Dorothea Advocacy Project

The Dorothea Advocacy Project, named for and inspired by the work of Dorothea Dix, provides legal advocacy for incarcerated women with serious mental health issues in New England. Using volunteer lawyers, law students, social workers and community organizers, the project will:

• Provide assistance for women whose imprisonment has resulted in the loss of housing subsidies, transitional assistance, SSI/SSDI, or Medicaid, to ensure that these benefits are reinstated as quickly as possible upon release.

• Advocate for adequate physical and mental health care, including pre and post-natal care, for clients still in prison.

• Assist clients in navigating the community mental health system, provide legal representation to women facing post-release civil commitment proceedings, and promote their treatment in the least restrictive possible environment.