Goals & Priorities

AN EXPLANATION OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOALS AND PRIORITIES

As Oregon’s designated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) System, DRO has a unique role: P&A’s are mandated and authorized by law to protect and advocate for the rights and welfare of people with disabilities.  We aim to provide the type of advocacy that is most effective in addressing the legal issues that impact individuals with disabilities.

Our primary focus is to address problems and barriers experienced by Oregonians with disabilities by making sure all rights and protections afforded by the law are upheld.

• Encouraging and supporting self-advocacy by educating individuals about their rights, and providing the information and tools they need to act on their own behalf
• Investigating and, when appropriate, addressing reports of abuse and/or neglect
• Representing individuals in cases where legal expertise is needed
• Promoting policy changes that benefit many people with disabilities, both now and into the future (systemic reform)
• Litigation, when necessary
  

In providing services, we use the type of advocacy that best meets the needs of individual clients and that may create systemic changes for the larger community.  We strive to reach out into under-served populations and to provide culturally appropriate services statewide. 

Available resources may affect the kind of assistance we are able to provide. 

GOALS and PRIORITIES

A set of goals and priorities that reflects annual input from Oregonians interested in issues affecting Oregonians with disabilities guides us in determining the type and level of assistance we can provide.  The order of our goals and priorities does not indicate their level of importance; we consider them to have equal importance.  Each issue area responds to the needs of individuals with disabilities in Oregon and helps us in deciding which cases to accept. 

In 2010 we will focus our advocacy for Oregonians with disabilities on:

• Protecting individuals from abuse and neglect

• Advocating for full access and participation in the community

• Promoting access to adequate health care
  

• Getting and maintaining quality community support services for individuals with disabilities
  

• Getting a free and appropriate education for children with disabilities
  

• Advocating for the safety and rights of individuals with disabilities in institutions
  

• Promoting opportunities for employment to allow individuals to be self-sufficient
  

• Supporting self-advocacy