Services

When you contact P&A, your request is first handled by Centralized Intake. You can reach intake by phone, through our website, by email, or by mail. If staff are helping someone else when you call, a message will be taken and sent to the intake team, and someone will get back to you. Reports submitted through the website or email go directly to the intake team for review.

During intake, we will ask for basic information so we can understand your situation and decide how we can help. If you are in a hospital, jail, or other facility, we will also ask for your permanent address so we can stay in contact with you.

After reviewing your request, intake staff decide what type of help is needed. Some situations can be resolved quickly with basic information or guidance, while others may need ongoing advocacy or legal support. If your situation requires an advocate, your case will be assigned to a Disability Advocate, and they will contact you within three days.

Our goal is to respond promptly and provide the level of assistance that best fits your needs.

P&A provides information and answers questions about disability-related issues. When appropriate, an individual is given information about other resources, including other organizations that may be able to provide assistance. This service is available to anyone and does not require a determination of eligibility. 

P&A employs Disabilities Advocates to provide self-advocacy assistance and represent eligible individuals with disabilities whose rights have been violated or who are being unlawfully denied access to services. The Advocate may use various methods in representing an individual including writing letters on behalf of the person, making telephone and personal contacts, participating in team meetings, filing a formal complaint, and assisting with communications between the individual and their attorney.

P&A provides representation by an attorney for administrative hearings or court proceedings. Note P&A is committed to resolving issues at the lowest possible level. Additional eligibility criteria apply to legal representation.

P&A receives and screens reports of alleged abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals with disabilities. If there is probable cause, P&A conducts an investigation, completes risk management, and provides recommendations. 

P&A provides advocacy skills development for groups of individuals seeking to advocate for themselves regarding disability issues.

P&A conducts trainings on disability-related issues. Topics include the role of P&A; abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals with disabilities; investigations process; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; employment rights of individuals with disabilities; workplace accommodations; legislative processes; voter education; and other disabilities rights issues.

A systems issue is a disability-related problem that affects a group of individuals similarly. Each year P&A prioritizes systems issues on which to focus its advocacy efforts.

P&A is active in disability-related policy and assists individuals or groups with addressing issues on a local level.