Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Disability Rights Advocates is pleased to make available on our website and in our offices the work of artists from the National Institute of Art & Disabilities (NIAD). NIAD provides an art program that promotes creativity, independence, dignity, and community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities.
We are currently investigating complaints by deaf and hard of hearing employees who work for the State of California. If you believe you are experiencing discrimination or are having other problems at work, please click below to complete an intake questionnaire. Any information you share with us will be kept confidential. Thank you for your interest and help with this investigation.
ASL Video and IntakeFebruary 11, 2009: A class action suit filed today in state court in Alameda County charges that health care organization Kaiser Permanente directs a “blatantly discriminatory” policy against children with autism. The class action suit, seeking relief on behalf of children with autism and their families who are members of Kaiser, was filed by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a Berkeley-based non-profit law center, and Chavez & Gertler, a national class action litigation law firm. Other major counsel are Gerard V. Mantese and John J. Conway. The suit seeks to end discrimination against disabled children and does not request money damages.
Read the Press Release.December 17, 2008: In January 2008, Plaintiffs Lori Gray, Peter Mendoza and Ann Sieck filed suit against Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (Gray et al. v. GGNRA, et al.) under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794(a). In their lawsuit, Plaintiffs alleged that they were denied their right to full and equal access to, and use and enjoyment of, the programs, services, activities and facilities of GGNRA because of physical and other access barriers.
Read the Press Release.December 15, 2008: We want to remind people about a claims process in a case Disability Rights Advocates recently settled known as NFB v. Target Corporation. This case was brought because Target’s website was not accessible to persons with vision disabilities. If you have a vision disability and use screen access software, you have the chance to share in this settlement by filing a claim for monetary damages. All you have to do is have tried to access www.target.com from California by December 9th and experienced one or more barriers on the site. You can file a claim at www.nfbtargetlawsuit.com (click on the top most link to file a claim). By filing a claim you may be eligible for up to $7,000. This case is very important for the blind community. By filing a claim you are letting your voice be heard. Please help us further web access equality and file a claim in this settlement. Claims must be submitted by January 8, 2009 to be timely.
Please see www.nfbtargetlawsuit.com for online interactive claims submission
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Read Claims Notice.
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August 27, 2008: SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A landmark suit filed in federal court in San Francisco charges that San Francisco’s homeless shelter program “blatantly discriminates” against disabled homeless people. Although the majority of all homeless people are men, women, and children with disabilities, the suit is the first in the country to broadly challenge the homeless shelter program of a city as a violation of civil rights statutes that protect people with disabilities.
Read the Press Release in Word.
Read the Complaint in PDF.
June 25, 2008: Senior Federal District Court Judge Samuel Conti has issued his decision in the landmark case brought on behalf of veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury in July of 2007. The trial was conducted from April 21 30, 2008, and included a week of testimony in early March. The trial focused on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and adjudication systems for disabled veterans. The trial included testimony from the heads of national veterans’ organizations, top VA officials and some of the leading experts in the country on the widespread failings of the VA system.
Read the Press Release.The Sutter Health network of hospitals, medical foundations and other health care service providers has taken a big legal step toward further improving health care access for patients with mobility, visual, hearing and speech disabilities who seek care at Sutter facilities.
On July 11, 2008, Judge Bonnie Sabraw of the Alameda County Superior Court granted final approval to a class action settlement agreement between Disability Rights Advocates and co-counsel Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian and Sutter Health. The landmark settlement is geared towards improving health care access for patients with disabilities at Sutter facilities. This comprehensive agreement resolves a class-action lawsuit filed to address these issues.
Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), private co-counsel, and Sutter Health announced Friday, April 18, 2008, that the Sutter network of hospitals, medical foundations and other health care service providers has taken a big legal step toward further improving health care access for patients with mobility, visual, hearing and speech disabilities who seek care from Sutter facilities.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Sutter is going to remove architectural barriers, acquire and install accessible medical equipment, and review and update policies and training relevant to people with disabilities at all of its California facilities.
Read the Order in Adobe Format.Read the Exhibits in Adobe Format:
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Exhibit D
Exhibit E
Exhibit F
Exhibit G
Exhibit H
Learn more about Health Access.
Federal District Court has certified a statewide class in the case consisting of all persons with mobility and/or vision disabilities who are allegedly being denied access to pedestrian facilities which are owned and/or maintained by the California Department of Transportation.
Read more about the case.On December 28, 2007, an en banc court of the Ninth Circuit returned the case to the district court for further review and analysis of UPS's use of the DOT hearing standard in its driver application process. We will post additional details about the next phase of the case when they become available, in approximately 60-90 days.
Read the Press Release.A landmark lawsuit, the first of its kind in the country, was filed against the City of Oakland to address the City’s failure to adequately plan to meet the mass care and shelter needs of people with disabilities in an emergency.
