Purpose

This card was created to present to law enforcement to communicate that you have a disability and need an accommodation.

Disability Rights California urges the state to protect veterans following recent actions from the federal administration that will create unnecessary hardship. The Department of Veterans Affairs expects to decrease staff by over 80,000 people and reorganize the agency by August. We recognize the significant intersection between disability and veteran identity status, as well as the need for ongoing healthcare services during administrative changes.

California’s state parks and beaches are some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world. Yet, for many individuals with disabilities, accessing and enjoying these spaces remains a challenge. AB 1225, introduced by Assemblymember Steve Bennett, seeks to change that by establishing an Accessibility Advisory Committee within the Department of Parks & Recreation.

The Department of Education is crucial to students with disabilities, and Disability Rights California denounces today’s executive order that threatens to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and related programs. The efforts to weaken the Department have been made recklessly and threaten to leave many school-aged children with disabilities and their families without proper access to quality public education and their civil rights. 

Solitary confinement is one of the most severe and destructive practices used in detention facilities. The World Health Organization, United Nations, and other international bodies have recognized solitary confinement as greatly harmful and potentially fatal. People with disabilities, pregnant people, youth, and the elderly are all at heightened risk from the harm caused by solitary confinement inside jails, prisons, and immigrant detention centers in California.

This article is part of a series of explainers about how the developmental services system of care overlaps with the criminal-legal system. See Porterville Developmental Center Q&A for the first post in this series.

You can learn about diversion in this RULA section as well.

(Tulare County, CA) - Disability Rights California (DRC) reached a groundbreaking settlement agreement with Tulare County that will expand the County’s mental health services and prevent unnecessary institutionalization and incarceration. The settlement is a culmination of a multi-year investigation by DRC and subsequent negotiations with the County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). 

Disability Rights California mourns the lives lost in the tragic plane crash near Washington, DC on January 29, 2025.

As everyone continues to simply try and comprehend the destruction taking place in and around Los Angeles, many conversations have been started or re-opened about fire prevention, governance, and how our resources are being used. One of the most powerful stories that reemerged this past week was that of the incarcerated people, who make up a shocking 30% of California's firefighters. Regardless of where people self-identify politically, there is consensus that these brave people were risking their lives while providing a heroic and desperately needed service.

With the current wildfires and windstorms affecting Southern California, we’re sharing resources for people with disabilities. This information has been compiled by DRC's Disaster Resilience Program.

Disability Rights California Emergency Preparedness resources: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/resources/emergency-preparedness.

Governor Newsom’s Administration unveiled its proposed state budget on January 10th. The proposed budget avoids substantial cuts to existing funding commitments. However, the Administration highlighted several factors that could introduce economic volatility in the coming years. These include fluctuations in tax revenues, uncertainty stemming from the incoming presidential administration, and the ongoing impacts of wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County.

Yesterday, the U.S. federal government announced a new rule dedicated to improving air travel for passengers with disabilities, especially for those who use mobility devices. The rule strengthens and clarifies the rights of people with disabilities who use air travel. 

This week, a New York jury acquitted Daniel Penny, a white man who killed Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old unhoused Black man experiencing a mental health crisis on the New York City subway in May of 2023. Penny killed Neely by choking him for almost 6 minutes. Penny’s acquittal demonstrates how our legal system continues to protect those who use violence to calm their own fears—even when those fears may be rooted in racism, ableism, and hostility towards the unhoused.