OCRA program is a winner

The Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy (OCRA) provides advocacy services for consumers at California’s 21 regional centers. During the first six months of its current contract, OCRA handled 4,747 cases. They included 1,167 special education cases, 1,215 regional center matters, and more than 100 cases in each of these categories — alleged abuse, conservatorships, consumer finance, family, health, housing, income maintenance (Social Security and In-Home Support Services), legal representation, placement, and privacy/personal autonomy. Below are two examples of the cases OCRA handled.

Restaurant offers disability training

One day, EY took his support person to lunch at Home Town Buffet. EY paid for the meal and headed for his table. The manager stopped EY and asked him not to come back because his electric wheelchair was a hazard to other patrons. A clients’ rights advocate (CRA) filed a complaint with the chain’s headquarters. After its attorneys looked at the complaint, the restaurant:

• Agreed to train staff on disabilities;

• Assured EY that no one would retaliate if he visited the restaurant again; and

• Sent EY free dinner tickets.

EY was happy with the results. And he did go back to the restaurant to see that it was complying with the law.

Large SELPA helps small district

JR was in a special day class until his behavior led to placement in an intervention program. Neither program was meant for students with autism, which 12-year-old JR has. The district and JR’s parents saw that the placement was not appropriate and that JR was a danger to himself and others. With no program to serve his needs, JR spent five months at home without any school services.

JR’s mother called OCRA for help, and a CRA represented JR at several IEP meetings. A temporary program in his small, remote school district brought teachers and related services to JR’s home. When his IEP team asked other districts to help create an individual program, a large urban SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) offered to provide short-term placement in its autistic program. The program includes evaluating JR, designing an individual program for him, training staff in his home district, and moving JR into the new program.