The Delaware Protection and Advocacy system could lose $1.68 million in federal funding through the P&A and Client Assistance Program.
The P&A system is a national group of nonprofits that offer resources nationwide to people with disabilities.
The Community Legal Aid Society is Delaware’s P&A organization, providing legal representation, advice and funding to those experiencing discrimination. And it acts as a watchdog at institutions that care for and interact with people with disabilities.
U.S. House lawmakers are considering cutting P&A and Client Assistance Program funding. For CLASI, that’s about 13% of their entire budget.
CLASI’s disability rights work is mostly funded by those grants, according to the group's Disability Rights Delaware director Marissa Band.
“Those services would be significantly reduced if our Protection and Advocacy funds were reduced,” Band said. “We wouldn't be able to support the same breadth of work that we do now on behalf of people with disabilities.”
CLASI represents individuals who aren’t getting the appropriate education, specialty equipment or services and accommodations. It has also pursued systemic work through class action and civil rights complaints.
Band added everyone has someone with a disability in their life.
“Disability affects every aspect of life, from work to school to recreation,” Band said. “And you know, it's really important to have knowledgeable advocates to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate equally in all aspects of life.”
CLASI fights for people with disabilities in Delaware, Band said.
“Some examples of cases that we handle with special education issues, for kids with disabilities who maybe are getting excluded, aren't getting the appropriate education, or aren't being educated with peers,” Band said. “We help with Medicaid appeals. So if an individual with a disability needs some kind of specialty equipment or service and the managed care organization says they won't pay for it, we can represent them to fight that so that they can get what's medically necessary.”
CLASI staff also go into psychiatric hospitals, group homes, correctional institutions and more to check conditions for people with disabilities being served.
“And then we do independent investigations when we receive reports that someone with a disability has been abused or neglected at a facility that provides services,” Band said. “So these are independent investigations outside of the state.”
CLASI already lost 4% of its annual budget due to federal funding cuts earlier this year. Those funds, totaling $425 thousand, went to CLASI’s fair housing wing.
