ADVOCACY, LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND SYSTEMIC CASEWORK
Individual advocacy is a service provided for individuals who meet the eligibility criteria of one of HDRC’s programs. Demographic data is collected about the individual who has a complaint and an intervention is completed. Each individual provides authorized consent to become a client.
HDRC provides and keeps data on three levels of individual case work:
Technical Assistance in Self-Advocacy (“TASA”) is time limited advice and assistance provided by HDRC, such as reviewing information, explaining service delivery system(s), or counseling a client on actions one may take. Problems are resolved by the client, under the guidance of the advocate.
Short-term Assistance (“STA”) is time-limited advice and assistance which may include information review, investigation, counseling a client on intervention options, or staff intervention on behalf of the client to resolve the issue, with short-term monitoring.
Comprehensive Advocacy involves the expenditure of multiple hours and addresses one problem of one individual, requiring the use of many specialized intervention strategies by an HDRC advocate or attorney, primarily through negotiation or mediation. Failing this, sometimes legal remedies/litigation is required.
Legal Representation is a course of action that requires an HDRC staff attorney to provide legal representation of clients in court processes concerned with rights, grievances, or appeals of such rights or grievances.
Systemic Cases involve activities undertaken by our agency to effect changes in policies and practices of systems that impact people with disabilities.
These “systems” include State agencies, residential facilities, and/or other service providers. Systems cases are pursued for:
- Collaboration to change
- Class Action Litigation
- Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy