How Disability Rights Texas Can Help

Disability Rights Texas works with individuals with disabilities in the following ways:

• Advocates for people with disabilities to secure their human, legal and service rights within and outside of the judicial system
• Pursues administrative, legal, and other appropriate remedies to ensure the protection of the rights of people with disabilities
• Establishes and expands rights and services for people with disabilities through advocacy efforts
• Informs policymakers, government officials, and the public of the rights of people with disabilities
• Refers people with disabilities to relevant programs and services

The laws that give Disability Rights Texas the responsibility to protect and advocate for people with disabilities also give us tools to accomplish that task: access to facilities or programs providing services to people with disabilities and access to their confidential records. This access permits Disability Rights Texas to conduct abuse or neglect investigations, provide information and training about the rights of individuals with disabilities, and monitor a facility or program's compliance with respect to the rights and safety of people who receive their services. Courts have recognized that this broad Congressional authority allows protection and advocacy agencies to bring actions in their own name to vindicate the rights of people with disabilities.