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.

New Guide: Overview of DHA Hearing Process for CLTS Service Cases

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Not getting what your child needs from the CLTS Waiver? You can fight back. DRW has published a free, common sense, plain language guide to representing your child at a hearing to challenge a denial of CLTS services. This is a step-by-step guide through the whole process — from asking for a hearing all the way through the hearing itself. You don’t have to be a lawyer to do a great job representing your child…
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Disability Rights and Resources for the November 8th Election

A ballot with a checkmark is sticking out from a box that says "Vote."
Tuesday, November 8, is Election Day in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition urges voters with disabilities to cast a ballot and participate in our democracy. The Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) Voter Hotline is available to answer your voting questions. Contact the Hotline at 844-DIS-VOTE/ 844-347-8683 or info@disabilityvote.org. On Election Day, staff from DRW and Centers for Independent Living will conduct polling place accessibility reviews on behalf of the Wisconsin Election Commission. View press release…
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Comment on DRW’s Statement of PADD Goals and Priorities for 2023

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DRW is currently seeking input on our proposed Statement of Goals and Priorities to protect and advocate on behalf of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 2023. The goals and priorities, contained within our plan for federal funding that we receive for protection and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities, identify areas where we expect to devote the funding. View the proposed Statement of Goals and Priorities for 2023 here (accessible PDF). Submitting Comments…
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Now Hiring: Staff Attorney, Victim Advocacy Program

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DRW is seeking a Staff Attorney for our Victim Advocacy Program! This new position will work to ensure that survivors with disabilities receive the advocacy, legal representation, services, and support that they desire to move forward, find justice, and obtain safety and stability in whatever form they need. The Staff Attorney is responsible for providing direct and comprehensive representation to individuals with disabilities who have been victims of crime, such as domestic violence, sexual assault,…
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Now Hiring: Advocacy Specialist, Victim Advocacy Program

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DRW is seeking an Advocacy Specialist for our Victim Advocacy Program! This new position will work to ensure that survivors with disabilities receive the advocacy, legal representation, services, and support that they desire to move forward, find justice, and obtain safety and stability in whatever form they need. The Advocacy Specialist is responsible for providing direct advocacy assistance to individuals with disabilities who have been victims of crime on a variety of disability-related and victim…
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New Guardianship and Voting Resources

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In Wisconsin, people under guardianship retain the right to vote unless the court expressly removes that right. Wisconsin residents who have lost the right to vote due to guardianship may petition the court to restore their right to vote. Disability Rights Wisconsin is pleased to introduce new resources on the topic of Guardianship and Voting: Preserving and Restoring the Right to Vote. These resources explain how people under guardianship can determine if they have retained…
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How I Got My Right to Vote Back: A Message from Jennifer Kratsch

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In this video, self-advocate Jennifer Kratsch shares how she got her right to vote back. In Wisconsin, people under guardianship retain the right to vote unless the court removes the right. If you have lost the right to vote, you can petition the court to restore your voting rights, as Jen did. Watch the video on Youtube here.
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Now Hiring: Supervising Attorney, Communities and Institutions Team

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  DRW is seeking a Supervising Attorney for our Communities and Institutions Team to provide team leadership and coordination for individual and systemic work. This is a great opportunity to advocate on behalf of people with disabilities in institutional and community-based settings in both legal and non-legal forums. In addition to advocacy, the Community and Institutions Supervising Attorney will also do grant reporting, supervision, and advocacy quality assurance. They will also engage in outreach and training…
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Statement on US Department of Justice Joining in Voting Lawsuit

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Disability Rights Wisconsin welcomes the August 18th Statement of Interest from the U.S. Department of Justice, joining a lawsuit filed by four Wisconsin residents with disabilities asking the federal court to ensure their rights to assistance turning in their ballots. The lawsuit is needed to assert federal protections because of a recent state Supreme Court ruling that left Wisconsin absentee voting procedures in question. Read our full statement here (accessible PDF).
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Guardianship and Voting: Preserving and Restoring the Right to Vote

A ballot with a checkmark is sticking out from a box that says "Vote."
Join us on Zoom to learn about voting rights for people under guardianship. We will discuss how voting rights are addressed in the guardianship process, and the process for restoring the right to vote. This training will provide information to support people with disabilities and older adults to retain or restore their voting rights. Registration is required for this Zoom event. Register here. ASL Interpreters and captioning will be provided. Other accommodations may be requested…
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