{Office of Protection & Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities}  

Welcome to the internet site of the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (better known as OPA or simply "P&A").  P&A is an independent State agency created to safeguard and advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities in Connecticut.  Part of a nationwide network of protection and advocacy systems, the Office operates under both State and federal legislative mandates to:

• provide information, referral, and advocacy services; 
• pursue legal and administrative remedies on behalf of people with disabilities who experience disability-related discrimination; 
• investigate allegations of abuse and neglect that arise in specific service settings or that affect individuals with particular disabilities; and, 
• provide education, information and training on disability rights to policy makers, advocacy groups and members of the public.