Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Disabilities

The program provides legal advocacy services for people with mental health-related disabilities in Los Angeles County. Services include advocacy, discrimination assistance, legal counseling and representation, landlord/tenant assistance, and welfare rights assistance. The program does not handle criminal or personal injury cases. Services are restricted to people who have a mental illness/emotional disability or developmental disability, and meet household income eligibility criteria. There are no geographic restrictions.

The agency attempts to resolve problems through negotiation, counseling and referral. Problem areas most often handled by the agency include access to social security and other government benefits, access to services, fair housing, landlord/tenant problems, education, and protection of rights.