At the August meeting of the CDR State Council in Los Angeles, CDR Advocate Michael S. Dunne announced the establishment of a significant new benefit of CDR membership: The Advocacy Assistance Program, or AAP, will be administered from the CDR main office in Sacramento. The AAP will provide active and effective information, referral, and training and advocacy services to CDR members statewide.
"The whole point of the AAP is to act as a vital resource for CDR members in defining and defending their rights as disabled citizens," said Dunne.
He added that the AAP will accept members' complaints in the areas of unlawful discrimination on the basis of a disability, physical barriers, complaints against public or governmental agencies and related fields.
The AAP Advocate will work with individual complaining members to resolve complaints but will not give legal advice or provide legal representation for such members. Yet, the Advocate can advise the State Council or CDR Executive Committee to either initiate or join a legal action or support new local or State legislation, when such steps are called for.
Starting in October, the AAP will also offer useful and informative workshops. Topics to be covered include: The five major Titles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Enforcing Disability rights through the Small Claims process, Filing Effective Complaints against Public Entities and Self-Advocacy Skills. These workshops will be initially offered at the Sacramento office, but will "hit the road" in the near future. Look for AAP workshops to be put on at CDR State Council meetings, special events and even Chapter meetings. As part of his duties as AAP Advocate, Michael Dunne will be writing a regular New World column, starting with our next issue. If you would like more information, or to obtain a copy of the AAP Plan, you may contact Michael Dunne at (916) 447-2237 or by e-mail at mdunne@disabilityrights-cdr.org.