Arizona Center for Disability Law

Southern Arizona Disability Rights and Resources Conference

February 11, 2009 By Administrator

Announcing the Southern Arizona Disability Rights and Resources Conference on Saturday, April 4, 2009 at the Windemere Hotel and Conference Center. Deadline for registration is March 23, 2009. Only 200 seats available.

Who should attend? Anyone who answers “yes” to any of the following questions:

Have you ever been told you can’t do a job or work at all because of your disability?
Are you concerned about your child’s educational services and transitions into adult life?
Has your child been on a waiting list for DD services?
Do you want to learn how to live a healthier life with a disability?
Are you concerned about life transitions and planning as you and your family are aging?
Have you ever experienced difficulty locating affordable and accessible housing?

The Southern Arizona Disability Rights and Resources Conference is a one-of-a-kind conference dedicated to the delivery of information about a wide variety of disability rights and resources. Experts from the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network and the Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries will lead workshops on special educaiton, traumatic brain injury, health and mental health care services, early intervention, emergency management planning, and housing.

Who should attend?

Family members of children and adults with disabilities
Adults and elders with disabilities
People who support individuals with disabilities

Windemere Hotel and Conference Center
2047 South Highway 92
Sierra Vista, Arizona 85635

April 4, 2009
Registration: 8:00-8:45 am
Workshops: 8:45 am to 4:15 pm
Registration Deadline: March 23, 2009

Registration is limited to 200 participants. You must register in advance. On-site registration will not be available.

Registration is $35 for professionals, $10 for family members & persons with disabilities. Fee can be waived for individuals with low or limited income.
Seating limited to 200 people.
Click here for more information and to register.

Sponsored by Arizona Center for Disability Law, Governor’s Council on Development Disabilities, Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries, Northern Arizona University Institute for Human Development, and
Sonoran UCEDD Center of Excellence at U of A.

ACDL – Arizona Court of Appeals Victory

February 11, 2009 By Administrator

Last week, says the Arizona Center for Disability Law, the Arizona Court of Appeals struck down Arizona’s restrictive denture coverage rules, which required a beneficiary to show more than an inability to chew and eat normally to establish a medical necessity for dentures. In relevant part, the Court found that:

“We hold in this case that AHCCCS exceeded its statutory authority by requiring Sharpe to establish a medical need in addition to the ability to chew. Therefore, to the extent that A.A.C. R9-22-201, Medical Policy 310, and A.A.C. R9-22-101(B) either expressly state or are interpreted to require a medical need in addition to the inability to chew, they are invalid…Based on the factual record before us, the undisputed facts show that dentures here were (1) ordered by a dentist, and (2) medically necessary.”

Our client is a 32-year old woman with a disability who has severely decayed teeth and needs all of her teeth removed and whose primary care and dentist have recommended dentures as medically necessary.

Click here for PDF of Arizona Court of Appeals Decision

Disability Empowerment Center of Arizona

January 31, 2009 By Administrator

Yesterday I attended a board meeting for the Arizona Center for Disability Law, which recently moved into the brand new Disabililty Empowerment Center. (Thanks to the Arizona Bridge for Independent Living for data on the center and the pictures on its site.)

This amazing 62,000 square-foot facility is located at 5025 E Washington Street in Phoenix, and is truly designed to serve the disabled. Here are a few pictures from my visit:

All of the restroom cubicles offer disabled access. The toilets and sinks are automatic. All main doors have the ability to be opened automatically. The four-level parking garage is wonderful, and right now not very full, and has ample ADA parking.

Two bridges conect the parking garage to the second level of the office building. This ensures ease of access and evacuation in case of emergency.

The DEC will house not only the Arizona Center for Disability Law, but Raising Special Kids, the Arizona Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Joni & Friends, the Statewide Independent Living Council, Arizona Autism United, the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association, Valley Center of the Deaf, and PRN Medical.

This is an energy efficient, green facility that is 99% environmentally friendly. Our board meeting was held in one half of the beautiful Nina Mason Pulliam Conference Center. Oh my, the sound system is incredble. While we had board members from Flagstaff and Tucson, we had teleconferencing going on with Tucson and Yuma.

We had two guest speakers: Steven G. Biddle, of Littler Mendelson, and Barbara Brent, of the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Biddle presented training on Collective Bargaining Agreement, and Brent discussed the State of DDD.