DRCT’s Priority Areas

October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026


Our priority areas drive the work we do in pursuit of full equality and justice for people with disabilities. We establish them because the demand for our advocacy exceeds the resources necessary to tackle all the issues. DRCT sets priorities by gathering public input and information from our clients. We focus on issues that are most widespread, pose the greatest threat to individual rights, community living, and independence of people with disabilities.

  • Employment

  • Individual Rights

  • Housing

  • Abuse and Neglect

  • Healthcare

  • Education

  • Community Living

Click here to see a .PDF copy of the Focus Areas in English

Abuse & Neglect

DRCT will work to combat abuse and neglect, including seclusion and/or restraint (including chemical restraint), and improve compliance with protected rights of people with disabilities.

DRCT will:

  • combat abuse and neglect, seclusion and restraint (including chemical restraint), of youth and adults with disabilities through limited self-advocacy assistance, investigations, monitoring, systemic advocacy, and systemic litigation.

  • improve compliance and prevent abuse and neglect, seclusion, and restraint, through planned and purposeful education, training, community engagement, and corrective action plans as these needs vary by stakeholders (e.g., self-advocates, allies, public and private entities).

  • advocate and investigate unnecessary restraint and seclusion in public, private, and community-based settings seeking to end abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.

  • strengthen oversight of representative payees by performing onsite reviews of payee performance, on behalf of the Social Security Administration (SSA) Representative Payee Program

Healthcare

DRCT will advocate for people with disabilities to have timely and equitable access to the health and mental health care that they need.

DRCT will:

  • advocate for children and adults with disabilities to have access to the necessary health and mental health care they need, with the required support and disability accommodations, as demonstrated through limited self-advocacy assistance, investigations, monitoring, systemic advocacy and systemic litigation.

  • provide data driven advocacy for children and adults with disabilities to have access to necessary and sustained health insurance (e.g., redetermination, work requirements) coverage through planned and purposeful education, training, community engagement, and systemic advocacy as these needs vary by sub-group (e.g., children, adults, Medicaid State Plan). This is essential for maintaining healthcare and ensuring access to evidence-based treatments.

  • protect and defend the rights of children and adults with disabilities to access primary care, community-based services, evidence-based practices for co-occurring disorders, assistive technology and durable medical equipment, and disease prevention, with the necessary supports, and accommodations, by conducting self-advocacy capacity building, systemic advocacy, education, and systemic litigation.

Education

DRCT will advocate on behalf of students with disabilities so that they are afforded inclusive, nondiscriminatory educational services necessary for success in post-secondary life.

DRCT will:

  • provide data-driven education, technical assistance, limited self-advocacy assistance, and advocacy for children, youth, and adults to pursue education alongside same-age peers with and without disabilities throughout the life-course, free from unlawful treatment, seclusion, and restraint. 

  • provide education, training, limited self-advocacy assistance, and advocacy for specialized instruction and related services for Individualized Education Plans (IEP), fostering accessible education in Least Restrictive Environments.

  • promote positive behavioral support and interventions to keep children, youth and young adults in their neighborhood schools. This will be done by education and capacity building for students and families to know their legal rights according to ADA, IDEA, and 504.

Community Living

DRCT will advocate for people with disabilities to have opportunities and the necessary services and supports to live, remain, and participate in the community.

DRCT will:

  • address barriers to full participation and independent living in the community by providing limited self-advocacy assistance and advocating for access to services and programs from government and public accommodations.

  • provide systemic advocacy and systemic litigation to promote, defend, and advance home and community-based services for people with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, people with autism, and older adults.

Employment

DRCT will promote independent living, competitive integrated employment, and access to the state Vocational Rehabilitation programs.

DRCT will:

  • provide self-advocacy assistance, systemic advocacy, education, and complaint investigations for youth and adults with disabilities to pursue and progress in person centered, competitive integrated employment.

  • promote comprehensive transition services through self-advocacy assistance, education, systemic reform and systemic advocacy, and complaint investigations.

  • provide barrier intervention to individuals with disabilities seeking access to employment services, job seeking, disability accommodations, and progressive employment.

  • provide self-advocacy assistance and clinics to facilitate Supported Decision Making for employment-related needs.

  • provide education and self-advocacy assistance to working age youth and adults with disabilities to report their earned income and other documentation necessary for qualifying for and sustaining eligibility coverage for means tested benefits and work incentives.

  • provide advocacy for systemic reform to promoting measurable post-secondary goals and comprehensive transition services, optimizing the eligible service array for competitive integrated employment, workforce development, independent living, and post-secondary education alongside same age peers without disabilities.

  • advocate for self-determination, community living, and autonomy of all people with disabilities through systemic reform of the overuse and reliance of substituted decision-making, including legal guardianship. We do this by educating transition age youth, families, educators and service providers about Supported Decision Making alternatives and other systemic advocacy.

Individual Rights

DRCT will address barriers to full participation and independent living for people with disabilities by ensuring access to government services and programs, as well as public accommodations.

DRCT will:

  • provide limited self-advocacy assistance and educate people with disabilities and their allies on the legal rights of adults to increase voter participation. PAVA

  • provide limited self-advocacy assistance and educate people with disabilities and their allies on the legal rights of children, youth, and adults to Assistive Technology and other accessibility provisions.

  • provide limited self-advocacy assistance and educate people with disabilities and their allies on the legal rights of children, youth, and adults to communication accommodations.

  • provide limited self-advocacy assistance and educate people with disabilities and their allies on the legal rights of children, youth, and adults to healthcare access.

  • systemic advocacy, and when necessary, systemic litigation to protect, defend, & advance the rights of children, youth, & adults with disabilities to Assistive Technology and accessibility provisions.

  • systemic advocacy, and when necessary, systemic litigation to protect, defend, and advance the rights of adults with disabilities to increase voter participation.

  • systemic advocacy, and when necessary, systemic litigation to protect, defend, and advance the rights of children, youth, and adults with disabilities to communication accommodations.

  • systemic advocacy, and when necessary, systemic litigation to protect, defend, and advance the rights of children, youth, and adults with disabilities to healthcare access.

  • educate the public and provide limited self-advocacy and short-term advocacy assistance to pursue alternatives to guardianship/conservatorship, and if needed, create Supported Decision-Making agreements for people with disabilities.

Housing

DRCT will advocate for people with disabilities facing disability discrimination in housing.

DRCT will:

  • provide education, training, limited self-advocacy assistance, systemic advocacy, and, when necessary, systemic litigation to protect, defend, and advance the housing rights of people with disabilities to live in the community.

  • engage in systemic advocacy for inclusive, supportive housing options such that people with disabilities have the support they need to live to the fullest extent possible in the community in the least restrictive settings.

 

Would you like to share your comments about the focus areas? Call, email, fax, or send us a letter.

Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT), like all “protection and advocacy systems” provides services in accordance with its mandates and priorities/focus areas. The mandates are requirements of the federal laws setting up our programs but the priorities are set by listening to YOU – people with disabilities, family members, legal representatives, and others who have experience with the various disability issues and systems in Connecticut.

If you would rather speak to a staff member directly to provide your input please contact us at 860-297-4300 or use the web form down below.