Protection and Advocacy Mental Illness Program (PAIMI)

disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV), formerly Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA), offers Protection and Advocacy for Individual with Mental Illness Program (PAIMI).

PAIMI funds this program to provide legal and advocacy services for people with mental illness who live in a hospital or other facility providing care and treatment for their illness.

People who have problems while being taken to or from a facility, getting admitted to a facility, or within 90 days of leaving a facility may also be eligible for PAIMI services. Depending on federal funding levels, persons with mental illness who live in the community independently or with family or friends may also be eligible.

PAIMI protects the right to: obtain appropriate services; make complaints about services or treatment; ask questions of anyone who is supposed to provide services or treatment; be safe from harm; make decisions about services received; keep records private and have a written plan in place before leaving a mental health facility.