Advocacy

Via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, learn about state-level protection and advocacy programs funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. 

From Disability Rights California: 

• 15 Tips for Self-Advocates
• 15 Tips for Parent/Family Member Advocates
• Advocacy Tips

These fact sheets explain how laws protect the rights of disabled people and describe situations of how the laws can be used to make life better for them:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (PDF)
• Air Carrier Access Act (PDF)
• Assistive Technology Act (PDF)
• Developmental Disabilities Act (PDF)
• 2010 Standards for Accessible Design (PDF)
• Fair Housing Act (PDF)
• Olmstead U.S. Supreme Court Decision (PDF)
• Affordable Care Act (PDF)
• Help America Vote Act (PDF)
• Air Travel with a Disability under the Transportation Security Administration (PDF)
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and Ticket to Work and Work Incentives and Improvement Act of 1999 (PDF)

Educational Videos: Advocating for Yourself (Video via Craig Hospital): Targeting people with spinal cord and brain injuries, these videos feature tips from hospital staff and patients on developing self-advocacy skills. These tips can be helpful to anyone with a disability.

ADA Basic Building Blocks (via the ADA National Network): The course is designed to provide you with the basic principles and core concepts of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). It is free of charge if you don’t require education credit, and divided into 12 topics with relevant information and real-life examples, court cases and glossaries, to explain unfamiliar items.

The Advocacy Skill Building Toolkit (via the University of Montana): Provides materials (PowerPoints, videos, and worksheets) for CIL staff to lead interactive workshops that introduce and teach advocacy skills to youth.