Programs

Eligibility Criteria for DRNM's Services & Programs

Eligibility-DRNM may assist individuals who meet the statutory eligibility criteria for its protection and advocacy programs and whose complaints or problems fall under DRNM’s current service priorities.

DRNM does not have the resources to handle every meritorious complaint. Therefore, DRNM sets annual service priorities based on input from individuals with disabilities.

Federal Programs

PADD Program - Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities

To be eligible under the PADD program, an individual must have a developmental disability which is defined as a severe, chronic disability of an individual that

  1. is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments
  2. is manifested before the individual attains age 22
  3. is likely to continue indefinitely
  4. results in substantial functional limitations in 3 or more of the following areas of major life activity:
    • Self-care
    • Receptive and expressive language
    • Learning
    • Mobility
    • Self-direction
    • Capacity for independent living
    • Economic self-sufficiency
  5. reflects the individual’s need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized supports, or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

For infants and young children


An individual from birth to age 9, inclusive, who has a substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired condition, may be considered to have a developmental disability without meeting 3 or more of the criteria described above if the individual, without services and supports, has a high probability of meeting those criteria later in life.

PABSS Program - 
Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security

DRNM’s PABSS program provides SSDI and SSI beneficiaries advocacy services for youth who want to transition to work or adults who want to return to work. To be eligible for DRNM’s PABSS program an individual must be receiving SSI or SSDI or receiving Medicare or Medicaid still within their Extended Period of Eligibility and attempting to gain or maintain employment.

PAIMI Program - 
Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness

To be eligible for services under the PAIMI program, an individual, living in either the community or in a residential setting, must have a diagnosis of a mental illness or severe emotional disturbance.

PAIR Program - 
Protection and Advocacy for Individuals Rights

To be eligible under the PAIR program, an individual with a disability must meet all the following criteria:

  • Must be ineligible for services under DRNM’s PADD or PAIMI programs.
  • Must need services beyond the scope of services provided by the Client Assistance Program (CAP) under section 112 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
PAAT Program - 
Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology

Any individual with a disability who needs assistive technology may request DRNM’s help in accessing assistive technology devices or assistive technology services.

PATBI Program
 - Protection and Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury

Individuals may contact DRNM regarding its TBI services if there is a need for:

  • education, training, or technical assistance about TBI and available services.
  • information or referrals related to services and assistance that may be available to individuals with TBI and their families.
  • individual or family advocacy or legal representation to eliminate barriers and increase access to comprehensive, coordinated programs and services.
  • information about how to promote and support self-advocacy efforts of people with TBI and their families.
PAVA Program
 - Protection and Advocacy for Voting Accessibility

Individuals may contact DRNM regarding its PAVA services if an individual is of legal voting age, a person with a disability, and has experienced discrimination in access to/participation in the election process.  DRNM provides information and referral services, public education programs, and individual case advocacy services.

Rep Payee Program - 
Protection and Advocacy for Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries

DRNM provides on-site reviews of representative payee performance which will increase independent oversight of representative payees. DRNM also provides training to certain representative payees regarding their duties and obligations in serving in that role.

State Grants & Programs

Civil Legal Services Commission

Provides funding for individual legal assistance, systemic advocacy, outreach and legal presentations to individuals with disabilities that are low-income.

Developmental Disabilities Council

Provides funding for individual advocacy, systemic advocacy, outreach, legal presentations and collaborative work to support the rights of children to special education services. The funding also supports collaborative work with the DDC’s Ombudsman program.

Access to Justice Commission

Provides funding to address two areas of legal need for youth with disabilities. Those areas are (1) reducing the School to Jail Pipeline and (2) enforcing the requirement of providing transition services to prepare the student for post high school employment to education. Both areas provide the opportunity for youth with disabilities to succeed in school and transition to a successful career path after high school. These two categories of services will utilize individual representation, collaborative relationship building and systemic advocacy tools to achieve better outcomes for these youth that will provide a pathway to success.