How we prioritize our work
Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC) is North Carolina’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organization. DRNC focuses on changing laws, policies, practices, and systems that affect people with disabilities across the state. To help guide our work and use our resources effectively, we establish Advocacy Targets (priority issues) that identify where our efforts can create the greatest impact for people with disabilities across North Carolina. We seek community input to develop these targets.
After hearing from the community about our targets, we prioritize issues that impact large numbers of people, remove significant barriers to inclusion and opportunity, and address concerns that no other organization is equipped to address. Because our resources are limited and our mission is focused on creating broad, lasting change, DRNC is only able to provide individual representation in a small number of carefully selected cases within our targets. The requests for services that we select for full representation are those that are likely to have a statewide impact, address urgent rights violations individually or systemically, and/or help create lasting change for people with disabilities beyond the individual client.
Beyond individual legal representation, DRNC engages in a range of advocacy activities to advance these priorities and protect the rights of people with disabilities. These activities support our Advocacy Targets, federally mandated programs, and other funded initiatives. Core advocacy activities we use to carry out our work are listed at the end of this document.
DRNC’s DRAFT advocacy targets for Fiscal Year 2027 are as follows:
Keep kids with disabilities in school
Students with disabilities face discrimination through school exclusion more than other students. DRNC helps make sure students with disabilities are not excluded from school, whether based on disciplinary, mental health, medical, or other reasons, and are receiving a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) in the student’s least restrictive environment (LRE) that meets their individualized needs*.
Within our resources, DRNC will:
- Assist students with disabilities placed in a homebound placement or modified school schedule who can be served in a less restrictive setting if the school provides an appropriate placement, supports, and services
- Assist students with disabilities serving a long-term suspension (more than 10 school days), multiple short-term suspensions (10 or fewer days) accumulating to more than 10 school days, informal send homes of more than 10 school days, expulsion, or alternative school placement in violation of legal disciplinary safeguards
- Monitor and advocate for students with disabilities in NC’s youth development centers (YDCs) and juvenile detention centers (JDCs) who are not receiving appropriate education services
*Because the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) does not cover private schools, DRNC does not assist with problems in private schools.
Reduce unnecessary institutionalization and improve access to Home and Community-Based Services and Supports (HCBS)
People with disabilities deserve opportunities to live in their homes and communities with the services and supports they need. Yet, gaps in North Carolina’s service systems often prevent people from accessing needed supports. As a result, some people who could successfully live in the community remain in institutions or are at risk of unnecessary institutionalization.
Within our resources, DRNC will:
- Assist individuals with disabilities who are unlawfully denied necessary services they are entitled to receive through Medicaid to help them remain healthy and safe in the community
- Assist individuals in institutions who can and want to live in the community with services and support
Protect the housing rights of people with disabilities
Disabled people often face discrimination because of their disabilities. They may be denied housing or denied the accommodations or modifications they need to fully use and enjoy their homes, even though the Fair Housing Act protects against disability- based housing discrimination.
Within our resources, DRNC will:
- Assist people whose housing provider or homeowner’s association has denied reasonable accommodations or modifications to their home that are needed to accommodate their disability-related needs
- Advocate for people who have been denied access to housing based on their disabilities
- Assist people experiencing disability-based harassment by their landlord, property manager, or neighbor
Advocate for policies and programs that keep people with disabilities employed in integrated jobs that pay at least the minimum wage
People with disabilities face discrimination and barriers to finding work, keeping their jobs, or advancing in their careers. DRNC works to address unlawful policies and programs that prevent disabled people from obtaining or maintaining employment.
Examples of the barriers and discriminatory practices DRNC has addressed include:
- Requiring employees to undergo unnecessary fitness-for-duty examinations
- Preventing blind employees from using screen readers or other accessible technology at work
- Reassigning employees instead of first considering reasonable accommodations
- Limiting or delaying access to employment supports through vocational rehabilitation programs or employment networks
DRNC does not assist people with becoming eligible for Social Security benefits. However, we may assist people who already receive benefits and need information about how employment may affect those benefits or who are experiencing disability- based discrimination.
Advocate for policies and programs that support access to community places, programs, and services
People with disabilities face discrimination and barriers when accessing businesses, government services, healthcare, education, transportation, and other community services. DRNC works to address unlawful policies and programs that prevent disabled people from fully participating in community life.
Examples of the barriers and discriminatory practices DRNC has addressed include:
- Charging people with disabilities additional fees for the use of a personal assistant needed because of their disability
- Refusing to allow service animals in businesses, healthcare settings, or other public places where they are legally permitted
- Failing to provide sign language interpreters, braille, or other accessible communication accommodations needed for equal access to programs and services
- Banning the use of prescribed medications used to treat opioid use disorder
- Installing bus stop features or other elements of a public transportation system that are inaccessible to people with disabilities
Advocate for people with disabilities to control their own lives
People with disabilities have the right to make decisions about their own lives, including where they live, the medical care they receive, and the relationships they maintain.
Sometimes, a court may decide that a person is unable to make certain decisions and appoint a guardian to make those decisions on their behalf. DRNC provides information, self-advocacy support, and, in limited circumstances, legal representation to help people understand and protect their rights in guardianship proceedings. DRNC does not assist people seeking guardianship over another person.
People with mental health or substance use disabilities may face involuntary commitment, which can result in hospitalization against their will if a court determines they may be a danger to themselves or others. Too often, people enter this system because community-based services and supports are unavailable or inadequate. DRNC provides information and self-advocacy support to people affected by involuntary commitment and, within our resources and priorities, advocates to address harmful policies and practices.
DRNC may assist people whose rights have been affected during the commitment process, including those who would have voluntarily agreed to evaluation or treatment if offered, were held against their will in an emergency department, or remained confined in a 24-hour facility after a judge ordered their release.
DRNC does not provide representation during involuntary commitments because people have a right to appointed counsel after they are transported to a 24-hour facility.
Advance and enforce disability rights in the criminal legal system
People with disabilities face many challenges in the criminal legal system. They are more likely to have injurious interactions with law enforcement, to be incarcerated, and to face even more significant difficulties when rejoining their communities after incarceration than those without disabilities. While incarcerated, disabled people are often kept in solitary confinement without treatment, languish in jails because of inadequate resources and care, and face delays or outright denials of medications and other accommodations.
Upon release, people with disabilities struggle to find adequate care, adjust to life outside of prison, and satisfy the terms of their post-release supervision. DRNC advocates to protect the dignity and rights of people with disabilities in the criminal justice system.
Within our resources, DRNC will:
- Advocate for adequate medical care, mental health care, accessibility, and proper accommodations for individuals in prisons and jails
- Monitor prisons and jails conditions and compliance with disability rights requirements
- Track and analyze public records on conditions, overcrowding, and deaths in prisons and jails and publish reports on our
- Engage in systemic advocacy to address problems that threaten the rights and dignity of incarcerated people with disabilities
- Advocate for accommodations during post-incarceration transition (re-entry) for disabled people, including referrals to local resources
- Educate attorneys, court officials, and other stakeholders regarding disability related barriers faced when interacting with criminal legal system
Core Advocacy Activities
Information, Referral, and Self-Advocacy Support
A key part of DRNC’s work is providing information and support for self-advocacy among people with disabilities. We provide information and referral services, help direct disabled people to community resources, conduct outreach and education, and offer self-advocacy materials to help people learn about and enforce disability rights. DRNC maximizes its impact by supporting disabled in understanding and advocating for their own legal rights.
Monitoring and Investigations
DRNC has the authority and duty to monitor places where people with disabilities live or receive services to find and prevent neglect, fraud, and abuse. We conduct investigations to ensure disabled people are not harmed and advocate for systemic reforms.
Sometimes we focus on specific issues, like making sure residents and patients in facilities have access to assistive technology; or, looking into how children are cared for in psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs). By shifting our focus based on community complaints, reports, and changing laws or policies, DRNC addresses current problems, prevents new ones, and improves disability services.
Within our available resources, DRNC will:
- Visit different types of facilities, speak with residents/students and staff, and determine if these places are safe and following legal standards
- Investigate deaths and complaints of abuse, neglect, or rights violations in facilities
- Find individuals who can and want to live in the community with support and help them transition safely to the community with the right services
- Advocate for reforms to improve quality of care and protect the rights of disabled people in facilities
Outreach
DRNC’s outreach work involves connecting with disabled people, organizations, communities, and other interested groups. We aim to raise awareness about our services, educate people about disability rights, and help individuals access the resources and support they need to live independently in the communities they choose.
DRNC also identifies and assists people with disabilities who have been affected by natural disasters or public health emergencies, and advocates for disability-informed and prepared emergency response systems.
Public Policy Advocacy
DRNC educates public policy-makers to ensure that the perspectives of people with disabilities are considered in North Carolina’s laws, rules, policies, and procedures.
Voting Rights
DRNC advances voting rights by making sure groups that work on voter engagement consider the needs of voters with disabilities and make their efforts accessible. We work to remove obstacles to voting, identify and address barriers at polling sites, and offer non-partisan information about voting to people with disabilities.
Representative Payee Reviews
DRNC conducts reviews to ensure that disabled people who have a representative payee managing their Social Security benefits are not abused, neglected, or exploited. Our representative payee reviews include:
- An interview with the individual or organizational representative payee
- A review of the representative payee’s financial records for a beneficiary, or a sampling of multiple beneficiaries served
- A home visit and interview for each beneficiary included in the review
- An interview with legal guardians and third parties when applicable
DRNC seeks private grant funding and charitable donations to expand our capacity to advance and defend disability rights, respond to unmet needs, and strengthen advocacy efforts with and for people with disabilities across North Carolina.