Arizona Center for Disability Law

Quarterly Email Newsletter

February 2008

 

 

 

In this issue:

 

Message from the Executive Director

 

Administration on Developmental Disabilities Public Forum

 

ACDL Organizes Southwestern Arizona Conference on Disability Rights

 

Tucson Spring Event Honorees Announced

 

 

Message from the Executive Director ń

 

In 2007, the Arizona Center for Disability Law received nearly 3,200 requests for legal services.  Of those, over 1,100 calls were specific requests for special education legal services.  In other words, over one-third (1/3) of our requests for legal services came from parents concerned about failures related to their child’s education. 

 

Special education legal and advocacy services continue to be an important priority for the staff and Board of Directors at the Arizona Center for Disability Law.  Clearly, it is the most requested legal service at our agency, far more than access to appropriate health or mental health care services, employment, housing, voting, or public accommodations.  More importantly, more children with disabilities receive services from our school systems than any other government-run programs in Arizona.  We must make sure that school districts comply with federal and state education law. 

 

One of the ways the Arizona Center for Disability Law is addressing the problem is to make sure that parents receive the best advice and information we have to offer about their child’s right to a free and appropriate education under state and federal law.  In 2008, we have increased the reach of our special education training around Arizona.  Here is a short list of upcoming trainings:

 

Thursday, February 28                

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Windemere Hotel & Conference Center

Sierra Vista

 

Thursday, March 20

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Gadsden Hotel

Douglas

 

Friday, April 25

8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Civic and Convention Center

Yuma

 

Another way the Arizona Center for Disability Law can help is to hire more staff to help more children with disabilities.  As you know, the Arizona Center for Disability Law exists on limited federal grant funds, some foundation support, and the generous contributions of individuals in the community.   We have been successful in raising additional income targeted for special education problems and are happy to announce that we will be hiring another special education advocate in the coming month.  The Arizona Center for Disability Law will only be able to fund this advocate for one year.  Your continued financial support is crucial to meet the legal needs of children with disabilities.

 

This is only the beginning.  Stay tuned.  I will have more initiatives focused on special education in the very near future.  With your continued help and support, we can and will do more. 

 

Administration on Developmental Disabilities Public Forum ń

 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) will be in Arizona March 3-6, 2008 to conduct an evaluation of four (4) of its federal grant programs which comprise the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network:

 

1. Arizona Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

2. Arizona Center for Disability Law

3. Northern Arizona University Institute for Human Development

4. Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of Arizona College of Family and Community Medicine.

 

Under the terms of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act), ADD must conduct oversight to ensure that grantees are helping individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

 

As part of their oversight review, ADD will be holding a public forum on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  ADD would like to hear from you about how our Arizona DD Network is doing.  In particular, ADD would like to know about your experiences and interactions in working with the Arizona Center for Disability Law.

 

I encourage you to attend this public forum and share your experiences.

 

The public forum will be conducted via video conference.  Video conference links have been set up around the state at the following sites:

 

Flagstaff – Northern Arizona University Campus – Adel Math Building, Room 137

Ft. Defiance/Window Rock – Window Rock Unified School District, Navajo Rout 12, Exemplary School Building, NAU Video Conference Room behind Ft. Defiance Middle School

Phoenix Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road, Business/CIS Building, NAU Video Conference Room 14-N

Tucson3895 N. Business Center Drive, NAU Building, NAU Video Conference Room 01

Yuma Arizona Western College, 2020 S. Avenue 8E Academic Complex, Room AC 126

 

ASL and Spanish-language interpretation will be available.

 

If you cannot attend the public forum on March 4, you can submit written comments about our programs by mail, telephone, fax or email.  However, these submissions must be received by ADD no later than February 28, 2008.  Click here to read the public forum notice for more information.

 

 

ACDL Organizes Southwestern Arizona Conference on Disability Rights ń

 

In an effort to bring critical disability rights information to areas outside of Phoenix and Tucson, the Arizona Center for Disability Law has organized the Southwestern Arizona Conference on Disability Rights.  The conference will be held on Friday, April 25, 2008 in Yuma at the Civic and Convention Center from 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  The purpose of the conference is to deliver information about a wide variety of disability rights and resources to Southwestern Arizona. 

 

The conference is sponsored by the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network and the Arizona Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries.

 

Experts from the Arizona Center for Disability Law, Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Arizona Technology Access Project, Sonoran University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities and the Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries will lead workshops on special education, traumatic brain injury, health care services, employment, vocational rehabilitation, voting and housing.

 

Registration will be limited to 150 people.

 

Registration will open in a few weeks.  We will be sure to notify you once registration has opened.  If you want a registration brochure mailed to you, please email us at lfreyer@azdisabilitylaw.org. 

 

Tucson Spring Event Honorees Announced ń

 

Our Board of Directors is pleased to announce the honorees for our annual Tucson Spring Event.  Our event will take place on Friday, April 11, 2008 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the historic Arizona Inn located at 2200 E. Elm Street in Tucson.  We will present Leadership Awards to five outstanding individuals who led the effort to secure preventative dental coverage for adults with developmental disabilities in Arizona.

 

Leadership awards will be presented to:

 

The Honorable Tim Bee

Arizona Senate President

 

The Honorable Linda Lopez

Arizona House of Representatives

 

Franc Kahn, Executive Director

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

 

Rick Murray, Executive Director

Arizona Dental Association

 

Kelly McLear

The Arc of Tucson

 

As you may know, up until 2007, there had been no preventative dental coverage in Arizona for adults with developmental disabilities enrolled in Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS).  The Arizona Center for Disability Law, along with the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Arizona Dental Association, and others, brought forward a proposal to the Arizona state legislature to fund this critical health care need for over 44,000 individuals enrolled in ALTCS.  We won this fight, but we did not do it alone.  The individuals we are set to honor provided key leadership to carry the issue through to completion.

 

Invitations to our Tucson Spring Event will be in the mail by March 3, 2008.  Ticket prices are as low as $40 per person.  Sponsorships are available at $150, $300, $500 and $1,000.  If you are not on our mailing and would like us to mail you an invitation contact Lorraine Freyer at lfreyer@azdisabilitylaw.org.  If you would like to sponsor our event, please contact me at pradecic@azdisabilitylaw.org or by phone at (520) 327-9547, ext. 23.

 

 

As always, I appreciate the support you have provided to the Arizona Center for Disability Law.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

Thank you and I look forward to bringing you more news and information on the Arizona Center for Disability Law in the near future.

 

Peri Jude Radecic

Executive Director