Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program PROPOSED ADVOCACY PRIORITIES Fiscal Year 2019 The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP) protects and promotes the civil rights of children and adults with physical, cognitive, and mental health disabilities in Alabama. We are comprehensive legal advocacy organization. We believe Alabama’s only statewide, cross-disability, that persons with disabilities are entitled to equal access to the opportunities afforded to all members of American society. Annually, ADAP solicits input from persons with disabilities, their families, and other members of the disability community to identify priority issue areas on which we should focus. These priority issues frame the advocacy services that we undertake and to which we allocate ADAP’s resources. Our proposed priorities for the fiscal year 2019 are: least restrictive environment to move them PROTECTION FROM ABUSE & toward independent living and, depending on NEGLECT their individual goals, secondary schooling or Individuals with disabilities will be free employment upon graduation. from abuse and neglect and live in healthier, safer or otherwise improved facility or VOTING community settings. Individuals with disabilities will be given equal opportunity to register to vote and to vote COMMUNITY ACCESS privately and independently. Individuals with disabilities will have access to appropriate and individualized FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR SOCIAL community services, including assistive SECURITY BENEFICIARIES technology, which will enhance their ability Individuals with disabilities who receive Social to live independently. Security benefits administered by a representative payee will be free from financial EMPLOYMENT exploitation. Persons with disabilities will have meaningful access to integrated employment and be paid at least minimum wage. SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING With needed supports, individuals with disabilities will be able to make everyday decisions about their lives, including matters related to where they live, how their money is managed, and their healthcare. EDUCATION Youth with disabilities will be provided a free appropriate public education in their
Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program PROPOSED ADVOCACY PRIORITIES Fiscal Year 2019 The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP) protects and promotes the civil rights of children and adults with physical, cognitive, and mental health disabilities in Alabama. We are Alabama’s only statewide, cross-disability, comprehensive legal advocacy organization. We believe that persons with disabilities are entitled to equal access to the opportunities afforded to all members of American society. Annually, ADAP solicits input from persons with disabilities, their families, and other members of the disability community to identify priority issue areas on which we should focus. These priority issues frame the advocacy services that we undertake and to which we allocate ADAP’s resources. Our proposed priorities for the fiscal year 2019 are: PROTECTION FROM ABUSE & NEGLECT Individuals with disabilities will be free from abuse and neglect and live in healthier, safer or otherwise improved facility or community settings. COMMUNITY ACCESS Individuals with disabilities will have access to appropriate and individualized community services, including assistive technology, which will enhance their ability to live independently. EMPLOYMENT Persons with disabilities will have meaningful access to integrated employment and be paid at least minimum wage. SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING With needed supports, individuals with disabilities will be able to make everyday decisions about their lives, including matters related to where they live, how their money is managed, and their healthcare. EDUCATION Youth with disabilities will be provided a free appropriate public education in their least restrictive environment to move them toward independent living and, depending on their individual goals, secondary schooling or employment upon graduation. VOTING Individuals with disabilities will be given equal opportunity to register to vote and to vote privately and independently. FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES Individuals with disabilities who receive Social Security benefits administered by a representative payee will be free from financial exploitation.
proposed_fy19_priorities.docx