Consumers Counsel
Consumers Counsel
The Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web’s Consumers Counsel Project provides legal representation to mental health consumers (Consumers), including Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (SED) children and their family members statewide. This includes legal services to individuals to address their individual legal needs, including vindicating their individual rights, as well as representation with respect to "systems" issues that affect Consumers and their family members. Funding is primarily through a grant from the Alaska Division of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.
Individual Representation
In providing legal services to individuals we look at how the legal issue fits into the person's entire setting, rather than narrow legal pigeon holes, including integrating it with the Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web’s peer support, recovery oriented approach. When deciding what cases for individuals to take, we first look at whether "winning" is likely to significantly improve (or avoid deterioration of) that Consumer's life situation. If it is, we then look at the following things to decide among potential cases (prioritization):
The seriousness of the person's life situation that the legal representation is to address.
Whether the person has a "good case" and the probability of a positive outcome.
Whether we have the personnel available to handle the case.
Systems Issues
When deciding what "systems" cases to take, we first look at whether there is broad support within the Consumer/family member community as to the issue. If so, prioritization will consist of a balancing of the following factors:
Importance of the issue for improving Consumers' lives.
The likelihood of a successful outcome
Whether we have the personnel available to handle the case.
Please contact us in one of the ways provided above if you would like us to take a look at representing you or you have any questions.
last modified 1/27/2003