Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness

Objective

The purpose of the PAIMI program is to pursue administrative, legal, and other appropriate remedies to address complaints of abuse, neglect, and rights violations. The PAIMI program is also intended to protect and advocate for the rights of adults with significant mental illness (SMI) and children/youth with significant emotional disturbances (SED) through activities to ensure the enforcement of the Constitution, and federal and state statutes.

Who Can Apply

• U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia)
• U.S. Territory (or Possession) Government (including freely-associated states)
• Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government

Eligibility is statutorily limited to “eligible systems” within the states, the District of Columbia, the American Indian Consortium, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The term “eligible system” means the system established in a state/territory to protect and advocate for the rights of persons with developmental disabilities under subtitle C of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 [42 U.S.C. 15053].

Who Benefits

Individuals with significant mental illness (adults) and or significant severe emotional impairment (children/youth) who are at risk for abuse, neglect, or civil rights violations while residing in care or treatment facilities have service priority. Individuals with significant mental illness (adults) and severe significant emotional impairment (children/youth) living in the community settings, including their own home, may be served as determined by their state protection and advocacy systems PAIMI program funded priorities and objectives and available resources includes individuals persons who are in the process of being admitted to a facility rendering care or treatment, individuals being transported to such a facility, or individuals who are involuntarily confined in a municipal detention facility, jails, or prisons

Assistance Types

• Grant

Program Contact

Maegan.Marcano@samhsa.hhs.gov
240-276-0421