Disability Advocates Demand Justice for Families with Disabilities after Discrimination by Arizona DCS
Press Contact:
Sarah Ruf, Director of Communications, ADDPC
Phone: (480) 578-9668
Email: [email protected]
Phoenix, AZ – Leading disability advocacy groups in Arizona are stepping forward to demand change after a four-year investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed the Arizona Department of Child Safety repeatedly discriminated against parents with disabilities in multiple ways.
These three organizations strongly denounce the discriminatory actions of DCS, which deprived individuals and families of receiving fair treatment under the law.
The advocates agree with the DOJ’s conclusion that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to state and local government entities serving individuals with disabilities and are responsible for providing effective communication with those individuals.
Here are snapshot perspectives from the organizations:
- Rose Daly-Rooney, Legal Director, Disability Rights Arizona
“Now is the time for DCS to step up and end discrimination against parents and children with disabilities. Meaningful change will require DCS to provide intensive training of its staff, hold staff and leadership accountable for discriminatory practices, use informed assessments by qualified providers to assess parenting without resorting to stereotypes, expand the array of service providers who are qualified to work with parents and children with disabilities, and approve requests for effective communication and reasonable modifications.”
- Jon Meyers, Executive Director, Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
“There are few situations more serious and harrowing than a child being separated from their parents. When life-altering issues arise, parents with disabilities deserve respect and support from the state systems designed for the very purpose of assisting them. We stand ready to help DCS and other agencies ensure this never happens again. Accommodations must be provided. Our families are too important.”
- Sherri Collins, Executive Director, Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing
“The DOJ findings underscore the importance of providing effective communication and auxiliary aids—including ASL interpreters, CDIs, CART, tactile interpreting, and accessible materials. Effective communication is a fundamental right essential to ensuring fairness, equity, and dignity for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals, especially in critical systems like child welfare. We are committed to working with state agencies and disability organizations to provide the education and support needed to attain fully equitable services for every family in Arizona.”
As the 2025 Arizona State Legislative session opens, our organizations will be meeting with elected officials and agency leaders to hold DCS accountable to families and individuals across Arizona.
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Disability Rights Arizona (DRAZ), formerly the Arizona Center for Disability Law, is the State of Arizona’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System and is part of a national network dedicated to advancing the civil and human rights of all people with disabilities.
Established in 1977, the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH) is a nationally recognized state agency dedicated to advancing accessibility and improving the quality of life for over 1.3 million Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind individuals, including those with combined vision and hearing loss or speech impairments. ACDHH collaborates with public and private partners in provision of communication access, support services, and community empowerment statewide. For more information, visit ACDHH's website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
The Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council promotes greater community inclusion across the lifespan for all Arizonans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Council achieves this through grantmaking, advocacy, research and innovative projects in five key goal areas: self-determination, meaningful careers, inclusion, system access, and safety.
