Advocacy Plan

Disability Rights South Carolina (DRSC) has adopted a new Advocacy Plan to meet our mission and vision and demonstrate our commitment to disability justice through advocacy that we hope leads to more inclusion, equality, and full participation for all people.

South Carolinians, like many across the country, are experiencing challenges brought on by the pandemic, economic downturn and racial inequities that are disproportionately affecting people with disabilities and their families.  Our Advocacy Plan will support all people with disabilities, including the Black, Latino, and LGBTQ communities.  DRSC’s new Advocacy Plan addresses our commitment to these individuals.  The issues we address include:

1. Unsafe, segregated, institutional care for older adults and people with disabilities.
2. Lack of affordable, accessible, and stable housing that is integrated in the community, for people with disabilities.
3. Inequities in healthcare, mental health services, housing, transportation, and employment that prevents people with disabilities the opportunity to live independently in their communities and homes.
4. High rates of unemployment and underemployment among people with disabilities.
5. Inequities in our education for students with disabilities.
6. Government programs and private businesses that discriminate against people with disabilities, by refusing to ensure physical and communication accessibility for all.
7. Lack of appropriate community based mental health services and structural problems in our justice system that have led to increased incarceration of youth with disabilities.

Actions that DRSC will take:

DRSC will push for equal protections and opportunities, for all people with disabilities, by advocating for:

1. Freedom from abuse and neglect by supporting the creation of a Vulnerable Adult Registry.
2. Community integration through the creation and adoption of an Olmstead Plan.
3. Community integration by ensuring there is appropriate community-based healthcare, mental health services, and supports for Medicaid recipients with disabilities.
4. Self-determination for people with disabilities by supporting and monitoring legislation on guardianship and supported decision making.
5. Competitive and integrated employment by supporting Employment First Legislation.
6. Equal access to education by supporting legislation that guarantees mental health services in all public schools, and monitor and support legislation requiring appropriate training of School Resource Officers regarding developmental disabilities and mental illness.
7. Equal access to services and programs by monitoring the Sign Language Interpreters Act and the Hearing Impaired Special License Plates.
8. Safety and protection by supporting legislation on Medical Transport.
9. Safety and protection by supporting legislation on Hate Crime legislation to include language for people with disabilities.
10. Civil and human rights of inmates with disabilities, by supporting the recommendation of the Correction Legislative Oversight Committee to create an Independent Corrections Ombudsman.
11. Civil and human rights of youth in the juvenile justice system, by supporting the comprehensive Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2020.