Help select DRA’s priorities for 2021
It's that time of year again! As the designated Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program for the State of Arkansas, Disability Rights Arkansas, Inc. (DRA) works to protect the civil rights of persons with disabilities statewide. Every year, we...
“Do your job or you’re fired”: Job accommodations for people with disabilities
Gary works as a Credit Analyst for a mid-sized company. About a year ago, Gary suffered a brain injury during a car accident. Since then, he has trouble staying focused and alert during tasks, and some assignments take longer than usual to complete. His supervisor...
All about the Rep Payee program: Tonight on KABF 88.3 “Speak Up Arkansas”
The Social Security Administration’s Representative Payment Program provides benefit payment management for beneficiaries who are incapable of managing their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. A representative payee (or “rep payee”) is...
COVID-19 Musings from a Special Needs Mom
Who knew there were seven episodes of The Twilight Zone with relevance to issues associated with today’s COVID-19 pandemic. On March 13, 2020 we entered our Twilight Zone. In our Twilight Zone we: Sleep in every day, not just Saturday and Sunday Wear blue Princess...
A message from DRA Executive Director Tom Masseau
I can see the protestors gathering outside of City Hall from my office window in Little Rock. They assemble to protest the senseless killing of George Floyd by a police officer, and of so many others before him. They assemble in a collective cry: NOT ONE MORE....
COVID restrictions are easing, but cases are still on the rise. What do I do?
"Do no harm"; "err on the side of caution"; "better safe than sorry" – how many times have you thought about or even said these very words over the past 60-90 days? People who know me know that I am not a risk taker. So, it is not unexpected that as I go about...
COVID-19 ALERT: Fraudulent Facemask Flyers
The Department of Justice has been made aware of postings or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the Department of Justice’s seal. These postings were...
Special education in the time of COVID: Tonight on KABF 88.3
On tonight's Speak Up Arkansas, we're talking about special education. Thanks to COVID-19, the schools are closed – but across the state of Arkansas, kids are still participating in education through the use of alternative methods of instruction, or AMI. This has...
Economic Impact Payments for beneficiaries with Rep Payees and people living in U.S. territories
FYI - Below is a message from SSA regarding COVID-19 Stimulus payments in the Territories Dear Colleague, We have important information to share regarding Economic Impact Payments for Social Security and SSI Beneficiaries with Representative Payees, and People Living...
Small wins for DRA are big wins for people with disabilities
We get a lot of calls here at Disability Rights Arkansas, from people experiencing all kinds of challenges. Some of those challenges are big – they impact a lot of people, and they’re the kinds of stories you read about in the papers. But the majority of our clients...