DRW Biennium report

Rooted in Rights

Rooted in Rights: 2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington 315 Fifth Avenue South Suite 850 Seattle WA 98104 www.disabilityrightswa.org

DRW

800-562-2702 voice 800-206-957-0728 tty Permission to reprint this publication is granted by the author, DisAbility Rights Washington, provided that the publication is distributed in its entirety, free of charge and with attribution.

This booklet is available in alternative formats upon request.

DRW is a member of the National Disability Rights Network A substantial portion of the DRW budget is federally funded.

2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington

Edited May 2011

28

Who We Are Board of Directors Angie Crawford, Chair Cindy Falter Deanna Condon Jeannie Peck Lori Gendron Mark Stroh Mike Raymond Peggy Cobb Sonja Hardenbrook Wanda Burns William Fale

In Memoriam Keith Shierk

Mental Health Advisory Council Cindy Falter, Chair Mary Pat Treuthart Matthew Wilson Meghan Gilbert Neeve Willows Sandra Carr Severiano Salas Shannon Sommer Sheila Richardson Sonja Hardenbrook Terry Dorn

DRW DisAbility Advisory Council member 2001—2007, and council chair and DRW Board member, 2002 – 2004.

During meetings Keith asked really good, pointed questions, pushed us to do better, worried about the people in the institutions and told us we needed to focus on abuse of people with disabilities.

Keith was a dependable Board and Advisory Council member. He very rarely missed a meeting, showed up on time, welcomed new members, and always had something friendly to say to everyone.

Executive Director Mark Stroh

Public Policy Attorney Bette Fleischman

Executive Assistant Jessica Gimse

Legal Advocacy Director Regan Bailey

Receptionist Mika Kawamaki

Associate Director, Legal Advocacy David Carlson

Legal Secretary Mona Rennie

Associate Director, Legal Advocacy Stacie Siebrecht

Advocacy Director Betty Schwieterman Community Relations Director Andrea Kadlec

Attorneys Emily Cooper Pura Heather McKimmie Mike Smith Susan Kas Zach Burr

Public Policy Director David Lord

Controller Tom Hazeltine

DisAbility Advisory Council Mike Raymond, Chair Cathie McKinnon Corinna Fale Evangeline Abadinas Pat Shivers Trevor Buehler Valerie Wootton

Thank you Keith, for your passionate commitment to bettering the lives of people with disabilities. We continue your work and miss your guidance.

DAC Chair Mike Raymond greets job seekers with disabilities at the annual Tools 4 Success employment conference in Tacoma, Washington.

2

27

A charge to protect and advocate the civil

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

and human rights of people with disabilities: This was the genesis of the protection and advocacy system, enacted by Congress in 1975.

Thirty-five years later this charge is embedded in all of our work, be it litigation, Clear and accessible parking spaces

public policy, systemic reform, coalitionbuilding, self-advocacy development,

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man, for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls that imprison men because they are different from other men.”

Lyndon B. Johnson

DRW

community education or grassroots leadership development.

Our name and infrastructure have changed with time. Our advocacy and business

Rooted in Rights Convenient public ballot drop boxes

strategies have developed. The economy has flourished or languished and politics have swept like a pendulum through the years.

DisAbility Rights Washington continued working with county auditors, the Secretary of State’s Office and disability advocates statewide to promote voting access for people with disabilities in 2009 and 2010.

But we are steadfast in our disability civil rights movement. While what it takes to

Photos: (Top) Youth trainers confer with Kittitas County Auditor Jerry Petit prior to a youth leadership workshop, where students could practice on accessible voting machines. (Right) Staff traveled to meet with auditors and visit polling sites statewide, noting best accessibility practices and areas for improvement in each county.

DRW followed up with county auditors, the Secretary of State’s Office, local disability advocates and the state’s Help America Vote Act Advisory Committee to make needed improvements, like keeping wheelchair pathways clear.

promote the civil and human rights of people with disabilities may have changed over the last few decades; what it means to promote these rights has not.

The following pages comprise a snapshot of this work: We are rooted in our rights.

Easy fix: Clear shrubs from walkway

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

3

Alliance with Advocates See where we are in our disability movement, compared to these key civil rights dates.

Contents 2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington

In Memoriam: Keith Shierk

2

Rooted in Rights: 09-10 report

3

Contents, Mission, Vision

4

Projects & Priorities

6

Outcomes

8

Dignity of Risk

10

Access

12

Financials

14

Resource Advocacy

18

Alliance with Advocates

23

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

Who We Are

27 4

25

Contents, Mission, Vision

Advance our civil rights movement (cont.) of a young girl named Ashley, and wrestled with their community topped the list. Economic security, access own experiences of gender and parenting

to transportation, viable employment and building

discrimination, and the forced sterilization of people

leadership in youth with disabilities quickly followed.

with disabilities.

“It’s important for us advocates to pass on knowledge The group was frustrated with stymied movement

that we have,” said longtime self advocate Sara

toward desegregation, and felt that people with

McQueed. “It’s a great example for our future.

disabilities still often live in isolation, without

Working with the legislators is one of my passions.

community engagement, or in settings that are more

We have to get others behind us empowered. We

restrictive than needed. Of particular concern, was

need to keep advocacy in the forefront.”

Mission

the number of youth entering residential habilitation centers, Washington’s institutions for those with developmental disabilities.

Moving Forward Keith Shierk In Memoriam:

2

DRW carefully constructs its projects and priorities to reflect the needs of the disability community and Rooted in Rights: 09-10 report 3 to

“We need to keep it up on the front lines,” said Sha-

DisAbility Rights Washington’s mission is to advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. We work to pursue justice on matters related to human and legal rights.

advance these important human and civil disability

ron Jodock-King. “I was placed in an institution when rights.

Contents, We couldMission, not do ourVision work without the 4 I was 20 because there was no other place for me to partnership and direction of our boards, councils, go. These kids may need extra care, so let’s get it for

andProjects coalitions& ofPriorities disability advocates and allies. 6

them, in the community.”

It is important for us to listen.

Outcomes

The group developed discussion around what was

The future of the disability civil rights movement

on it.

Dignity of Risk most important to advance the civil rights movement. depends Institutional downsizing, and belonging in one’s

8

Vision

10

Access

12

Financials

14

Resource Advocacy

18

Alliance with Advocates

23

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

Who We Are

27

DisAbility Rights Washington envisions a world where all people are treated with equality, dignity and respect for their expressed choices. We visualize a society that recognizes abilities rather than disabilities.

24

5

Advance our civil rights movement

Priorities & Projects The problems people with disabilities face are vast

As a nonprofit agency, DRW balances

in number. How does DRW decide what to

individual advocacy with systems change. We

work on?

provide advocacy tools for individuals to use, and take on individual cases that have systemic impact.

We listen to you.

The past two years have seen the launch of a major Each year, DisAbility Rights Washington goes

lawsuit to ensure mental health supports for kids in

through a priority-setting process with

Washington.

surveys and input from callers, councils, boards, and others. We get a sense of the issues that are most

DRW’s public policy and legislative advocacy

important to people with disabilities and those who secured and protected vital services during an support them. Our work is organized around those

economic recession and budget crisis.

issues, which make up the following categories: 

abuse and neglect;

DRW built awareness of needed advocacy for



access to justice;

traumatic brain injury related services, and is in



education and healthcare;

ongoing collaboration with the state to improve its

How do you access the American Dream?



rights and discrimination;

abuse response system for people with disabilities.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: the promise that in this land, with



and self-determination.

perseverance, anyone has access to economic security, choice, individual expression Individual lawsuits protected access to assistive

All of DRW’s publicly-determined priorities exist in

technology and children’s personal care and crisis

these five categories. And within each of your

care.

and the freedom to access one’s dreams.

For individuals with disabilities, however, as with other minority populations, access is

priorities, are all of DRW’s projects.

fraught with challenges that have compelled the disability civil rights movement.

Investigations scrutinized transition services for

DRW uses a range of advocacy strategies, and

youth and improved the employment system for

Are we making progress in our own civil rights movement?

carefully selects which strategy will best ameliorate adults with developmental disabilities.

A group of disability advocates and allies began meeting at DRW in 2007, to examine

a specific problem. Sometimes that means litigation, but it could also mean education,

Work with the Secretary of State, county auditors

community building, public policy work, working

and election systems improved awareness and

with media or issuing formal reports. These are a

accessibility of Washington’s disAbility vote.

this question more closely. Many were outraged at issues surrounding the sterilization

DRW’s alliance with advocates

sampling of tools DRW has used with success.

6

23

Resource Advocacy

Priorities & Projects

Where resource advocacy calls come from DisAbility Rights Washington does statewide outreach, communitybuilding, education, monitoring and evaluation to all corners of the state so people know of our services.

Not only does DRW track where it does outreach, it also tracks who is reaching out to us. The following chart breaks down, geographically, regional percentages of the state’s population, then compares that DRW conscientiously reviews data to number to the percentage of calls we see if we are reaching a diverse pop- get from each region. ulation that is representative of the cultural, socioeconomic, Photos: (Left) DRW Attorney Zach geographic and racial diversity of Burr troubleshoots an issue with a Washington. We know additional caller. (Right) Advocates express barriers exist for populations that are themselves at a rally for independent traditionally underserved or living, which DRW helps organize unserved. annually.

And these are just a few outcomes DRW has

individuals in jail, hospital or prison systems

attained.

and fought the criminalization of mental illness.

DRW has monitored state hospitals and other

DRW continues this work, under the

facilities, worked to secure appropriate mental direction of people with disabilities, call by call, health and disability accommodations for 22

project by project, day by day.

7

Outcomes

Resource Advocacy

A snapshot of a few DRW accomplishments in the last biennium

Resource Advocacy: The Numbers

Assistive technology Medicaid denied funding for a power standing wheelchair, for a 16-year-old young man with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, despite doctors’ determinations that it was needed to address spasticity and participate fully in the community.

Medicaid based the denial on the claim that the client was unable to operate the chair independently, even though the client had videos that showed him successfully using the wheelchair with its standing function.

Here is a breakdown of the top-identified issues for which individuals called DRW in 2009 and 2010 fiscal years.

As is evident by the range of issues addressed, ‘disability law’ is a bit of a misnomer. People with disabilities encounter problems that encompass all areas of legal practice at various stages throughout life.

DRW believed Medicaid’s denial was based on unpublished and arbitrary coverage limitations for this type of wheelchair. A second case emerged with a similar fact pattern. DRW took both cases and in each, submitted video evidence showing clients successfully using the standing feature, with doctor interviews. Medicaid settled and agreed to provide funding for the power standing wheelchairs in both cases.

Individual rights DRW continued accessibility work in the state court system. DRW worked with the Access to Justice Board and the state ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Coordinator. Together they developed tools to evaluate court accessibility, and to establish an ADA coordinator in each county.

A young man compares the wheels of his new power chair to that of a racecar.

Medicaid had initially denied coverage of

DRW continued guardianship reform work, collaborating with agencies to prevent and respond to abuse of adults who have guardians. DRW rallied the legislature to continue its support for the Office of Public Guardianship.

the power chair with its standing feature, despite doctor recommendation.

8

21

With the help of dedicated staff attorneys, volunteer lawyers and law students, DRW has a system that provides top of the line resource advocacy services. Through outreach, recruitment, training, and management of workload, DRW has designed a sustainable system that maximizes resources to provide high quality, in-depth technical assistance.

meet the needs of people with disabilities. There is considerable formal training, supervision and mentoring, in addition to work experience training. Participating lawyers and law students first learn how to provide Resource Advocacy services. The advocate also works with DRW staff to develop a work plan that creates a balance between continued development of resource advocacy skills and other legal advocacy projects that meet the experiential development goals of the participant and the needs of DRW’s constituents.

needs. In short, it’s more than understanding referral basics, but that takes experience too.

What does this training provide for DRW and the participating lawyers and law students?

Everyone providing resource advocacy services learns, understands, and then implements the self advocacy model and disability perspective utilized in all What role do volunteers play in of DisAbility Rights Washington’s resource advocacy provision? services. DRW’s constituents DRW has a unique volunteer benefit from this while the program that helps lawyers and advocate is working with DRW, and law students gain experience in the when participating lawyers and law disability rights field. These It takes a significant amount of students leave DRW, they take this advocates learn about the vast time and experience to address the in-depth understanding of a array of legal issues affecting needs of individual with disabilities. disability rights perspective with people with disabilities.

It takes an understanding of them. They are therefore more Additionally, participants in the disability culture and a likely to utilize this in legal program learn about the legal commitment to developing skills to practices they develop for resources and the service delivery adequately address the needs of a themselves. systems frequently accessed to diverse clientele with diverse legal

Priorities & Projects Traumatic brain injury DisAbility Rights Washington staff has chaired the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council since 2009, and led Council efforts to strategically close gaps in TBI related services. A 2007 state law provided for a statewide information and referral service, a public awareness campaign, TBI-specific support groups statewide, and a TBI Council charged with developing a comprehensive plan to address TBI-related service gaps. The TBI council worked with the state to get these projects underway. All are now operational. In addition, a pilot resource coordination project built a successful network of major hospitals statewide, to link individuals with traumatic brain injury to resources, and provide individual advocacy.

DRW and co-counsel asked the state to address numerous legal violations. An agreement reached, extended the Boyle settlement an additional 1.5 years, so the state can implement significant systemic change in allocation and provision of employment support services. DRW will monitor these efforts and measure compliance with the settlement order.

Developmental disabilities Mental illness Following DRW’s report on failures in the adult abuse response system, DRW and a ‘task force,’ proposed DRW prepared and launched major litigation to recommendations, endorsed by the state, resulting in address a statewide critical shortfall of children’s legislation introduced in 2010. In 2010, a bill to mental health services. DRW also helped stop increase licensing fees in boarding and nursing homes legislation that would have restricted transitional passed. This money will bolster state housing for people with psychiatric disabilities. investigations of abuse. The state acknowledges a A veteran with a mental illness requested an attorney need for resources and improved data collection to as an accommodation for a custody dispute and was stop abuse, and continues to work with DRW to identify policy and practice to improve its system. denied. DRW assisted the woman in obtaining a family law facilitator to review her file, attend hearings, orally summarize her position for the court DRW investigated and advocated for a student restrained during school transportation. The district and provide procedural guidance. DRW assisted subsequently provided an aide and removed some of negotiating and cross systems crisis planning to restore mental health services for another individual. the restraints, which the student and father believed was much more appropriate for the student, who was reportedly much happier during transport.

Beneficiaries of social security As part of a 2006 settlement agreement for a class action lawsuit known as Boyle, on behalf of nearly 10,000 Washingtonians with developmental disabilities, DRW is in the middle of a multi-year monitoring period with the state. Concern arose around

20

blanket reduction of employment support hours, and inadequate employment services without oversight, of Medicaid’s home and community based service (HCBS) waivers by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). It was unclear whether many individuals received employment support, even though these services had been billed.

DRW intervened in the scheduled eviction of an individual with a developmental disability, successfully negotiating with the Tacoma Housing Authority and the DDD case manager to make sure the client had needed accommodations, which prevented the eviction process.

9

Resource Advocacy

This philosophy says that all people with disabilities have the right to make their own choices, even when they may fail. . .

How is Resource Advocacy structured to serve callers’ needs?

What is Dignity of Risk?

If you’ve joined the Self Advocacy in Motion (SAM) club trainers in one of hundreds of games of Disability History Jeopardy around the state, it’s likely you have discussed what it means to take risks, to learn from mistakes, and engage fully, with autonomy in one’s own life.

DRW and People First trained young adults with disabilities, who in turn worked with over 200 youth in high schools and transition programs in SAM Clubs. These trainers built leadership and disability rights awareness in youth with and without disabilities. They promoted job skill development, civic engagement, advocacy, community building, and the right to take risks. The Developmental Disabilities Council funded statewide youth advocacy meetings, so that students could come from around the state to meet leaders of the self-advocacy movement, practice leadership and learn how to build leadership in others. Said one student, “This project showed me how to stand up for myself, and for others.”

Self-Advocacy in Motion Advisor Michael Rogers smiles with a friend before taking on the 2010 Seattle-to-Portland (STP) Bicycle Classic with his accessible bike.

SAM Clubs 10

People can usually do quite a bit of advocacy on their own if someone would just give them the proper tools. DRW is committed to assisting and developing Resource advocacy is the individualized end of DRW’s effective self-advocates, which is a model based on legal advocacy spectrum. Information and referral, people building their own advocacy capabilities. That technical assistance, some individualized is why DRW focuses its Resource Advocacy services investigations and direct representation comprise on equipping people to do as much advocacy for DRW’s individualized advocacy. Resource attorneys, themselves as possible. in conjunction with DRW’s investigation attorney, deliver all of this to individuals. We respond to On its own, DRW does not have enough lawyers to individual concerns through short-term interventions take thousands of individual cases to court each year, so we, as an agency, are responsive to systemic but DRW does have a system that can help people concerns, and individual issues. have greater access to justice, through a combination of empowering self-advocates and working to How does DRW know if someone needs develop partnerships and referral options for people informational and referral or technical assistance? in need of direct representation.

Information and referral is given when someone calls and they know exactly what they want: for Who provides Resource Advocacy services? example, “Can you tell me what right a child has to a second opinion in evaluation for special education Two staff attorneys provide resource advocacy to the services?” We then send a specific document with people who contact DRW in search of individual general rights information. Additionally, DRW has services. These attorneys are assisted by several posted all of its publications and links to other volunteer lawyers and law students throughout the organizations with useful information on its website year. Resource advocates have specialized training so people who have a specific question can access that allows them to listen and respond to a variety of this information 24 hours a day. needs.

Technical assistance is more involved and comprises most of what we do. Though still generalized and brief, it includes information and referrals, but also assists the caller in developing his or her own action steps. The caller can then develop a self-advocacy plan, that will help that individual solve his or her own problem. That is where the majority of resource advocacy efforts are focused: provide high quality, yet time-limited assistance to empower individual callers to engage in effective self advocacy.

How does DRW meet the needs of thousands of people with limited resources?

Callers often have a particular advocacy objective in mind, but need some help achieving that goal.

Resource advocates must be ready to respond to a variety of problems our callers see every day. While each caller has his or her own individual set of legal issues, our resource advocates are dealing with several dozen problems each week. They spend a lot of time talking, thinking, and reliving experiences callers have had, which can be stressful. Therefore, DRW attempts to balance each advocate’s workload with a variety of other legal assignments that provide a break from the demands of resource advocacy, while meaningfully adding to the individual advocate’s understanding of substantive laws and alternative problem solving procedures.

19

Dignity of Risk

Self advocates train guardians What if you never got to make a mistake?

What if your money was always kept in an envelope where you couldn’t get it?

What if you were never given the chance to do well at something?

What if your only chance to be with people different from you was with your own family?

What if the job you did was not useful?

What if you never got to make a decision?

What if the only risky thing you could do was act out?

What if you couldn’t go outside because the last time you did it rained?

What if you took the wrong bus once and now you can’t take another one?

What if you got into trouble and you were sent away and you could never come back because they always remember you are trouble?

What if you worked and got paid 46 cents an hour?

What if you had to wear your winter coat when it rained because it was all you had?

What if you had no privacy?

What if you could do part of your grocery shopping but were not allowed because you couldn’t do all of your shopping alone?

What if you spent three hours each day just waiting?

What if you grew old and never knew adulthood?

What if you never got a chance?

DRW attorney Heather McKimmie assists a caller in devising a self-advocacy plan.

Resource Advocacy Every year some 2000 calls are made to DRW’s resource advocacy system. Callers may be in crisis or recovering from trauma. Others struggle with homelessness, poverty or loss of critical rights, such as parenting, employment or housing. Some rights are lost on the basis of disability alone.

Resource advocates spend hours researching the law, providing detailed technical assistance, and

Former DRW Board Chair, Sharon Jodock-King

finding resources and strategies to combat these issues. Two full-time employees and several law student interns are meticulously trained to traverse a steep learning curve of disability law, rights,

In August of 2010, DRW and self-advocates put together a training for certified

culture and philosophy. Ongoing staff support is a prerequisite. Calls themselves may induce

professional guardians. The training is part of a broader DRW effort to train newly-

secondary trauma for staff. Director of Resource Advocacy David Carlson spoke frankly about

certified guardians to advocate the expressed wishes of individuals they serve. In the

responding to high demand, creating capacity for support, and assuring sufficient supports for

training, self-advocate Sharon Jodock-King shared, through her assistive

resource advocacy staff.

communication device, the above sentiments around Dignity of Risk, with a poem from Linda Stengle’s book, “Laying Community Foundations for Your Child With a 18

Disability”. The poem is used in People First’s Believing is Achieving training.

11

Access

Financials

A call regarding a camp for troubled youth ignites a decades-old battle over DRW’s right to investigate It was a routine technical assistance call. A distraught mother in New York dialed DRW, concerned with possible abuse in a Washingtonbased camp for troubled youth, where her son received services.

DRW launched an investigation which was immediately challenged by the youth farm. They refused DRW access to its facilities or its records.

The case Through the years, this federal access law has been repeatedly challenged, and the youth farm was no exception. The facility claimed that DRW’s legal mandate did not apply to them because they weren’t serving people with disabilities, nor were they a state-regulated facility.

The court found, however, enough evidence to A history of access suggest the farm served people with disabilities and therefore was subject to the protection and Access is a necessary advocacy component to stop advocacy acts. abuse. Reporter Geraldo Rivera, in 1972, exposed horrible abuse in an institution for people with DRW subsequently completed its initial developmental disabilities. Congress then investigation, and individuals at the farm are recognized that individuals with disabilities needed aware they can contact DRW with concerns. DRW protection and advocacy, and established, in law, continues its investigation and monitoring of the a network of organizations, known as the farm for youth. protection and advocacy system, or P&A. This system is designed to investigate and respond to “Ultimately, the young man whose mother the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. contacted us was able to take action on his own behalf and leave the facility,” said attorney Zach These federal laws, known as the protection and Burr, who litigated the case. “To see this young advocacy acts, put DRW in a unique position. man assert his rights was powerful.”

When a protection and advocacy (P&A) system, like DRW, believes there is probable cause to “Individuals must have access to the P&A, suspect abuse and neglect has taken place, that regardless of where they are,” said Burr. This case agency has legal permission to access records, was important because the court recognized that facilities, and individuals to determine if abuse or individuals with disabilities are entitled to an neglect of individuals with disabilities exists. advocate, regardless of whether or not they are in a state-regulated facility.

“The culture of the P&A is unique,” explained DRW Associate Director of Legal Advocacy Stacie Our ability to serve people with disabilities is very Siebrecht. “We can monitor, investigate, conduct broad. We can respond anywhere. This was reviews, outreach and training. We have a variety enforced, and clarified, by the court in this case,” of legal tools to address potential issues.” he said.

Would you like to be on DRW’s Board of Directors?

DisAbility Rights Washington is currently looking for people who have an interest in disability advocacy to serve on its Board of Directors. Terms are three-years and the board meets quarterly.

There are also opportunities to serve on the 12

DisAbility Advisory Council, the Mental Health Advisory Council, or to volunteer for DisAbility Rights Washington.

For more information or to donate to DRW, contact Executive Director Mark Stroh at mstroh@dr-wa.org 17

Access

Where DRW’s dollars go...

DRW carefully considers data from callers, input from boards and councils, information from cases, public policy developments, and legislative happenings to determine what will comprise its work plan each year.

This happens in conjunction with the DRW Board of Directors, the DRW Joint Planning and Evaluation Council, the DRW DisAbility Advisory Council, the DRW Mental Health

Advisory Council, the Traumatic Brain Injury Council, and others.

The breakdown of how this translates into nonprofit finance is detailed below.

As is customary for most nonprofits, what comes in must go out annually, with approximately 70-75% of the annual budget going to staffing.

“

To see this young man assert his rights was powerful.

- Zach Burr, DRW attorney

16

13

How is DRW Funded?

Extreme abuse and neglect in an institution in upstate New York prompted a handful of congressional delegates to craft the first protection and advocacy law in 1975. This appropriated federal funds with mandates to protect and advocate the rights of people with disabilities in each state and territory.

Financials

Since 1975, with the progression of the disability civil rights movement, additional protection and advocacy laws have come into being. These laws are listed below. The piechart to the right delineates the portion each fund comprises of program income for fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

PADD Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 42 U.S.C. Sections 15001 - 15045 (2003) 45 C.F.R. Sections 1385.1 - 1386.25 (2003) PAIMI Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness 42 U.S.C. Sections 10801 - 10827 (2003) 45 C.F.R. Sections 51.1 - 51.46 (2003) PAIR Protection & Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) 29 U.S.C. Section 794e (2003) 34 C.F.R. Sections 381.1 - 381.33 (2003) PAAT Protection & Advocacy for Assistive Technology (PAAT) 29 U.S.C. Sections 3001 - 3058 (2003) 34 C.F.R. 345.1 - 345.63 (2003) PATBI Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries (PATBI) 42 U.S.C. 300d - 300d-53 (2003) PABSS Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) 42 U.S.C. 1320b-20-1320-21 (2003) PAVA Protection & Advocacy for Voting Access Help America Vote Act -Title II, Subtitle D, Part 5, of HAVA 42 U.S.C. 15461-62

14

15

How is DRW Funded?

Extreme abuse and neglect in an institution in upstate New York prompted a handful of congressional delegates to craft the first protection and advocacy law in 1975. This appropriated federal funds with mandates to protect and advocate the rights of people with disabilities in each state and territory.

Financials

Since 1975, with the progression of the disability civil rights movement, additional protection and advocacy laws have come into being. These laws are listed below. The piechart to the right delineates the portion each fund comprises of program income for fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

PADD Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 42 U.S.C. Sections 15001 - 15045 (2003) 45 C.F.R. Sections 1385.1 - 1386.25 (2003) PAIMI Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness 42 U.S.C. Sections 10801 - 10827 (2003) 45 C.F.R. Sections 51.1 - 51.46 (2003) PAIR Protection & Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) 29 U.S.C. Section 794e (2003) 34 C.F.R. Sections 381.1 - 381.33 (2003) PAAT Protection & Advocacy for Assistive Technology (PAAT) 29 U.S.C. Sections 3001 - 3058 (2003) 34 C.F.R. 345.1 - 345.63 (2003) PATBI Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries (PATBI) 42 U.S.C. 300d - 300d-53 (2003) PABSS Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) 42 U.S.C. 1320b-20-1320-21 (2003) PAVA Protection & Advocacy for Voting Access Help America Vote Act -Title II, Subtitle D, Part 5, of HAVA 42 U.S.C. 15461-62

14

15

Access

Where DRW’s dollars go...

DRW carefully considers data from callers, input from boards and councils, information from cases, public policy developments, and legislative happenings to determine what will comprise its work plan each year.

This happens in conjunction with the DRW Board of Directors, the DRW Joint Planning and Evaluation Council, the DRW DisAbility Advisory Council, the DRW Mental Health

Advisory Council, the Traumatic Brain Injury Council, and others.

The breakdown of how this translates into nonprofit finance is detailed below.

As is customary for most nonprofits, what comes in must go out annually, with approximately 70-75% of the annual budget going to staffing.

“

To see this young man assert his rights was powerful.

- Zach Burr, DRW attorney

16

13

Access

Financials

A call regarding a camp for troubled youth ignites a decades-old battle over DRW’s right to investigate It was a routine technical assistance call. A distraught mother in New York dialed DRW, concerned with possible abuse in a Washingtonbased camp for troubled youth, where her son received services.

DRW launched an investigation which was immediately challenged by the youth farm. They refused DRW access to its facilities or its records.

The case Through the years, this federal access law has been repeatedly challenged, and the youth farm was no exception. The facility claimed that DRW’s legal mandate did not apply to them because they weren’t serving people with disabilities, nor were they a state-regulated facility.

The court found, however, enough evidence to A history of access suggest the farm served people with disabilities and therefore was subject to the protection and Access is a necessary advocacy component to stop advocacy acts. abuse. Reporter Geraldo Rivera, in 1972, exposed horrible abuse in an institution for people with DRW subsequently completed its initial developmental disabilities. Congress then investigation, and individuals at the farm are recognized that individuals with disabilities needed aware they can contact DRW with concerns. DRW protection and advocacy, and established, in law, continues its investigation and monitoring of the a network of organizations, known as the farm for youth. protection and advocacy system, or P&A. This system is designed to investigate and respond to “Ultimately, the young man whose mother the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. contacted us was able to take action on his own behalf and leave the facility,” said attorney Zach These federal laws, known as the protection and Burr, who litigated the case. “To see this young advocacy acts, put DRW in a unique position. man assert his rights was powerful.”

When a protection and advocacy (P&A) system, like DRW, believes there is probable cause to “Individuals must have access to the P&A, suspect abuse and neglect has taken place, that regardless of where they are,” said Burr. This case agency has legal permission to access records, was important because the court recognized that facilities, and individuals to determine if abuse or individuals with disabilities are entitled to an neglect of individuals with disabilities exists. advocate, regardless of whether or not they are in a state-regulated facility.

“The culture of the P&A is unique,” explained DRW Associate Director of Legal Advocacy Stacie Our ability to serve people with disabilities is very Siebrecht. “We can monitor, investigate, conduct broad. We can respond anywhere. This was reviews, outreach and training. We have a variety enforced, and clarified, by the court in this case,” of legal tools to address potential issues.” he said.

Would you like to be on DRW’s Board of Directors?

DisAbility Rights Washington is currently looking for people who have an interest in disability advocacy to serve on its Board of Directors. Terms are three-years and the board meets quarterly.

There are also opportunities to serve on the 12

DisAbility Advisory Council, the Mental Health Advisory Council, or to volunteer for DisAbility Rights Washington.

For more information or to donate to DRW, contact Executive Director Mark Stroh at mstroh@dr-wa.org 17

Dignity of Risk

Self advocates train guardians What if you never got to make a mistake?

What if your money was always kept in an envelope where you couldn’t get it?

What if you were never given the chance to do well at something?

What if your only chance to be with people different from you was with your own family?

What if the job you did was not useful?

What if you never got to make a decision?

What if the only risky thing you could do was act out?

What if you couldn’t go outside because the last time you did it rained?

What if you took the wrong bus once and now you can’t take another one?

What if you got into trouble and you were sent away and you could never come back because they always remember you are trouble?

What if you worked and got paid 46 cents an hour?

What if you had to wear your winter coat when it rained because it was all you had?

What if you had no privacy?

What if you could do part of your grocery shopping but were not allowed because you couldn’t do all of your shopping alone?

What if you spent three hours each day just waiting?

What if you grew old and never knew adulthood?

What if you never got a chance?

DRW attorney Heather McKimmie assists a caller in devising a self-advocacy plan.

Resource Advocacy Every year some 2000 calls are made to DRW’s resource advocacy system. Callers may be in crisis or recovering from trauma. Others struggle with homelessness, poverty or loss of critical rights, such as parenting, employment or housing. Some rights are lost on the basis of disability alone.

Resource advocates spend hours researching the law, providing detailed technical assistance, and

Former DRW Board Chair, Sharon Jodock-King

finding resources and strategies to combat these issues. Two full-time employees and several law student interns are meticulously trained to traverse a steep learning curve of disability law, rights,

In August of 2010, DRW and self-advocates put together a training for certified

culture and philosophy. Ongoing staff support is a prerequisite. Calls themselves may induce

professional guardians. The training is part of a broader DRW effort to train newly-

secondary trauma for staff. Director of Resource Advocacy David Carlson spoke frankly about

certified guardians to advocate the expressed wishes of individuals they serve. In the

responding to high demand, creating capacity for support, and assuring sufficient supports for

training, self-advocate Sharon Jodock-King shared, through her assistive

resource advocacy staff.

communication device, the above sentiments around Dignity of Risk, with a poem from Linda Stengle’s book, “Laying Community Foundations for Your Child With a 18

Disability”. The poem is used in People First’s Believing is Achieving training.

11

Resource Advocacy

This philosophy says that all people with disabilities have the right to make their own choices, even when they may fail. . .

How is Resource Advocacy structured to serve callers’ needs?

What is Dignity of Risk?

If you’ve joined the Self Advocacy in Motion (SAM) club trainers in one of hundreds of games of Disability History Jeopardy around the state, it’s likely you have discussed what it means to take risks, to learn from mistakes, and engage fully, with autonomy in one’s own life.

DRW and People First trained young adults with disabilities, who in turn worked with over 200 youth in high schools and transition programs in SAM Clubs. These trainers built leadership and disability rights awareness in youth with and without disabilities. They promoted job skill development, civic engagement, advocacy, community building, and the right to take risks. The Developmental Disabilities Council funded statewide youth advocacy meetings, so that students could come from around the state to meet leaders of the self-advocacy movement, practice leadership and learn how to build leadership in others. Said one student, “This project showed me how to stand up for myself, and for others.”

Self-Advocacy in Motion Advisor Michael Rogers smiles with a friend before taking on the 2010 Seattle-to-Portland (STP) Bicycle Classic with his accessible bike.

SAM Clubs 10

People can usually do quite a bit of advocacy on their own if someone would just give them the proper tools. DRW is committed to assisting and developing Resource advocacy is the individualized end of DRW’s effective self-advocates, which is a model based on legal advocacy spectrum. Information and referral, people building their own advocacy capabilities. That technical assistance, some individualized is why DRW focuses its Resource Advocacy services investigations and direct representation comprise on equipping people to do as much advocacy for DRW’s individualized advocacy. Resource attorneys, themselves as possible. in conjunction with DRW’s investigation attorney, deliver all of this to individuals. We respond to On its own, DRW does not have enough lawyers to individual concerns through short-term interventions take thousands of individual cases to court each year, so we, as an agency, are responsive to systemic but DRW does have a system that can help people concerns, and individual issues. have greater access to justice, through a combination of empowering self-advocates and working to How does DRW know if someone needs develop partnerships and referral options for people informational and referral or technical assistance? in need of direct representation.

Information and referral is given when someone calls and they know exactly what they want: for Who provides Resource Advocacy services? example, “Can you tell me what right a child has to a second opinion in evaluation for special education Two staff attorneys provide resource advocacy to the services?” We then send a specific document with people who contact DRW in search of individual general rights information. Additionally, DRW has services. These attorneys are assisted by several posted all of its publications and links to other volunteer lawyers and law students throughout the organizations with useful information on its website year. Resource advocates have specialized training so people who have a specific question can access that allows them to listen and respond to a variety of this information 24 hours a day. needs.

Technical assistance is more involved and comprises most of what we do. Though still generalized and brief, it includes information and referrals, but also assists the caller in developing his or her own action steps. The caller can then develop a self-advocacy plan, that will help that individual solve his or her own problem. That is where the majority of resource advocacy efforts are focused: provide high quality, yet time-limited assistance to empower individual callers to engage in effective self advocacy.

How does DRW meet the needs of thousands of people with limited resources?

Callers often have a particular advocacy objective in mind, but need some help achieving that goal.

Resource advocates must be ready to respond to a variety of problems our callers see every day. While each caller has his or her own individual set of legal issues, our resource advocates are dealing with several dozen problems each week. They spend a lot of time talking, thinking, and reliving experiences callers have had, which can be stressful. Therefore, DRW attempts to balance each advocate’s workload with a variety of other legal assignments that provide a break from the demands of resource advocacy, while meaningfully adding to the individual advocate’s understanding of substantive laws and alternative problem solving procedures.

19

With the help of dedicated staff attorneys, volunteer lawyers and law students, DRW has a system that provides top of the line resource advocacy services. Through outreach, recruitment, training, and management of workload, DRW has designed a sustainable system that maximizes resources to provide high quality, in-depth technical assistance.

meet the needs of people with disabilities. There is considerable formal training, supervision and mentoring, in addition to work experience training. Participating lawyers and law students first learn how to provide Resource Advocacy services. The advocate also works with DRW staff to develop a work plan that creates a balance between continued development of resource advocacy skills and other legal advocacy projects that meet the experiential development goals of the participant and the needs of DRW’s constituents.

needs. In short, it’s more than understanding referral basics, but that takes experience too.

What does this training provide for DRW and the participating lawyers and law students?

Everyone providing resource advocacy services learns, understands, and then implements the self advocacy model and disability perspective utilized in all What role do volunteers play in of DisAbility Rights Washington’s resource advocacy provision? services. DRW’s constituents DRW has a unique volunteer benefit from this while the program that helps lawyers and advocate is working with DRW, and law students gain experience in the when participating lawyers and law disability rights field. These It takes a significant amount of students leave DRW, they take this advocates learn about the vast time and experience to address the in-depth understanding of a array of legal issues affecting needs of individual with disabilities. disability rights perspective with people with disabilities.

It takes an understanding of them. They are therefore more Additionally, participants in the disability culture and a likely to utilize this in legal program learn about the legal commitment to developing skills to practices they develop for resources and the service delivery adequately address the needs of a themselves. systems frequently accessed to diverse clientele with diverse legal

Priorities & Projects Traumatic brain injury DisAbility Rights Washington staff has chaired the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council since 2009, and led Council efforts to strategically close gaps in TBI related services. A 2007 state law provided for a statewide information and referral service, a public awareness campaign, TBI-specific support groups statewide, and a TBI Council charged with developing a comprehensive plan to address TBI-related service gaps. The TBI council worked with the state to get these projects underway. All are now operational. In addition, a pilot resource coordination project built a successful network of major hospitals statewide, to link individuals with traumatic brain injury to resources, and provide individual advocacy.

DRW and co-counsel asked the state to address numerous legal violations. An agreement reached, extended the Boyle settlement an additional 1.5 years, so the state can implement significant systemic change in allocation and provision of employment support services. DRW will monitor these efforts and measure compliance with the settlement order.

Developmental disabilities Mental illness Following DRW’s report on failures in the adult abuse response system, DRW and a ‘task force,’ proposed DRW prepared and launched major litigation to recommendations, endorsed by the state, resulting in address a statewide critical shortfall of children’s legislation introduced in 2010. In 2010, a bill to mental health services. DRW also helped stop increase licensing fees in boarding and nursing homes legislation that would have restricted transitional passed. This money will bolster state housing for people with psychiatric disabilities. investigations of abuse. The state acknowledges a A veteran with a mental illness requested an attorney need for resources and improved data collection to as an accommodation for a custody dispute and was stop abuse, and continues to work with DRW to identify policy and practice to improve its system. denied. DRW assisted the woman in obtaining a family law facilitator to review her file, attend hearings, orally summarize her position for the court DRW investigated and advocated for a student restrained during school transportation. The district and provide procedural guidance. DRW assisted subsequently provided an aide and removed some of negotiating and cross systems crisis planning to restore mental health services for another individual. the restraints, which the student and father believed was much more appropriate for the student, who was reportedly much happier during transport.

Beneficiaries of social security As part of a 2006 settlement agreement for a class action lawsuit known as Boyle, on behalf of nearly 10,000 Washingtonians with developmental disabilities, DRW is in the middle of a multi-year monitoring period with the state. Concern arose around

20

blanket reduction of employment support hours, and inadequate employment services without oversight, of Medicaid’s home and community based service (HCBS) waivers by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). It was unclear whether many individuals received employment support, even though these services had been billed.

DRW intervened in the scheduled eviction of an individual with a developmental disability, successfully negotiating with the Tacoma Housing Authority and the DDD case manager to make sure the client had needed accommodations, which prevented the eviction process.

9

Outcomes

Resource Advocacy

A snapshot of a few DRW accomplishments in the last biennium

Resource Advocacy: The Numbers

Assistive technology Medicaid denied funding for a power standing wheelchair, for a 16-year-old young man with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, despite doctors’ determinations that it was needed to address spasticity and participate fully in the community.

Medicaid based the denial on the claim that the client was unable to operate the chair independently, even though the client had videos that showed him successfully using the wheelchair with its standing function.

Here is a breakdown of the top-identified issues for which individuals called DRW in 2009 and 2010 fiscal years.

As is evident by the range of issues addressed, ‘disability law’ is a bit of a misnomer. People with disabilities encounter problems that encompass all areas of legal practice at various stages throughout life.

DRW believed Medicaid’s denial was based on unpublished and arbitrary coverage limitations for this type of wheelchair. A second case emerged with a similar fact pattern. DRW took both cases and in each, submitted video evidence showing clients successfully using the standing feature, with doctor interviews. Medicaid settled and agreed to provide funding for the power standing wheelchairs in both cases.

Individual rights DRW continued accessibility work in the state court system. DRW worked with the Access to Justice Board and the state ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Coordinator. Together they developed tools to evaluate court accessibility, and to establish an ADA coordinator in each county.

A young man compares the wheels of his new power chair to that of a racecar.

Medicaid had initially denied coverage of

DRW continued guardianship reform work, collaborating with agencies to prevent and respond to abuse of adults who have guardians. DRW rallied the legislature to continue its support for the Office of Public Guardianship.

the power chair with its standing feature, despite doctor recommendation.

8

21

Resource Advocacy

Priorities & Projects

Where resource advocacy calls come from DisAbility Rights Washington does statewide outreach, communitybuilding, education, monitoring and evaluation to all corners of the state so people know of our services.

Not only does DRW track where it does outreach, it also tracks who is reaching out to us. The following chart breaks down, geographically, regional percentages of the state’s population, then compares that DRW conscientiously reviews data to number to the percentage of calls we see if we are reaching a diverse pop- get from each region. ulation that is representative of the cultural, socioeconomic, Photos: (Left) DRW Attorney Zach geographic and racial diversity of Burr troubleshoots an issue with a Washington. We know additional caller. (Right) Advocates express barriers exist for populations that are themselves at a rally for independent traditionally underserved or living, which DRW helps organize unserved. annually.

And these are just a few outcomes DRW has

individuals in jail, hospital or prison systems

attained.

and fought the criminalization of mental illness.

DRW has monitored state hospitals and other

DRW continues this work, under the

facilities, worked to secure appropriate mental direction of people with disabilities, call by call, health and disability accommodations for 22

project by project, day by day.

7

Advance our civil rights movement

Priorities & Projects The problems people with disabilities face are vast

As a nonprofit agency, DRW balances

in number. How does DRW decide what to

individual advocacy with systems change. We

work on?

provide advocacy tools for individuals to use, and take on individual cases that have systemic impact.

We listen to you.

The past two years have seen the launch of a major Each year, DisAbility Rights Washington goes

lawsuit to ensure mental health supports for kids in

through a priority-setting process with

Washington.

surveys and input from callers, councils, boards, and others. We get a sense of the issues that are most

DRW’s public policy and legislative advocacy

important to people with disabilities and those who secured and protected vital services during an support them. Our work is organized around those

economic recession and budget crisis.

issues, which make up the following categories: 

abuse and neglect;

DRW built awareness of needed advocacy for



access to justice;

traumatic brain injury related services, and is in



education and healthcare;

ongoing collaboration with the state to improve its

How do you access the American Dream?



rights and discrimination;

abuse response system for people with disabilities.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: the promise that in this land, with



and self-determination.

perseverance, anyone has access to economic security, choice, individual expression Individual lawsuits protected access to assistive

All of DRW’s publicly-determined priorities exist in

technology and children’s personal care and crisis

these five categories. And within each of your

care.

and the freedom to access one’s dreams.

For individuals with disabilities, however, as with other minority populations, access is

priorities, are all of DRW’s projects.

fraught with challenges that have compelled the disability civil rights movement.

Investigations scrutinized transition services for

DRW uses a range of advocacy strategies, and

youth and improved the employment system for

Are we making progress in our own civil rights movement?

carefully selects which strategy will best ameliorate adults with developmental disabilities.

A group of disability advocates and allies began meeting at DRW in 2007, to examine

a specific problem. Sometimes that means litigation, but it could also mean education,

Work with the Secretary of State, county auditors

community building, public policy work, working

and election systems improved awareness and

with media or issuing formal reports. These are a

accessibility of Washington’s disAbility vote.

this question more closely. Many were outraged at issues surrounding the sterilization

DRW’s alliance with advocates

sampling of tools DRW has used with success.

6

23

Contents, Mission, Vision

Advance our civil rights movement (cont.) of a young girl named Ashley, and wrestled with their community topped the list. Economic security, access own experiences of gender and parenting

to transportation, viable employment and building

discrimination, and the forced sterilization of people

leadership in youth with disabilities quickly followed.

with disabilities.

“It’s important for us advocates to pass on knowledge The group was frustrated with stymied movement

that we have,” said longtime self advocate Sara

toward desegregation, and felt that people with

McQueed. “It’s a great example for our future.

disabilities still often live in isolation, without

Working with the legislators is one of my passions.

community engagement, or in settings that are more

We have to get others behind us empowered. We

restrictive than needed. Of particular concern, was

need to keep advocacy in the forefront.”

Mission

the number of youth entering residential habilitation centers, Washington’s institutions for those with developmental disabilities.

Moving Forward Keith Shierk In Memoriam:

2

DRW carefully constructs its projects and priorities to reflect the needs of the disability community and Rooted in Rights: 09-10 report 3 to

“We need to keep it up on the front lines,” said Sha-

DisAbility Rights Washington’s mission is to advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. We work to pursue justice on matters related to human and legal rights.

advance these important human and civil disability

ron Jodock-King. “I was placed in an institution when rights.

Contents, We couldMission, not do ourVision work without the 4 I was 20 because there was no other place for me to partnership and direction of our boards, councils, go. These kids may need extra care, so let’s get it for

andProjects coalitions& ofPriorities disability advocates and allies. 6

them, in the community.”

It is important for us to listen.

Outcomes

The group developed discussion around what was

The future of the disability civil rights movement

on it.

Dignity of Risk most important to advance the civil rights movement. depends Institutional downsizing, and belonging in one’s

8

Vision

10

Access

12

Financials

14

Resource Advocacy

18

Alliance with Advocates

23

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

Who We Are

27

DisAbility Rights Washington envisions a world where all people are treated with equality, dignity and respect for their expressed choices. We visualize a society that recognizes abilities rather than disabilities.

24

5

Alliance with Advocates See where we are in our disability movement, compared to these key civil rights dates.

Contents 2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington

In Memoriam: Keith Shierk

2

Rooted in Rights: 09-10 report

3

Contents, Mission, Vision

4

Projects & Priorities

6

Outcomes

8

Dignity of Risk

10

Access

12

Financials

14

Resource Advocacy

18

Alliance with Advocates

23

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

Who We Are

27 4

25

A charge to protect and advocate the civil

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

and human rights of people with disabilities: This was the genesis of the protection and advocacy system, enacted by Congress in 1975.

Thirty-five years later this charge is embedded in all of our work, be it litigation, Clear and accessible parking spaces

public policy, systemic reform, coalitionbuilding, self-advocacy development,

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man, for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls that imprison men because they are different from other men.”

Lyndon B. Johnson

DRW

community education or grassroots leadership development.

Our name and infrastructure have changed with time. Our advocacy and business

Rooted in Rights Convenient public ballot drop boxes

strategies have developed. The economy has flourished or languished and politics have swept like a pendulum through the years.

DisAbility Rights Washington continued working with county auditors, the Secretary of State’s Office and disability advocates statewide to promote voting access for people with disabilities in 2009 and 2010.

But we are steadfast in our disability civil rights movement. While what it takes to

Photos: (Top) Youth trainers confer with Kittitas County Auditor Jerry Petit prior to a youth leadership workshop, where students could practice on accessible voting machines. (Right) Staff traveled to meet with auditors and visit polling sites statewide, noting best accessibility practices and areas for improvement in each county.

DRW followed up with county auditors, the Secretary of State’s Office, local disability advocates and the state’s Help America Vote Act Advisory Committee to make needed improvements, like keeping wheelchair pathways clear.

promote the civil and human rights of people with disabilities may have changed over the last few decades; what it means to promote these rights has not.

The following pages comprise a snapshot of this work: We are rooted in our rights.

Easy fix: Clear shrubs from walkway

Washington’s DisAbility Vote

26

3

Who We Are Board of Directors Angie Crawford, Chair Cindy Falter Deanna Condon Jeannie Peck Lori Gendron Mark Stroh Mike Raymond Peggy Cobb Sonja Hardenbrook Wanda Burns William Fale

In Memoriam Keith Shierk

Mental Health Advisory Council Cindy Falter, Chair Mary Pat Treuthart Matthew Wilson Meghan Gilbert Neeve Willows Sandra Carr Severiano Salas Shannon Sommer Sheila Richardson Sonja Hardenbrook Terry Dorn

DRW DisAbility Advisory Council member 2001—2007, and council chair and DRW Board member, 2002 – 2004.

During meetings Keith asked really good, pointed questions, pushed us to do better, worried about the people in the institutions and told us we needed to focus on abuse of people with disabilities.

Keith was a dependable Board and Advisory Council member. He very rarely missed a meeting, showed up on time, welcomed new members, and always had something friendly to say to everyone.

Executive Director Mark Stroh

Public Policy Attorney Bette Fleischman

Executive Assistant Jessica Gimse

Legal Advocacy Director Regan Bailey

Receptionist Mika Kawamaki

Associate Director, Legal Advocacy David Carlson

Legal Secretary Mona Rennie

Associate Director, Legal Advocacy Stacie Siebrecht

Advocacy Director Betty Schwieterman Community Relations Director Andrea Kadlec

Attorneys Emily Cooper Pura Heather McKimmie Mike Smith Susan Kas Zach Burr

Public Policy Director David Lord

Controller Tom Hazeltine

DisAbility Advisory Council Mike Raymond, Chair Cathie McKinnon Corinna Fale Evangeline Abadinas Pat Shivers Trevor Buehler Valerie Wootton

Thank you Keith, for your passionate commitment to bettering the lives of people with disabilities. We continue your work and miss your guidance.

DAC Chair Mike Raymond greets job seekers with disabilities at the annual Tools 4 Success employment conference in Tacoma, Washington.

2

27

Rooted in Rights

Rooted in Rights: 2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington 315 Fifth Avenue South Suite 850 Seattle WA 98104 www.disabilityrightswa.org

DRW

800-562-2702 voice 800-206-957-0728 tty Permission to reprint this publication is granted by the author, DisAbility Rights Washington, provided that the publication is distributed in its entirety, free of charge and with attribution.

This booklet is available in alternative formats upon request.

DRW is a member of the National Disability Rights Network A substantial portion of the DRW budget is federally funded.

2009-2010 Biennium Report DisAbility Rights Washington

Edited May 2011

28