Disability Rights NC

Overview:

  • Organization name: Disability Rights North Carolina

  • Purpose/mission: Disability Rights North Carolina is an advocacy agency that fights for the rights of people with disabilities in North Carolina. We handle cases involving discrimination, abuse and other rights violations.

  • Population served: North Carolinians with disabilities

  • Services/programs/resources offered:

      • Information and Referral: We make sure people with disabilities (or their families and advocates) know what their rights are and how to protect those rights. You can find information, resources and sample letters on a wide range of topics on our website. If you do not find the information you need, please contact us.

      • Self-advocacy assistance: There are many ways to resolve a problem and not every issue can best be fixed with legal representation. Sometimes giving the right information to the right people can help you get what you need more quickly. Self-advocacy assistance is when one of our attorneys helps you advocate for yourself. We can provide you with legal advice, help you write letters and contact the right people.

      • Technical Assistance: We provide assistance to attorneys, social workers, advocates and other organizations who are working with individuals with disabilities.

      • Monitoring: We monitor facilities where people with disabilities live or receive services to prevent, detect, and address instances of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

      • Investigations: When we believe serious abuse or neglect may have occurred, we conduct an in-depth investigation and, when necessary, report our findings to state regulatory agencies or law enforcement.

      • Public Policy Advocacy: We work to improve laws and regulations so they better serve people with disabilities. We advocate for funding of public benefits programs to make sure people with disabilities receive the services they need.

      • Outreach and Training: We offer training to educate people about their rights, and to provide information to the community and other attorneys so that they can train and educate others.

  • Costs/requirements to participate:

      • None

  • How families can access more information if interested in pursuing: