[blindLaw] Senior attorney position Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Wed Dec 18 20:49:06 UTC 2024

From: Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law <communications-bazelon.org at shared1.ccsend.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 12:31 PM
To: Nightingale, Noel <Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov>
Subject: The December 2024 Monthly Briefing

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

What we've been working on and what's coming up.
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Our brief update on what we've worked on this month and what's ahead.

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The Monthly Briefing

December 2024

As we reflect on our work from the past year, we want to thank all of you who supported our legal, policy, and public advocacy in 2024. We invite you to tune in on December 31<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oup_SwYCXqLKlMcD8U8vNeT9D2DIyhF72C8BLQqr1ormzV71nyKvrUGhRy6OKgVnBuKPBnD26gVXXr5FPz_ryQJGm1KZRJ4jsfsNXVvzvYm7UvM-f9KyM8OJvZk6CCsvIohEl5oau_oQ_1FQAaU_7ubM4cwvYRdTiw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> as the Bazelon Center’s Legal Director Megan Schuller, Board Member Joyce Bender, and other disability rights leaders reflect on the progress we made and obstacles we faced in 2024, as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2025 for the disability community.

This month, the Bazelon Center continued to advocate for people with mental disabilities to have equal access to education, employment, healthcare, and community-based services. We led advocacy with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to ensure mental health crisis calls receive a mental health response<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLka4pQTn4MFTH9ysH-3Fzf3-FnbSXzgbvP7J8td2wHRvvcgAYzLgAXhdy64FPo0WqSd_9sQkUAkGHkIcGG9dzqa-cvuBACpT3yhYw91E3Ss_xa95URXM_rcrLBmOWZXt_YeSKoUdP9kEdm-bXkPKwsiKJ3UvyjrUTAc6ZLvC2zaf9n2TFo6pIbJqoUla5XfJHVus7n8a7PzTNemDfkhtQSBo1osgXSDrzLe88TV85iiA=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>. We joined our coalition partners in calling on the U.S. Department of Education to collect and publish information on school discipline and segregation, which is critical for ensuring students’ equal access to education. And we joined 45 other organizations in urging the federal government to take action to ensure the safety, stability, and continuity of care for unaccompanied children in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Now, please join us<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVL4q1XVajqjp52davELigA3fa31lQfgL7U_FeHR2DO35XfZePv4fL-IPxQ1vW_hTNkGQXYhEKbFqC-kRVDhTDOweSPcIJ5SyH2Qapwg3eVR_2kzdd6-pfpZ-aMdRMiOYrExSefhAWUeAjpLSv3oZ-XRu1iH6Zs8r7wTDsQPn2JkcAEqkrDq9yvu6U1t01Qru8KNmEcjvGVYXeNv1jx-wgsJAbcnOPtwfR78EpI7p270NU4NIZ42zQTCY7UaGavEEqzRLO5ORCokFHeQBe_ll7LfA_Mtq8LFhvOamePlitEIaM=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> in telling the U.S. Department of Labor that it is time to end the practice of paying workers with disabilities subminimum wages<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLorPZuiROvUI4QwYGXymL6wc_SD1osdEwT9LxeAd9DOnaZrigNiM1g7V_cr0iK_oNuNAC7TUaq80oc4ZmX3RiAEuQ23opK-9sltf_ugmj0i4Rl54k0DPcIthGQ05nI-o29jQjEXMI94GC_rhF3PACl8y4OoMSGY3WR4CHUDkiWPhU4J57KRV2BqEGXye6PYxLUppkvAnOiAyQerLYLfvm1HJDppC8U2tsfpOClExW3rL3F-RmPXe8e8pCakEZFaJSrTLPuFIXAkw=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

We also saw the fruits of our advocacy efforts both in and out of the courtroom as we celebrated victories that you may not read about in the news, but the reverberations of which will impact many. We successfully advocated to ensure federal dollars go to community integration, not segregated settings<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLXSaNmNDsw-5Jxm-h_ukR-BPTjKd8m1sFuAPn19-H1POEJhIhlTNwISu4Ykxrns25LHYevpCU5hiGLwM0qYEHEMfmJ2JSjanLRKvEkzMFhOtE8pFT2xbnW5nr4pVq9j-xKXS5lmup0PP-TCSlNl457A==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, in California and helped stop an effort to obtain Medicaid dollars to build and operate segregated, residential settings that do not meet the state’s legal requirement to provide services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting. We also joined partners in successfully advocating<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLBQ6Yn4JnUoanftYIwbVRIn9PX_D7l5ZfJAKpUGYod4y6ozCY5ssWzypK7QRZGZA1pLx84E0uG7TNb0pjbNo9HXbeGtPVekgXW20C6IMse2uHOnENjDerAivGKfOTNM-qWkrElRH-lmwpOPMnTXG1qNYXHgFFAIirBThReVFD3kjrgjtb48vF48x76rcB_1BER5OnZ7fgGK8skJk-zi6MczcHj9isqRYU&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to put patients first and u<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oqRXfaDCUini7Iz2VpjU4v4-7xMu7bAG-OkJkaDyuW1YplVdXdBzf7I6lexq7d4500pPokUYibhh5UrsyP0LrukgywE0yX9wyCixqcoEX8QZTlk7fhayltzNJePVivQZ7hp_zFcOryRWWGudR95eShddnUfKUuVTnqrZfB-2xFqU-qSNP7VUt7HsrHE2RiZP2hsfb7mPby_YZ0nuUJAwaTLijyaOheLBjw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>phold the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oqRXfaDCUini7Iz2VpjU4v4-7xMu7bAG-OkJkaDyuW1YplVdXdBzf7I6lexq7d4500pPokUYibhh5UrsyP0LrukgywE0yX9wyCixqcoEX8QZTlk7fhayltzNJePVivQZ7hp_zFcOryRWWGudR95eShddnUfKUuVTnqrZfB-2xFqU-qSNP7VUt7HsrHE2RiZP2hsfb7mPby_YZ0nuUJAwaTLijyaOheLBjw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> for LGBTQ+ patients, who already face significant health disparities due to stigma and discrimination in health care.

To advance our work, we are hiring<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5ovUJGP9nX4-VkBf6HnqWUXTw6wAL3lEiy-ytE_RnHOKwSf58qFkLrKM7SZ6yWcOEl5SuRnhwS3pzldjo-QoNy7mOhoH1VSTYv39Dcwvzp9nyz0SYfr4vn_0lzd8TdWsrRHvR6FStdbYa&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> for a Senior Staff Attorney. Please share the opportunity with your networks!

As much work lies ahead in 2025, we appreciate your continued support: No donation is too big or too small<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oiBzouNdBPxDEjvdN2tzRWh1i6HenW8flN7nFm8JbWb1KJNHpRZZyi7gS_dqMydq5noJiZzN2en6MEHP-sulnfpAMiNi842tp3WKLtR2IRQYd2MYW5rU7YWt3ElTOazR-w==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

Visit Our Website<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5onsJMRfG3ZkiLLhQ8-vEfOuEP-Xv9G0SASyE8jmZIgsPrguCQJGSP6zPkgtZuVTZOshXNaD3qmGH1_x9XabDGgjG3KLdktp3Rw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>

THANK YOU!

We Exceeded Our Giving Tuesday Goal with Over 100 Donors!

Thank you so much for your incredible support on Giving Tuesday! With your generosity, we surpassed our ambitious goal of 100 donors. We received a total of 116 donations and unlocked the full $5,000 matching gift.

The Bazelon Center's end-of-year fundraising campaign runs through the end of December. With our successful Giving Tuesday kick off, we are well on our way to start 2025 in an even stronger position to advocate for the rights and dignity of people with mental disabilities. Visit www.bazelon.org/donate<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5omlp5qkuO6ksfMxKKcwvRJzLo9XLTIGh2VaY-V42oqvUx36zMOuCIKSsw0Fx2Z1oBAZN61czXC2ioXmyJAPPSPdIHsrByyAmdYa60_mdIWzp&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> to make your gift today. No donation is too big or too small.

We’re so grateful for your commitment to the Bazelon Center and its mission.

ACTION ALERT:

Tell the Department of Labor to End Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities

On December 4, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division proposed a rule to eliminate section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Section 14(c) allows the Department of Labor to issue certificates to allow certain employers to pay disabled workers less than the minimum wage. These are also known as “14(c) certificates.”

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been the law of the land for over 30 years, and forbids disability-based discrimination in employment. But the Government Accountability Office reported last year that tens of thousands of workers with disabilities continue to be paid less than $3.50 per hour<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVL3LAkKUTx9-7v9WSr5ltVe2LbhakZMwrwJXiGxnU6dheuFas2hh3TgVBCIfSm8eEqmvgI5X4SDwzwTfr02xdEyKlRr4AX7-CT2sOMOpjgnEJ_baVvWNyVFWIoH3SqpASnNjchGduygJfpcVlvHijBFSBe25nh_jT2LZ1JHsRqfCU=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>. Paying workers with disabilities less than what is the bare minimum for everyone else is straightforward discrimination and sends the message that people with disabilities are second-class citizens, less deserving of equal pay, equal rights, and equal opportunities.

In addition to paying workers with disabilities pennies on the dollar, many 14(c) workers are employed in segregated settings known as sheltered workshops. A sheltered workshop is a segregated employment setting that primarily or exclusively employs people with disabilities, or where people with disabilities work separately from others. Workers in these settings are typically paid subminimum wages and are often subject to exploitation. In 1999, the Supreme Court held in Olmstead v. L.C. (Lois Curtis) that needless segregation of people with disabilities violates the ADA. Offering only “sheltered workshops” to people who could be employed in competitive, integrated settings is discriminatory.

Numerous states have already eliminated<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLCeTpDlEhIG9rn1Ccs9uYDKfZDKW6twJgsWQMQLf9h6HqBYpefkpfFdliyNpf8XT9ejwlU_BTLAWkfb_aNOw8c_DGzpEDmpelEE0BsSD2s2ismxq0kK4RhLX5LJ3sdSaOYkC8zURuksjWBcZ_fMSNMwcmGsDqicPwSzQFJwCw_GDTBRiKe_FyAuGkwcTCzn4Ohzq0YtyHZ4Jb3z54nM-gpw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, started to phase out, or restricted employers’ authority to pay people with disabilities subminimum wages. In states that have eliminated 14(c) certificates, labor force participation and employment of people with disabilities has increased<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLwEi8aRB1zenk24x-XgieXIB4_2Dy9_E96ZH7PH1wHgOZV0hFaSE7SyQoyyLo8CPSq2bb-L9BTt6jB1hr_q5DwdiXbWAYTk731AflTwXncRS99u-OQ0WgCgYSYtDOLsj2eRIKH_qewAchE0HIoAnraHLdFEN9BAKTML7fPe0287VWgNTxIL8Lkg0_pzh1rXLs9z95qhTcyzEqqB6_ksXnAfI50xDjd3hM1xVTuvUfnTM=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

Please join the Bazelon Center in calling on the Department of Labor to end the use of 14(c) certificates <https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLW7NYBcVqOO5krexoqY5EAJYR9qVOZfvD1uvOpVN66tVi0oLvH57Ucysnq7HkseeWg1ry8erJU1jcUFi0nyfjqlSdOdDig_n00Dj-EZVnY7KKLAPByLr-GXCA2WEQv6NPCZi9EnNZ6_HYgQMv8u7t9YdD5bhVNGnUc7TI9k28sDQUf9z8hElZWhmipA8hvksik0c9vsz35L5quALO3lFOkFeyNT7I0H3l_ZWrZnVHU2bOyZI01XMiO09qWDa-NbwdKMzISGKlX3POKsnkGOxCd2rVvhViXC7qFQMzO7DyB6I=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> by commenting<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLW7NYBcVqOO5krexoqY5EAJYR9qVOZfvD1uvOpVN66tVi0oLvH57Ucysnq7HkseeWg1ry8erJU1jcUFi0nyfjqlSdOdDig_n00Dj-EZVnY7KKLAPByLr-GXCA2WEQv6NPCZi9EnNZ6_HYgQMv8u7t9YdD5bhVNGnUc7TI9k28sDQUf9z8hElZWhmipA8hvksik0c9vsz35L5quALO3lFOkFeyNT7I0H3l_ZWrZnVHU2bOyZI01XMiO09qWDa-NbwdKMzISGKlX3POKsnkGOxCd2rVvhViXC7qFQMzO7DyB6I=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> on this proposed rule by January 17, 2025.

For more information on this advocacy opportunity, please visit resources from our partners:
·    The Center for American Progress has published a toolkit: Submitting Comments in Support of DOL Rule To Eliminate Section 14(c), Ending Subminimum Wages for Disabled People<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLorPZuiROvUI4QwYGXymL6wc_SD1osdEwT9LxeAd9DOnaZrigNiM1g7V_cr0iK_oNuNAC7TUaq80oc4ZmX3RiAEuQ23opK-9sltf_ugmj0i4Rl54k0DPcIthGQ05nI-o29jQjEXMI94GC_rhF3PACl8y4OoMSGY3WR4CHUDkiWPhU4J57KRV2BqEGXye6PYxLUppkvAnOiAyQerLYLfvm1HJDppC8U2tsfpOClExW3rL3F-RmPXe8e8pCakEZFaJSrTLPuFIXAkw=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.
·    ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network) has published a Plain Language guide explaining how grassroots self-advocates can submit comments to the 14c NPRM<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVL_6NsNwvUSGanRTrVUnejaBspcp7PpWCqIulelru_pkiLyZDcNkgEwru5nYggW81tcrBaZfqmJJksVytQQCMT64kW3vITuif3M8eCOrQdwlTwwEdMkd6ASMXcqZuasvjk4v7cm7WB0M70ETRa1au40QgbV_G2YVFIdn-qTTh3YP706HPDIHuOYsXX_QHJWhWqLtCY4EzIscY=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>. This resource includes an audio recording reading the guide out loud<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLFyJWulu6V0pY0eF2akQzZ1FHYTjSZR3bD7jsImz6NzzYPyRL61UzJYr56KO23fWmVTQeBUMidPcNI7wL6UyQjFCsn9i8Shpwyc5DcrexO0uRT_AZ3tI_xbAJRByLfAYG2cUtfhlTR8YVsEv7RIFOtxS1oxnSMHUjQyLbg2gQxV8FrJ6DCT5Y4t25Ek5QkCq4aieZt4eRJK26xOVN4giZ2OL_MCCKUAgeJBrv6SBNWxPvXtVDdAAamJ7wQhblolBgOGw_Ps6w6iWKcy2HwOIHUIsIZdwDvv-D6m2okBdKDnj-RaaqH1k-NJVkQlwJV67DTMzXaKZya3JRWAr_et3nMOoVAKBuPiINSVnfKPJa2O8NyUnNs07scg==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

Comment on the proposed rule<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVL4q1XVajqjp52davELigA3fa31lQfgL7U_FeHR2DO35XfZePv4fL-IPxQ1vW_hTNkGQXYhEKbFqC-kRVDhTDOweSPcIJ5SyH2Qapwg3eVR_2kzdd6-pfpZ-aMdRMiOYrExSefhAWUeAjpLSv3oZ-XRu1iH6Zs8r7wTDsQPn2JkcAEqkrDq9yvu6U1t01Qru8KNmEcjvGVYXeNv1jx-wgsJAbcnOPtwfR78EpI7p270NU4NIZ42zQTCY7UaGavEEqzRLO5ORCokFHeQBe_ll7LfA_Mtq8LFhvOamePlitEIaM=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> (Click on the green “Submit a public comment” button beneath the rule title).

Bazelon Center Calls on the Federal Government to Ensure a Mental Health Response to Mental Health Crisis Calls in National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Services

On December 6 and December 14, the Bazelon Center submitted comments to the federal government advocating for an effective behavioral health system of crisis care that is person-centered, trauma-informed, and responsive to individuals’ needs. Bazelon wrote the comments in response to proposed definitions and national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), which is part of HHS.

In these comments, Bazelon, the ACLU, DREDF, and CPR reinforced key priorities in the proposed guidelines. We also urged SAMHSA to recognize what HHS and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have said before, and what we know to be true from our decades of advocacy:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that a health care response, rather than a police response, be made to mental health crisis calls. Crisis calls involving mental health needs should be handled by mental health staff. Like other emergency response services, mental health crisis services should be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. One way to accomplish this is by employing peers and people with lived experience as much as possible and offering similar pay and benefits to behavioral health crisis responders as to paramedics and other first responders.

For situations that require an on-site response, call centers should be able to dispatch a mobile response team, such as a mobile mental health crisis team. Such teams should be dispatched whenever a response to a mental health call is required, unless there is reliable information that the person poses an immediate threat to life or physical safety. When appropriately staffed by mental health professionals and peers, most of those calls can be resolved in the field. In only a small number of cases should an individual need to be transported somewhere other than their home for stabilization, and in such cases, the individual should be taken to small home-like settings scattered in communities with the greatest need, that are staffed by peers and professionals, and that include: peer respite centers, staffed crisis apartments, or 23-hour urgent care centers that use the “living room” model.

Our comments also recommend SAMHSA incorporate into the National Guidelines key components of a recently announced Consent Decree between DOJ and Louisville, Kentucky<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLCPHybdntLkS9Kn6rfFCtJ7HppRqgAVKKx-zPluf0kgs5yjnXPktJMcM_iOEoz4N79-ozcAytHoSHb7Ge9SVSxv-Mp_vKir5Tt3Rov-CMR9Vknu4KpIioCk2aTcb3br8l&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, to ensure compliance with the ADA, including the “Key Objective” that jurisdictions provide “an emergency response to people experiencing a behavioral health crisis that includes the most behavioral health-involved and least police-involved response appropriate and consistent with public safety,” and requiring 911 or other dispatchers to refer calls “about behavioral health emergencies that do not pose an immediate threat to life or physical safety” for a non-police behavioral health response. <https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLCPHybdntLkS9Kn6rfFCtJ7HppRqgAVKKx-zPluf0kgs5yjnXPktJMcM_iOEoz4N79-ozcAytHoSHb7Ge9SVSxv-Mp_vKir5Tt3Rov-CMR9Vknu4KpIioCk2aTcb3br8l&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>

Read our comments on SAMHSA’s Draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLgNRqrmApriikRd-ssUyoNAe4X20R05nXqvDxruiBn2hPa0T5wxSuIEBPMFbZv4x-clL9UDAW6OtgXmnqBx7UNYQDErOvEAb4tAWu2WXNKBhU_Y6SMuVgGAaFJBzi-ZApdqXuHIZc-WffzX-t8Hg-EHYTXSWFGfdsdZ4rPFnVdsgTnpZrV4U2HoF_OEdzB9Hi-ngyyNiIfr-AZYGyZbmlhVBXKK7Ps0qkwXpHOrO9GWLISvZwUoVHFo7V29bluFQA&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, submitted with the Center for Public Representation.

Read our comments on SAMHSA’s Draft National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care 2025<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLka4pQTn4MFTH9ysH-3Fzf3-FnbSXzgbvP7J8td2wHRvvcgAYzLgAXhdy64FPo0WqSd_9sQkUAkGHkIcGG9dzqa-cvuBACpT3yhYw91E3Ss_xa95URXM_rcrLBmOWZXt_YeSKoUdP9kEdm-bXkPKwsiKJ3UvyjrUTAc6ZLvC2zaf9n2TFo6pIbJqoUla5XfJHVus7n8a7PzTNemDfkhtQSBo1osgXSDrzLe88TV85iiA=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, submitted with the ACLU Disability Rights Program, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), and the Center for Public Representation.

Bazelon Successfully Advocates for Federal Medicaid Dollars to Go to Community Integration, Not Segregated Settings

On December 16, the Bazelon Center celebrated an important win for people with mental illness and applauded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for prioritizing community integration, quality healthcare, and oversight in considering California’s recent proposal to use federal dollars provided through Medicaid to build and operate segregated, residential settings that do not meet the state’s legal requirement to provide services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting.

On August 30, the Bazelon Center filed comments with CMS expressing deep concerns about California’s proposal to use Medicaid dollars to build congregate settings<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLVqqEJ5WRQY9xFc4PESMV4Ny26uPJyBfFD1w056VUNe5kZLg8MQqKD2-JvsrXJV3j7Bsh0Rpdkp9c8YSAvfho_GYgOzQmMBpK_GjSuNOeavwNSuadLJ3yr4TT4k5tUhJZ3gu5XYjjYOaOSZb-VMaX0XAsrQf5ycMZEJWE23_lbPVG_NbXl-6Iq3JN2COlN9z6Dm9whCG-IM8=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, referred to as “enriched residential settings” (ERS), that would be populated exclusively or primarily by people with disabilities whose activities would be regulated and other restrictions imposed. The ADA and Olmstead v. L.C. (Lois Curtis) require that individuals with disabilities be served in the most integrated setting appropriate and not unnecessarily provided institutional care.

In our comments, we explained that California has not made and is not making mainstream housing, subsidized and with appropriate supports, available to those whom it proposes to serve in ERS. In our experience, these individuals could be served in such settings, like “supported housing,” with better results. We also explain the evidence and research showing that a step-down model or “linear continuum of care” – where people with mental health disabilities are moved through temporary congregate settings before they are transitioned to independent housing – is not necessary or effective. At minimum, we called on CMS to impose guardrails limiting the use and size of these segregated, residential settings.

This month, in responding to the state’s application for funding, CMS denied California’s request for federal funding of ERS and instructed California to first develop, seek public comment on, and submit additional details on critical pieces of information such as how the proposed pilot will ensure people are placed in the least restrictive setting and how it will confirm service settings are committed to being truly integrated, with independent choice. We applaud CMS for its active and crucial oversight to ensure people with disabilities are not unjustly segregated and instead can live and receive services in their own homes and communities.

Read the Bazelon Center’s comments (submission ID 2367)<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ilfaetRdee7E_6nk6UkEVEqCxLV7vgBkXMhHdNWxHXv_L-TTebQ2-I9bRNclxtAsxtOWRaaqzxDv59D9PuCghufnK2d7cTTXyxNsvI51GfwQJ2zBylcebXlxgYb3GyoeD15QqG8Iy_r29vegfKb-FQmS2avAsIgzEDF7d--hiQLZSP9xG_Vvh4QjTDyXkbbz7PLvTiscnTLjaPe4EN3w3HhXgC-B2KFQBKkRIf88-giV44eJOCQKi9XJoqSzOpw35EOZx8J-uQS5KLxwNhAEyIOIfm5nMUnxO8FgsV_PZ1Up0Kz-plW4qooX2M0epwdJ6VUJwESs8MvqvIdu3FaX0dIA7fN64aV74dPjcVMhe1P-f8jQWjzdVd0205SMSxOh&c=mXxyQz6txpD9KeemAIL0GBjMakPrbOTcW3XsMdzn0KX3YAcI7PKybQ==&ch=-sCSsqIOJ6gWkpdHrp3E8aG9ZKOjKZNweP6W1KdwDiQdySdlhcwEfQ==>.

Read the December 16 CMS response to California’s proposal<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLRJUuw8KZXXyLTCiRwqBvF9WbCO56TuHY1PIQPmbrM-UYkohHNEhn9IuuPfkQX7cxvX1QE9MJP6NJEASifidzTvWgOQNZvOe00VMV-5cbqctupw0jbyKy3z6_b0ogt5UcUQlywZzlzPTXRAP0cDVqooYI9hhUO9aIAo0GFWEVbeTP8yTvkPjINkYW7GDvDgOL_Nwwez-MN9M=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

Bazelon Center Advocates for Tracking School Discipline Data Critical to Protecting Students' Rights and Ensuring Equal Access to Education

On December 17, the Bazelon Center, as part of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) Education Task Force, submitted comments<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLANX0hCVrpnc6An7n5sb05pFKQ74fx8fsP_PuyB_hdsqTPoF4yIWOiwAWdpcg2gG0RgDxApvLrrcQASr09EJq7RFNjtubXV5eQdOMzACugozYGHWH4tsjVoDPyBADh8_VzMpNOfoNidDtfnS5ltyijg==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights in support of several proposed updates to the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). The CRDC is a national survey tool that regularly collects and publishes information that is critical for ensuring students’ equal access to education and schools’ compliance with civil rights laws. Families, advocates, and policymakers use this information to understand how school policies and practices may be impacting marginalized students, including students with disabilities.

Our comment supports the Education Department’s proposal to expand the survey tool to better track the use of harmful school disciplinary practices and segregation of students with disabilities, including the use of informal removals of students from their classrooms based on disability-related behavior, the use of threat or risk assessment teams, and the use of restraint and seclusion in different types of schools. All of these practices significantly harm students with disabilities, as we have seen in our legal advocacy on behalf of students across the country, including in Oregon<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5orupshzTbneTcakw28b63sVJx9R0xVFb-nRJjg5TSpO50MhxX1l1uZqLG9sRLyUMjiMuFU0TvF1Reu_e3irEqTwoHnsG-w6eqQ0IGNHZG-VaXaQSQXuKto3N6grvk51y3EM1o1lZABhdVkaBHlk5o-4kTewyycXkuEziGdW0soBPcT_B09-TkYspQFS8t058tw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, West Virginia<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5ovUJGP9nX4-VGUfrgAhjPXPoDzz5VJfVloc7_GWx7Bp9DPWc2QQvBfLn8DzjFoSrNcBi-u6vRJ_Xxfyvg2fcUVJrD8YrxS1ojBiWdDsMLDHtMLLMXCp-uiU=&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, and Massachusetts<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLB-WtAocyMCMgW4DuWJ3L9dF_T4pq7NyjYnmwdPP1a2Cx5WlEm3az5SuUKGv-wZk8k0qfp7u9izwoUAVTx6mrxYjV7XdHPLflSSD0jujL7cXLx1HObwwr-e7eGGPm34RTMd92fCcyuS3tZjerWXDibA==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

The Bazelon Center, as part of the Education Civil Rights Alliance<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLL286MZDPb9vqfevvFoFP_VY8PTRl5rT7hLhZ10at5Sw-NwDJXigVZucOM4sG2rd5WSCrKlAVFsK6hDLSmSoMbnog25SZ_nTfXRDt2hZe32HeDRgX2fTQPpZCyRvgoBzN&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>, also joined comments submitted by the National Center for Youth Law that called for the CRDC to be collected annually and made available to the public more quickly, and to include cross-sectional disaggregation of data, including by race and disability status.

Bazelon Joins Partners in Advocating for Funding and Services for Children with Disabilities at Home and Abroad

On November 26, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law joined 45 other organizations in urging the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to take action to ensure the safety, stability, and continuity of care of unaccompanied children (UC) in ORR custody. Among other requests, the letter calls on ORR to prioritize disbursal of funding to UC service providers to ensure that children can continue to get the critical support services they need. Post-release services are especially important for children with disabilities, who may require particular services or treatments to live successfully in the community.

This December, the Bazelon Center also joined over one hundred children's and disability rights organizations in endorsing the International Children with Disabilities Protection Act (S. 847). This legislation recognizes that the institutionalization of people with disabilities is not just an American phenomenon, and seeks to change these practices by providing monetary support and training to disability-led organizations across the world to promote and protect the full inclusion of children with disabilities in society. Of the millions of children placed in residential institutions worldwide, the vast majority have at least one living parent or extended family who would keep their children at home if they had the support and services necessary to do so. The International Children with Disabilities Protection Act would establish a grant-making fund and create programs to train policymakers, activists, and other individuals on successful models and strategies to ensure that children with disabilities can live in the community and grow up with families. Read the <https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLTm4QUVBjDRxETixRm3AxkZwwoR-tNdtIHyX3dvocUmHnc6b9vO3RRz_s23Kg3SO6Soe3hFTdOwdCGUzPSvn1qt4w-ve7oJlqWVXuexzmVqttQDKXObMxAQlawFKxpwb2ySIhkoZSmE6Yd4lUZNWGthKVRcmqaxajEFK2crLT2tzW3m_d5uFQEHq1XlcM-0IstOKrfswUtIQcaA4NBX43xsH8b3DDpkKlFuB226F1aqQNXgyhvCb8Vh4pbLbd0dr6u7M_eqoXTbGdaRMwGrgiuLU4vz2Q-JYGY0eTRuTDKYPX5cwxcMaHOSrvtIeZskHw1Is6PTIV3MOXwYDAQw_nbkcQ60G-38w4&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> bill here<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLTm4QUVBjDRxETixRm3AxkZwwoR-tNdtIHyX3dvocUmHnc6b9vO3RRz_s23Kg3SO6Soe3hFTdOwdCGUzPSvn1qt4w-ve7oJlqWVXuexzmVqttQDKXObMxAQlawFKxpwb2ySIhkoZSmE6Yd4lUZNWGthKVRcmqaxajEFK2crLT2tzW3m_d5uFQEHq1XlcM-0IstOKrfswUtIQcaA4NBX43xsH8b3DDpkKlFuB226F1aqQNXgyhvCb8Vh4pbLbd0dr6u7M_eqoXTbGdaRMwGrgiuLU4vz2Q-JYGY0eTRuTDKYPX5cwxcMaHOSrvtIeZskHw1Is6PTIV3MOXwYDAQw_nbkcQ60G-38w4&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==>.

Bazelon Celebrates Victory for Equal Access to Health Care Services

On December 17, Bazelon joined public health groups in applauding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for upholding the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the case of Neese v. Becerra. In April 2023, Bazelon and our public health partners filed an amicus brief<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oqRXfaDCUini7Iz2VpjU4v4-7xMu7bAG-OkJkaDyuW1YplVdXdBzf7I6lexq7d4500pPokUYibhh5UrsyP0LrukgywE0yX9wyCixqcoEX8QZTlk7fhayltzNJePVivQZ7hp_zFcOryRWWGudR95eShddnUfKUuVTnqrZfB-2xFqU-qSNP7VUt7HsrHE2RiZP2hsfb7mPby_YZ0nuUJAwaTLijyaOheLBjw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> arguing that LGBTQ+ people with disabilities already face significant health disparities and worse health outcomes fueled by discrimination in healthcare, and explaining the critical importance of preserving civil rights protections in the ACA to prevent further discrimination. The case was appealed after a district court ruled that section 1557 of the ACA does not prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This week, the Fifth Circuit put patients first and vacated a lower court ruling that Section 1557 of the ACA does not prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, finding that the plaintiff lacked standing to bring the case. Bazelon joins public health groups in celebrating this victory<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5otkhuEtrbhVLBQ6Yn4JnUoanftYIwbVRIn9PX_D7l5ZfJAKpUGYod4y6ozCY5ssWzypK7QRZGZA1pLx84E0uG7TNb0pjbNo9HXbeGtPVekgXW20C6IMse2uHOnENjDerAivGKfOTNM-qWkrElRH-lmwpOPMnTXG1qNYXHgFFAIirBThReVFD3kjrgjtb48vF48x76rcB_1BER5OnZ7fgGK8skJk-zi6MczcHj9isqRYU&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> for equal access to health care.

BAZELON OUT & ABOUT

·    On December 17, Bazelon Center Legal Director Megan Schuller and Policy & Legal Advocacy Attorney Monica Porter Gilbert met with senior leadership of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Bazelon Center, along with other disability advocates and community representatives, recognized the Department’s work to advance the rights of people with disabilities and presented on critical work that is ongoing, including related to Olmstead enforcement, child welfare, and parental rights. This listening session was the sixth in a series the Bazelon Center has helped organize during the Biden-Harris administration. Bazelon presentations in prior meetings addressed Olmstead enforcement priorities, police response to mental health crises, discrimination in higher education and professional licensing programs, and the discriminatory use of AI in high-stakes decisions.

BAZELON IN THE MEDIA

·    On December 31, Bazelon Center Legal Director Megan Schuller will appear on Bazelon Board Member Joyce Bender’s radio show, “Disability Matters with Joyce Bender,” along with other disability rights leaders. In this month’s episode, Megan and Joyce will look back at the challenges and victories of 2024 and discuss the obstacles and opportunities that lie ahead in 2025 for the disability community. Visit the Disability Matters website to listen<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5oup_SwYCXqLKlMcD8U8vNeT9D2DIyhF72C8BLQqr1ormzV71nyKvrUGhRy6OKgVnBuKPBnD26gVXXr5FPz_ryQJGm1KZRJ4jsfsNXVvzvYm7UvM-f9KyM8OJvZk6CCsvIohEl5oau_oQ_1FQAaU_7ubM4cwvYRdTiw==&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> on December 31. It will also be available on Spotify and Apple podcasts.

BAZELON IS HIRING!

The Bazelon Center has an opening for a senior staff attorney position. You can find the job posting and information on our website’s Careers and Internships<https://iri69ddab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uXpO_qDG2jLm6ES5F_-jujIH4Xf1ruyXB7eIknTqjto072-BkBo5ovUJGP9nX4-VkBf6HnqWUXTw6wAL3lEiy-ytE_RnHOKwSf58qFkLrKM7SZ6yWcOEl5SuRnhwS3pzldjo-QoNy7mOhoH1VSTYv39Dcwvzp9nyz0SYfr4vn_0lzd8TdWsrRHvR6FStdbYa&c=f7S0iJRuMtlrXPWpFwOHSgoJwn_oekBU_kTyrIcyza6MdY4_bo7kHg==&ch=UkAh9a1ZSBWsgS1NjCh6I2aIt0lsNLI8p0P0SK6YoSWHkNFc6WgvSA==> page. Please share with your networks!

Thank You for Your Ongoing Support!

STAY CONNECTED

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