Advocacy Resources

Americans with Disabilities Act Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about this landmark civil rights act for people with disabilities.

2010 Standards for Accessible Design Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about the regulations for accessible buildings and facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Fair Housing Act Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about this law that protects the rights of people with disabilities when seeking housing.

Olmstead U.S. Supreme Court Decision Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about this legal decision that supports the rights of people with disabilities to live in community settings rather than institutions.

Affordable Care Act Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about this law that increases opportunities for people with disabilities to obtain health coverage.

Help America Vote Act Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn how this law helps to make the voting system more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities.

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (PDF): Learn how this bill can support people with developmental disabilities.

Air Carrier Access Act ACAA Fact Sheet (PDF): Learn about the rights people with disabilities have related to air travel.

Traveling with a Disability under the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) (PDF): Learn about the TSA recommendations for those with disabilities or health conditions.

Learn about Self-Advocacy: Speaking Up (Videos via Self-Advocacy Online): Watch these online training videos to learn how and when to speak up for your rights. Learn about the benefits of self-advocacy.

Writing Letters to the Editor, (via Community Toolbox): This resource provides information about the what, why, when, and how of writing letters to the editor of a newspaper, magazine or newsletter. Find tips and examples of how to advocate by writing a letter to the editor.

Advocacy: Survival Skills for Advocates (via Community Toolbox): This resource explains how to advocate and be successful when things get tough. Find tips and tools for keeping up your work for change.

Advocacy (via Healthy Community Living): Learn the basics of self-advocacy and group advocacy.* For this online session, you will need the username and password provided by your CIL staff. Sign in and select the Advocacy session.

Self-Advocacy (via Healthy Community Living): This online training session provides examples on how self-advocacy has helped people with disabilities in the community. Follow this online session to learn about becoming an advocate for your needs.

* For this online session, you will need the username and password provided by your CIL staff. Sign in and select the Self-advocacy session.

Advocacy Tool Kit, Skills and Strategies for Effective Self and Peer Advocacy (via Brain Line): This resource is a comprehensive tool kit for learning about self-advocacy, building an advocacy plan and effective strategies for advocating for your needs. For local resources on advocacy opportunities and organizations and state specific policies, contact your local CIL.

How to Request and Negotiate an Accommodation at Work (via Survivorship A to Z): This resource walks you through the steps on how to get an accommodation at work.

Disability Identity – Accommodations, Community Living Skills Session (via Healthy Community Living): This portion of the online session, Disability Identity, may help you recognize what your disability means to you, and what accommodations you need to have in order to be successful. *For this online session, you will need the username and password provided by your CIL staff. Sign in and select the Disability Identity session.

Disability Identity - Disclosure, Community Living Skills Session (via Healthy Community Living): This portion of the online session, Disability Identity, may help you deciding when and when not to share information about your disability with others. *For this online session, you will need the username and password provided by your CIL staff. Sign in and select the Disability Identity session.

Office of Civil Rights Reports and Resources: Provides information about employee rights, how to identify discrimination, and addressing other workplace issues that affect people with disabilities. 

Advocacy - Group Advocacy, Living Well in the Community Session (via Healthy Community Living): This portion of the online session, Advocacy, provides the basics about group advocacy and the benefits of working with others to make a difference. *For this online session, you will need the username and password provided by your CIL staff. Sign in and select the Advocacy session.

Advocating for Change (via Community Toolbox): This resource provides examples on how people have advocated for change in their communities and outlines the steps you can take to do systems advocacy.

Getting Issues on the Public Agenda (via Community Toolbox): Watch these five sections on systems advocacy to learn the skills to create change. The examples provided here are associated with community health and development but can easily be translated to issues you are passionate about.

Best Change Processes (via Community Toolbox): Learn about 12 of the best activities to make change in the community. These processes are supported by research and can give you some ideas about systems advocacy, from establishing a vision to sustaining the work you achieve.

Social Action (via Community Toolbox): This resource describes what social action is and the ways to take action, with others, in your community.

Coalition Building I: Starting a Coalition (via Community Toolbox): Part one of two resources to learn about creating and maintaining a coalition. Learn the steps to connect with others who are passionate about the same things you are and working with them to achieve a common goal.

Coalition Building II: Maintaining a Coalition (via Community Toolbox): Part two of two resources to learn about creating and maintaining a coalition. Learn the steps to connect with others who are passionate about the same things you are and working with them to achieve a common goal.