The Legal Center makes a difference in everyday lives...
The Legal Center protects and promotes the rights of people with disabilities and older people in Colorado through direct legal representation, advocacy, education and legislative analysis.
STATE SETTLES LAWSUIT OVER DELAYS IN PROVIDING PRETRIAL DETAINEES COURT-ORDERED COMPETENCY EVALUATIONS AND RESTORATIVE TREATMENT
Landmark Ten-Year Agreement Resolves Lengthy Delays that Lawsuit Alleged Violate U.S. Constitution
DENVER, April 9, 2012 — The Colorado Department of Human Services (the “Department”) and the non-profit Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People (the “Legal Center”) announced that they have settled the federal lawsuit brought by the Legal Center to address chronic delays in the system for providing court-ordered competency evaluations and restorative treatment to pretrial detainees. The lawsuit alleged that pretrial detainees in Colorado suffered unconstitutional delays, in some cases lasting as long as six months, in receiving evaluations and treatment that would enable them to participate in their criminal proceedings. read more
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Join us on June 20, 2012 for the 7th Annual Attorneys’ Night Out. The Denver Bar Association -Young Lawyers Division (DBA YLD) will host the benefit for The Legal Center at the Blake Street Tavern (2301 Blake Street).
The Blake Street Tavern will be our host for the seventh year and will provide its tavern, brew and refreshments for the evening. In addition to Blake Street Tavern's award-winning food (Westword’s Best of Denver 2011), the event will include a silent auction, a complimentary scotch-tasting, a wine ring toss and a great deal of fun!
All proceeds will benefit The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People, serving Colorado’s residents with disabilities helping them to maintain their health, their housing, and their access to education and employment.
Click here to purchase tickets and find out more information.
7th Annual Attorneys’ Night Out
June 20, 2012
5:30 – 9:00
Blake Street Tavern
2301 Blake Street
Join us on May 2 from 4:30 - 7:00 for our Grand Junction office Open House. The Grand Junction office is located at 322 N. 8th Street. RSVP by emailing Jennifer Shook or calling 1-800-531-2105.
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Randy Chapman |
Randy Chapman, Director of Legal Services with The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People teamed with AdvocacyDenver in presenting information regarding the rights of our children under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This webinar was the first of a two-part series in relation to our children’s educational rights.
Click here to review Randy's PowerPoint presentation.
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Mary Anne Harvey |
On March 12, the Colorado Nonprofit Association presented Mary Anne Harvey, Executive Director of The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People, with the William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities. She received the award at the association’s Colorado Nonprofit Week Awards Luncheon. The William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities was established in 1991 to honor leaders who can unify people and organizations around a common cause and is sponsored by the Boettcher Foundation.
To read the full press release click on the attachment.
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The Legal Center is a Colfax Marathon charity partner and we need runners, walkers, wheelchair racers and volunteers to help us raise funds and awareness.
There’s an event for everyone!
May 19
Colfax 5K – with a turn-around to shorten to a 3K – wheelchair accessible
May 20
- Colfax Marathon – The Ultimate Urban Tour
- Half Marathon – fast, flat, shady and runs through a fire house – wheelchair accessible
- Marathon Relay – Five runners choose a leg of the marathon
- Urban 10 Miler – Run the final miles of the marathon and into City Park for one BIG after party
Visit www.coloradocolfaxmarathon.org, to register for the race of your choice and join The Legal Center’s team by selecting us as your charity partner. If racing is not your cup of tea, you can still make a tax-deductible donation to The Legal Center from the website. Contact Joshua at janderson@thelegalcenter.org or (303)862-3507 for more information.
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DENVER-- Presumptively innocent men and women with serious mental illnesses languish in Colorado jails for months awaiting court-ordered mental health evaluations and mental health treatment to so that they can participate in their criminal proceedings, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by the non-profit Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People. The lawsuit alleges that the excessive delays violate the United States Constitution. In some cases, pretrial detainees waited in jail for court-ordered mental health evaluations and treatment longer than they would have otherwise been confined for their alleged offense. The Colorado Department of Human Services and the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP) are named as defendants in the suit.
Click here or on attachment for the full release.
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On July 18 2011, The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People filed a complaint with the United States Department of Justice against the Douglas County School District (DCSD) for violating Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act in denying equal access to students with disabilities to the school district’s Choice Scholarship Program and public charter school the Choice Scholarship School.
See attachment for full story.
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The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) have convened a Conflict of Interest Task Force to evaluate the conflict of interest issues in the provision of single entry point, case management and program services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Legal Center is actively participating in that task force along with other agencies including the Arc of Colorado and representatives of local Arc chapters.
The Arc chapters in Colorado are producing a series of informative updates to help people with developmental disabilities and their families understand the work of the Colorado Conflict of Interest Task Force. They will regularly update the series and post additions on The Arc of CO website: www.thearcofco.org.
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Preventing Litigation in Special Education Workbook |
New Preventing Litigation in Special Education Workbook is now available! Click here to order.
Or, click here to order the e-book format.
Preventing Litigation in Special Education Workbook is a supplement to the award winning book, The Everyday Guide to Special Education Law. This Workbook combines practical information on special education law with actual case examples that are presented in a concise story format.
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The Everyday Guide to Special Education Law, Second Edition |
The second edition of The Everyday Guide to Special Education Law, by Randy Chapman, was published in 2008. It is an essential tool for parents to help them get the best education possible for their child with disabilities. This book is also a great resource for teachers and school administrators.
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Guía de la Ley de Educación Especial |
Guía de la Ley de Educación Especial is the Spanish translation of The Everyday Guide to Special Education Law. Each page includes text in Spanish and in English. This manual gives parents the courage to effectively advocate for their child with disabilities.
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But I Don't Want Elder Care! |
This guide provides strategies for avoiding parents’ premature dependency on long-term eldercare services — and on their children. The author also provides creative and practical assistance to adult children who are already overwhelmed by care giving responsibilities. “But I Don’t Want Eldercare!” is a remarkable consumer empowerment resource. He shows us that we have more control over the future than we realize.
