A large part of advocacy involves the protection of individual rights. There are many federal and state laws which affect the rights of people with mental illnesses. This website highlights a few, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which is a federal law protecting the rights of people with physical and mental disabilities, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) another federal law pertaining to privacy and confidentiality of medical records and Kendra’s Law (or AOT), a state law dealing with involuntary outpatient treatment.
ADA Official Website: https://www.ada.gov
HIPAA Official Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html
It is important to know what your rights are and what guarantees you have under the law.
Our website is not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and you should contact an attorney or Nassau/Suffolk Law Services at (516) 483-6560 or, in the case of the ADA, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, if you want to find out whether your rights have been violated.
There are links throughout this website to help you get more information. Please go to Links of Interest to find organizations, departments and websites which may prove helpful.