Services

Request Help

If you have immediate safety concerns, call 9-1-1, 9-8-8, or your county crisis line. The statewide toll-free number for reporting abuse or neglect of any child or adult to the Colorado State Hotline is 1-844-264-5437. 

We do not handle emergency situations and do not guarantee a response to every request for assistance. Please be aware that you could have deadlines and could lose the ability to act on a legal claim as time passes. We are not able to advise you of these deadlines.  

If you aren’t seeking assistance, and instead want Disability Law Colorado to be aware of a situation involving disability-related legal issue, please send us an email at [email protected].

What we do:

  • Provide tools Coloradoans with disabilities can use to advocate for themselves
  • Class action litigation (representing a large group of people who are facing the same precise disability-related legal issue caused by the same entity)
  • Systemic complaints on behalf of groups
  • Monitor places where people with disabilities live and receive services
  • Educate policymakers
  • Provide community trainings about disability rights
  • Investigate abuse and neglect 
  • Assist people who are having difficulties working with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or a Center for Independent Living
  • Assist people who receive Social Security benefits if they are facing barriers to employment
  • In very rare circumstances, we may take an individual case for legal representation

DLC only works on issues in our current focus areas. Even if you have an individual case within our focus areas, it is rare for an attorney to be assigned to help you. Most people who contact our office receive referrals to other organizations or tools to assist with self-advocacy. Our primary purpose is to push for systems change to improve the lives of Coloradoans with disabilities across the state. DLC does not respond to requests for help if they do not fall within one of these focus areas. 

We cannot help with these issues, even if they are related to a disability:

DLC does not respond to requests for help if they fall into one of these categories.

* DLC may consider taking an individual Medicaid appeal if we believe the concerns and potential remedies are systemic.

How to Request Help

  • Complete our intake request form in English or Spanish. 
  • Call us at 303-722-0300 or 1-800-531-2105 and leave a voicemail. Please leave your name, phone number, email address, and a brief description of your concerns. 
  • Write us a letter. Our address is 455 Sherman St, Ste 130, Denver, CO 80203.

If your issue falls within one of our focus areas, we will contact you to conduct an intake. If your issue is not within our focus areas, we likely will not contact you. Please check our website for relevant resources. Walk-in services are not available.

How We Prioritize Requests

Every year, we ask our board, council, and community what we should prioritize in the next year. We then prioritize issues that will have the greatest impact on the greatest number of Coloradoans. Review our focus areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

   1. What happens if I submit an intake online or by letter?

Staff will review requests to determine whether the issue(s) identified fall within our focus areas. If not, we will not respond to the request. If the issues do fall within our focus areas, we will contact you to schedule an intake appointment during business hours. 

   2. When I call for disability-related legal assistance, what happens next?

You can leave your name, phone number, email address, and the general nature of your concern. If your issue falls within one of our focus areas, we will contact you to conduct an intake. If your issue is not within our focus areas, we likely will not contact you. Please check our website for relevant resources.

   3. Will you schedule an intake appointment regardless of my question?

No. Given our limited funding and need to serve the entire state, we reserve intake appointments for only those issues within our focus areas. 

   4. Can I leave a voicemail with my information and concerns? 

Yes. Please leave your name, phone number, email address, and a brief description of your concerns. If your issue falls within one of our focus areas, we will contact you to conduct an intake. If your issue is not within our focus areas, we likely will not contact you. Please check our website for relevant resources.

   5. What happens during my telephone intake appointment?

You may expect to receive general information and self-advocacy resources. Intake staff cannot provide legal advice. After your appointment, you will receive an email or letter that summarizes the information and self-advocacy resources. If you have further questions, you may make another appointment. Most callers will not be assigned to an attorney for legal representation.

   6. How does Disability Law Colorado process intakes?

Staff will review requests to determine whether the issue(s) identified fall within our focus areas. If not, we will not respond to the request. If the issues do fall within our focus areas, we may schedule an intake appointment with you during business hours. 

During an intake appointment, we provide general information about legal rights, strategies to become a stronger self-advocate, community education and training, and know your rights information on a wide range of subjects to empower people with disabilities to self-advocate. 

If your issue is about the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or a Center for Independent Living, you may be assigned an advocate to help you, though this is not a guarantee. 
If you are eligible for Social Security benefits and are facing a barrier to employment, you may be assigned an advocate or attorney, though this is not a guarantee. 
It is extremely rare for individuals to be assigned an attorney to help them on an individual basis. Our primary focus is on large systems change throughout the state.

   7. Can Disability Law Colorado provide emergency response if I am in crisis?

No, we are not equipped to provide emergency or crisis response. If you have an emergency, you should contact 911, 988, law enforcement, your county crisis line, or the Colorado State Hotline (1-844-264-5437). 

   8. Does my intake appointment mean I am getting an attorney and Disability Law Colorado is representing me?

No, most people who contact us will not be assigned to an attorney for legal representation

   9. Will Disability Law Colorado make accommodations for me?

Disability Law Colorado will provide accommodations, such as a language interpreter, written communication, video relay or TTY, large print, or other accommodations upon request.

Know Your Rights

Click here to access resources to assist with self-advocacy.

Click Here to View our Criteria for Representation & Grievance Policy