Staff blog - Disability Rights Texas

How Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson Changed Thousands of Lives…and Counting

Posted on June 17, 2019

This week marks the 20th anniversary of a very important legal decision regarding the rights of people with disabilities. On June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in “Olmstead v. L.C.” that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits the unnecessary institutionalization of persons with disabilities. The case involved Lois Curtis and… Continue reading How Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson Changed Thousands of Lives…and Counting

How We Advocate for People with Mental Illness

Posted on May 1, 2019

With May being National Mental Health Awareness Month, we’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about the work we do at Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) to protect and advocate for people with mental illness. DRTx is a protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities. A federal law passed in 1977 said that… Continue reading How We Advocate for People with Mental Illness

How You Can Get Involved in DD Awareness Month

Posted on March 5, 2019

by Edie Surtees, Communications Director March is Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month. Though we’ve come along way in breaking down barriers for people with DD to live and work and play in the community, we still have more to do. Here are some things you can do to encourage inclusion: Employ people with disabilities and… Continue reading How You Can Get Involved in DD Awareness Month

Agency 2018 Report Card

Posted on January 13, 2019

Each one of you is more than a number to us. We feel privileged to have assisted you in some way last year to ensure you have equal access and opportunites in our community. But we did want to show you these numbers so you can see how hard we were working for you in… Continue reading Agency 2018 Report Card

One Year Ago, Feds Reported Unprecented Findings Against Texas Public Schools

Posted on January 10, 2019

by Steven Aleman, Attorney and Policy Specialist Today Disability Rights Texas marks the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) report on the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal report on TEA contained unprecedented findings against a state for major violations of special education law…. Continue reading One Year Ago, Feds Reported Unprecented Findings Against Texas Public Schools

Lawsuit Eight Years in the Making Goes to Trial

Posted on November 17, 2018

Why would a 22-year-old man end up living in a nursing home for 13 years? Richard Krause, now 38, lived in one from 2001 to 2014. While there, he mostly stayed in bed and could not use the bathroom on his own. He is one of about 3,600 Texans that disability rights advocates say the… Continue reading Lawsuit Eight Years in the Making Goes to Trial

Try a Little Kindness

Posted on November 14, 2018

We have some exciting news about donating to Disability Rights Texas on Giving Tuesday, November 27. On that day ONLY (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday) when you give to us through our Facebook page, your donation will be matched by Facebook and PayPal. That means your $40 gift will turn into… Continue reading Try a Little Kindness

DRTx Advocate Receives Inaugural Leadership Award

Posted on November 5, 2018

Disability Rights Texas is proud to announce that our own Susan Murphree, Senior Policy Specialist, is the first recipient of the Arc of Texas Virginia Eernisse Legacy Award. The late Ms. Eernisse, who passed away in early 2018, worked throughout her lifetime to compassionately support individuals and communities. She spearheaded the establishment of Special Olympics, The… Continue reading DRTx Advocate Receives Inaugural Leadership Award

The ID You Need to Vote in Texas

Posted on October 30, 2018

By Molly Broadway, Voting Rights Training Specialist Photo ID Options for Voting The first week of mid-term election early voting proved to be busy in several locations throughout the nation. Longer lines don’t seem to be detering most folks, but nobody wants to stand in line only to find out they didn’t bring the right… Continue reading The ID You Need to Vote in Texas

Kick Your Vote to the Curb

Posted on October 24, 2018

Curbside Voting and Other Options for People with Disabilities Who Can’t Stand in Line by Molly Broadway, DRTx Voting Rights Training Specialist Nearly half a million people in Texas have already cast their ballot in the first two days of early voting. This record-breaking turnout can mean longer wait times. For some Texans with disabilities,… Continue reading Kick Your Vote to the Curb