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ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAW

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

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ARIZONA CENTER FOR DISABILITY LAW

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

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

  3. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1974 – Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest originated as a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to achieving social, human and environmental justice.

  4. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1978 – Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest was designated as the Protection and Advocacy system for persons with Developmental Disabilities in Arizona.

  5. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1984 – Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act create the Client Assistance Program (CAP), launching the Center’s CAP program. CAP offers assistance to clients and applicants for Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

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

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

  8. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1995 – The Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest and the Arizona Center for Disability Law (“Center”) become separate entities. Each organization has a different and distinct mission, board and staff.

  9. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1995 – Pursuant to federal legislation, Arizona begins its Assistive Technology Project. The state of Arizona contracts with the Center to perform P&A work to allow persons with disabilities to obtain assistive technology.

  10. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 1998 – The Center receives a new, competitive HUD/FHIP grant to perform fair housing work for persons with disabilities who face discrimination in housing. The Center no longer has HUD grant funds.

  11. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 2001- The Arizona Center for Disability Law begins to represent social security beneficiaries on return to work issues pursuant to federal legislative authority under the Ticket to Work/Work Incentives Act.

  12. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 2002 - The Arizona Center for Disability Law receives a three-year grant to provide protection and advocacy services to persons with traumatic brain injury, developing its “PATBI” program.

  13. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 2003 – The Center receives a grant to work to ensure equal voting access for persons with disabilities under the federal Help America Vote Act or “HAVA.”

  14. History of Protection and Advocacy for Arizonans With Disabilities • 2007 - The most significant financial trend is that we can continue to expect level federal funding from Congress. 80% of our budget comes from federal funds. Level federal funding is actually a decrease when you consider the increased costs to operate the Center. • This is why community support of the Center is so critical. The Center must turn to Arizonans for increased financial support so that we can continue to offer quality legal and advocacy services to children and adults with disabilities in Arizona.

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

  16. Center Services • Provide information on legal rights; • Outreach, education and training for the community on legal rights and self advocacy; • Provide technical and short term assistance to persons with disability related legal issues; • Bring impact litigation to remedy systemic problems; • In limited cases, represent individuals in administrative proceedings and court.

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

  18. Accessing Center Services • One may contact the Center for assistance during STAT’s hours of operation: • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at (602) 274-6287 or toll free (800) 927-2260. • Our receptionist takes brief information on the issue, which is provided to STAT’s Information & Referral Supervisor for review. • Due to the volume of requests we receive, we are unable to respond immediately to each request; however, the call will be returned at our earliest opportunity.

  19. Accessing Center Services • Information, outreach and training sessions, legal news, self advocacy guides and helpful links can be found on the Center’s website, at: www.azdisabilitylaw.org • We only handle legal issues which are based on an individual’s disability within our priority areas.

  20. Helpful Links • U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Home Page: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm • U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Home Page: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/ • The National Organization on Disability: http://www.nod.org/

  21. Helpful Links • ADA and IT Technical Assistance Center’s ADA Document Portal: www.adaportal.org • U.S. Department of Education: www.ed.gov • Arizona Department of Education – Exceptional Student Services: www.ade.az.gov/ESS • U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration – Office of Civil Rights: http://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.html

  22. Helpful Links • U.S. Access Board – Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG): www.access-board.gov • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: www.cms.hhs.gov • National Health Law Program (NHeLP): http://www.healthlaw.org/

  23. Helpful Links • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Fair Housing Complaints: www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfm • Fair Housing Act Design Manual: www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfm • Arizona Attorney General’s Office: www.azag.gov

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