Disability Rights New Jersey

Extreme heat can pose extra risks for people with disabilities. Stay cool, have a plan for power outages and medical equipment, and know where to find accessible cooling. Meanwhile, check on loved ones and neighbors who may need extra support. Learn more:https://nj.gov/humanservices/library/HRI%20TOOLKIT-IndivDisabilities.pdf

🎉 Happy Disability Pride Month! 🩶❤️💛🤍💚🩵

Disability inclusion should be more than a hashtag. True inclusion goes beyond ramps and automatic doors. This month—and every month—we are committed to advocating for a world that is accessible to all. ♿

Throughout July, we will celebrate the disability community and the landmark civil rights law that changed the landscape of accessibility. The Americans with Disabilities Act made the world more inclusive, not just for people with disabilities, for everyone, but there is still work to be done.

This year’s theme: “The World Works Better With Us” emphasizes that when people with disabilities are included, supported, and respected, our communities are stronger and function better for all.

❓👉How have you benefited from the ADA? Share what the ADA means to you! Use the hashtags !

Disability Rights New Jersey is proud to share a few words from our Summer Intern Class of 2026! Each of these outstanding individuals are learning about and contributing to different facets of the Protection and Advocacy system through hands-on experiences, mentorship, collaboration, and professional development. Their involvement also provides valuable support and unique perspectives in advancing our mission.

Meet the future of disability advocacy...

🔹Danielle Ahearn – 2026 Sarah W. Mitchell Social Work Intern, Ramapo College, Undergraduate Student
🔹Rachel Barry – NJCDD Disability Advocate Intern, Binghamton University, Undergraduate Student
🔹Julia Bonamassa – 2026 Maida Summer Public Interest Fellow, Rutgers Law School, First-Year Law Student
🔹Olivia Cardile – 2026 New Jersey State Bar Foundation Summer Associate, Columbia Law School, First-Year Law Student
🔹Julianna Halaw – NJCDD Disability Advocate Intern, Rowan University, Undergraduate Student
🔹Sophia Joseph – NJCDD Disability Advocate Intern, University of Pennsylvania, Graduate Student
🔹Sara Koh – 2026 Sarah W. Mitchell Legal Intern, University of Virginia School of Law, Second-Year Law Student
🔹Cobey Meyer – NJCDD Disability Advocate Intern, Bergen Community College, Undergraduate Student
🔹Alexis Toriello – NJCDD Disability Advocate Intern, Villanova University, Graduate

Disability Rights New Jersey extends its sincere gratitude to our generous supporters of this year’s summer intern class: the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, the Maida Summer Public Interest Fellowship through Rutgers Law School, the Sarah W. Mitchell Public Interest Internship Program, and the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities. Their commitment to public interest work and disability advocacy helps make meaningful experiential opportunities possible for emerging advocates dedicated to advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Disability Rights New Jersey is proud to continue investing in the next generation of disability advocates.

Disability Rights New Jersey proudly welcomes the 2026 Summer Intern Class, comprising nine passionate individuals ready to make a difference in the field of disability advocacy. This program emphasizes hands-on experience and mentorship, ensuring our interns grow into the leaders of tomorrow. We are excited to see how their unique perspectives and dedication will contribute to our mission. Thank you to our supporters for making this possible. Please join us in celebrating our 2026 class!



https://conta.cc/4w9j5SU

Welcome the Future of Disability Advocacy in our 2026 Summer Intern Class! Email from Disability Rights New Jersey Read about each of our outstanding interns! June 23, 2026 - Issue 105 Disability Rights New Jersey Welcomes Future Disability Advocates in the 2026 Summer Inter

Twenty-seven years ago today, on June 22, 1999, the Supreme Court of the United States issued the landmark decision, Olmstead v. L.C.. Under Olmstead, the Court held that segregation against people with disabilities is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The plaintiffs in Olmstead were two women with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health disabilities who were unnecessarily institutionalized in state psychiatric hospitals. Since 1999, courts throughout the country have repeatedly affirmed the Olmstead decision. In the disability community, the clear integration mandate in Olmstead has become synonymous with community inclusion.

Last Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion memo interpreting Olmstead in a way that is both harmful and contradicts nearly three decades of legal precedent. Federal regulations could not be more explicit: people are entitled to receive services “in the most integrated settings appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities.” Individuals with disabilities overwhelmingly want to live in their own homes and communities. This desire is not an impossible dream, but an achievable goal with a firm commitment to providing appropriate services in integrated settings.

The holdings in Olmstead are fundamental to the entire existence of the Protection and Advocacy system. As New Jersey’s designated Protection and Advocacy agency, Disability Rights New Jersey prides itself on fulfilling the promise of Olmstead by fighting for the right of people with disabilities to be fully integrated in the community.

The Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion, and its flawed interpretation of Olmstead, harms the foundation of social justice and civil rights. People with disabilities, including the plaintiffs in Olmstead, make our society stronger and more inclusive. Rather than reverting to a history of segregation and institutionalization, as this opinion suggests, Disability Rights New Jersey remains firmly committed to fighting tirelessly to advance the human, civil, and legal rights of people with disabilities and promote their self-determination and inclusion in all facets of community life.

📣We're wrapping up our 2027 Priority Setting Initiative and Disability Rights New Jersey wants to hear from you in our Public Input Survey. We want to ensure the issues that matter most to you are reflected in our goals and objectives and our teams can serve the needs of the disability community to the best of our expertise and resources.

👉👉Deadline Extended‼️ Surveys will be accepted until Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Why does this matter❓ The survey collects feedback from a wide range of people about disability issues, and this valuable input helps us make decisions about the work we will do, including the cases we will accept.👈

👉Who do we want to hear from?

✅People with disabilities
✅ Family and friends of individuals with disabilities
✅Stakeholders and advocates
✅ State agency representatives
✅ Court, criminal justice, and law enforcement personnel
✅ Disability service providers, caregivers, and support personnel
✅ Other individuals and agencies involved in disability advocacy and service provision

🔗Read the full email and complete the survey: https://conta.cc/4v8i4KQ