The Rights of Parents with Intellectual Disabilities
The emotional case of Redmond parents Amy Fabbrini and Eric Ziegler captured the attention of Oregonians across the state who were outraged by the discriminatory treatment that they received. Statutes that govern the legal process for termination of parental rights treat parents with mental health and intellectual disabilities differently from others. We sought to remove that difference and make clear that parents with disabilities are entitled to support and services to assist them in parenting.
SB 1526 will make sure that parents who experience intellectual or developmental disabilities are equal in the eyes of the law. It would prohibit the termination of a person’s parental rights for the sole reason that the person has a disability.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Bill Would Prohibit Using Disability as Sole Reason to Terminate Parental Rights (The Oregonian, January 17, 2018)
Parental Rights for Parents with Intellectual Disabilities (OPB’s Think Out Loud, January 16, 2018)
Letter to the Editor: Don’t Tear Families Apart (The Oregonian, July 23, 2017)