Public Policy

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What is Public Policy?

Public policy or systemic advocacy is about working towards broad changes in policy, practice, and legislation that will benefit people now and into the future.

What We Do

We engage in policy and legislative advocacy to protect and expand the rights of people with disabilities. We educate state legislators about the diverse lives and needs of people with disabilities and how a proposed change to a policy or program may impact them. We also empower individuals to have a voice in their local, state, and federal government.

Example

Creating a South Carolina Olmstead Plan to expand Home and Community-Based Services

An Olmstead Plan is a state plan to make sure people with disabilities can live and get services in the community, instead of being placed in institutions. It follows the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court Olmstead decision, which says this is a right under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Thanks to education and outreach efforts from DRSC and our partners, a new bill, which was signed into law in 2025, called S.2: Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities includes:

  • A requirement for South Carolina to develop an Olmstead Plan;
  • A new Administrator of Community Living Integration to oversee the plan, and a State ADA Coordinator;
  • A new advisory committee that includes people with disabilities to help guide the process

These changes reflect the recommendations in a 2023 report by DRSC and the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health: Opportunities for South Carolina to Strengthen Home and Community-Based Services for People with Disabilities. It will take time for the State to both write an Olmstead Plan and establish these new roles. DRSC will continue to monitor the progress made in creating them.

Past Public Policy Success

DRSC, in collaboration with Able SC and other disability advocacy organizations, educates lawmakers on bills to protect and advance the rights of people with disabilities.  These bills included:

Governor Henry McMaster signed Bill S.2 into law on April 9, 2025, establishing the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

This new department consolidates three existing agencies:

  • The Department of Mental Health (DMH)
  • The Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)
  • The Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS)

These agencies will become offices within the new department:

  • Office of Mental Health
  • Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
  • Office of Substance Use Services

When Will This Happen?

The new department has been created by law, but changes like this take time. The state will need time to move systems into the new department gradually. Websites, forms, and contact info may still show the old names for now. Over time, you’ll see the new names being used more often.

Why is it Important?

  • The merging of state departments should help streamline services for people with disabilities, especially those with dual diagnoses.
  • It creates an Olmstead plan which includes a comprehensive and collective plan by state agencies (The Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans’ Affairs, Administration, Public Health, Social Services, and Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities).
  • It creates a new position called the Administrator of Community Living Integration, an ADA State Coordinator, and a new health planning advisory committee, which will include members of the disability community.

This bill prohibits using the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to pay subminimum wages to people with disabilities. Our efforts were successful, and the Governor signed this bill in May 2022.

This bill establishes an Employment First task force for South Carolina, addressing how to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Our efforts were successful, and the Governor signed this bill in May 2022.

This bill protects an individual with a disability seeking an organ transplant from being discriminated against and ensures appropriate accommodations for the individual. Our efforts were successful, and the Governor signed this bill in May 2022.

This new legislation established two weeks of no excuse early voting in South Carolina. Early voting helps all voters cast their ballot. This bill was signed by the Governor in May 2022.

Self-Advocacy Resources

DRSC ensures all individuals, particularly those with disabilities, have an equal voice in decisions affecting their lives. We encourage self-advocates, advocates, and all others to engage in local, state, and federal legislative processes, and we support these efforts. Here are some resources to help you become involved.

Not sure where to start? We have a few recommendations.

If you have questions, you’re always welcome to contact us directly. We also have a wealth of information on our site about being a strong self-advocate and knowing your rights.