Through the Looking Glass

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In the United States of America, individuals with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities are protected by a variety of laws that provide entitlements that safeguard and promote their health, welfare, and independence. Legislation came into being because of the work of disability advocacy groups across the country. Explore this section to learn more about programs, agencies, resource centers, and special interest groups who promote accessibility, inclusion, and equality for individuals living with a spinal cord injury.

Scroll through the resources below to identify various Disability Resource Centers that serve as clearinghouses of disability-specific information. These include sources for health and patient advocates who can help you navigate the complexities of the health care system. Learn about self-advocacy across a spectrum of needs – medical, psychological, social, emotional, recreational, and vocational. Understand how to find healthcare providers and identify additional support through community-based disability groups.

This section also includes state-wide disability action centers and alliances involved in promoting and ensuring civil rights for people with disabilities. These include state-wide Centers for Independent Living (CIL), National Spinal Cord Injury Association chapters, Family Caregiver Alliances and foundations that support spinal cord injury recovery. These groups provide transition support and counseling for housing, home-based services, personal assistants, and other legal services. Centers for Independent Living and Spinal Cord Associations also provide peer mentoring programs for youth and adults.

Through the Looking Glass Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized legal center that has pioneered research, training, and services for families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue. Some issues include: parents with/DA and families in custody cases and parents with/DA in child welfare & civil rights implications. TLG is a disability community based nonprofit organization, which emerged from the independent living movement, and was founded in 1982 in Berkeley, California. Our mission is “To create, demonstrate and encourage non-pathological and empowering resources and model early intervention services for families with disability issues in parent or child which integrate expertise derived from personal disability experience and disability culture.”