About Our Programs
Cancer Legal Resource Center
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The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) is a national, joint program of the Disability Rights Legal Center and Loyola Law School Los Angeles. The CLRC provides free and confidential information and resources on cancer-related legal issues to cancer survivors, caregivers, employers, health care professionals, and others coping with cancer.
A cancer diagnosis can carry with it a variety of legal issues, including insurance coverage, employment discrimination, access to health care, and estate planning. These legal issues can cause people unnecessary worry, confusion, and stress, and can be overwhelming. When these legal issues are not addressed, people may find that although they have gotten through their treatment, they have lost their homes, jobs, or insurance.
The CLRC has a national, toll-free Telephone Assistance Line (866-THE-CLRC) where callers can receive free and confidential information about relevant laws and resources for their particular situation. Members of the CLRC's Professional Panel of volunteer attorneys, insurance agents, and accountants can provide more in-depth information and counsel to CLRC callers.
Since its founding in 1997, the CLRC remains unique, providing invaluable cancer-related legal information and resources to people nationwide. The success of the Center's work is reflected in the enormous need for the information we provide. Throughout its 13-year history, the CLRC has served over 155,000 people through the Telephone Assistance Line, conferences, seminars, workshops, outreach programs, and other cancer community activities.
CLRC staff members also speak at seminars and conferences in the cancer community, across the nation, including trainings for health care professionals. If you would like CLRC staff to attend your next event, please complete our Speaker Request & Material Order Form or call us at (213) 736-1331 or (866) 843-2572.
The CLRC is hosting 2 national Cancer Rights Conferences in 2010:
Los Angeles: October 8, 2010 - Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Dept. of Care Coordination, Clinical Social Work
Visit www.CancerLegalResourceCenter.org for more information about cancer-related legal issues and the services provided by the Cancer Legal Resource Center.
Community Outreach Program
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The Community Outreach Program provides disability law trainings for people with disabilities, businesses, attorneys, employers, and others about disability rights laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disability sensitivity issues, and legal issues involving access to healthcare, such as Medicare. The Program conducts outreach, through self-advocacy academies and workshops regarding disability rights in housing, employment, effective communication and other access related issues, to inform members of the disability community and other minority communities. The Program spearheads the statewide Respect-ABILITY Coalition, and organizes and hosts the bi-yearly Respect-ABILITY Conference, which brings together disability leaders, advocates, and community organizers to discuss changes in law, national trends, and local strategies. The Program also provides community building events, such as Disability Mentoring Day, an annual event that pairs young students and job seekers with mentors for a day of job shadowing in the career field of their interest. Disability Mentoring Day will take place on Wednesday, October 21st 2009. For more information on how to participate in Disability Mentoring Day as a mentee or mentor please call (213) 736-8365.
Inland Empire Program
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The Inland Empire is one of the fastest growing areas in California and covers nearly 30,000 square miles. Yet legal services are dismayingly scarce for low-income people with disabilities. Therefore, the Disability Rights Legal Center has expanded its offices to serve San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. We are accepting special education and civil rights cases in those counties.
Civil Rights Litigation Program
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The Civil Rights Litigation Program provides representation for low-income individuals with disabilities facing discrimination.
We concentrate on cases that will establish important legal principles or benefit large groups of people with disabilities. We provide legal services without charge to its clients.
Our cases challenge discriminatory practices by government agencies, businesses, and educational institutions. Examples include, inaccessible newly constructed or altered buildings, refusal to provide sign language interpreters or alternative format materials, inaccessible government programs, discriminatory insurance and health care systems, inaccessible transportation services, and policies that exclude people with disabilities. To file a disability discrimination claim call, (213) 736-1334.
Education Advocacy Program
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to identify, assess, and provide special education and related services to children that qualify as having disabilities which affect their ability to learn. In order to receive these services, parents must advocate for their children against, often times, very resistant school districts. Low-income, minority, and non-English-speaking parents are often at a greater disadvantage due to language and financial barriers.
The Education Advocacy Program represents families of students with disabilities in special education proceedings, including Individual Education Plans (IEP's) meeting, mediation due process hearings, and government complaints. We also provide monthly Education Advocacy Workshops to teach people about special education and an Education Advocacy Manual, a step-by-step guide to assist parents in advocating for their children.
Options Counseling
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Options Counseling serves as the front door to the Disability Rights Legal Center. The Options Counseling method of intake reflects our deep conviction that many options outside of litigation are available to individuals with disability related disputes. Options Counseling works hand-in-hand with the Education Advocacy Program and Civil Rights Litigation Program to conduct intake. The aim of Options Counseling is to assist and empower those involved in conflicts to evaluate the options available to resolve their disputes. The service focuses on informing callers of all their options - including litigation, mediation, and self-help - helping the callers decide which options to pursue, and identifying appropriate resources and referrals. We also offer Ask-A-Lawyer events at local Independent Living Centers.
Lawyer Referral Service
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We operate a State Bar certified Lawyer Referral Service, which refers callers with disability-related cases to experienced private attorneys in Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. The service provides four subject-matter panels: Labor and Employment, Access to Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities, Administrative Law, and Higher Education.
Pro Bono Program
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Each year, the DRLC receives thousands of requests for legal assistance from people with disabilities. While our committed staff and student externs work to capacity providing legal assistance, the need for our services far exceeds our ability to meet it. As a result, we rely heavily on our pro bono partners.
Volunteer attorneys have historically played two important roles in the work of the DRLC:
1) The majority of people with disabilities who contact us have smaller, more personal legal issues. In order to meet these needs, the Pro Bono Program identifies, cultivates, and maintains critical relationships with attorneys throughout Los Angeles who are willing to accept these types of pro bono referrals and undertake small litigation cases, brief service (e.g., letter writing, advice, and negotiation without litigation), and individual special education advocacy.
2) Most of the cases accepted by the DRLC's Civil Rights Litigation Program are either class actions or cases where resolution will benefit large numbers of people. In order to pursue such matters, we partner with volunteer attorneys who are affiliated with major law firms that have the financial and staff resources necessary for complex cases. Over the years this kind of collaboration has had an outstanding record of achievement in cases of major impact.
Children’s Benefits Access Project
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The purpose of the Children’s Benefits Access Project is to educate L.A. Care Health Plan’s pediatric members with disabilities, their families and other children with disabilities in Los Angeles County who may be eligible for public programs, about the responsibilities of governmental entities to provide them with health care and related services.
To accomplish this goal, the DRLC will publish and distribute a Benefits Access Guide, funded by L.A. Care Health Plan, which will include a comprehensive list of health care and related benefits that pertain to children with disabilities and an analysis of agencies responsible for providing those benefits.
After publishing and distributing this comprehensive guide, the DRLC plans to educate, train and bring together health care providers, public entities, regional centers, case managers and low income families and children with disabilities to improve children’s access to health care services and coordination among health care providers.