Priorities and Objectives

DISABILITY RIGHTS IDAHO
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
Fiscal Year 2012 (October 1, 2011 – September 30, 2012)

COMMUNITY INTEGRATION

PRIORITY I: People with disabilities will live in the community of their choice with the supports they need.

Objective: Assist people with disabilities to move from nursing facilities, or to remain in the community if at risk of a nursing facility placement. 

PRIORITY II: Individuals with disabilities will have better access to appropriate mental health care coverage and services.

Objective: Influence policy makers to improve the quality of mental health services.

PRIORITY III: People with disabilities will have access to assistive technology (AT) devices and services that they need.

Objective: Provide individual and systemic advocacy to ensure access to assistive technology.

DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

PRIORITY: State or local government entities will not discriminate on the basis of disability in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504.

Objective: Address selected cases of alleged illegal discrimination by state or local government entities.

EDUCATION

PRIORITY I: Students with disabilities will receive appropriate education services.

Objective #1: Provide individual advocacy to students with disabilities whose suspension or expulsion violates provisions of FAPE.

Objective #2: Address the practice of the unnecessary segregation of students with disabilities and the use of aversive behavior modification techniques.  

PRIORITY II: Students with disabilities will have access to transition services.

Objective: Ensure students have access to transition age services.

EMPLOYMENT

PRIORITY I: Social Security beneficiaries will obtain or retain employment.

Objective #1: Reduce barriers to employment for beneficiaries of Supplemental Security Income and/or Social Security Disability Insurance.

Objective #2: Provide work incentives planning and assistance to ensure beneficiaries are informed about how work will impact their benefits.

PRIORITY II: Increase access to Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) funded services [e.g., Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (IDVR), Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI), Independent Living Centers (ILC)].

Objective: Provide individual and systemic advocacy to address barriers in accessing RSA funded services.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

PRIORITY I: People with disabilities will not be subjected to unnecessary or abusive guardianships or conservatorships.

Objective #1: Increase public awareness as to the rights of people with disabilities who are, or may be subject to, a guardianship or conservatorship.
   
Objective #2: Protect the rights of people with disabilities who are seeking to change or prevent an unnecessary or abusive guardianship.

PRIORITY II: People with disabilities will have access to Social Security benefits.

Objective: People with disabilities who are entitled to Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income will receive their SSDI/SSI benefits.

PRIORITY III: People with disabilities will be protected from discrimination in decisions involving denial of medical treatment and end-of-life decisions.

Objective: Preserve and improve current protections in the Idaho Code which prevent disability discrimination in medical decisions.

PRIORITY IV: Participate in systemic advocacy that protects and promotes the rights of people with disabilities.

Objective: Participate with stakeholders and disability groups on task forces, workgroups and councils that provide the opportunity to advocate on behalf of people with disabilities.

PRIORITY V: Parents with disabilities will have their parental rights protected during pregnancy and/or during the first three months of the newborn’s life.

Objective: Address practices of Child Protection Services that restrict or remove the parental rights of parents with disabilities.

MEDICAID

PRIORITY I: People with disabilities will have increased access to Medicaid services.

Objective: Address Medicaid rules or practices that violate federal or state laws and that create barriers to service. 

PRIORITY II: Idaho’s Medicaid program will provide access to adequate community based treatment and services for people with disabilities.

Objective: Address systemic public policy issues in the Idaho Medicaid program.

OUTREACH/TRAINING

PRIORITY I: People with disabilities will have increased access to the services offered by DisAbility Rights Idaho.

Objective #1:  Conduct outreach to military veterans, their families and veteran organizations.

Objective #2: Conduct outreach to selected individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk for experiencing homelessness.
  
Objective #3: Conduct outreach in the community to increase awareness of agency services.

PRIORITY II: People with disabilities will have the information and skills to advocate for themselves or others.

Objective #1: Provide self advocacy training to individuals with disabilities.

Objective #2: Develop disability related materials to assist individuals with self advocacy.

RIGHTS IN FACILITIES

PRIORITY I: People with disabilities will live free from abuse.

Objective #1: Address issues of restraints and/or seclusion in facilities.

Objective #2: Affect changes in policy or practice by investigating instances of death at facilities.

Objective #3: Address issues of abuse in facilities.

PRIORITY II: People with disabilities in facilities will live free from neglect.

Objective: Address issues of neglect in facilities.

PRIORITY III: People with disabilities in facilities will have their rights protected.

Objective #1: Address issues of rights violations in facilities.

Objective #2: Identify and address unlawful denials of P&A access to residents and records in facilities.

Objective #3: Conduct monitoring of selected facilities.

PRIORITY IV: Beneficiaries with organizational representative payees will be free from abuse and neglect.

Objective: Investigate organizational representative payees to determine whether beneficiaries are free from abuse and neglect.

VOTING

PRIORITY: People with disabilities will have full access to the voting process.

Objective #1: Collaborate with other agencies and organizations to ensure access to the voting process.

Objective #2: Address barriers to the voting process for people with disabilities.

Objective #3: Conduct training that ensures people in selected facilities have full access to the voting process.