Mission:

We advocate, educate, investigate, and litigate to advance and protect the rights of Californians with disabilities.

Vision:

We envision a barrier-free, inclusive, diverse world that values each individual and each voice. In this world, all people with disabilities enjoy the power of equal rights and opportunities, dignity, choice, independence and freedom from abuse, neglect and discrimination.

About us

Every month, approximately 2,000 people ask DRC for help in obtaining rights and services.

Some individuals need help in obtaining an education or upgrading job skills. Other issues reveal statewide problems and have required our persistent efforts for decades: cuts to critical government services... lack of home and community-based services...policies favoring more expensive, institution-based solutions...abuse and neglect anywhere people with disabilities live...lack of accessible, affordable housing...and efforts to dismantle laws assuring equal access to businesses and public services. Check out the latest Advocacy Plan and learn about our work at: www.disabilityrightsca.org.

Examples of our work

• Stopped deep cuts to care counted on by thousands of people with disabilities: Adult Day Health Services and In-Home Supportive Services
• Trained people living in institutions about their right to live in the community; and helped some find homes
• Helped organize Capitol Action Day where hundreds of youth and advocates met with legislators about disability issues
• Ensured residents of state hospitals could keep their personal items
• Helped thousands of children and adults with developmental disabilities get services
• Helped pass bills to improve reporting of abuse to police
• Protected the right to vote for individuals in state hospitals and veterans' facilities
• Fought stigma and discrimination by teaching people about their rights and developing projects that address discrimination in California laws

10 free services for people with disabilities

1. Supply information about your legal, civil, and service rights
2. Provide technical assistance, training, publications, and advocacy support
3. Advocate to make sure that laws benefit Californians with disabilities
4. Investigate abuse and neglect in institutions
5. Outreach to underserved ethnic and disability communities
6. Provide peer-self advocacy services for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities
7. Provide patients' rights advocacy training for county patient rights advocates
8. Advocate for people with developmental disabilities who are regional center consumers
9. Bring class action lawsuits and act as "friend of the court" in disability-related cases
10. Provide legal assistance for disability-related issues

Problems we can't help with:

• Direct representation in criminal law, family law, bankruptcy or evictions
• Personal injury lawsuits
• Filling out Social Security application forms
• Obtaining guardianship or conservatorship

How to contact DRC

Toll-Free Statewide:

1-800-776-5746 (Voice)

1-800-719-5798 (TTY)

Visit:

www.disabilityrightsca.org or www.disabilityrightsca.org/espanol to download publications, get our free weekly e-Newsletter, and read about our cases and success stories.

Support us

Help support Disability Rights California's work and make a donation today at: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/about/donate.htm.