Plaskett Announces Over $100,000 In Federal Funding For Territory’s Disability Rights Center

Days after commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett has announced the availability of more than $100,000 in federal funding to the Virgin Islands Disability Rights Center, a press release the congresswoman’s office issued on Wednesday has made known.

The $103,612.00 grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will be used to fund DRCVI Parent Information Center Program. The program provides information and training to parents of children with disabilities.

“This funding serves such an important cause in our territory. It will help our disability rights center continue its work in empowering parents of children with disabilities and educating them of the various programs and educational resources and benefits available to them,” said Plaskett.

“Earlier this week, my colleagues and I commemorated the 25 year-anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, so it’s good to see that our federal government is keeping that commitment they made to Americans with disabilities all those years ago,” she added.

DRCVI Executive Director, Amelia Headley LaMont, said that the funding “will support training for parents and youth with disabilities,” and that it “expands (DRCVI’s) ability to serve a number of people in the territory. We are excited about it.”

The Parent Information Centers program is one of the primary vehicles under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

For more information on the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands visit drcvi.org.