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DRCNH Home > If You Need Help
When you call us
The New Hampshire Disabilities Rights Center gets many calls each week from people with disabilities or their family members, needing help for a problem related to their disability. Here is what you can expect when you contact us for information, advice, or legal assistance with a problem relating to your disability.
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When you call the DRC, you will first speak to the receptionist. If you need an intake, the receptionist will get your contact information and ask you to briefly describe the problem you are having. She will schedule a telephone appointment with a member of the intake team within a few days.
When you have your intake meeting, the intake specialist may be able to answer your questions immediately. He or she will ask you for information about your legal problem and may ask you to send records or other information to our office, if they are necessary to fully understand your problem. She may refer you to other services or resources you may find helpful.
The intake team meets each week to discuss all intake calls. Your case may be assigned to one of the intake staff for follow up. You will receive a letter letting you know who will be contacting you. That advocate will contact you within one week to discuss your problem, obtain more information from you, and provide you with information and advice. This follow-up is not meant to be legal representation. It only means we will look into the matter to see if we can assist you. Sometimes, with your permission, we will be able to help you with your problem by providing short-term or brief assistance. If we agree to provide longer-term legal representation, you will be asked to sign a Retainer and Fee Agreement that will explain the scope of the DRC's representation and any fee for services. There is no charge for brief services or information and referral. If we provide more in-depth advocacy or legal representation, there may be a fee for our services. Please see the fee policy for more information on our sliding fee scale.
Most calls are for information, advice, or brief assistance. Some matters are too complicated and involved to resolve in this manner. If you want legal representation in such cases, the intake team will assess your case based on the seriousness of the matter, whether it is directly related to your disability, the DRC's priorities, and the merits of your case. Given our limited resources, our legal staff cannot take all cases. If we are unable to assist you, we will attempt to refer you to other sources of legal representation.
What if you need a reasonable accommodation to access and use DRC’s advocacy and other services?
To request a reasonable accommodation from DRC or learn more about DRC’s reasonable accommodations policies, contact DRC’s Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator, Attorney Lynne Zygmont by phone at 800-834-1721, by email at lynnez@drcnh.org, or fax at 603-225-2077
DRC Grievance Policy and Procedures
Last Updated: 2/4/13
