MHLAC HOME

MHLAC PAGES

PUBLICATIONS

[Picture of scales of justice]

THE MENTAL HEALTH LEGAL ADVISORS COMMITTEE

[Picture of State seal]

Legal - Mental Health Advocacy Links

Social Law Library
The Social Law Library, founded in 1803, is a member-managed, dues-supported legal research institution that provides research materials, training and services to the judiciary and practicing bar of Massachusetts.

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a leading national nonprofit legal advocacy organization for people with mental illness and mental retardation. Its work focuses on reform of public systems, access to housing, health care, and support services and protections against discrimination.

Supreme Judicial Court Reporter of Decisions
Now receive Massachusetts decisions online at no cost.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Disability Information Page
Look for related links on the right.

The National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
NHeLP is a national public interest law center that provides specialized assistance on indigent health care matters to attorneys and other advocates representing low-income clients throughout the United States. Services include litigation assistance, research, training, publications, legislative and administrative representation.

National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA)
NARPA is an independent organization of survivors of mental health institutions, advocates, civil rights activists, mental health workers and lawyers. Its fundamental mission is to empower people who have been labeled mentally disabled so that they may learn to independently exercise their rights.

Disability Law Center (DLC)
DLC is a private, non-profit public interest law firm providing free legal assistance and information to people with disabilities throughout Massachusetts. It is the Protection and Advocacy agency for Massachusetts and as such, it is responsible for protecting and advocating for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities

Consumer Quality Initiatives (CQI)
CQI interviews consumers of mental health services with quanitative and qualitative questions, analyzes the data and writes reports for quality improvement purposes. CQI was previously called the Massachusetts Consumer Satisfaction Team.

The American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability
The Commission consists of fifteen members appointed by the ABA President. Its mission is to promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in the legal profession.

Center for Public Counsel Services (CPCS)
CPCS is a fifteen-member body established to oversee the provision of legal representation in nearly 300,000 cases annually to indigent persons in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Committee also oversees the operation of a state department comprised of 126 public attorneys, as well as administrators and administrative staff, which provide legal services of various types to indigent parties.

Greater Boston Legal Services Greater Boston Legal Services is the primary provider of free, non-criminal legal assistance in the Greater Boston area. GBLS assists low-income individuals, families, and community-based organizations with a wide range of poverty law matters.

Coalition for the Legal Rights of People with Disabilities (CLRD)
CLRD is a broad coalition of legal and other advocates, including people with disabilities, united to promote empowerment, liberation, and integration of all people with disabilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Coalition seeks to preserve and extend the supports for and rights of people with disabilities through education, legal intervention, and systematic advocacy.

Massachusetts People/Patients Organized for Wellness, Empowerment and Rights (M-POWER) is the state-wide 100% mental health consumer run (c/s/x) advocacy organization. M-POWER has won successful campaigns around the Bill of Rights, informed consent and restraint and seclusion.

MASSHOMELESSHEALTH.ORG The Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) is proud to sponsor an Internet site dedicated to sharing information about community services and resource for people without homes.

Health Care for All is building a movement of empowered people and communities with the goal of creating a health care system that is responsive to the needs of all people, particularly the most vulnerable. Health Care For All is dedicated to making quality health care a right of all people. Or go directly to their MassHealth Defense website.

MassLegalServices.Org MassLegal Services programs are private non-profit organizations providing free legal assistance to low income consumers. At least one program serves every city and town in Massachusetts. Many areas are served by more than one program.

The Mental Health Consumer Initiative This site is best know for its excellant collection of articles related to mental health.

(Massachusetts) Department of Mental Health Launched in July of 2001 this is the official DMH website. Go directly to DMH policies.

Massachusetts Correction Legal Services MCLS is a law office that provides civil legal assistance to poor people incarcerated in Massachusetts prisons and jails.

National Empowerment Center The NEC is a national technical assistance center for mental health consumers and believes in a strong model of individual recovery.

National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse A consumer-run national technical assistance center serving the mental health consumer movement. We help connect individuals to self-help and advocacy resources, and we offer expertise to self-help groups and other peer-run services for mental health consumers.

CONTAC serves as a resource center for consumers/survivors/ex-patients and consumer-run organizations across the United States promoting self-help, recovery and empowerment. Contac was developed utilizing research on ideal consumer self-help programs, successful consumer-run programs, community support service philosophy about service delivery, descriptions of mature mental health systems, management and leadership skills.

National Mental Health Association's National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center Our purpose is to strengthen those organizations supporting mental health consumers, survivors and ex-patients by providing technical assistance in the forms of research, informational materials, and financial aid.

National Health Law Program 30 Years of Working for Justice in Health Care for Low Income People

NATIONAL CONSUMER LAW CENTER is America’s Foremost Advocate for Low-Income Consumer Justice and its Leading Expert on Low-Income Consumer Issues

Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Citizens Health Plan Part of Joe Kennedy's Citizen's Energy. You will need to click on the Citizens Health log.


RETURN to MHLAC home page.