Legal Aid of Arkansas guides to emergency benefits during COVID-19

by Kerri Michael | Apr 23, 2020 | Archives, Featured, Resources

Legal Aid of Arkansas has published three guides to emergency benefits like SNAP, unemployment benefits, and Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. These include a two-page English version, a two-page Spanish version, and a twelve-page English version (the full...

DRA’s resident Seeing Eye dog shares tips for interacting with service animals during COVID-19

by Mollie Hernandez | Apr 6, 2020 | Access, Accessibility, Featured, Service Animals

Hello Humans! This is Boomer, the resident Seeing Eye dog here at Disability Rights Arkansas! Like most of you, social distancing is affecting my regular work routine. So, I have decided this is the perfect time for me to try my “paw” at blog writing. As a guide dog,...

Linguabee offers free VRI services at COVID-19 test sites

by Kerri Michael | Apr 6, 2020 | Access, Accessibility, Archives, Featured, Resources

Getting tested for COVID-19 is stressful enough without having to worry about how to communicate with people at the test site. That’s why Linguabee is offering free VRI services to Deaf people at remote test sites where an interpreter would otherwise be...

Danger to Self or Others is NOT the Standard: The Misuse of 72-Hour Holds by Psychiatric Facilities

by Cristy Park | Mar 30, 2020 | Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation, Archives, Mental Health, PAIMI Council

Ask any mental health professional the standard for a 72-hour hold and the answer is overwhelmingly, “danger to self or others.” I have tested this many times by asking a wide variety of mental health professionals during various presentations across the State. The...

What are “reasonable accommodations” in housing?

by Christy Furqueron | Mar 24, 2020 | Access, Archives, Featured, Housing, Service Animals

Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) set out laws that require housing providers to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is defined by Housing and Urban Development  (HUD)...

CALL TO ACTION: Protect Education Rights During COVID

by Kerri Michael | Mar 20, 2020 | Archives, Education, Featured, Public Policy, Special Education

Congress Using COVID-19 to Strip Students with Disabilities of Access to Education Congress wants to give Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos unprecedented power to strip rights from students with disabilities and those who need supports to prepare for work under the...