Protection & Advocacy of Individual Rights

PROTECTION & ADVOCACY OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

The Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program operates in each state under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended in 1992. The purpose of the PAIR program is to protect and advocate the legal and human rights of people with disabilities who are not eligible to be served in any of the following programs:

People We Serve

Individuals who might qualify for PAIR include, but are not limited to, the following:

Persons with physical disabilities
Persons with head injuries incurred after age 22
Persons with a mental illness who reside in the community
Some persons with learning disabilities with significant functional limitations

PAIR Objectives

Strive to ensure that no individual with a disability is prevented from enjoying the public services and public accommodations enjoyed by non-disabled individuals.

Priorities:

Pursue litigation against public accommodations which have not made their premises accessible to individuals with mobility impairments.
Work to ensure that the District of provides all of its services in the most accessible, integrated settings appropriate to the needs of the consumer.
Participate in trainings related to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Pursue advocacy and/or litigation against the District to ensure that its streets curb cuts are appropriate in number and placement to accommodate individuals with mobility impairments.
Establish a network of attorneys and advocates to assist ULS in policing compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to obtain driver's licenses, when appropriate, without having to overcome discriminatory or unduly burdensome hurdles.
Participate in advocacy related to the inclusion of children's behavioral health services within the Medicaid managed care system.

Promote referrals and dissemination of information on access to public and private services for individuals with disabilities.

Priorities:

Continue to update ULS' list of attorneys who handle legal matters relevant to individuals with disabilities.
Prepare and distribute a directory of special education programs for children being enrolled in District of Columbia Public Schools.
Maintain an Intake and Referral system to ensure that all clients are provided necessary information about and referrals to attorneys and advocates or public and private services.

How to Contact ULS-PAIR

PAIR services are available statewide. Staff members travel throughout the state to provide assistance and represention when needed.

To request ULS-PAIR assistance for yourself or someone you know, call (202) 547-0198, or 877-221-4638, statewide or e-mail us at advocacy@uls-dc.org . The office is located at 220 I Street, N.E., Suite 130, Washington, D.C. 20002.

A ULS-PAIR staff person will talk with you to get an understanding of your concerns. Problems can often be resolved over the telephone. In some cases, additional help of a ULS-PAIR staff attorney or advocate is required.

Limitations of Service

Advocacy services are limited to rights violations directly related to the person's disability.

Requests for assistance are assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with annual program priorities. Because ULS-PAIR strives to provide quality representation to each client, there may be times when ULS-PAIR is unable to take your case because of limited agency resources.

SATISFACTION

ULS-PAIR makes every effort to provide effective rights-related advocacy for meritorious cases. However, if any individual is not satisfied with ULS-PAIR's actions, he or she has the right to bring a complaint to the Executive Director of ULS. A copy of the agency's grievance policy is available. This policy tells what must be done to file a complaint.

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Last revised on January 28, 2007