Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire

Request An Accommodation

Section 504 Coordinator

To help ensure compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DRC-NH has developed procedures and designated a Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator to coordinate compliance efforts with these laws.  Lynne Clay is our Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator. At any time prior to requesting a reasonable accommodation or during the process, an applicant or client may contact Ms. Clay with any questions by phone at 800-834-1721, by email at lynnec@drcnh.org, or fax at 603-225-2077.

Procedure for Requesting an Accommodation

Any applicant for or client of DRC-NH services (applicant/client) who believes he or she is a qualified person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation to effectively access or utilize our services or programs (e.g. to obtain advice, communicate with a DRC-NH staff person, access and use DRC-NH’s offices, participate in the attorney-client relationship), may request a reasonable accommodation from any DRC-NH staff person.  All our staff persons are authorized to receive the request.

For example, an individual with a hearing disability who requires an in-person meeting instead of one over the phone can make a request for a sign language interpreter directly to our receptionist.  If they’d rather, an applicant/client may make a request for a reasonable accommodation directly to our DRC-NH section 504/ADA compliance coordinator, Lynne Clay (or specified back up if she is unavailable).

When a request for a reasonable accommodation is made to a DRC-NH staff person, the staff person will ascertain the qualified disability that necessitates the reasonable accommodation, what  reasonable accommodation is needed, and why.  The staff person shall then confer with our Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator.

If determined needed,  the reasonable accommodation shall be provided for or arranged.  Generally, our staff will advise the applicant/client and arrange for the accommodation.  However, decisions about who advises the applicant/client and arranges the accommodation shall be determined by the  Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator on a case-by-case basis.

If there are questions about the right, need, or the reasonableness of the accommodation or if the information that the applicant/client has provided is insufficient to make a determination, or for any other good and sufficient reason as determined by the Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator, the Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator shall assume responsibility to resolve the matter.  This may require additional information from the applicant/client verbally or in writing and/or by taking other necessary steps. The applicant/client may be asked to present medical documentation or authorize release of medical information to DRC-NH as necessary to determine either the existence of a disability or the need for accommodation.  The process need not be overly formal, and verbal, phone, written and/or email communications may be used in narrowing or refining issues or otherwise attempting to resolve the matter. The section 504/ADA compliance coordinator shall confer with the Legal Director and the Executive Director when necessary.

When the Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator has assumed responsibility for a request for accommodation,  she shall notify the applicant/client of her decision within ten (10) working days of the request and receipt of appropriate documentation.  Along with this determination of accommodation, the applicant/client will also be notified of their grievance rights (detailed below).

The ten day timeline may be extended by the Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator for good cause.

DRC-NH Nondiscrimination Policy

No person shall be refused service in any program sponsored by DRC-NH, or any other DRC-NH service, on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, gender, gender expression, religion, national/ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other class protected by law in any of its programs or activities.

It is the policy of DRC-NH, its directors, officers, employees, and agents, not to discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, gender, gender expression, religion, national/ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other class protected by law in the administration of its program, in the eligibility of program participants, in the provision of services to applicants or clients of DRC-NH’s services, in the selection of directors, officers, or employees, or in any other respect.

Grievance Policy and Procedures

It is the policy of DRC-NH to provide all clients and those seeking services with a copy of the Grievance Policy and Procedures and an opportunity to file a grievance. If you choose to file a grievance, you are assured that no adverse repercussions will occur to you in any future interaction with DRC-NH.

A grievance may be filed for the following reasons:

  1.  You feel that you were improperly denied services (Grievance Policy and Procedures – Part 1)
  2. You feel that the services were not effective (Grievance Policy and Procedures – Part 1)
  3. You feel that you were improperly denied a reasonable
    accommodation (Grievance Policy and Procedures – Part II)