Thank You for Celebrating 45 Years of Disability Rights Advocacy!   Thursday, May 9, 2024     Thank you to our Sponsors Silver Sponsor Bronze Sponsor Brushmill by the Waterfall Scott and Donna Semel...

Meet Our Honorees Celebrating 45 Years of Disability Rights Advocacy   DLC is excited to announce its honorees for its 45th Anniversary. Join us in celebrating their remarkable work! Emily LaMarca - Individual Leadership Award   ...

Necesita ayuda en español Do you think you need legal help, have a question, or would you like to alert us about a potential abuse or neglect situation?    If so, please fill out the form below. Tell us about the problem or question you ha...

These vlogs are designed to provide information in American Sign Language about the legal rights of people with disabilities and how to advocate for yourself as a resident in Massachusetts. The vlogs also feature open captions and a narrator. The self-advocacy...

DLC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

DLC Calendar of Events

DLC is an exciting and rewarding place to work. At the Law Center you can use your background, experience and skills to promote the fundamental rights of all people with disabilities to participate fully and equally in the social and economic life of...

Opening for Summer Law Fellow for the Summer of 2025 The Disability Law Center (DLC) is a Massachusetts nonprofit public interest law organization committed to disability justice. We are seeking a rising 2L or 3L law student to work as a Summer Law...

Encuesta de establecimiento de prioridades   El Centro de Derecho de la Discapacidad (DLC, por sus saber ) es la agencia de Protección y Defensa (P&A) de mandato federal en Massachusetts. Somos una organización privada sin fines de lucro.  C...

The Disability Law Center may be able to provide legal assistance to Persons with Disabilities who are crime survivors with civil matters related to the person’s disability.

Who has the right to file a grievance and the steps to file a grievance in writing,, online,, or in a format accessible to you.

If you recently received services from the Disability Law Center, please take a few minutes to complete this short survey. Your answers will help us evaluate the quality of our services and continue to improve. We appreciated the opportunity to work with...

What we do and who we serve.

Below are some comments we received from our latest priorities survey and through our website: "Thank you for the excellent advocacy work that you do on behalf of people with all types and levels of disabilities. The support that I received and ...

As required by the federal mandate, an Advisory Council was established to advise the DLC on priorities and issues important to people who are knowledgeable about mental health services in the Commonwealth.

Important Notice: We recognize that people with disabilities, especially those living in congregate settings, are more vulnerable to contagion, are at higher risk of harm due to staffing problems, and at higher risk of harm due to mandatory isolation. Please ...

Meet the staff of DLC.

Your donation today will give people the chance to live the life they choose to live. Be part of creating equal access for people with disabilities to live and thrive in our community.   Donate Securely Online Below. Checks can be mailed...

Thank you for your interest in support of the Disability Law Center, Inc.. To help you facilitate a gift of securities, please use the following two simple steps: Step 1 - Initiate the Securities Transfer Securities can be gifted to the Disability...

Join us for an Employment and Benefits Conference.

Por favor tome nuestra encuesta de configuración de áreas de enfoque a continuación: DLC quiere saber de usted Tómese un momento para completar nuestra encuesta y díganos en qué temas de trabajo el DLC usted cree debe concentrarse. ¡Recuerde que su...

Polling Place Surveys - A Training Session Join us as we host a training session for volunteers interested in learning about how to survey their polling places during the upcoming election.  This training is free and will be held virtually on February ...

Take Our Focus Area Setting Survey Below: DLC wants to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out our survey and let us which issues you believe DLC’s work should focus on. Remember that your feedback is important! It will help shape t...

Disability affects all of us. Because DLC does not have  enough resources to address every issue individuals with disabilities face, we work with the community each year to identify major threats to the safety, rights, and independence of people with ...

DLC' receives federal, state and private funding DLCC also holds fundraising events and campaigns to supplement its grants and contracts.

You may fill out the form below if you would like to give us feedback or have a business or media inquiry. Click ‘Send’ when you are done.  DLC staff will contact you as quickly as possible.   If you are requesting assistance, please use our onli...

We provide legal advocacy on disability issues that promote the fundamental rights of all people with disabilities in Massachusetts.

To get access to the AVBM program that permits voters with disabilities who cannot effectively access the paper vote by mail system, registered voters with disabilities must submit a request for accommodation to the Accessible Vote by Mail (AVBM) Coordinator  ...

Enviar una solicitud en línea Documentos diseñados para personas con discapacidades, acerca de sus derechos legales y como defender sus derechos como residente de Massachusetts

Documents designed for people with disabilities about your legal rights and how to advocate for yourself as a resident in Massachusetts.

Stay informed and up to date. Receive periodic news and announcements that affect the disability community. Your personal information will never be shared with anyone for any reason. You have the ability to remove your name from our mailing list at any...

Join the Disability Law Center Board of Directors Join DLC in working toward a barrier-free, inclusive Massachusetts where residents with disabilities enjoy equal rights, dignity, choice, independence and freedom from abuse, neglect, and discrimination.   Our...

Keep Kids in Classrooms Stop the Use of Exclusionary Time Out Rooms in Schools   We are excited to share videos and materials from our virtual conference.  Learn from many top experts on the use of alternatives to exclusionary time out to ...

Listening Session / Sesión Auditiva We want to hear from you about your concerns and hopes for the future in making Lawrence, and Massachusetts, a better place to live for people with disabilities. Light refreshments provided. Queremos escuchar sus ...

Major cases with systemic impact.

Monitoring and investigations of abuse & neglect performed under our P&A authority.

¿Cree que necesita ayuda jurídica, tiene alguna pregunta o desea alertarnos sobre una posible situación de abuso o negligencia?  Si es así, rellene el siguiente formulario. Explíquenos el problema o la pregunta que tiene. Detalle todo lo que pueda...

Read about DLC in the news.

The Developmental Disability Law Center (DDLC) began operating the Protection and Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities (PADD) program in 1978, shortly after Congress enacted the DD Act, as an AADD contractor.

Locations and maps of our offices. Get driving and walking directions.

The Disability Law Center (DLC) is the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency for Massachusetts. The P&A system is a national network of disability rights agencies investigating abuse and neglect and providing legal representation...

Polling Place Accessibility Survey  This is the webpage for the polling place accessibility survey, please remember to do one survey per polling place, pictures are only necessary if you encounter an accessibility problem.  

We are conducting this survey as part of our annual priority setting process.

We will never sell or give your name to any other organization. We take the security of your information seriously. We have instituted safeguards to ensure that all of your data and materials are safe as long as they are under our control. We may...

We help ensure certain social security beneficiaries are protected from financial exploitation and other abuses.

If you have an issue you would like to see DLC staff do a training on in the future for the community, please fill out the form below. We will be sure to let you know if and when we can provide training on that issue.

The Disability Law Center has been receiving reports from day habilitation (day hab) participants and their families who are still unable to return to their day hab programs, or return full time, because of staffing shortages. Often, these participants...

We appreciate you taking the time to fill out our recent survey about issues returning to day hab. DLC and other advocates have made some modest progress in our efforts to change state policies concerning bringing back prior day hab participants and...

Join us for the REV UP MA 2024 Disability Voting Webinar!

DLC is undertaking a project looking at the use of exclusionary time out rooms and “calming spaces” in Massachusetts schools.

Platinum Sponsor - $25,000 Premium public recognition at event and on event signage Premium full-page advertisement in the program book Premium reserved table at event Sponsor prominently mentioned in all event-related press materials...

DLC’s work includes systemic advocacy, which entails working to create public policies that positively affect the lives of people with disabilities. For systemic advocacy to be effective, DLC staff must  learn about experiences of people with disabilities in...

Everyone Deserves to be Counted. FAQ & Resource Guide.

We are excited you will be joining us for our 45th Anniversary Celebration! The event will take place on Thursday, May 9, 2024, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. ASL and CART have been confirmed for the event. Please purchase your tickets using the form below...

This year, all of us have learned to connect and support our communities in ways we never thought possible.

The cities and towns listed below are part of the United Way’s Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley service area.

These videos are designed to provide information about the legal rights of people with disabilities and how to advocate for yourself as a resident in Massachusetts. General Information Why we need self-advocacy The Start of the P&A Network...

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the polling place grassroots survey. The form below is designed to help us know where you are planning on surveying so we can avoid any doubling up of polling sites. You can look up your polling site with...

Voting Rights for People with Disabilities in Massachusetts   DLC is committed to the voting rights for people with disabilities in Massachusetts. You can vote if you are a citizen of the United States, 18 years old or older, and not currently...

Priority Setting Meetings in May, June and July.