ADVOCACY & DISABILITY RIGHTS LINKS

Access Now While nominally a Florida organization, this group does nationwide legal public accommodations advocacy and has a national membership.

The ADA Game An online game "which simulates how advocacy can promote positive changes. As advocates for disability rights, players work together in one of ten virtual communities to improve awareness and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)"

The Advocacy Center Education advocacy information for people with developmental disabilities or head injuries, and their families, sponsored by the Western NY Protection and Advocacy for people with Developmental Disabilities program

Advocating for Your Child How-to help on advocating for special education services, from Wrightslaw

American Association of People with Disabilities A national cross-disability group that does advocacy and lobbying and provides benefits to members

Barrier Breakers Primarily oriented toward promoting the use of PASS plans and selling PASS-plan-related services, this site also features good advocacy alerts and a Social Security issues chatroom where people can trade advice on dealing with SSA.

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law "Legal advocacy for the civil rights and human dignity of people with mental disability"

California Disability Alliance An advocacy organization opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide

Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions Their mission is to improve the responsiveness of health professionals and health providers to disability issues, to increase the number of people with disabilities working in health care professions, and to assist people with disabilities to become better advocates for their own health care; famed long-time disability advocate June Isaacson Kailes is centrally involved.

Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy Training and information dissemination on disability policy issues and advocacy.

The Center on Human Policy A Syracuse University program that is involved in policy, research, and advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities

Disability Cool Disability culture topics

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Legal advocacy, public policy, training, and technical assistance

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Information on how to file a disability employment discrimination claim

Family Voices Advocacy and information regarding community-based services for children and youths with disabilities

Freedom Clearinghouse A joint effort of The Ragged Edge and Mouth magazines, this site offers information and resources for advocates working on deinstitutionalization

Institute on Independent Living International site featuring discussion forums, links to disability issues coalitions, and information/documents on disability rights issues

Justice for All A listserve that regularly provides alerts and information on disability rights issues

Kids As Self Advocates Advocacy organization of teens and young adults

LawHelp.org/NY While not disability-specific, this site, which provides connections to free or low-cost legal assistance to people with low or moderate incomes in New York State, is certainly applicable to many disability-related situations

Long Term Care Community Coalition Information and advocacy on policies and legislation concerning long-term care for people with disabilities and seniors

Mothers From Hell A funky, tough, and funny organization of parent advocates; the site features humor, products, the option to become a member and receive the organization's newsletter, Brimstone, and more.

Mouth Magazine Simply the funniest, most radical, strangest, and best Disability Rights publication in the known universe

National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy Mental health advocacy

National Coalition on Self Determination A group of people with developmental disabilities and their families who work to promote the principles of the Self Determination movement through national disability policy advocacy.

National Parent Network on Disabilities Disability policy and advocacy information for families

New York Assistive Technology Advocacy Project Information on a variety of assistive technology advocacy and payment issues

New York SAFE NY chapter of a national organization, "Schools Are For Everyone", which advocates for full inclusion of students with all disabilities in public school

New York State Office of Advocate for Persons with Disabilities

New York State Self Advocacy Association Consumer rights organization for people with mental retardation or developmental disabilities

Not Dead Yet Information and agitation against assisted suicide

NYC Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program A starting point for information and advocacy assistance regarding managed care

Olmstead Decision Homepage The federal Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA) official site for news and information on its efforts to implement the Olmstead Decision

Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center Don't be fooled by the name; this site has news and information of national interest

The PACER Center The Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights, a Minnesota-based organization that has lots of information for families and students on education for children with disabilities

Patient Advocate Foundation Information on, and assistance with, mediation between health care consumers and insurance companies, employers, and creditors

RightWheelchair.org Systems advocacy for changes to Medicare wheelchair purchasing rules

Smithsonian Disability Rights Movement Exhibit The Smithsonian Institution's exhibit on the history of the disability rights movement, an excellent multimedia site

Special Education Legal Rights Strategies & Resources Legal information and advocacy strategies on all aspects of Special Ed

Support Coalition International Advocacy and support organization for psychiatric survivors

There's No Place Like Home A statewide grassroots coalition headquartered in Syracuse, NY, that advocates for home and community based supports for people with disabilities and elderly people

United Spinal Association Formerly known as the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, United Spinal addresses many generic disability issues through cutting edge legal and legislative advocacy