Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., (CLRP) is a statewide non-profit agency which provides legal services to low income individuals with psychiatric disabilities, who reside in hospitals or the community, on matters related to their treatment, recovery, and civil rights. CLRP represents clients in accordance with their expressed preferences in administrative, judicial, and legislative venues to enforce their legal rights and assure that personal choices are respected and individual self-determination is protected. CLRP develops and supports initiatives to promote full community integration which maximizes opportunities for independence and self-sufficiency.

Due to a lack of available resources and staff, CLRP attorneys and paralegals will only offer representation in cases that have substantial legal merit, and cannot accept every case.

Types of Cases CLRP May Accept

_㢠Services and/or treatment and discharge from Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services or other providers;

_㢠Inpatient hospital issues including, but not limited to: recovery planning, fresh air, privilege levels, privacy, medication, safety, seclusion and restraint;

_㢠Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Connecticut Patients_ã_ Bill of Rights, death or substantial injury in a state-facility, and right to community-based services;

_㢠Disability discrimination in employment (training and consultation);

_㢠Advance Directives to control health care and end of life decisions;

_㢠Probate Court matters such as commitment and conservatorships, explaining rights and procedures, and collaborating with court appointed attorneys;

_㢠Probate Court orders regarding conservatorships and forced medication; and

_㢠Obtaining or maintaining stable housing by preventing eviction, public housing authority interventions, (including housing voucher issues) investigating housing denials and discrimination in obtaining or retaining housing, and requesting reasonable accommodations.

CLRP DOES NOT ACCEPT

Divorce, custody, parental termination, child in need of care, wills, estates, workers_ã_ compensation, unemployment compensation, immigration, criminal defense cases (or other cases where people are entitled to court-appointed lawyers) or cases not substantially related to a person_ã_s psychiatric disability