People with mental health conditions and their families may at times require legal support or advocacy services to help them navigate the legal system.
The following web sites can provide you with legal and advocacy resources in the United States and Massachusetts. For information about legal/advocacy services for children with special needs, refer to the “Special
Education” section.
United States
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS)
Phone: (202) 408-9514
Web site: www.napas.org
NAPAS is a national association of organizations, programs and services which help people with disabilities to understand and assert their rights. For a list of disability advocacy and protection organizations by state, click on “About P&As/CAPs.” Then scroll to the bottom of the page and use the search bar to search by state, or click on “Printable Version of P&A/CAP Contact List.”
Massachusetts Center for Public Representation
Eastern Mass Phone: (617) 965-0776
Western Mass Phone: (413) 587-6265
Web Site: www.centerforpublicrep.org
This non-profit public interest law firm provides mental health law and disability law services.
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Massachusetts Legal Help
Web Site: www.masslegalhelp.org
Provided by the MassLegal Network, a project of the civil legal aid community, this web site serves to improve access to justice for low income and disadvantaged persons.
Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC)
Phone: (800) 342-9092, (617) 338-2345
Web Site: www.state.ma.us/mhlac
The legal staff of MHLAC provides legal referrals, information, and advice to individuals, lawyers, mental health professionals and the general public.
Disability Law Center
Phone: (800) 872-9992, (617) 723-8455
Web Site: www.dlc-ma.org
The Disability Law Center provides legal advocacy on disability issues, including protection of the legal rights of individuals with mental illness.
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