longevity

Richard Danford has dedicated his career advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, the aged and disadvantaged populations.  As the Director of the Patient Advocacy Program at the University of San Diego Law School he represented thousands of individuals in hospitals, institutions, and residential facilities, investigating hundreds of patients’ rights violations in dozens of hospitals and nursing homes. Also, as designee of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors he was responsible for surveying and monitoring facilities for compliance with patients’ rights statutory and regulatory requirements. He played a leadership role in legislative reforms resulting in the reduction in use of seclusion and restraint, establishment of informed consent rights and the strengthening of Patients’ Rights protections overall. His advocacy was a major catalyst in the creation of San Diego’s, Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams (PERT), resulting in a reduction in violent confrontations between police and the mentally disabled.

Richard also served as a founding Board of Directors member and past President of the California Association of Mental Health Patients’ Rights Advocates. With the advent of public sector Managed Care, Richard partnered in the creation of the Consumer Center for Health Education & Advocacy (CCHEA). The CCHEA is one of the first agencies designed specifically to empower both health and mental health consumers in accessing and utilizing services in the new Medicaid Managed Care environment.  As a Senior Advocate at Protection & Advocacy, Inc., Richard created the Health Advocacy Project (HAP). Partnering with the University of California at San Diego and funded through a grant from the California Endowment, HAP was designed to assist disabled individuals in gaining greater independence and quality life.

Most recently, Richard served as the Director of the NYC Long Term Care Ombudsman Program at the Center for Independence of the Disabled – New York. The program is the largest, non-state level Ombudsman Program in the country, serving over 53,000 seniors and disabled residents in over 200 facilities. His leadership and advocacy played a role in the creation of a city-wide Alliance of New York Family Councils. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen where serves as the Advocacy Chairperson.

For his numerous accomplishments Richard has been publicly acknowledged and recognized by consumer groups, family groups, legislators, local and statewide policy makers, professional associations, provider groups and Law Enforcement. In his spare-time he has worked as a volunteer firefighter, nationally certified EMS First-Responder, American Legion Baseball Coach, and bluegrass musician.