Case Acceptance Criteria

Disability Rights Wisconsin gets many more requests for help than we can take on directly. Our teams consider many things when deciding what kind of help we may be able to give. Most people who contact DRW for help get short-term services, like information and referral or rights coaching, rather than legal representation or direct advocacy.

DRW receives more requests for help than we can take on directly. We look at several things to decide how we can best use our staff and resources to help people with disabilities.

When reviewing a request, we may consider:

• Does the concern fit our work? Is it related to one of DRW’s Areas of Focus?
• How serious or urgent is the problem? Is someone at risk of abuse, neglect, harm, or losing important rights?
• How long could the problem affect the person? Could it cause lasting harm if nothing changes?
• Could our help make a bigger difference? Could addressing the concern also help other people with disabilities or lead to changes in policies or practices?
• Is there a way to address the problem? Are there laws, facts, or other information that support the concern? Is DRW likely to be able to help?
• Is other help available? Does the person already have an attorney, advocate, or another organization that can help?
• Does the person have support? Can they speak up for themselves, or do they have family, friends, or others who can help?
• Has the person had difficulty getting help? Do they live in an area or belong to a community that has had less access to advocacy services?
• Are there other barriers? Is something making it especially hard for the person to protect their rights or get the help they need?
• Does DRW have the resources to help? Do we have the staff, funding, and time needed to take on the concern?

Meeting one or more of these factors does not guarantee that DRW can provide direct advocacy or legal representation.