Disability Rights California (DRC) has been advocating for and protecting the rights of all Californians with disabilities for over four decades.We’re passionate about working for a world where all disabled people have power and are treated with dignity and respect. In this world, people with disabilities are supported, valued, included in their communities, afforded the same opportunities as people without disabilities, and make their own decisions.

Disability Rights California (DRC) is proud to announce that our Director of Public Policy, Eric Harris, has been named as one of 31 community members appointed to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness’ (Cal ICH) Advisory Committee. The announcement was made on October 14, 2022.

At just 26-years-old, Neil Chand has already worn many hats: world traveler, passionate advocate, law student, and now he adds another to his resume—Disability Rights California (DRC) employee. He was matched with Disability Rights California (DRC) as part of a 4-month fellowship for global community leaders.

Disability Rights California joins the disability community in mourning the loss of Lois Curtis, who passed away on November 3, 2022. Lois was a trailblazing advocate whose legacy represents justice and equality.  Because of her efforts to fight disability discrimination, millions of people with disabilities can live, work, and receive services in their own homes and communities. 

When J.H. found that he was not receiving the support he needed from the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), he reached out to DRC’s Client Assistance Program (CAP). CAP staff helped him re-establish a positive relationship with new counselors at the DOR and begin receiving the services and education he needs to pursue his goals of becoming a sound engineer. Now he is on his way to success, getting excellent grades and working part-time at music events.

Two members of the legislative team at Disability Rights California (DRC) recently spent time in Washington D.C. for conferences and celebrations. DRC’s Public Policy Director Eric Harris attended a gathering to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence in August. The gathering brought 70 people from the disability space together to reflect on progress that’s been made since the ADA’s signing.

Disability Rights California (DRC) is excited to showcase some of our wonderful Latinx staff.  We all are very proud of our families’ heritage, culture, and roots.  In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, we hope you enjoy our stories about our traditions, food, and language.  Please join us by celebrating the diversity that unites us.

There are seven propositions on the November 8, 2022 General Election ballot for voters to decide. drc has taken positions on three of these initiatives that could have impacts on the disability community. drc approaches our work with an intersectional lens, examining how people with disabilities are impacted by racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, criminal justice and other forms of oppression.

(Sacramento, CA) – Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the California Mandela Act, AB 2632 (Holden), disappointing advocates who fought for California to join a growing number of states and the international community to limit the torturous, inhumane, and costly practice of solitary confinement in jails, prisons, and private immigration detention facilities.

Disability Rights California is Proud to Announce Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy Director Shannon Cogan Has been Appointed to Panel of National Experts to Review the Department of Developmental Services Conservatorship Process Shannon Cogan, the director of the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy (OCRA) at Disability Rights California (DRC), was appointed September 1, 2022, to a national panel of experts to review the conservatorship process at the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

You must be registered to vote in order to vote. Let’s make sure that we are all registered to vote and that our voter registrations are up to date so that our voices will be heard in the November election and beyond!

The California Memorial Project (CMP) was created through a collaboration of 3 peer advocacy organizations: Disability Rights California’s (DRC) Peer Self-Advocacy Program, The California Network of Mental Health Clients and People First of California. In 2002, as a result of their advocacy efforts, Senator Wesley Chesbro introduced legislation SB 1448 to formally establish the goals and provide support to the CMP.

This letter urges Governor Newsom to veto SB 1338, arguing that the proposed CARE Court will negatively impact disabled and marginalized individuals and divert crucial resources from housing and community-based services.

During the 2021-22 school year, Assembly Bill (AB) 130 required all school districts to offer Independent Study to children whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by their parent or guardian.

Cancel the Contract Antelope Valley and its partners are calling on the California Department of Education to investigate alleged disability discrimination in the Antelope Valley Union High School District.

This letter opposes the proposed CARE Court system and urges Governor Newsom to focus on evidence-based, community-integrated, and voluntary solutions such as deeply affordable housing and supportive services to address the needs of unhoused people with mental health disabilities, particularly marginalized communities.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the California budget for 2023. The 2022-23 budget includes total spending of over $300 billion with a focus on schools, addressing climate change and wildfires, and providing relief to low-income families and individuals. A summary of the enacted budget can be found at https://www.ebudget.ca.gov/FullBudgetSummary.pdf

The organizations sending this letter advance and protect the civil rights of Californians living with disabilities, experiencing houselessness, and involved in the criminal legal system. Respectfully, we oppose SB 1338. The framework this bill seeks to establish is unacceptable for a number of reasons, including major fiscal concerns.

July 26, 2022, marks 32 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The ADA was signed into law to ensure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.  We’ve come a long way since before the signing of the ADA, but DRC and the disability community continue to fight for the rights of individuals with disabilities.  DRC values all forms of diversity, and we are committed to a culture of belonging where all people are welcome.