Disability Rights California

“Draft is presented to the finance committee for review and recommendation to the full board for review and approval prior to filing. Auditors, the executive director and administrative services director are available to answer questions. 990 training materials are provided.”

“Conflict of interest policy, questionnaire and statement are completed by each board member annually, and reviewed by the executive director. The executive director, administrative directors, program directors, managing attorneys, office managers and other staff as determined by the executive director also annually and as determined necessary complete a conflict of interest disclosure form. A vendor list is provided to staff.”

“CEO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, & TOP MANAGEMENT:The Board of Directors annually evaluates the Executive Director. As part of the process in the prior fiscal year, the Board retained services from a compensation consulting firm to perform the Executive Director's Compensation Comparability Analysis who provided a formal reasonableness opinion, and this year updated market trends were provided. The Board reviews external market comparability data and determines the appropriate compensation. For the top management, each position is placed in a competitive salary scale approved by the Board, based upon grant requirements, external market rates, internal comparisons, and salary increases are based on the employee's annual performance review.OTHER OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES:EACH POSITION IS PLACED IN A COMPETITIVE SALARY SCALE APPROVED BY THE BOARD, BASED UPON BOTH THE EXTERNAL MARKET RATES AND INTERNAL COMPARISONS, AND SALARY INCREASES ARE BASED ON THE EMPLOYEE'S ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW.”

“AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.”

“Other program services 4: other program services to promote the rights of, and advocacy for, persons with disabilities. Other programs include: protection & advocacy for individual rights, protection & advocacy for traumatic brain injury, protection & advocacy for beneficiaries of social security, protection & advocacy for assisted technology, protection & advocacy for voting access, state of california health & human services agency department of state hospitals, the state bar of california legal services trust fund program - iolta trust fund and the state bar of california legal services trust fund program - equal access, us department of education client assistance program, and calmhsa.”

“$5,749,720 - Office of Clients' Rights Advocacy$2,892,324 - Protection & Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities$2,829,092 - Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness$1,483,606 - Protection & Advocacy of Individual RightsAbout Our WorkDisability Rights California (DRC), a federally mandated protection and advocacy agency, is the nations largest disability rights legal advocacy organization. For 37 years, DRC had worked to create a barrier-free, inclusive, diverse world where all people with disabilities enjoy the power of equal rights and opportunities, dignity, choice, independence, and freedom from abuse, neglect, and discrimination.We take to heart our mission statement, which is to advocate, educate, investigate, and litigate to advance and protect the rights of Californians with disabilities. In 2014, DRC impacted hundreds of thousands of individuals through impact litigation and investigations of abuse and neglect, directly served over 23,000 individuals, and provided information and training at over 1,200 events to underserved communities giving over 83,000 people tools to enforce their rights. In 2014, we advanced disability civil rights to improve access to prevent abuse and neglect, healthcare, education, mental health services, and stop discrimination.About Our ServicesWe provide a wide range of advocacy services. Staff in our four regional offices located in Sacramento (including a Fresno satellite office), Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego pursue class action and other impact litigation as well as individual representation to address wrongs and implement rights. Our Office of Clients Rights Advocacy secures services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities through individual representation, outreach and training, and represents individuals who want to leave institutions and transition to the community. Staff at each of Californias five state psychiatric hospitals in our Office of Patients Rights respond to patient complaints and work to ensure that hospitals and facilities follow mental health laws, regulations, and policies and provide representation at mediation review hearings.DRC also provides information to thousands of Californians with disabilities about their rights and tools they need to enforce them. Our Peer and Self-Advocacy staff help people learn about their rights and teach them how to be their own advocates. Our Multi-Cultural Affairs advocates ensure that individuals from language and ethnic distinct communities receive information and training in languages they can understand.In addition to representation, education, and investigations, DRC effects positive systemic change through our public policy work. Our legislative and public information staff advocate to change laws and policies to end discrimination, foster equality, and protect access to health, education, and other benefits. Examples of our Advocacy WorkOur largest programs are: advocacy programs for individuals with developmental disabilities (performed by our Office of Clients Rights Advocacy and our Protection and Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities grant); advocacy programs for individuals with psychiatric disabilities (performed by our Office of Patients Rights and our Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness grant); and advocacy programs for individuals with other disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (performed by our Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights grant).Our systemic advocacy often benefits individuals in all disability categories. This year, we continued our work to ensure that thousands of Californians with disabilities have access to the services and supports they need to live and work in the community. For example, we negotiated with the state and reached a historic agreement to transform the states provision of employment services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, some employers can pay pe”

“Services to Individuals with Psychiatric DisabilitiesOur services to individuals with psychiatric disabilities are provided by attorneys and advocates in our four regional offices, patients rights advocates at each of the five state psychiatric hospitals, and peer self-advocates who provide training in 26 facilities located throughout the state. We directly provided services on almost 8,000 requests for assistance from Californians with psychiatric disabilities and affected the lives of thousands more through training, technical assistance to county patients rights advocates, public policy advocacy, and systemic reform litigation. For example, our client has physical and psychiatric disabilities and uses a trained service dog to assist her and help her enjoy her community. The dogs skills include turning lights on and off, standing still for bracing, separating her from a crowd when she is anxious, and alerting her when she is about to have a seizure. The grocery store closest to her home would not let her shop with her service dog. When her efforts to educate the store owner about her rights were unsuccessful, she contacted DRC for assistance. Our staff contacted the stores owner and reached an agreement that ensured that the service dog would be welcome in all areas of the store open to the public.We also assisted, a 33 year-old monolingual Hmong-speaking woman who is blind and has depression and a panic disorder. Her mother provides her with personal care services available through the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. When she and her mother requested additional assistance, the county did not provide an interpreter so that her mother could explain the services she provides and the hours she works so her daughter can stay at home. Instead, the county reduced her hours by more than one-third. DRC staff intervened and provided representation at an administrative hearing. The hearing judge determined that she needed more hours to remain safely at home and required the county to provide additional IHSS hours. Services to Individuals with Physical, Learning and Sensory DisabilitiesAttorneys and advocates in our four regional offices provide services to individuals with physical, learning, and sensory disabilities. Last year, we directly provided services on over 6,000 requests for assistance from Californians with physical, learning, and sensory disabilities and affected the lives of thousands more through training, public policy advocacy, and systemic reform litigation.For example, we assisted a 30 year old man with a brain injury that significantly limits his independence. He spent the past decade in inappropriate, restrictive, and sometimes abusive living situations, including a state hospital where he was restrained for almost three weeks. After DRC staff filed a request for an administrative hearing, we negotiated with the State and secured a unique Medi-Cal waiver placement that allows him to live in his own home near his family with supportive services. These services are not only more appropriate but also are less costly to the state. He recently told his mother, Its cool having my house, I cant believe it. I still cant believe I can stay here and not have to leave.We also assisted a 98 year-old monolingual Chinese speaking woman with mobility disabilities who lives in senior housing. Her landlord moved her from her apartment to another unit due to renovations, which proved traumatic for her. She could not stop crying and shouting out and had to be sedated. When her daughter found another notice on her mothers door stating that she was going to have to move again in a few days, her daughter contacted DRC. DRC requested an accommodation that would allow her to remain in her current apartment. As a result of our advocacy, the landlord did not move her and she was allowed to stay in her most recent apartment permanently.”