Protecting and advocating for the rights of Texans with disabilities - because all people have dignity and worth. 
large group of diverse people
The Rights Times
Spring 2017 Newsletter
In this edition:
  • Spring Fling Funddraiser in Houston April 5
  • DRTx Regains Critical Early Childhood Services for Young Girl
  • Standing Strong with Your Help
  • Accessing Health Care for People with Disabilities
Image that says Spring Fling in colorful letters
Spring Fling Fundraiser This Week
It's our first-ever fundraiser, and it's shaping up to be a success already! There is still time to join the fun at our Spring Fling Event on April 5 in Houston at Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

Thank you to our generous sponsors: 

PLATINUM ($5,000)
Winston & Strawn LLP of Houston/Winston & Strawn  Foundation

SILVER: ($1,000)
The Davis Law Group
Suffian & Passamano

photo of Haylee with her mom
Amanda and Haylee Crouse (photo by Wade Goodwyn of NPR)
DRTx Regains Critical Services for Little Girl
For children born with disabilities, early intervention is critical to their future success in school and as an adult. In fact, state and federal law require Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services be provided to infants with disabilities up until the age of three years old. 

Two-year old Haylee, a loving little girl with significant developmental delays, was making significant progress when her ECI services were suddenly stopped last year.  Her provider ceased providing services to Haylee and hundreds of other children in the Tyler area due to Medicaid rate cuts that severely reduced state funding to providers. 

DRTx and pro bono co-counsel Baker & McKenzie LLP of Dallas filed a complaint on behalf of Haylee against the Texas Health and Human Services Commission along with a request for a due process hearing.  A hearing officer determined that the state violated the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act and related state law and ordered services to begin again for Haylee within seven days of the decision.

The ruling is the first of its kind and sets a precedence for future cases. "This is an important win for Haylee and hundreds of other kids across Texas who are facing or will face the same unfortunate situation," said Nick Kennedy, attorney with Baker & McKenzie. 

If your child's ECI services have suddenly stopped or been reduced, please call DRTx to request free legal help at 1-800-252-9108 or apply for services online at:  
Standing Strong With Your Help
As Disability Rights Texas faces federal funding cuts in the coming months and years, we need your help now more than ever...
  • Because we must keep fighting to ensure Texas children with disabilities receive the special education services and medical care they need and are entitled to by law. 
  • Because we must keep working to end the practice of paying people with disabilities in Texas as little as pennies per hour for the work they do. 
  • Because we must continue protecting people with disabilities living in state institutions from abuse and neglect.
And the list goes on.  Your generous, tax-deductible gift - whether $10, $100, or $1,000 - will help keep us standing strong. 

And we've just made donating to DRTx easier than ever before. Now you can use  PayPal OR the donate button on the DRTx Facebook page . 

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Accessing Healthcare: Your Rights
If you are a person with a disability, you have certain rights when accessing health care services.  You have the right to access facilities, services, and information offered by doctors' offices and hospitals. 

All health care providers are prohibited from discriminating against people with disabilities and must provide access in a variety of ways.
Need Help?
If you are a Texan with a disability who believes your rights have been violated, please call our Intake Line at 1.800.252.9108 or our Sign Language Video Intake Line at 1.888.362.2851. Intake hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Online Intake Available 24/7
Can't call during our regular intake hours or can't get through due to high call volume? Click here 
to complete our online intake form available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

DRTX Quick Links:
Our Website: 
Disability Rights Texas (previously named Advocacy Inc.) is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas. Its mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society. Visit www.DRTx.org for more information.
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