drc Client Finds Support in Receiving Funding from Department of Rehabilitation

Brittany Comegna knew that the idea for her business, Deaf & Disability Mediation Services, was good, necessary even, all she needed was support with funding. After spending almost a year trying to receive funding from the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), Brittany reached out to DRC for support on her self-advocacy journey.   

The problem was confusion—confusion about how funding for self-employment was defined, confusion about what types of items Brittany could request funding for through DOR. She thought she could request items like tax software. Her case manager disagreed. After a year, Brittany felt like she was stuck in a loop. 

“I did not understand why I was on this merry-go-round and it’s going around and around but it’s not moving anywhere,” Brittany said.

Brittany Comegna, founder of Deaf & Disability Mediation Services, is a certified mediator specializing in K-12 D/deaf education conflict resolution.

Brittany is no stranger to self-advocacy. As a person who identifies as Deaf, she has navigated systems and worked to advocate for herself throughout her life. She’s a member of DOR’s State Rehabilitation Council, a group appointed by the governor to advise DOR in how they are accomplishing their mission. But despite her important role, Brittany still encountered misunderstandings and barriers to funding.

Becoming a DRC Client

After months of back-and-forth, Brittany decided to contact DRC and became a client. She was connected with Rithy Hanh, a Senior Advocate in DRC’s Pathways to Work Practice Group and Sarah Isaacs, an Associate Managing Attorney in DRC's Pathways to Work Practice Group. The two reviewed Brittany’s business proposal, noting how well-organized and thought out it was.

They decided that the best next step would be to set up a meeting with the counselor, team manager, and the local DOR District Administrator, who supervises the field offices in his region. Rithy said that the meeting kept getting pushed back and rescheduled until finally, they were able to meet with everyone, including the DOR District Administrator, which made all the difference.

Breakthrough

Brittany, Sarah, and Rithy outlined how DOR had not been accurately interpreting the rules around self-employment funding and explained it during the meeting. Based on this information, the District Administrator approved the funding during the meeting. This put the steps in motion for Brittany to officially start her business.

Brittany’s perseverance and belief in herself as a businessperson drove the breakthrough that allowed her to reach out to DRC and ultimately receive funding for her business.

“I think that if it wasn’t for Sarah and Rithy getting involved, I probably would have given up on the situation,” Brittany said. “But I’m really glad that I didn’t.”