Rights Under the Lanterman Act

Advocating for Yourself

Chapter 5

This chapter explains how to speak up and fight for your rights, called “advocacy.” You will learn how to:

• Advocate for yourself,

• Advocate for someone else, and

• Get support from
an advocacy
organization.

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI) is a private, nonprofit organization that protects the legal, civil, and service rights of Californians with developmental or mental disabilities. PAI provides a variety of advocacy services, including, information and referral, technical assistance, and direct representation.

For help or information, call PAI: 800.776.5746 Toll free!

Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

PAI Central Office

100 Howe Ave., Suite 185-N, Sacramento, CA 95825

Legal Unit: 916.488.9950

Administrative: 916.488.9955

TTY: 800.719.5798

Oakland Area
PAI Office

1330 Broadway,
Suite 500

Oakland, CA 94612
Tel.: 510.267.1200
TTY: 800.649.0154

Los Angeles Area
PAI Office
3580 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 902

Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel.: 213.427.8747
TTY: 800.781.5456

San Diego Area

PAI Office
1111 Sixth Ave.,
Suite 200

San Diego, CA 92101
Tel.: 619.239.7861
TTY: 800.576.9269

Funding for PAI comes from various state and federal programs. PAI provides advocacy services through seven federal laws and two state contracts. The opinions, findings, recommendations or conclusions in this publication are those of the authors. They may not reflect the views of the organizations that fund PAI.

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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 trained to help protect the rights of people with developmental disabilities. To find the CRA at your regional center, see Supplement Z.

To find your regional center, call OCRA: 800.390.7032 Toll free!

Chapter 5: Advocating for Yourself

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.... Who can give me help with advocacy, including a lawyer?............................................. 5-2

5.... How does PAI protect my rights?..................................................................................... 5-3

6.... What is the State Council on Developmental Disabilities?............................................ 5-4

7.... What are Area Boards?....................................................................................................... 5-5

8.... How does the Area Board protect my rights?.................................................................. 5-5

9.... Who are the Clients’ Rights Advocates and Volunteer Advocacy
Service Coordinators at the Developmental Centers?.................................................... 5-6

10.. What is the Clients Assistance Program (CAP)?............................................................ 5-6

11.. What is People First and how do I join?........................................................................... 5-6

12.. Can the regional center help me be my own advocate?................................................... 5-7

13.. How can the Family Resource Centers help me?............................................................ 5-7

14.. If I don’t have someone to help me advocate for myself,
can I get a representative?.................................................................................................. 5-8

15.. What do I need to know to be a good advocate?.............................................................. 5-8

16.. How can I become a better negotiator?............................................................................ 5-9

17.. What is evidence?............................................................................................................. 5-11

18.. How does “discovery” work? How can I find out what
the regional center’s or agency’s position is?............................................................... 5-12

19.. How can I change the regional center system so that it works
better for everyone with developmental disabilities?................................................... 5-12

20.. How can I make sure my regional center has the services and
supports that people want?............................................................................................... 5-13

21.. What is a “stakeholder organization,” and how can I join one?.................................... 5-14

22.. What are task forces and advisory groups? How can I participate?............................. 5-14

23.. What does my regional center’s Outcome-Based
Performance Plan look at?.............................................................................................. 5-15

24.. How can I help develop my regional center’s annual
Outcome-Based Performance Plan?.............................................................................. 5-15

25.. How can I volunteer to do Life Quality Assessments?................................................. 5-16

26.. How can I make sure the system considers the opinions
of people of different ethnicities?.................................................................................. 5-16

27.. How can I get on my Area Board?................................................................................... 5-16

28.. How can I get on the regional center’s