Offers to educate businesses, the public, and legislature about issues important to people with disabilities. Staff aim to empower people with disabilities to assess their needs, identify potential risks, establish their own goals, evaluate available resources, and develop and implement a strategy to take control of their lives.

Advocates for the implementation of current laws, promotion of needed legislation, and improvement of existing systems for people with disabilities while working to diminish negative attitudes that threaten to impede equal access.

Individual advocacy includes assisting people with disabilities in dealing with conflicts and helping people find ways to negotiate with the various support systems they use.

Offers to advocate for community members with understanding civil rights and responsibilities when dealing with the government, employers, or other service providers. Examples of advocacy services, IEP advocacy for students, information on Social Security/Disability benefits application and appeals. Please note that we are not lawyers and we do not offer legal counsel.

Helps disabled Iowans with any disability rights issues they may have. This is a federally funded program, as part of the nation-wide protection and advocacy system created by federal law, to serve people with developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, and other disabilities. Disability Rights Iowa may assist with abuse, neglect, education, employment, housing, or denial of services.

DOES NOT help with divorce, custody, adoption, bankruptcy, criminal representation, civil mental health commitment, consumer/business law, debtor-creditor law, personal injury, malpractice, etc. The issue must arise from the individual's disability.

Assists people with learning disabilities in the following ways:

- Monitors and advises the Illinois State Board of Education on issues dealing with students with learning disabilities.

- Provides advocacy information and support to parents, individuals with learning disabilities and professionals.

- Provides scholarships for post-secondary education for students with learning disabilities.

- Provides the Robert Abbott Scholarship for students who are in school to become a teacher in the field of Special Education.

- Provides and support workshops and mini-conferences for educators and parents.

- Increases public awareness of learning disabilities throughout Illinois.

- Provides scholarships for membership and workshop fees for parents of children with learning disabilities, and for adults with learning disabilities.

Provides mental health education, support, and advocacy for individuals, family members, and communities.

Provides peer support counseling, information and referral to services that help disabled individuals, skills training, advocacy for persons with disabilities and their families and disability awareness and leadership education. Working with individuals in their homes or in locations convenient to the individual.

Offers to help individuals navigate through paperwork, funding sources, and eligibility for service requirements; attends IEP meetings at schools and advocates for your child's needs to be met; attends adult service agency staffing at your request.

Offers to advocate for community members with understanding civil rights and responsibilities when dealing with the government, employers, or other service providers. Examples of advocacy services, IEP advocacy for students, information on Social Security/Disability benefits application and appeals. Please note that we are not lawyers and we do not offer legal counsel.

- Advocates for the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.

- Coordinates public disability awareness activities including presentations to community groups.

- Assists individuals with hearing and speech disabilities access communication needs.

- Assists with independent living skills training (money management, assertiveness training, self-advocacy, etc.).

- Provides information and referral services.

- Provides peer mentoring for individual and group settings.

- Provides transition services such as moving qualified individuals from nursing facilities or other institutions to independent living.

- Assists youth with disabilities transition from high school to adult life.

- Provides personal assistant services.

- Operates a Community Advocacy Training program for youth and adults.

- Assists individuals with vision loss or blindness acquire assistive devices and skills training.

- Operates a medical equipment loan program.

- Provides mentoring for parents of youth with disabilities.

Committed to increasing access to quality health care, ensuring survivors and families are connected with the proper resources, educating healthcare and service providers regarding brain injury, and continuing to increase awareness and understanding of brain injury.

Support groups held around the state of Nebraska and in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Services include:

- Resource Facilitation: Works collaboratively with individuals and community service providers to develop a support system for individuals living with a brain injury, including but not limited to finding and sharing informational resources, making referrals to service providers, connecting individuals with peer support groups, and providing personalized case management services.

- Community Education: Works to educate individuals and communities and bring awareness to the impact of brain injury through educational presentations, brain injury training, and awareness campaigns. This includes educating families, communities, and organizations about the unique needs of individuals with brain injuries to help remove the stigma and confusion about brain injury, in additional to teaching ways to prevent or reduce the risk of brain injuries.

- Advocacy: Advocates for the brain injury community at the state government level by following legislative proceedings and speaking for or against bills as it benefits individuals affected by a brain injury.