Nevada PEP

May 13, 2022 – Our condolences to the family and friends of Julie Beckett.  In the early 1980’s Julie a tireless advocate for children with disabilities, as the determined mother fought the federal bureaucracy for coverage of her daughter’s in-home medical costs, referred to as the Katie Beckett Waiver.  Her advocacy has and continues help hundreds of thousands of children grow up with their families rather than in hospitals and institutions.  Julie’s legacy lives on in each and every family that benefits from her passion.  

May 15, 2022 – Paula F. Goldberg will be remembered as a champion for children with disabilities and a mentor to parent centers across the country. We join with all who knew her to mourn her loss. Paula co-founded PACER in 1977 under her leadership, PACER has provided the resources, information, and training to help thousands of families navigate education, mental health, and medical systems so that their children with disabilities receive the services and supports they need. Paula was also instrumental in the founding of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in 2006, which actively leads social change to prevent childhood bullying and keep youth safe in their schools, communities, and online. A respected leader in the parent center network, Paula supported the development of parent centers across the country and served as a mentor for many center directors.

Paula was an extraordinary individual with incredible vision. We will miss her spirit, compassion, and wisdom.

Dear Nevada Children, Families, Providers, and Advocates,

The U.S. Department of Justice invites you to a Community Meeting about the ongoing DOJ investigation into the State of Nevada’s services for children with behavioral health conditions. The meeting will take place via Zoom on Monday July 19, 2021 at 12pm (Pacific time).

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is examining whether the state of Nevada is violating Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that states like Nevada provide services to people with disabilities, including children with behavioral health conditions, in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. The investigation will evaluate whether children receive the community-based services they need to prevent institutional placement.

At the community meeting, attorneys from the team conducting the investigation will provide more information about the investigation and answer questions from attendees. Because an important piece of the investigation is hearing from community members who have experience navigating Nevada’s public system of care for behavioral health, we will also provide information about how you can connect with the team to share your story.

The meeting will have closed captioning in English and a professional who will provide American Sign Language interpretation throughout the entire meeting and Spanish language translation of certain participant questions and presenter answers.

To attend the community meeting, please register by clicking on the following link or copying and pasting it into your browser: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Tw7rzeGtRBevtoTBr1FGZg

After registering, you will receive a link to join the Zoom meeting via email. You do not need a Zoom account to join the meeting; you only need to click on the link that will be emailed to you after you register.

Please feel free to circulate this information to other Nevadans who may be interested in our investigation. 

We encourage anyone with information pertinent to our investigation to reach out to us using the following contact information:

Email: Sarah.Malks@usdoj.gov
Phone: 202-598-5344
Respectfully, Sarah Louise Malks
Outreach Specialist