Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania

The Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) continues to ensure that the rights of individuals with mental illness in mental health recovery are observed in community as well as institutions. The PAIMI Program strives to ensure that the systems currently in place to assist these individuals provide appropriate services in a recovery oriented manner. Through investigations and monitoring, the PAIMI program staff identify common issues to advocate for systemic changes. PAIMI Program staff responds to received reports via the Disability Rights Pennsylvania's Intake System of abuse and neglect.

The Disability Rights Pennsylvania's vision is that all Pennsylvanians with disabilities are empowered with opportunities and choices, are valued members of their communities fully included in all aspects of community life having access to quality education, employment opportunities, and housing options living free from abuse, neglect and discrimination.

 

Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights provides for protection and advocacy for the rights of individuals with disabilities who are ineligible for services from the Protection and Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities (PADD) program and the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program, or whose problems fall outside the scope of services available from the Client Assistance Program (CAP). The PAIR Program strives to ensure that the systems currently in place to assist these individuals provide appropriate services in the community that ensure Consumer Control and autonomy.. Through individual case work and monitoring, the PAIR program staff identifies common issues to advocate for systemic changes.

Provides information on work incentives and their impact for eligible beneficiaries of Social Security Disablity Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who are interested in obtaining or maintaining employment.

The Protection and Advocacy of Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program is responsible for protecting the rights of SSDI and SSI beneficiaries who wish to gain or continue work. The PABSS program seeks to assist beneficiaries to overcome barriers to obtaining work, returning to work, and/or maintaining work. PABSS Program staff is able to provide information on supports and services available when an individuals chooses to return to work or can assist in getting the supports necessary if a person has already returned to work. Systemically the program seeks to identify and correct systemic barriers to employment and supports necessary to facilitate entry or re-entry to the workplace.