Intake
and Referral Services
DRNJ's
Intake Unit is comprised of an Intake Coordinator, an Intake Specialist
and an Advocate. The Intake Unit is also supported by on-call advocates
and attorneys in the event intake staff are unavailable or require
assistance. The Intake staff are able to provide information and
referral during telephone interviews, as well as determine if further
review is necessary. Should this be the case, the Intake staff will
complete the intake interview to obtain the information necessary
for the agency to consider the matter for further intervention.
Contacts
can be made to the Intake Unit by telephone, in writing, by fax,
e-mail or in person. Messages may be left on the agency's voice
mail system 24 hours a day. Messages that are left on the Intake
Unit voice mail system are returned within twenty-four hours. E-mails,
faxes and written correspondence are reviewed twice weekly to provide
information and referral or to request further information to complete
an intake. Walk-ins are addressed immediately.
The Intake
Unit is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday,
and includes Spanish speaking staff. In addition, DRNJ has telephone
language interpreting services to facilitate communication with
individuals in 150 languages and dialects.
Grievance Policy
As a
client of DRNJ, or someone requesting services from DRNJ, you have
the right to file a grievance if you believe that we have wrongly
denied you assistance with a disability-related matter.
DRNJ
is authorized by Federal law to provide advocacy and legal services
for eligible persons with disabilities in New Jersey. These services
may be in the form of (1) legal, administrative and other appropriate
interventions, (2) information about services and programs and referrals
to other programs that can help individuals with disabilities, and
(3) coordinating our programs with other programs that serve people
with disabilities.
Because
our funding is limited, we can not handle every complaint and case
that comes to us. Each year after soliciting public comments, our
Board of Directors approves a written statement of our goals and
priorities. This statement of priorities determines the types of
cases we take under each of our programs.
Unfortunately,
if your problem or concern is not covered by our priorities, or
is otherwise not permitted by Federal Law, we may not be able to
help you. If we can not provide direct help, we will try to refer
you to other agencies or persons who may be able to do so.
Even
if your request is accepted for further assistance, we may not be
able to provide the advocacy or legal representation you are seeking.
If you
disagree with our decision not to accept your request for assistance
or not to provide further advocacy or legal representation, you
may request an appeal of this decision.
Appeals Process
If you
disagree with the decision not to accept your request for assistance
or not to provide further advocacy or legal representation, you
may request an appeal by calling or writing the DRNJ's Appeals Coordinator
at the address or telephone number listed on our Home Page.
Your
request for an appeal should be communicated to DRNJ within thirty
(30) days of the date you are informed of our decision.
Your
appeal will be considered by the Executive Director of DRNJ, or
his designee. The Executive Director, or his designee, will consider
the information available to DRNJ at the time the original decision
was made. The Executive Director, or his designee, will issue a
written decision within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the request
for an appeal.
If you
disagree with the decision of the Executive Director, you may request
an appeal to a committee of the Board of Directors. Again, you may
request an appeal by calling or writing DRNJ's Appeals Coordinator
at the address listed on our Home Page. Your request for an appeal
should be communicated to DRNJ within thirty (30) days of the date
you are informed of the Executive Director's decision.
Your
request for an appeal will be sent to the Board committee within
fifteen (15) days of receipt. You should be notified of the committee's
decision approximately thirty (30) days after the receipt of your
request.
