Please join the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin and the Department of Justice’s Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, for a listening session on September 11, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Central Time) via Zoom or in-person at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin at 517 E. Wisconsin Ave, Room 630, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The purpose of the session is for community members…
News
For information on DRW news, events, or press releases, please contact:
email media@drwi.org.
For information on DRW action alerts, public policy, or voting efforts, please contact:
Lisa Hassenstab at 608-308-2639 or lisah@drwi.org.
Milwaukee’s 33rd Anniversary Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Join Disability Rights Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition on July 26th as Milwaukee County celebrates the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We will be at Milwaukee’s ADA celebration and Community Resource fair on Wednesday, July 26th from 10 AM – 2 PM at Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Martin Luther King Drive. Stop by to say hello and get some resources! 33 years ago on July 26, 1990,…
ForwardHealth Update: Spoken and Signed Language Interpretative Services Reimbursement Now Available
Effective for dates of service on and after August 1, 2023, ForwardHealth will reimburse interpretive services provided to BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid members who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have limited English proficiency (LEP). A member with LEP is someone who does not speak English as their primary language and who has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. For additional detail about this news and coverage, read the…
Restraint and Seclusion: Still Too Many Students with Disabilities
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has released data on restraint and seclusion in Wisconsin schools from 2021-22. Schools reported nearly 7,000 incidents of restraint, 76% of which involved students with disabilities and 78% of which occurred in elementary schools. According to DRW advocacy specialists Mary Cerretti and Joanne Juhnke, the number of incidents continues to be alarming, producing trauma for students with disabilities that could be avoided through better resourcing, training, and supports. Cerretti…
Disability Pride Fest 2023, La Crosse
Introduction Disability Rights Wisconsin is excited to be part of Disability Pride Fest in La Crosse, on July 22, 2023. We will have an outreach table at the event. We hope that you take some time on July 22 to visit Disability Pride Fest, to show your support for the disability movement. Event Information Disability Pride Fest 2023 Date: Saturday, July 22, 2023 Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm Location: Copeland Park, 1130 Copeland Park Dr., La…
Disability Pride Festival 2023, Madison
Introduction Disability Rights Wisconsin is excited to be a sponsor of the Disability Pride Festival in Madison this year. We will have an outreach table at the event. Please come visit us as you are able. More importantly, take time on July 29 to show solidarity with the disability movement and the diverse communities that it represents. Event Information Disability Pride Festival Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023 Time: 12:00pm – 5:00pm Location: Warner Park, 2930…
DRW Fundraiser: ROKability Golf Outing
Disability Rights Wisconsin is pleased to be one of the beneficiaries of the Annual Disability in Wisconsin Charity Golf Outing on September 14, 2023, at the Ironwood Golf Course in Sussex, Wisconsin. We encourage you to recruit some friends to spend the day on the course supporting persons with disabilities! To sign up, please follow this link: Annual Disability:IN Wisconsin 2023 Charity Golf Outing Read and share the accessible event flyer (PDF). For sponsorship inquiries,…
Statement from the WDVC: Thank You, Wisconsin Election Commission
The Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC) has released their 2023 report on Barriers Faced by Elderly Voters and Voters with Disabilities. The report provides information regarding the accessibility of Wisconsin polling places. The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition commends Commissioners, and Administrator Meagan Wolfe and her staff for the progress made to improve accessibility of Wisconsin polling places. Under federal law, all polling places for federal elections must be fully accessible to older adults and voters with…
Disability Rights Wisconsin Pleased to Announce Interim Executive Director
Read the full article as an accessible PDF. Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) Board of Directors announces that Kit Kerschensteiner will serve as the organization’s Interim Executive Director, effective June 1, 2023. Kerschensteiner has been with DRW for over 25 years and currently serves as the Director of Legal & Advocacy Services. Throughout her career, Kerschensteiner has fought for the rights of individuals with disabilities. In her current role, she oversees direct service programs, and she…
New Guardianship and Voting Resources Available
Disability Rights Wisconsin now has new Guardianship and Voting resources available! New Publication: How to Keep the Right to Vote in a Guardianship Case A new Guardianship and Voting publication, “How to Keep the Right to Vote in a Guardianship Case,” is now available as an accessible document. The guide provides information about how to retain the right to vote when a court is deciding whether to appoint a guardian. The publication is also available…