P&A Teams
P&A provides services to individuals with any type of disability throughout the entire state of South Carolina. P&A adopts priorities for the services it provides on a yearly basis. Since demands for assistance exceed our resources, these priority areas direct our activities. View current priorities.
P&A’s activities are divided into three teams that work to protect the rights of people with disabilities.These teams are listed below with a short description of each.
Protection and Independence
This team focuses on preventing abuse and neglect of people with disabilities residing in facilities AND focuses on assisting individuals with disabilities who choose to move from institutions to their own homes in the community; and on preventing unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities who are currently living in the community.
Equal Access
This team focuses on ensuring that people with disabilities have access to goods, services, places, and employment equal to that enjoyed by people without disabilities.
This team also takes select cases that focus on children with disabilities who experience discrimination as it relates to their healthcare needs, least restrictive environment, and assistive technology in a public school setting. Should a child with a disability be denied something s/he are entitled given applicable state and federal laws in the aforementioned areas, P&A may pursue administrative/legal remedies.
Outreach, Information & Referral
This team receives telephone calls and responds to problems or issues presented by callers. This team of professional advocates provides advice, mails information and may make referrals to appropriate agencies or organizations. The I&R team refers callers who meet certain eligibility criteria for possible case representation to the four Issue teams described above.This team also provides information about P&A’s role in the community to rural and minority persons with disabilities.