Disability Rights Education And Defense Fund Inc

TO ADVANCE THE CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH LEGAL ADVOCACY, TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT.

NATIONAL DISABILITY POLICY AND RESEARCH - DREDF CONDUCTS RESEARCH, MONITORS PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ADVOCATES FOR THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.IN 2021, MUCH OF OUR POLICY AND RESEARCH WORK FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT PUBLIC FUNDING, PUBLIC POLICY AND LEGISLATION DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF DISABLED PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE CONTINUED RESEARCH INITIATED IN 2020 ON PROMISING HOUSING PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AND HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MOVE FROM INSTITUTIONS TO HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY.INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY POLICY AND RESEARCH - DREDF PARTICIPATES IN THE GOAL OF ENABLING DISABILITY RIGHTS LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING MEANINGFUL HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THROUGHOUT 2021 WE PROVIDED VIRTUAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DISABLED PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ON TOPICS INCLUDING ADVOCACY AND UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF ACCESSIBILITY.MEDIA DREDFS DISABILITY MEDIA ALLIANCE PROJECT (DMAP) BRINGS TOGETHER THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND THE MEDIA INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND TO ELIMINATE DISABILITY STEREOTYPES AND MISINFORMATION IN NEWS, TELEVISION, FILMS, AND OTHER MEDIA. IN 2021, DMAP CONTINUED ITS REACH INTO JOURNALISM.

LEGAL ADVOCACY - DREDF REPRESENTS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SERVING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON IMPACT CASES THAT FURTHER CIVIL RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO COMMIT SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT DISABLED PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES DID NOT EXPERIENCE ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION WHEN ACCESSING HEALTH CARE AND OTHER SERVICES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE WORKED TO ENSURE THAT FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS THAT PROHIBIT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION WERE ENFORCED SO THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAD AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO STAY SAFE AND TO RECEIVE LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ON BEHALF OF DISABLED CHILDREN AND YOUTH, WE BROUGHT A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO COMPEL THEM TO ENSURE ACCESS TO REMOTE INSTRUCTION AND INDEPENDENT STUDY FOR CHILDREN WHO COULD NOT RETURN SAFELY TO IN-PERSON LEARNING.DURING FY20-21, DREDF AND CO-COUNSEL CONTINUED TO REPRESENT PLAINTIFFS IN A FEDERAL LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES AGAINST ALAMEDA COUNTY AND ALAMEDA HEALTH SYSTEM. THE LAWSUIT CHALLENGES THE COUNTYS FAILURES TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES CAUSING UNNECESSARILY CYCLING THROUGH JAIL AND OTHER LOCKED INSTITUTIONS.IN 2021, DREDF FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND PITTSBURGH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (PUSD) ALLEGING THAT PUSD HAS MAINTAINED A SEPARATE, UNEQUAL, AND ILLEGAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHERE BLACK STUDENTS, CHILDREN OF COLOR WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LEARNERS HAVE BEEN SEGREGATED IN SUBSTANDARD LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, EXCLUDED FROM CLASSROOMS ALTOGETHER THROUGH THE USE OF UNWARRANTED SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS, AND AS A RESULT, DENIED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A PUBLIC EDUCATION. WE ALSO FILED A NEW LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF AN 11-YEAR-OLD BLACK DISABLED STUDENT (C.B.) WHO WAS REPEATEDLY HANDCUFFED AND RESTRAINED BY SCHOOL POLICE, DREDF AND CO-COUNSEL FILED THE LAWSUIT IN FEDERAL COURT ALLEGING THAT MORENO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WITH A DEMONSTRATED BIAS TOWARD BLACK STUDENTS IN ITS DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES.AS AN INTEREST ON LAWYERS' TRUST ACCOUNTS (IOLTA) SUPPORT CENTER, DREDF PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT LEGAL TRAINING, LEGAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND ADVOCACY SUPPORT TO CALIFORNIA IOLTA LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAMS ON DISABILITY CIVIL RIGHTS. WE CONDUCTED STATEWIDE TRAININGS FOR OVER 300 LEGAL AID ATTORNEYS ON THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE, EXAMINING COMMON DISABILITY ACCESS BARRIERS, RELEVANT DISABILITY RIGHTS, AND BEST PRACTICES FOR TACKLING KEY ISSUES. THE TRAININGS ALSO COVERED NEW LAW RELATED TO EVICTION PREVENTION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.DREDF REGULARLY FILES AMICUS BRIEFS IN THE APPELLATE COURTS AND THE US SUPREME COURT. IN 2021, DREDF FILED AN AMICUS BRIEF IN THE BRENNON B. CASE, ARGUING THAT CALIFORNIAS UNRUH ACT COVERS CALIFORNIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY ADVOCACY - DREDF PROVIDES TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION TO PARENTS, ADVOCATES AND PROFESSIONALS. DREDF EDUCATION ADVOCATES PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES IN 30 COUNTIES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.