(Sacramento, CA) - Today, Disability Rights California (DRC) announced the creation of a new unit, Peers Understanding, Listening, Supporting, and Educating (PULSE). This unit is a partnership between DRC’s Office of Clients' Rights Advocacy and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to function as an independent resource, ensuring that individuals conserved by DDS have access to important information about their rights, alternative options to conservatorship, and appropriate referrals to advocacy to obtain the support needed to end their conservatorships. 

The PULSE unit will meet regularly with each person conserved by DDS to help them understand their conservatorship proceedings, the powers their conservator has, and the rights that they retain. The PULSE unit will work to help conservatees understand what decisions they can make independently through Supported Decision Making and other less restrictive means.   

Shannon Cogan, Disability Rights California's Associate Executive Director for Individual Rights said, "This new collaboration is an opportunity to share information with conserved regional center clients on alternatives to conservatorship like Supported Decision Making. Our goals are to reduce the number of people subject to conservatorship and to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live more self-determined lives."

“California values personal autonomy and maximum self-direction. The PULSE partnership with Disability Rights California will expand on work to reduce the need for court-appointed conservatorships, and augment existing efforts to educate Californians about available alternatives to full conservatorship,” said Pete Cervinka, Director of the Department of Developmental Services. “We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this new partnership in improving choice and decision-making for ALL individuals, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

The PULSE unit is now hiring, and career opportunities are posted on DRC’s website.

Media Contact

Sam Mickens
Director of Communications
(646) 945-0918
Sam.Mickens@disabilityrightsca.org

Disability Rights California (DRC) – Is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. The mission of DRC is to defend, advance, and strengthen the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities. For more information visit: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org.