Deborah Greenblatt, 1946 - 2005
Courageous Spirit, Warrior, Visionary, Most Remarkable Mother!
On June 13, 2005, the world lost a respected attorney, a passionate advocate, and a champion of justice. Some of us personally lost a colleague, a mentor, a friend, and a hero.
Deborah Greenblatt Memorial Fund
The Board of Directors of Disability Rights North Carolina (formerly Carolina Legal Assistance) established the Deborah Greenblatt Memorial
Fund. This fund will support the pursuit of the goals Deb embraced:
- provide advocacy enforcing the legal rights of children and adults with mental disabilities
- promote public policy and legislative changes which affirm the dignity of North Carolina citizens with disabilities
- foster collaboration across a range of disability professionals
Some of her accomplishments:
- Deb tirelessly served the community - she was Executive Director of Carolina Legal Assistance, a non-profit law project, for 23 years.
- Deb was a lawyer's lawyer - she successfully led litigation in the landmark cases Willie M. and Thomas S.
- Deb nurtured collaboration - she created and supported coalitions that continue to advance the rights of people with disabilities, such as the Special Needs Federation and the Victims with Disabilities Task Force.
- Deb was an innovator - she spearheaded the passage of a new law ensuring the safe use of seclusion and restraint in schools, known as The Deborah Greenblatt Act.
- Deb was a legal warrior - she led the fight for major disability law reform, such as amending the guardianship statute to allow persons with disabilities to retain some of their rights when a guardian is appointed.
- Deb was an acknowledged leader- she received numerous awards, including the Julian T. Pierce Award for Outstanding Advocacy to All and the Bertha Holt Juvenile Justice Award for contributions to juvenile justice and children's rights.