Education

drc works to make sure students with disabilities have what they need to do well in school, that they get equal educational opportunities in the most integrated settings, (under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)), and can access educational opportunities that enrich them both academically and socially (as guaranteed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).

Healthcare/Home & Community-Based Services

We work to ensure that people with disabilities have access to essential health care services and a full range of community long-term services and supports to enable them to live in the community and avoid institutionalization.  We believe healthcare is a human right, and fight to preserve that right with our partners in the community.

• Ensuring Access to Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Waivers that enable people with disabilities who would otherwise need institutional services to live in the community.
• Ensuring Access to Medi-Cal services, including Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) for children up until age 21.
• Ensuring Access to Medi-Cal services, including durable medical equipment.
• Ensuring people with disabilities who want to return home to the community from an institution, or avoid institutionalization have the services and supports they need; and
• Ensuring Access to In Home Supportive Services (IHSS).

Intellectual / Developmental Disabilities

We work to enforce and advance the rights of Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to obtain meaningful work at a competitive wage, access healthcare in home and community-based settings, and challenge civil rights violations. Our staff specializes in the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Service Act and the regional center system, and provides legal assistance to individuals with I/DD who seek to:

• avoid institutionalization
• access regional center services that reflect their needs, choices, and cultural values
• participate to the maximum extent possible in making decisions about their own lives

Mental Health & Criminal Justice/Juvenile Detention Facilities

drc works to ensure that people with disabilities have access to mental health services and housing, to avoid institutionalization or homelessness, and that patients’ rights in mental health facilities. We also work to protect the rights of patients in county mental health facilities and state hospitals.

We work in jails, juvenile facilities and detention centers to improve conditions, eliminate unnecessary isolation and segregation and secure adequate medical and mental health treatment. Using our monitoring authority, drc has investigated conditions in detention facilities across the state. View more information on our investigations.