ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAW Arizona’s Protection and Advocacy System (“P&A”)

ARIZONA CENTER ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAWFOR DISABILITY LAW

Arizona’s Arizona’s

Protection and Advocacy Protection and Advocacy System (“P&A”)System (“P&A”)

Origins of the Protection and Origins of the Protection and Advocacy SystemAdvocacy System

Protection and Advocacy Systems Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&A’s) were established by Congress in (P&A’s) were established by Congress in response to public outcry regarding response to public outcry regarding abuse and neglect of persons with abuse and neglect of persons with disabilities who resided in institutions. disabilities who resided in institutions. Congress created distinct statutory Congress created distinct statutory authority and programs to address the authority and programs to address the needs of various populations of persons needs of various populations of persons with disabilities. Each state has a P&A with disabilities. Each state has a P&A agency, which is designated by the agency, which is designated by the Governor.Governor.

History of Protection and Advocacy History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilitiesfor Arizonans With Disabilities

1974 – Arizona Center for Law in the 1974 – Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest originated as a non-Public Interest originated as a non-profit public interest law firm profit public interest law firm dedicated to achieving social, human dedicated to achieving social, human and environmental justice.and environmental justice.


1978 – Arizona Center for Law in the 1978 – Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest was designated as the Public Interest was designated as the Protection and Advocacy system for Protection and Advocacy system for persons with Developmental persons with Developmental Disabilities in Arizona.Disabilities in Arizona.


1984 – Amendments to the 1984 – Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act create the Client Rehabilitation Act create the Client Assistance Program (CAP), launching Assistance Program (CAP), launching the Center’s CAP program. CAP the Center’s CAP program. CAP offers assistance to clients and offers assistance to clients and applicants for Vocational applicants for Vocational Rehabilitation Services.Rehabilitation Services.


1986 – The Protection and Advocacy 1986 – The Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Mental Illness for Individuals With Mental Illness (PAIMI) Act is passed by Congress, (PAIMI) Act is passed by Congress, and the Center begins its PAIMI work and the Center begins its PAIMI work under P&A authority.under P&A authority.


1994 – The Protection and Advocacy 1994 – The Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) program for Individual Rights (PAIR) program begins, and the Center receives begins, and the Center receives funding at the federal level for this funding at the federal level for this additional program serving persons additional program serving persons with disabilities who are not eligible with disabilities who are not eligible under PADD and/or PAIMI.under PADD and/or PAIMI.


1995 – The Arizona Center for Law in 1995 – The Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest and the Arizona the Public Interest and the Arizona Center for Disability Law (“Center”) Center for Disability Law (“Center”) become separate entities. Each become separate entities. Each organization has a different and organization has a different and distinct mission, board and staff.distinct mission, board and staff.


1995 – Pursuant to federal 1995 – Pursuant to federal legislation, Arizona begins its legislation, Arizona begins its Assistive Technology Project. The Assistive Technology Project. The state of Arizona contracts with the state of Arizona contracts with the Center to perform P&A work to allow Center to perform P&A work to allow persons with disabilities to obtain persons with disabilities to obtain assistive technology.assistive technology.


1998 – The Center receives a new, 1998 – The Center receives a new, competitive HUD/FHIP grant to competitive HUD/FHIP grant to perform fair housing work for perform fair housing work for persons with disabilities who face persons with disabilities who face discrimination in housing. discrimination in housing. The The Center no longer has HUD grant Center no longer has HUD grant funds.funds.


2001- The Arizona Center for 2001- The Arizona Center for Disability Law begins to represent Disability Law begins to represent social security beneficiaries on return social security beneficiaries on return to work issues pursuant to federal to work issues pursuant to federal legislative authority under the Ticket legislative authority under the Ticket to Work/Work Incentives Act. to Work/Work Incentives Act.


2002 - The Arizona Center for 2002 - The Arizona Center for Disability Law receives a three-year Disability Law receives a three-year grant to provide protection and grant to provide protection and advocacy services to persons with advocacy services to persons with traumatic brain injury, developing its traumatic brain injury, developing its “PATBI” program.“PATBI” program.


2003 – The Center receives a grant 2003 – The Center receives a grant to work to ensure equal voting to work to ensure equal voting access for persons with disabilities access for persons with disabilities under the federal Help America Vote under the federal Help America Vote Act or “HAVA.”Act or “HAVA.”


2007 - The most significant financial trend is that we 2007 - The most significant financial trend is that we can continue to expect level federal funding from can continue to expect level federal funding from Congress. 80% of our budget comes from federal Congress. 80% of our budget comes from federal funds. Level federal funding is actually a decrease funds. Level federal funding is actually a decrease when you consider the increased costs to operate when you consider the increased costs to operate the Center. the Center.

This is why community support of the Center is so This is why community support of the Center is so critical. The Center must turn to Arizonans for critical. The Center must turn to Arizonans for increased financial support so that we can continue increased financial support so that we can continue to offer quality legal and advocacy services to to offer quality legal and advocacy services to children and adults with disabilities in Arizona. children and adults with disabilities in Arizona.

The Arizona Center for The Arizona Center for Disability LawDisability Law

The Center is dedicated to The Center is dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals protecting the rights of individuals with physical, mental, cognitive, with physical, mental, cognitive, psychiatric and sensory disabilities psychiatric and sensory disabilities within our priority areas. The Center within our priority areas. The Center is primarily funded through federal is primarily funded through federal grants, as well as limited outside grants, as well as limited outside grants and the donations of our grants and the donations of our community members.community members.

Center ServicesCenter Services

Provide information on legal rights;Provide information on legal rights; Outreach, education and training for the Outreach, education and training for the

community on legal rights and self advocacy;community on legal rights and self advocacy; Provide technical and short term assistance Provide technical and short term assistance

to persons with disability related legal issues;to persons with disability related legal issues; Bring impact litigation to remedy systemic Bring impact litigation to remedy systemic

problems;problems; In limited cases, represent individuals in In limited cases, represent individuals in

administrative proceedings and court.administrative proceedings and court.

Center ServicesCenter Services

The Center’s Short Term Assistance The Center’s Short Term Assistance Team (STAT) responds directly to Team (STAT) responds directly to persons requesting assistance from the persons requesting assistance from the Center. STAT assists persons to Center. STAT assists persons to promote effective self advocacy and promote effective self advocacy and enforcement of individual rights in each enforcement of individual rights in each of our program areas. Requests for of our program areas. Requests for direct representation are reviewed by direct representation are reviewed by our Director of Litigation to determine our Director of Litigation to determine merit and staff and resource merit and staff and resource availability.availability.

Accessing Center ServicesAccessing Center Services One may contact the Center for assistance One may contact the Center for assistance

during STAT’s hours of operation:during STAT’s hours of operation: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at (602) 274-from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at (602) 274-6287 or toll free (800) 927-2260.6287 or toll free (800) 927-2260.

Our receptionist takes brief information on Our receptionist takes brief information on the issue, which is provided to STAT’s the issue, which is provided to STAT’s Information & Referral Supervisor for Information & Referral Supervisor for review.review.

Due to the volume of requests we receive, Due to the volume of requests we receive, we are unable to respond immediately to we are unable to respond immediately to each request; however, the call will be each request; however, the call will be returned at our earliest opportunity.returned at our earliest opportunity.

Accessing Center ServicesAccessing Center Services

Information, outreach and training Information, outreach and training sessions, legal news, self advocacy sessions, legal news, self advocacy guides and helpful links can be found guides and helpful links can be found on the Center’s website, at: on the Center’s website, at: www.azdisabilitylaw.orgwww.azdisabilitylaw.org

We only handle We only handle legal issues which legal issues which are based on an individual’s disability are based on an individual’s disability within our priority areaswithin our priority areas..

Helpful LinksHelpful Links

U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Home Page: Home Page: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htmwww.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Home Page: Aviation Consumer Home Page: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/

The National Organization on The National Organization on Disability: Disability: http://www.nod.org/http://www.nod.org/


ADA and IT Technical Assistance Center’s ADA and IT Technical Assistance Center’s ADA Document Portal: www.adaportal.orgADA Document Portal: www.adaportal.org

U.S. Department of Education: www.ed.govU.S. Department of Education: www.ed.gov Arizona Department of Education – Arizona Department of Education –

Exceptional Student Services: Exceptional Student Services: www.ade.az.gov/ESSwww.ade.az.gov/ESS

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration – Office of Civil Rights: Transit Administration – Office of Civil Rights: http://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.htmlhttp://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.html


U.S. Access Board – Uniform Federal U.S. Access Board – Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and ADA Accessibility Guidelines ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG): www.access-board.gov(ADAAG): www.access-board.gov

U.S. Department of Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Medicare and Medicaid Services: www.cms.hhs.govwww.cms.hhs.gov

National Health Law Program National Health Law Program (NHeLP): http://www.healthlaw.org/(NHeLP): http://www.healthlaw.org/


U.S. Department of Housing and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Fair Housing Urban Development – Fair Housing Complaints: Complaints: www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfmcfm

Fair Housing Act Design Manual: Fair Housing Act Design Manual: www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfmcfm

Arizona Attorney General’s Office: Arizona Attorney General’s Office: www.azag.govwww.azag.gov

ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAW Arizona’s Protection and Advocacy System (“P&A”)

Documents

Transcript of ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAW Arizona’s Protection and Advocacy System (“P&A”)