Protection and Advocacy for Individual
Rights Project
Who We Are:
The Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) program is a federally funded legal and nonlegal advocacy program authorized through the Rehabilitation Act (as Amended). In New York State the program is coordinated by the Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CQCAPD). Legal Services of Central New York (LSCNY) is under contract with CQCAPD to provide legal assistance to eligible individuals in the Central New York region, which includes the following counties: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga, and Tompkins.
Individuals who have a physical disability as a result of injury, including traumatic brain injury, and other individuals with adult onset disabilities are eligible for legal assistance through the PAIR program. This service is available to all eligible individuals without charge, regardless of the ability to pay. An otherwise disabled individual is eligible for assistance if the legal problem for which assistance is sought is related to the individual's disability. Case acceptance is further evaluated on the merit of the claim and available resources at LSCNY.
The PAIR program is primarily staffed by one full-time attorney position and part-time law students. Currently, the full-time attorney position is staffed half-time by two staff attorneys. The Executive Director, Litigation Director and Managing attorneys provide additional resources for the PAIR program at LSCNY.
Legal Assistance Provided by the PAIR Program
The PAIR program legal assistance may range from information & referral, to counsel and advice, to full representation before administrative agencies, state courts, or federal courts. Examples of the types of cases that may be evaluated for case acceptance include:
- ADA compliance and systemic issues
- Medicaid durable medical equipment denials or Medicaid related services
- Fair housing claims where a disabled individual are denied housing on the basis of disability
- Access to public and private transportation for disabled individuals
- Employment discrimination based on disability
- Parental rights where it is alleged that disability precludes custody or visitation
- Avoiding or transitioning out of unwanted institutional placement
Public Outreach and Training
The PAIR program also provides free community education and training on various legal issues that affect persons with disabilities living in the Central New York region. Topics are addressed to consumers, their families, advocacy groups, and other legal organizations. A typical community education session, for example, is a half-hour or hour long presentation with a question and answer period following, focused on a topic of particular interest to that audience.
If you are interested in, or have questions about, having an attorney from LSCNY speak to your group, please contact the PAIR program at 315-475-3127, or e-mail us.
How to Reach Us:
SYRACUSE OFFICE
Legal Services of Central New York, Inc.
Empire Building, Suite 300
472 South Salina Street
Syracuse, New York 13202
Tel: 315-475-3127
Statewide Toll Free: (800) 475-9967
Fax: 315-475-2706
TTY: 315-475-3120
Office Hours: 9:00-5:00, (M-F)
We also arrange for appointments in
outlying offices and home visits.
LSCNY Home Page
This page was last updated October 10, 2006.