Disability Rights Pennsylvania – Harrisburg, PA

Protecting and Advancing the Rights of Pennsylvanians with Disabilities

Since 1977, Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) has served as the Commonwealth’s officially designated protection and advocacy (P&A) agency, providing a powerful voice for children and adults with disabilities. 🏛️ From our office in Harrisburg and across the state, we are a nonprofit organization dedicated to a clear and vital mission: to protect and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities so that they may live the lives they choose, free from abuse, neglect, discrimination, and segregation. We believe in a society where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect and have equal access to opportunity. Our legal services are provided completely free of charge and are confidential. Our team of experienced attorneys and advocates works tirelessly to enforce the law and create systemic change, ensuring that the promise of independence, integration, and equality is a reality for all. 🤝

A Voice for Equality: Key Advocacy Areas

DRP provides a wide range of legal and advocacy services focused on the unique challenges faced by the disability community. We litigate cases, investigate abuse, and work to shape public policy to protect and expand the rights of our clients.

Employment and Labor Lawyers

Meaningful employment is a cornerstone of independence. We fight to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities and are treated fairly in the workplace, free from illegal discrimination.

• Workplace Discrimination Lawyers: We advocate for the rights of employees and job applicants under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other civil rights laws. This includes fighting against hiring discrimination, ensuring reasonable accommodations are provided, and combating wrongful termination.

Protection from Abuse and Neglect

Our founding mission is to protect individuals with disabilities from harm. We have the authority to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect in any facility or program that serves people with disabilities.

• 🔍 Investigations: We conduct thorough investigations into incidents of abuse and neglect in state hospitals, developmental centers, nursing homes, and other facilities to ensure the safety and rights of residents.

Education and Community Integration

We work to ensure that children and adults with disabilities have the right to learn, live, and participate in their communities alongside their peers without disabilities.

• 🎓 Special Education: We advocate for the rights of students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• 🏡 Community Living: We fight to prevent the unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities and promote their right to live in the most integrated setting possible.

Civil Rights and Access

We work to break down the physical and systemic barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society.

• 🗳️ Voting Rights: We ensure that the entire voting process, including polling places and voting systems, is accessible to all eligible voters with disabilities.
• ♿ Accessibility: We advocate for the enforcement of the ADA to ensure physical and programmatic access to public accommodations, government services, and transportation.