RIGHTS UNDER THE LANTERMAN ACT

Chapter Five
Advocating for Yourself

·       What is Advocacy?

·       Advocacy Organizations

·       Individual Advocacy Skills

·       Systems Advocacy Opportunities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by: PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY, INC.
Publication #5063.01 – English
Copyright © 1983 by PAI - REVISED EDITION 2006

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), is a nonprofit agency that works with people with disabilities. PAI provides a variety of advocacy services, including information and referral, technical assistance, and direct representation. For information or assistance with an immediate problem, call:

PAI

Toll Free: (800) 776-5746
www.pai-ca.org

PAI receives funding from a variety of state and federal programs, providing advocacy services to people with disabilities under seven federal statutes and two state contracts. Any opinions, findings, recommendations or conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations which fund PAI.

OCRA

Toll Free: (800) 390-7032

The Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy (OCRA) is a statewide office run by Protection & Advocacy, Inc., through a contract with the California Department of Developmental Services. OCRA employs a Clients’ Rights Advocate (CRA) at each regional center. The CRA is a person trained to help protect the rights of people with developmental disabilities. Appendix Z lists the Clients’ Rights Advocate for each regional center along with their contact information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is advocacy? 5-1

2. Who can be an advocate? 5-1

3. Do I need a lawyer? 5-1

4. Where can I call to get advocacy assistance, including a lawyer? 5-2

5. What can PAI do to help protect my rights? 5-4

6. What is the State Council on Developmental Disabilities? 5-5

7. What are Area Boards? 5-7

8. What does the Area Board do to protect my rights? 5-7

9. Who are the Clients’ Rights Advocates and Volunteer Advocacy Service Coordinators at the Developmental Centers? 5-8

10. What is the Clients Assistance Program (CAP)? 5-8

11. What is People First and how do I join? 5-8

12. Can the regional center help me participate in self-advocacy activities? 5-9

13. What can the Family Resource Centers do to assist me? 5-10

14. If I don’t have someone to help me advocate for myself, can I get a representative? 5-10

15. What do I need to know to be a good advocate? 5-10

16. Is there an approach I can use to become a better negotiator? 5-12

17. What is evidence? 5-14

18. How can I “discover” what the regional center’s or another agency’s position is? 5-15

19. How can I affect the regional center system to make sure it works well for all people with developmental disabilities? 5-15

20. What can I do to make sure my regional center has the types of services and supports that people want? 5-16

21. What is a “stakeholder organization” and how can I join one? 5-18

22. What are task forces and advisory groups and how can I take part? 5-18

23. What areas will my regional center’s Outcome-Based Performance Plan look at? 5-19

24. How can I participate in the development of my regional center’s annual Outcome-Based Performance Contract Plan? 5-20

25. How can I volunteer to assist others by doing Life Quality Assessments? 5-20

26. What can I do to make sure the developmental disabilities system includes the opinions of people of all different ethnicities? 5-21

27. How can I get on my Area Board? 5-21

28. Who is on the regional center’s board of directors and how can I get on it? 5-22

29. Can I get a facilitator through the regional center to help me advocate for myself or participate on boards or at meetings? 5-22

30. What are local and statewide advisory committees and how can I get on one? 5-22