LEGAL LINKS & RESOURCES

COPAA stands for the The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, and is an independent nonprofit organization. They consist of attorneys, advocates, parents and other professionals in the field. COPAA works to protect the rights and secure education for students with disabilities.

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is a tribunal that oversees administrative disputes. Created in 1945 by the California Legislature, the OAH supplies independent Administrative Law Judges to proceed over hearings for state and local government agencies.

Autism Speaks provides advocacy and support for people across the spectrum throughout their entire lives. Their goal is to raise understanding and acceptance of people with autism, while also advancing research into the cause and provide better interventions.

Special Needs Network is a non-profit organization, which weeks to address the needs of underserved families raising a child with special needs. They seek to raise the public awareness of developmental disabilities, and influence public policies concerning special needs children. They serve as a connection between under-served communities and disability organizations and governmental institutions.

The largest pro bono law firm in the country. They work with other major law firms to change people’s futures. They have a staff of 71 attorneys and 50 support staff, along with 5,000 volunteer lawyers, law students to assist over 30,000 children, youth, families, and community organizations.

Disability Rights California (DRC) is a nonprofit agency, and the largest disability rights group in the country. Hundreds of thousands of people were helped with their litigation, policy work, trainings, and informational publication.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces various civil rights laws, conscience and religious freedom laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPAA), and various other federal regulations. Some of the ways they assist the community is by teaching health and social service workers about civil rights laws, educating the community about their rights, and investigating and taking action to resolve complaints of violations of civil rights.

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) is the largest county-operated mental health department, running programs at more than 85 locations, and providing services at around 300 sites such as schools, courts, and various organizations. They provide a variety of services, and on average serve more than 250,000 residents of Los Angeles County every year.