Proposed L.A. group homes law needs work, Los Angeles Times, 7/22/12
- State lawmakers grapple with essential health benefits, the Bay Citizen, 7/11/12
- State must address adult-care issues, SF Gate.com, 7/11/12
- SF Chronicle editorial says State must abide by agreed criteria for eligibility for Community Based Adult Services (CBAS)This July 11 editorial quotes DRC attorney Elissa Gershon in its straightforward statement that even though more people than the administration expected are qualifying for services, the State must honor its agreement. The agreement settled a DRC lawsuit (Darling v. Douglas) to keep State services intact for people who need them to remain in their homes and avoid more expensive institutions.
- Disability-care provider accused of bias, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/10/12
- Calif. many ineligible for new adult day care, SFGate.com, 7/10/12
- ADA Changes On The Horizon, Builders Exchange of Alameda County, 7/9/12
- IHSS clients providers escape the budget ax, The Willits News, 7/4/12
- Should You Call Me Handicapped or Disabled? Let Me Be The Judge, View from the Handicapped Space, 7/3/12
June 2012
- State Under Fire for Adult Service Denials, Appeals, California Healthline, 6/14/12
- A place for group homes, LA Times, 6/14/12
- Proposed L.A. group homes law needs work, LA Times, 6/12/12
- Are Disability Access Lawsuits Getting Out of Control? Rosemont Patch, 6/11/12
- Frail seniors program's launch brings confusion, delays for Californians, Contra Costa Times, 6/12/12
- Fighting for Domestic Workers in California, The Nation, 6/1/12
May 2012
- California Senate passes compromise on disabled access suits, Sacramento Bee, 5/29/12
- States Encounter Obstacles Moving Elderly And Disabled Into Community, Kaiser Health News, 5/24/12
- Immigrants rally at California Capitol for rights of domestic workers, Sacramento Bee, 5/22/12
- Adventures in Business helps those with developmental disabilities start enterprises, redding.com, 5/20/12
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San Francisco Chronicle business columnist reports on progress in bill to "apply common sense" to ADA access lawsuits - Bottom Line columnist Andrew Ross devoted his May 31 report to the controversy surrounding Sen. Darrell Steinberg's bill (SB 1186) that just passed the Senate. As part of his research, he interviewed DRC advocacy director Margaret Johnson. DRC opposes the bill for the reasons cited in her letter to Sen. Steinberg and her op-ed in the Sacramento Bee. - Personal data for home care workers, recipients lost in the mail: DRC advocate Deborah Doctor quoted. Read the full L.A. Times article.
- Discriminatory group housing ordinance proposed in LA-DRC attorney Autumn Elliott critiques it in LATimes: This May 17 article explains why a popular proposed ordinance would make it very difficult to introduce new supported living group homes and would challenge the homes already in use by small groups of people with disabilities.
- Calif. bill targeting ADA lawsuit reform clears committee, Legal News Line, 5/11/12
- Sacramento Bee editorial supports DRC position on slew of access bills in Legislature: A May 8 editorial discusses the need to find a balance between civil rights of people with disabilities to participate in society and ways to alert small businesses to their legal requirements to provide more accessibility
- L.A. Times study shows autistic children in California with least resources get fewest state services; Senators promise changes at hearing, 5/1/12: Reporter Alan Zarembo continues his investigative series on the disparities in autism services provided through the state's 21 regional centers. Read the complete May 1 article. And read DRC testimony to Senate Select Committee on Autism, April 30.
April 2012
- California's mentally ill people need early diagnosis, not forced treatment, The Guardian, 4/13/12
- Letters: school funding, child safety and more, U-T San Diego, 4/11/12
- In-home services cuts would hit 13,460 people in Sacramento region, Sacramento Business Journal, 4/10/12
- Hotels and clubs prepare for new pool access rules, Daily Journal, 4/5/12
- LATimes looks into move of poor Californians into managed care; DRC advocate calls for "slow down to get it right", 4/5/12
- State Launches Smaller Program for Adult Day Health Care, Bay Citizen, 4/3/12
- State launches smaller program for adult day health care, PennLive.com, 4/3/12
- Skilled Daycare Services Continue For Fragile Seniors & Disabled Adults, KPBS, 4/3/12
March 2012
- Transition of Adult Day Health Care program is 'down to the wire', California HealthCare Foundation, 3/29/12
- Changes to Adult Day Health Care Coming This Weekend, California Watch, 3/28/11
- More people than expected are qualifying to transfer from ADHC to Community Based Adult Services -- Catherine Blakemore of Disability Rights California testified March 7 to the Assembly joint hearing of the committee on Aging & Long Term Care and the budget subcommittee on Health and Human Services. Read a summary of her testimony and others at California Healthline.
- Ryan plan would hurt people with disabilities, Sacramento Bee, 3/30/12
- Laura's Law is ineffective, SFGate.com, 3/26/12
- State appeals court finds Marin needs to protect rights of mental patients, Marin Independent Journal, 3/13/12
- Top cop hired at Calif. developmental centers, San Francisco Chronicle, 3/13/12 (DRC is mentioned)
- State appeals court finds Marin needs to protect rights of mental patients, Marin Independent-Journal, 3/13/12 (Dan Brzovic is mentioned)
- New rules: Hotel pools must have disabled access, pressdemocrat.com, 3/8/12
- More People May Be Eligible for Adult Day Services, California Healthline, 3/12 (Quotes Catherine Blakemore)
February 2012
- In Home Support Services program face proposed budget cuts, KSWT-TV, 2/24/12
- Police force's sloppy investigations leave abuse of disabled unsolved, News10, 2/24/12
- CA Watch reports on hundreds of abuse cases at developmental centers;
Senator Liu and Assembly Member Beall call for investigative hearings --
On February 23 California Watch released its investigation, citing more than 850 cases over the last few years of abuse and unexplained injuries of people with developmental disabilities living in the state's remaining residential centers. Hardly any of the cases have led to prosecution. The investigation focuses on the state's reliance on an in-house police force, operated by the Office of Protective Services, that has overseen a steep rise in injuries while the actual population at the centers has declined. Although many cases of abuse were documented, few appear to have been reported to the police. Read more details and media reports here. - Who is accountable for suspected abuse at developmental centers? California Watch, 2/23/12
- Adult Day Health Care end to cut off frail seniors, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/19/12
- Former UCLA Student Fights Budget Cuts to Disabled and Elderly, NBC Los Angeles, 2/17/12
January 2012
- Judge approves substitute for adult day health care services,
Sacramento Business Journal, 1/26/12 - Court Blocks California From Closing Health Centers, AARP News, 1/26/12
- The Battle Against IHSS Budget Cuts, San Diego Entertainer Magazine, 1/25/12
- Community celebrates Ed Roberts Day, UC Berkeley, 1/24/12
- State Announces Final Approval of ADHC Lawsuit Settlement Agreement, www.dhcs.ca.gov, 1/24/12
- Mental health advocates reach court settlement with Sacramento County, Sacramento Bee, 1/23/12
- In-home care back in budget, Cal Coast News, 1/20/12
- Federal Judge Continues To Block In-Home Supportive Services Cuts, California Healthline, 1/20/12
- Federal Judge Renews Her Order Blocking Calif. Cuts To In-Home Care, Kaiser Health News, 1/20/12
- Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction To Continue Blocking 20% Across-The-Board IHSS Cuts, California Progress Report, 1/19/12
- Cuts to in-home support program blocked, VC Star, 1/19/12
- Judge again blocks California from cutting in-home care to disabled, elderly, Kansas City Star, 1/19/12
- Court blocks in-home-care cuts for disabled, aged, SFGate.com, 1/20/11
- Federal judge blocks budget cuts to California in-home care program,
Sacramento Bee, 1/20/12 - Federal judge says she'll stop IHSS cuts, San Jose Mercury News, 1/20/12
- Paran recorte de horas de cuidado a ancianos, La Opinion, 1/19/12
- Union is unsure when IHSS decision will come, ChicoER.com, 1/12/12
- Could New Not-for-Profit Requirement Limit Patient Access? California Healthline, 1/9/12 (DRC Staff Elissa Gershon is mentioned)
- Could New Not-for-Profit Requirement Limit Patient Access? California Healthline, 1/9/12
- Disabled, seniors worry about cuts to in-home care, theReporter.com, 1/8/12
- California in retreat on social service spending, LA Times, 1/7/12
- Disabled, seniors worry about cuts to in-home care, NCTimes.com, 1/7/12
- School bus driver accused of molesting girls to stand trial, KTVU, 1/5/12
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