October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2025
The Native American Disability Law Center (Law Center) is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to Native Americans with disabilities. Every year the Law Center reviews its Statement of Objectives and Priorities to ensure that we are best serving the needs of our client community. We are seeking public comment before or by September 30, 2024.
You can comment by calling us at 1-800-862-7271 or emailing us at .
Thank you for your interest and support of the Law Center.
A - Intake & Outreach
Goal: Efficiently provide timely services to new clients & increase awareness of the Law Center’s services through community & media-based outreach, providing training & information.
Objective 1: Access to Available Benefits. Assist seniors and individuals with disabilities to receive appropriate services by helping them access programs that pay for healthcare, food and energy.
Objective 2: Promoting Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Increase awareness of vocational rehabilitation services through:
- develop & distribute public awareness information and materials; and
- maintain relationships with vocational rehabilitation programs, transition specialists, and other service providers to ensure awareness of the Law Center’s programs and services.
Objective 3: Promote Self-Advocacy & Understanding of Rights. The Law Center will participate in local, regional & national outreach events, conferences & training events to increase:
- the understanding of Native Americans with disabilities & their families of their rights to services, supports, & employment;
- the ability of Native Americans with disabilities & their families to advocate for their needs & services;
- the understanding of the issues facing Native Americans with disabilities; &
- awareness of the Law Center & its services.
B - Children’s Education & Safety
Goal: All Native American children in the Four Corners region will have access to appropriate education & services designed to keep them safe & meet their unique needs in the least restrictive environment.
Objective 1: Represent Abused and Neglected Children. Represent Native American children as Guardian Ad Litem or Youth Attorney in child abuse & neglect cases in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation through court appointments.
Objective 2: Promote Self-Advocacy. Provide technical assistance to families of twenty-five (25) students with disabilities to empower them to advocate for their children to obtain appropriate education and related services in the least restrictive environment.
Objective 3: Direct Representation. Provide direct representation in meetings, informal settings, and/or administrative proceedings to twenty (20) children with disabilities who are not receiving a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with priority given to students who are excluded from school or who are not receiving appropriate transition services.
Objective 4: Systemic Advocacy. Through systemic advocacy, ensure that the federal & state education systems meet the educational needs of Native American students with disabilities enrolled in their schools by addressing their education needs.
C - Community Integration
Goal: Native Americans with disabilities will be free from abuse and neglect, whether they live in the community, residential facilities, or correctional institutions, & receive appropriate supports & services to enable them to live in the most integrated, least restrictive settings appropriate to their choices and needs.
Objective 1: Monitoring Facilities and Services. Monitor facilities and institutions at least every six (6) months & more frequently depending on the services provided & the needs of the residents. Monitoring will focus on instances of abuse and neglect, distributing educational materials, and providing advocacy services for individuals who are allegedly being abused or neglected.
Objective 2: Increase Awareness of Abuse & Neglect. Develop strategies to increase awareness of the abuse & neglect of adults with disabilities, especially those in group homes & institutions to decrease the incidence & improve the responsiveness of responsible agencies.
Objective 3: Promote Civil Rights & Community Access. Provide direct assistance to individuals with disabilities in their efforts to protect & enforce their civil rights based on their disability & obtain appropriate community services, such as housing, voting, vocational rehabilitation services or employment.
Objective 4: Advocate for Improved Access to Public Buildings and Services. Increase access to public buildings and services for all individuals with disabilities through systemic advocacy.
You can comment by calling us at 1-800-862-7271 or emailing us at .
Thank you for your interest and support of the Law Center.