Disability Rights California (DRC)

Founded in 1978, DRC is the largest disability advocacy agency in the nation. Offices in Sacramento, Oakland, LA, San Diego, and Fresno.
Organization Website

Twitter: @DisabilityCA
Facebook: Facebook
Primary geographic focus: Bay Area, California Statewide, Central Coast, Central Valley, Eastern California, Northern District, Sacramento Region, Southwestern California
Organization Type: Provider
LAAC Membership Type: Members
Lists: IOLTA-Funded, IOLTA Field Programs
Tags: Disability Rights
Acronym or short name: DRC

Disability Rights California (DRC) is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. Our California Office of Patients’ Rights (COPR) advocates for the rights of people in the State Hospitals who have a psychiatric disability or emotional impairment. Our Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy (OCRA) assists individuals with developmental disabilities who are clients of California’s Regional Centers.

DRC’s Legal Advocacy Unit (LAU) provides free legal advice to Californians with disabilities in several civil legal areas of law: Civil rights; Education; Employment; Healthcare/Home & Community-Based Services; Housing; Voting. DRC’s LAU work includes: Information and Referral, Investigation of Abuse and Neglect, Legal Representation & Rights Protection, Education & Outreach, and Public Policy Advocacy. Our priorities include enforcing and advancing the rights of Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and ensuring that people with disabilities have access to mental health services and housing. We also provide short-term assistance to people with disabilities throughout California who are: (1) representing themselves in eviction cases or who have received eviction notices, (2) at risk of homelessness, or (3) in need of reasonable accommodations/modifications in their housing.

Those interested in assistance may call Disability Rights California’s intake line.

Intake Line: 1-800-776-5746; TYY: 1-800-719-5798

Intake Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Disability Rights California (DRC)

PRESS/RESEARCH MENTIONING/INVOLVING THIS SOURCE

News Story

City of San Diego Faces Criticism Over Parking Code Enforcement

Gaby Rodriguez
NBC San Diego
September 19, 2017
Disability Rights California makes moves to protect indigent and people living with disabilities in San Diego.

News Story

Legal aid funding at risk of federal budget cuts

California Bar Journal
March 2, 2017
LAAC Executive Director Salena Copeland, along with multiple LAAC members, were featured in the California Bar Journal this month to discuss funding for legal aid and express their concerns over proposed cuts to legal aid at the federal level.

News Story

L.A. to spend more than $200 million to settle suit on housing for disabled

Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser
Los Angeles Times (LA Times)
August 30, 2016
Disability rights advocates, including DRC and DRLC, successfully get L.A. city council to spend more than $200 million on the development of more accessible units in publicly funded housing.

Press Release

TRAININGS FROM THIS SOURCE

Disability Visibility in Legal Aid

Jan 19, 2022
MCLE: 0 hours

This page last modified: Tue, November 30, 2021 -- 12:56 pm ET

Tagged on: Disability Rights

PRESS/RESEARCH MENTIONING/INVOLVING THIS SOURCE

City of San Diego Faces Criticism Over Parking Code Enforcement

Legal aid funding at risk of federal budget cuts

L.A. to spend more than $200 million to settle suit on housing for disabled

Troubleshoot problems on June 7 Primary Election Day

Little oversight of restraint practices in special education

Disabled rights advocates fight assisted suicide legislation

TRAININGS FROM THIS SOURCE

Disability Visibility in Legal Aid