Service Animals 101: Everything you need to know

by Kerri Michael | Jan 14, 2020 | Archives, Service Animals

Here’s a handy resource for anyone wanting to know more about service animals – lots more. Check out this comprehensive guide to service animals, which covers: What is a service animal? Service animals vs. emotional support animals Service animal cost...

Everything you ever wanted to know about “representative payee”

by Jacqueline Gorton | Nov 27, 2019 | Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation, Archives, Featured, Resources, Social Security

Do you receive monthly Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits?  Do you need help in managing your monthly benefits?  If so, you are not alone. While nearly 68 million Americans receive some type of monthly benefit, almost 9 million need help in managing their...

Restraint and seclusion in schools: What you need to know

by Abigail Craig | Oct 29, 2019 | Archives, Education, Featured, Special Education

Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) has long held that students, especially those with disabilities, need legal protections regarding the use of restraints and seclusion in school settings. Updated national data continues to indicate that students with disabilities are...

FIRST PERSON: My name is Mollie…and I am blind. Ask me anything!

by Mollie Hernandez | Oct 23, 2019 | Accessibility, Featured, Self Advocacy, Service Animals

In case you haven’t heard, October is “Meet the Blind” Month. Although I’m not crazy about the name, I like the idea. So, here goes! My name is Mollie, and I am blind. Many people are not aware that blindness exists on a spectrum. This means that people...

Web accessibility case could have a “Domino” effect for people with disabilities

by Kerri Michael | Oct 2, 2019 | Accessibility, Archives, Assistive Technology, Featured

As we await a Supreme Court decision that will determine whether the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites as well as to physical locations, it’s worth revisiting why accessibility of online content is so critically important for people with...

FIRST PERSON: Suicide is hard to talk about. We should talk about it anyway.

by Kris Stewart | Sep 25, 2019 | Archives, Featured, Mental Health, PAIMI Council

September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Despite science supporting a neurobiological basis for mental illness, suicide is still shrouded by stigma. It’s a taboo subject – the prevailing attitude still seems to be that death by suicide is...