At the Rockland Independent Living Center, we believe that all people with disabilities are entitled to the full spectrum of rights afforded to all people in our society, and that they must also share in the civic responsibilities that those rights entail. We are committed to the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. Most importantly, we believe that people with disabilities have the right to determine the course of their own lives. These principles form the cornerstone of our advocacy efforts.
Individual advocacy: Though we cannot provide legal advice to consumers, we can provide technical assistance and general compliance information with regard to important disability rights laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
System-wide advocacy: We also provide advocacy on a system-wide basis by identifying pervasive needs of people with disabilities in Rockland County and forging relationships with other non-profit organizations, state and local governments, businesses, and our state legislative offices in order to better address the needs of the unserved and underserved.
If you need assistance or would like to learn more, please call Sarah Mitchell-Weed, the Director of Independent Living Services at 845-624-1366 ext. 129, or contact her by email at smitchell-weed@rilc.org.
Action Alerts and Important News for Advocates:
http://www.apse.org/policy/lead.cfm: WIPA & PABSS Programs in Danger of Being Eliminated
Contact Your Members of Congress Today!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/nyregion/new-york-state-draft-report-finds-needless-risk-in-care-for-the-disabled.html: State Faults Care for the Disabled by Danny Hakim, The New York Times, March 22, 2012
Disability Law Enforcement and Compliance Links of Interest:
http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm: A Guide to Disability Rights Laws, U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section (September 2005)
http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/12325.html: The ADA page of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm: Disability Discrimination in Employment, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
http://www.dhr.ny.gov/law_and_regulation.html: New York State Division of Human Rights
