 Advocacy
The following links provide information and resources for individuals with disabilities, their families, professionals and others who want to advocate with and on behalf of individuals with disabilities.
 Organizations
The Alliance For Full Participation
A partnership of organizations serving individuals with developmental disabilities to create more opportunities for people to lead full and quality lives within their community. http://www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/public/
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Advocates to protect and advance the rights of adults and children who have mental illness and developmental disabilities. The website contains information and updates on current advocacy work, including the Blackman/ Jones lawsuit and special education in the District of Columbia http://www.bazelon.org/
DC Appleseed
DC Appleseed is an organization that “solves problems affecting the daily lives of those who live and work in the District of Columbia area -- from health care to voting representation to education reform to environmental concerns to jobs and housing.” www.dcappleseed.org. In late December 2006, DC Appleseed issued a book presenting a summary of the nearly 1,500 ideas submitted during Solving DC Problems Campaign 2006. You can e-mail info@dcappleseed.org to request a copy of the Solving DC Problems book or visit www.SolvingDCProblems.com to view the book online.
Advocates
for Justice and Education, Inc.
The Parent Information and
Training Center for the District of Columbia. Programs
and supports to train parents in leadership and advocacy for
people with disabilities.
http://www.aje-dc.org/
DC
Family EMPOWERment Center
The Family
EMPOWERment Center provides the necessary organization and support
to achieve three important objectives: Develop Family Leadership
and Governance, Individual Support and Guidance, and Policy Development.
The Center's activities are designed and operated to help families
become effective advocates. For more information on this project
see: http://www.dcqualitytrust.org/pages/index.shtml or
contact the Director DC Family EMPOWERment Center  (202) 561-1991
Ext. 16
Family Voices,
Inc.
Family Voices is a grass roots network
of families, friends and advocates who work toward ensuring
health care services for children and youth with special
health care
needs are family-centered, community-based, and comprehensive,
coordinated and are culturally and linguistically competent. It
supports partnerships between families and professionals to
achieve their goals. Each state has a local Family Voices organization
National:
http://www.familyvoices.org/
Local: Family
Voices of DC http://www.familyvoices.org/states.php?state=DC
National Disability Rights Network
A national protection and advocacy organization for individual
with disabilities. The website has information about different
issue areas and contains resources and news about disability
issues. http://www.napas.org/
Project
ACTION
Self advocacy group of adults with developmental
disabilities who advocate for the interests of residents
with developmental disabilities of the District of Columbia
and it's surrounding areas. Contact
Rebecca Salon, Advisor (202-529-7600) or Phyllis Holton,
Advisor (2020-448-1458) for more information.
Quality
Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, Inc.
Advocacy organizations
for people with developmental disabilities in the District
of Columbia. Provides
advocacy services, monitors the quality of services and ensures
access to legal services. http://www.dcqualitytrust.org/pages/index.shtml
University
Legal Services
Non-profit organization
that is the District of Columbia's mandated protection
and advocacy program for the rights of people with disabilities. http://www.uls-dc.org/PAP.htm
Advocacy Resources
Family Advocating Through Letter Writing
The Parent to Parent organization in New York state developed this booklet with hints, suggestions or models for families to use when writing letters. It is designed to help families in accessing health care for children and advocacy. Many times families are asked to “Put your request in writing”; for the parents of children with disabilities this booklet helps on their journey to learning to advocate, learning to research and learning how to communicate with multiple systems.
http://hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/nb/doc/1814/Advocating_Through_Letter_Writing
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