[Audio Description]
-[Narrator] Just like everyone else,
people with disabilities have families,
jobs, partners, and hobbies.
But sometimes they still face barriers
to living their lives the way they want to.
They face discrimination, or their rights are violated.
And sometimes they need help fighting back.
That’s why every state and territory
has a Protection & Advocacy agency
- or “P&A”
P&As are working to create a world that everyone can be a part of,
by defending the rights of people with disabilities.
P&As serve people of all ages,
with all kinds of disabilities
- including cognitive disabilities,
mental health disabilities,
physical disabilities,
and all other disabilities
- both seen or unseen.
And even better:
they’re able to provide services and support at no charge to those they serve.
P&As advocate for a wide range of issues
that impact people with disabilities
including access to medical care, employment,
voting, housing, and more.
So, what does this advocacy look like?
A P&A might give advice to a person with a disability
by giving them information
and directing them to important supports and services.
Through education and training,
P&As also support people with disabilities
to know their rights
and advocate for themselves
P&As also work on a larger scale
to promote the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.
P&As can go wherever people with disabilities are
to make sure their rights are being respected.
And they don’t have to ask in advance -
so they can figure out what’s really going on
in facilities like psychiatric hospitals,
nursing homes and prisons.
If P&A staff find that people with disabilities are neglected,
abused, or their rights are not being respected,
P&As can take action,
and make sure it doesn't happen again.
P&As can also advocate using the legal system.
They try to resolve disagreements through negotiations,
but sometimes have to file lawsuits.
These lawsuits might be for an individual with a disability,
or a group of people with disabilities.
For example,
maybe a building does not have an accessible entrance
and refuses to provide one,
or an employer refuses to provide Braille materials
or an ASL interpreter for employees.
P&As also talk to policymakers -
the people who write laws and rules for the community.
P&As educate them about how their choices
can improve the lives of the
disabled community members they serve.
Supporting self-advocates with disabilities.
Seeking justice through the legal system.
Educating policymakers.
P&As do all this and more,
so that people with disabilities
can live the lives they want.