Publications Index
Listed below are publications produced by the Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy specifically for individuals with disabilities, family members and others interested in disability issues. They provide information about disability rights and to offer strategies for solving individual problems.
Also, five of our self-help booklets have been recently updated (Building Accessibility, S.S.I., How to File a CHRO Complaint, Accessible Travel, and Connecticut Fair Housing Laws).
Finally, our extremely popular Disability Resource Directory has been expanded and updated in November 2007. The Directory contains useful phone numbers, program descriptions and websites of federal, state, and local agencies and organizations.
If you would like a hard copy of one or more publications you may e-mail your request to OPA-Information@po.state.ct.us or send a request to:
Consumer Information Unit
Office of Protection and Advocacy
for Persons with Disabilities
60 B Weston Street
Hartford, CT 06120
or fax it to 860-566-8714. Please be advised we are only able to mail out limited copies of our publications. If you would like a copy of one or more of these publications, you should make arrangements to come to our Office in Hartford and pick them up.
SELF-HELP PUBLICATIONS
Written by P&A staff, this is a listing (and summary) of our self-help publications. The full text is available to read on screen or download. If you would like a hard copy, please call, write or e-mail us your request.
(Self-help booklets and manuals will be available in Adobe Reader format)
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Your Rights as a Voter with a Disability As a member of a democratic society and as a person with a disability, you have both the right and the responsibility to vote. This booklet answers some of the common voting questions and answers about your rights as a voter with a disability.
This "how to" guide will familiarize you with the parent advocacy group model, explain the benefits of belonging to a group, and describe the process for starting a group in your community. In addition, this guide presents information for starting and managing a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.
This booklet focuses on the ADA obligations of private health care providers to individuals with deafness or hearing impairments. There are other healthcare-related obligations under the ADA that pertain to people with other disabilities, but those are not addressed in this booklet.
Accessible Travel With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability rights laws, it just may be possible to "get there from here". This publication examines the rights of travelers and commuters with disabilities which enable them to travel to work, visit friends and families, go shopping, and become active participants in the life of their communities and beyond.
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This guide is primarily intended to assist people involved in preparedness planning at the municipal and regional levels. It also contains information that will be useful to individuals with disabilities and families in the appendices.
{Fair Housing in Connecticut}
Connecticut Fair Housing Law This publication explains the Discriminatory Housing Protections Act - a Connecticut law which provides protections to individuals with disabilities in the sale or rental of housing. Obtain information about who is covered by the state law, what housing is covered, and how rights are protected and enforced.
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Social Security Income (SSI) This publication explains SSI or Supplemental Security Income - a federal program that provides monthly financial assistance payments to certain individuals including persons with disabilities who have limited income and assets.
This publication is about a program of the Social Security Administration (SSA). The program provides some people with disabilities new choices about which agencies can help them get ready to go to work and find a job.
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This booklet to answer questions about working with Employment Networks and to explain their role in the Ticket to Work Program
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How to File a CHRO Complaint This publication is meant to provide basic information about the process of filing a discrimination complaint with the State of Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO).
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Your Rights to Vocational RehabilitationThis publication is about your rights and responsibilities when you become a client of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) or of the Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB). The information is designed to help you take an active role with your counselor in developing your rehabilitation plan and participating in other BRS or BESB services.
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Your Rights in a Psychiatric FacilityThe purpose of this publication is to impart practical and useful information to people who find themselves in a psychiatric facility and are attempting to get out. Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program of P&A designed this publication to help you to advocate for your basic civil rights and identify those situations when you may need an advocate or a lawyer.
{Your Right to Choose!}
Making Medication ChoicesAs of October 1, 1993, inpatients in psychiatric units or hospitals who are 18 years of age or older have a right to refuse medication - Public Act 93-369, and C.G.S. ?17a-540. The statute was amended on June 4, 1996 to allow persons, 16 years of age and older, the right to refuse medication. The 1996 Amendments also clarify the role of a conservator in making medication decisions. This publication explains your rights under these laws.
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Disability Resources in Connecticut This publication contains names, addresses and internet sites as well as descriptions of federal, state and local agencies, entitlement programs and services for people with disabilities including non-profit grass roots disability organizations.
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Assistive Technology Lemon Law On June 6, 1997, Governor Rowland signed Public Act 97-100, "An Act Concerning the Security of Assistive Technology Devices." This lemon law covers non-conforming assistive technology devices purchased or leased on or after January 1, 1998. Manufacturers are required to repair and in some cases either replace or refund a consumer’s money for a nonconforming assistive technology device.
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Self Advocacy Tips The adage that the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" is a true comment on complaining and human nature, but squeaks can be annoying, and, if too loud, can be counterproductive. Nevertheless, assertive, articulate advocacy is a necessity when service providers and other bureaucracies are unwilling to correct either individual or systematic problems.
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OPA Informational Tri-fold Brochure - (Spanish version) OPA Program Descriptions - the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (P&A) seeks to protect the rights of and to advocate for people with disabilities. We do this by providing information and referral services, case advocacy services, abuse investigation and protective interventions, and community development activities. Brief descriptions of program services are provided in this brochure.
Client Assistance Program (CAP) - CAP is an independent advocacy program funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It is established as an oversight program to facilitate the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services.
PABSS Informational Tri-fold Brochure
(Spanish.pdf 457kb) & (
English.pdf 351kb) - PABSS is a Federal program awarded to the State Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities by the Social Security Administration. The program is designed to provide the following services to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries.
PAIMI Information Tri-fold Brochure - PAIMI Can Help! Paimi works to protect the rights of individuals with mental illness who are in community residential programs, homeless shelters, state or private institutions including hospitals, residential care homes, nursing homes and correctional facilities.
Client Assistance Program (CAP) - The Client Assistance Program (CAP) is an independent advocacy program funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration located at the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. It is established as an oversight program to facilitate the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services.
PATBI Information Tri-fold Brochure - PATBI - Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury. PATBI advocates provide individualized, person-centered advocacy to individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brief description of how to receive different services to individuals with TBI, their families, and the community.
Traumatic Brain Injury Fact Sheet.
