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Privacy Policy/ Disclaimer Notice
If you think that your legal rights have been violated because of a disability, OLRS may be able to help. OLRS is the state protection and advocacy system for Ohioans with disabilities. If you think you have been abused or neglected, discriminated against, denied services or been unable to access public facilities, you should contact the OLRS Intake Department.
If you're not sure whether we can help, contact us anyway. If we can't help, we'll try to connect you with someone who can.
To contact OLRS for help, download our on-line Intake form. Once you have completed the form, mail it to OLRS (mailing instructions are included on the form). Download the form: Request Help from the Ohio Legal Rights Service (PDF file)
Or call the OLRS Intake Department:
Intake hours are weekdays (except holidays) from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Voice: 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181 (toll-free in Ohio only)
TTY: 614-728-2553 or 1-800-858-3542 (toll-free in Ohio only)
Note: To view and print PDF documents, you need to have Adobe® Reader®, a free software program, installed on your computer. Download Adobe® Reader®
OLRS advocates for people with disabilities who live in Ohio. If a person with a disability in Ohio needs help from OLRS, the person with the disability, or the parents of a child with a disability, can contact OLRS. Other people can submit a request for help on behalf of a person with a disability. For those requests, OLRS will contact the person with a disability for direction.
OLRS serves people who are developmentally disabled, mentally ill, or have another significant physical or mental impairment that interferes with a substantial life activity, such as mobility or learning, and who are eligible under OLRS' program requirements. Some OLRS programs have additional eligibility requirements, such as receiving social security or vocational rehabilitation services.
Every state is required to have a Protection and Advocacy (P & A) system for people with disabilities. If you have a disability but do not live in Ohio, you can find your state's P & A system on the National Disability Rights Network Web site.
There are particular problem areas and cases that OLRS will not accept. Because of program and funding limits, OLRS does not generally take cases: that other agencies routinely accept; where the court appoints counsel or the client is already represented by an attorney; involving malpractice suits or of a general legal nature when the problem is not directly related to the person's disability. OLRS does not provide representation in criminal matters.
When OLRS is not able to take your case, OLRS may be able to provide referrals.
Every client or source has a right to file a grievance if they are dissatisfied with how their case is being handled or closed. The staff member assigned to your case should help you file the grievance, or you can file it yourself by writing to OLRS or calling OLRS Intake (see the Contact OLRS section for mailing and telephone information).
You must file the grievance within 15 business days of the event that you disagree with. Your information will be reviewed by the immediate Supervisor or Managing Attorney of the person whose conduct is the subject of your grievance. The Supervisor or Managing Attorney will contact you and attempt to resolve the grievance.
If the grievance is not resolved, you may appeal the decision to the OLRS Executive Director within 15 business days from the date the notice of the Supervisor's or Managing Attorney's decision is sent. The Executive Director shall decide the appeal within 10 business days of the date the appeal is filed.
The Executive Director's decision may be appealed to the OLRS Commission.
Case files and other client based information at OLRS are confidential under both state and federal law. Client communication with OLRS, including an initial request for services, is privileged as if between attorney and client or pursuant to statute and rule governing the Ombudsman section of OLRS.
Other information that records the agency's activities, such as fiscal matters, may be subject to disclosure under the Ohio Public Records Act. See the OLRS Privacy Policy/Disclaimer Statement for more information.