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COVID-19 in Facilities
COVID-19 in Facilities DRNC is working to make sure that people with disabilities who live in facilities* stay safe and that their rights are protected during the COVID-19 crisis. We are using phone, email and video calls to connect with
Complaint concerning the NC Protocol for Allocating Scarce Inpatient Critical Care Resources in a Pandemic
Disability Rights NC files complaint concerning State’s Protocol on Scarce Inpatient Critical Care Resources You may have seen stories in the news recently about discrimination in health care. People with disabilities are being put at the back of the line
Reasonable Accommodations to Hospital Restricted Visitor Policies
Reasonable Accommodations to Hospital Restricted Visitor Policies The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act mandate that hospitals provide reasonable accommodations to patients with disabilities. The COVID-19 crisis has prompted many hospitals to change some of
Death Toll in NC Facilities
DRNC Responds to Deplorable Death Toll in NC Facilities The number of residents in institutions and facilities who are infected and dying from COVID-19 is growing at an alarming rate in North Carolina.1 These deaths far exceed national averages among
Social Security beneficiaries’ rights to stimulus money
Social Security beneficiaries’ rights to stimulus money Disability Rights North Carolina sent a letter to the NC Department of Health and Human Services requesting they provide urgent direction to all licensed residential providers serving Social Security Administration (SSA) beneficiaries with
Legal Issues Unpacked
A series of videos with DRNC staff in conversations with Tori Ekstrand, associate professor UNC Hussman School of Media and Journalism. EPISODE 3: Special Education during COVID-19 EPISODE 2: Disability Advocacy during COVID-19 with Corye Dunn EPISODE 1: Medical
Increased outbreaks in correctional facilities because social distancing is impossible
Increased outbreaks in correctional facilities because social distancing is impossible North Carolina prisons and jails are petri dishes for corona virus. “COVID-19 will spread like wildfire in our overcrowded, unhygienic prisons, and present a health risk to entire communities,”
Civil Rights Groups File Emergency Lawsuit
Civil Rights Groups File Emergency Lawsuit to Demand Governor, State Officials Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19 The ACLU of North Carolina, Disability Rights North Carolina, Emancipate NC, Forward Justice, and the National Juvenile Justice Network filed a lawsuit today seeking emergency action
Social Distancing Impossible in Overcrowded Jails
Social distancing impossible in overcrowded jails: DRNC urges immediate action North Carolina jails are chronically overcrowded, making social distancing impossible. Jail overcrowding breaks down the basic function of the jails, according to the DOJ National Institute for Corrections. In 2018,
COVID-19 Scarce Resource Protocol
On March 27, 2020, DRNC CEO Virginia Knowlton Marcus sent a letter to Secretary Mandy Cohen as part of our current efforts to make sure that any medical care rationing policies adopted by the state of North Carolina value the
DOT punishes disability community with proposed regulations
Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC) is profoundly disappointed in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposed regulations regarding service animals on aircrafts. Although intended to prevent airline passengers from falsely claiming their pets are service animals, the rules are misguided, overly
Not “Only” People
Not “Only” People Victoria Ekstrand So how dry are your hands? Mine are showing new wrinkles and crevices, but I don’t care. I’ll wash them more than two dozen times today if it means combatting COVID-19 in North Carolina. Because
Proposed Rules for Assistance Animals on Flights
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing new rules for flying with assistance animals. Some of these rules include: Size restrictions– Airlines may require the animal to be able to fit within its handler’s footspace on the plane. This excludes many of the larger breeds
Success Stories: Ashley
Ashley never had a chance to be independent. Due to her disabilities, Ashley’s grandmother petitioned for guardianship as soon as she turned 18. She believed that Ashley couldn’t take care of herself. After her grandmother passed away, Ashley’s aunt took
Service Needs Questionnaire for Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors in North Carolina
Disability Rights NC needs your help to identify gaps in services for people with a Traumatic Brain Injury living in North Carolina. Traumatic brain injury, or TBI for short, is an injury to the brain that happened sometime after birth,
2020 Census
The 2020 Census is fast approaching! This year’s census will serve as America’s 24th decennial census and its results will impact everyone living in the United States for the next 10 years. Did you know that funding for federal programs