Who We Are

1.1  Assist individuals with disabilities through case services by responding to allegations of abuse, neglect, or rights violations in facilities and community settings.

1.2  Monitor facilities and community settings for abuse, neglect, rights violations, and safety.

1.3  Conduct investigations in facilities and community settings in response to allegations of abuse, neglect, rights violations, and safety of residents.

2.1  Assist individuals with disabilities through case services to be able to live in less restrictive settings and/or have improved access to services, businesses, and programs to enable them to participate more fully in community life.

2.2  Assist individuals through case services to access assistive technology devices and services to help ensure their ability to live more independently.

2.3  Assist individuals with housing opportunities and architectural accessibility barriers through case services to experience less disability-related discrimination, rights violations, and exploitation.

2.4  Assist individuals with disabilities through case services to have greater participation in their person-centered planning, receive person-directed services from their case management, and assist individuals subject to termination/discharge of services.

3.1  Assist students with disabilities in schools through case services to be protected against improper restraint and seclusion, illegal disciplinary measures or removals, and/or the use of inadequate behavioral planning. 

3.2  Assist students with disabilities through case services to be provided appropriate transition planning and services.

3.3  Assist students with disabilities through case services to have greater access to assistive technology devices and services in the school setting.

3.4 Assist students with disabilities through case services to receive appropriate services that materially affect a student’s right to FAPE, as established in the IEP, and/or advocate for the addition of professionally recommended appropriate services to established IEPs.

4.1  Assist individuals through case services who have been discriminated against or have not been provided reasonable accommodation which has had an adverse effect on their ability to gain, maintain, or regain employment.

4.2  Assist applicants and clients of projects, programs, and facilities funded under the Rehabilitation Act who feel that they do not have access to the programs, are not receiving the protections of the act, or are not being afforded proper due process through case services.

4.3  Assist individuals through case services by supporting the use of assistive technology devices and services in employment, training, and other related areas to improve independence, and/or personal choice in employment outcomes.

4.4  Assist individuals through case services and Information & Referral (I&R) in securing, maintaining, and regaining employment through implementation of the goals set out by the Social Security Administration within the PABSS grant.

5.1  DRSD staff will participate in advocacy and education efforts revolving around Help America Vote Act (HAVA) implementation efforts.

5.2  Assist individuals with disabilities in filing complaints under the State based administrative grievance procedure required by HAVA.

5.3  Represent individuals with disabilities in any hearing that may be held regarding the complaint. 42 USC 15461

5.4  DRSD staff will provide education, training, and outreach to election officials, poll workers, and election volunteers regarding the rights of voters with disabilities.

5.5    DRSD staff will provide training to individuals with disabilities, family member/guardians, and disability services providers on the rights of people with disabilities to participate in the electoral process. DRSD will also assist with voter registration, and provide information on how to vote.

6.1  Represent individuals with disabilities determined to meet an exception to priorities per DRSD policy [Operations Manual, II. Client Services, §4.9].

6.2  Conduct DRSD systemic activities (Boards and Committees, Educating Policymakers, Education/Training, General Public Information Activities, Other Systemic Activities (Non-litigation), Outreach/PR, Systemic Litigation/Class Action).

6.3 Provide Self-advocacy Assistance at the Intake Team level to individuals with disabilities and/or parents/guardians. 

6.4  Provide Information and Referral (I&R) services.