DRNM provides advocacy and legal services in areas covered by the priorities and
objectives approved by our Board of Directors. The scope of services that we may provide depends
on the rules of the program or funding source that applies to the issue. In most cases, there must
be a disability-related legal rights issue and a possible legal or advocacy solution. Because our
staff and resources are limited, we cannot accept every case that falls within our priorities. The
type and amount of help we can provide depends on the individual situation, program
requirements, and available staff resources.

Abuse / Neglect / Exploitation
Decrease the abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disabilities by improving
the practices of programs and facilities in congregate settings for people with
disabilities and/or where there are significant allegations of abuse, neglect or
exploitation.
A/N/E.1 [System] Provide outreach and conduct trainings in facilities serving persons
with mental illness or developmental disabilities, with an emphasis on psychiatric
hospitals, boarding homes and other congregate care settings, to inform individuals of
their rights and of DRNM’s availability to investigate and resolve problems.
A/N/E.2 [Monitoring] Conduct routine monitoring of facilities serving persons with
disabilities for the purpose of identifying possible abuse or neglect, and compliance
with service recipient rights and safety.
A/N/E.3 Conduct investigations of alleged or suspected abuse or neglect where there
appears to be a pattern or recurrence of significant abuse or neglect, where there has
been a death or life-threatening injury, or where the alleged abuse or neglect is
particularly egregious and produce reports/recommendations as appropriate.
A/N/E.4 Pursue personal injury, wrongful death, or serious civil rights violation litigation
where there is a clear opportunity to improve the practices of a provider or public
service agency, private co-counsel is available, and fees may be available.
A/N/E.5 Identify, develop, and pursue as appropriate advocacy strategies to address
abuse, neglect, or other discriminatory practices by the criminal justice system,
including law enforcement.

Access & Rights
Reduce or eliminate barriers or discriminatory practices faced by people with
disabilities.
AR.1 Advocate on behalf of individuals or groups where there is discrimination in a
public accommodation under the NM Human Rights Act.
AR.2 Provide assistance to individuals with disabilities denied access to public places,
including public accommodations, based on their use of a service animal (as defined
under state law and the ADA).
AR.3 Assist people with disabilities to have access to shelter and opportunities to rent
or own homes and apartments in their communities, including advocacy for housing, as
well as temporary housing, to be accessible to people with disabilities to the extent
required by law.

Assistive Technology
Expand the provision and use of assistive technology necessary for people with
disabilities.
AT.1 Assist people with disabilities to contest a denial of requested evaluation for
assistive technology, to obtain necessary assistive technology devices and services,
repair assistive technology devices, and/or to receive the training and support needed
to utilize the devices, through coverage from their health insurance, public schools, or
other available sources.

Brain Injury
Promote the expansion and implementation of services needed by individuals with
brain injuries.
BI.1 Assist eligible individuals or applicants with traumatic brain injuries who have been
denied or terminated from appropriate services, who face inappropriate
modification/reduction in such services, or who face other barriers to accessing such
services.

Community-Based Services
Increase the number of individuals with disabilities who receive appropriate, high
quality community-based services that enable them to live productively and
independently in community settings.
C.1 Assist individuals in need of long term or other community-based services,
including those who choose to self-direct services, who have been denied access to
such services, or for whom the level of services offered or provided is inadequate.
C.2 [System] Continue to pursue the M.G. v. Armijo litigation to expand access to
private-duty nursing services for medically fragile children specifically, and more
broadly to medically necessary Medicaid services for participants generally.

Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation
Advance the employment opportunities for people with disabilities by holding state
vocational rehabilitation programs accountable, by promoting competitive and
integrated employment opportunities, and by reducing the barriers to retain, obtain, or
return to work for persons with disabilities.
EM.1 Advocate that eligible applicants or recipient are informed of and receive an
appropriate range of individualized services from state vocational rehabilitation and
independent living programs, and monitor the use of Order of Selection and its impact
on eligible applicants.
EM.2 Receive complaints from Social Security beneficiaries who have experienced a
denial, delay, or other barrier in an effort to secure, retain, or return to work, and
provide direct advocacy as appropriate.

EM.3 Receive complaints from individuals not Social Security beneficiaries who have
experienced a denial, delay, or other barrier in an effort to secure, retain, or return to
work, and provide direct advocacy as appropriate.

Help America Vote Act
Improve accessibility for voters with disabilities to increase voter turnout by promoting
and advocating for voter accessibility, providing outreach and trainings to both election
officials and voters with disabilities, and working with state and county officials to
ensure accessibility.
HAVA.1 Promote participation in and equal access to elections by providing direct
advocacy for clients, voter registration services, surveying polling places for
accessibility, providing information and assistance on voting rights, and providing
outreach and training on the rights of voters with disabilities, with a particular emphasis
on voter education and registration for transition students who will be 18 years of age
prior to the next election.
HAVA.2 [System] Provide training on voting accessibility and best practices for
working with individuals with disabilities, to state and county election officials as well as
poll workers, and collaborate with state and county election officials and poll workers to
help ensure voter accessibility, including access to web sites, necessary to access voter
registration and absentee ballots.

Mental Health Services
Expand the rights of individuals to receive appropriate mental health services, both in
residential and outpatient mental health facilities and programs.
MH.1 Assist and advocate for individuals in need of mental health services in cases
where services are delayed, denied, or significantly reduced, or where the amount,
duration, or scope of services offered is clearly inadequate, and where there is serious
risk to the individual’s health or safety, or a serious risk of hospitalization or placement
in a residential treatment facility, or when there appears to be a violation of an
individual’s rights in a residential treatment facility, including a detention facility.
MH.2 [System] Within the Kevin S. case, advocate for the rights of children with
disabilities in state custody to appropriate, individualized, accessible, adequate, and
coordinated medical, mental health, and behavioral health services in safe and stable
placements that are the least restrictive and appropriate to their needs from the
Children, Youth and Families Department and the Health Care Authority.

Public Policy
Expand, support and utilize the capacity of DRNM as well as individuals and
organizations in the disability community to influence public policies and systemic
changes in policies, statutes and regulations affecting individuals with disabilities.
P.1 [System] Review and comment on proposed regulatory changes in Medicaid and
other public programs that have a significant effect on eligibility, benefits, services, or
procedural protections for persons with disabilities.
P.2 [System] Participate in the Disability Coalition to support collaborative public
policy advocacy across multiple disability organizations.
P.3 [System] Educate legislators and other policy makers about issues that impact the
rights of people with disabilities.

Self-Determination
Advance the rights of people with disabilities to have control over the decisions that
affect their lives.
SD.1 Advocate for the prevention, termination, or limiting to the least restrictive
alternative of substitute decision-making arrangements such as guardianship,
treatment guardianship, or representative payee appointments; promote supported
decision-making approaches whenever possible, and when substitute decision-making
is necessary, promote the most responsive arrangements available.
SD.2 [Monitoring] Promote or provide oversight of Representative Payees for Social
Security beneficiaries when the Payee is in a potential conflict situation, monitor the
conditions of beneficiaries and address other Payee issues, with respect to Payees
monitored by DRNM pursuant to requests from the Social Security Administration or as
otherwise identified by DRNM.

Special Education

Advocate for the delivery of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for every

student in New Mexico who qualifies for Special Education services or is entitled to a
504 Plan.
ED.1 Advocate for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or Section 504
Plans that are inadequate or whose substantial lack of implementation by their local
school districts prevents the student from benefiting from education.
ED.2 Advocate for students who may be eligible for special education services or 504
Plans but have been denied evaluations or when a requested evaluation has been
unreasonably delayed.
ED.3 Advocate for students at Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDRs) and/or at
disciplinary hearings such as Long-Term Suspension/Expulsion hearings.
ED.4 Advocate against the use of restraint, seclusion, or law enforcement involvement,
and for the use of positive behavior interventions and supports.
ED.5 [System] In connection with the Yazzie/Martinez vs. New Mexico consolidated
cases and related policy efforts, advocate for a greater number and higher quality of
special education resources in New Mexico public schools, toward improved
educational outcomes for students with disabilities, including readiness for college or a
career.