Disability Rights New York receives multiple millions of dollars every year for its work in the State of New York. The program I asked for, received 1,4 million in 2025 for leaving clients with less possibilities left behind. I am based in New York City, and, for the first time in my life, I had to use their services. To provide more context, they offered technical assistance to my lawyer, but I had already stated that I cannot afford one because, after my father's accident, we became a low-income family. I searched for lawyers, but I cannot afford the high fees they ask for, and contingency lawyers are overwhelmed with cases. However, I trusted my federal agency. In fact, I checked and saw that they receive, just for the program I asked for, more than $1 million every year and almost $10 million annually to protect New Yorkers with disabilities. SPOILER: This is not true. When you need the service, you're lost. What I found was that, after providing six months of recordings, evidence of retaliation, inconsistencies in disability policies affecting not only me but also other people, and other evidence of multiple violations and the need for support, I received a letter from the Executive Director, stating basically the same thing that people are complaining about: the organization's lack of compliance. Apparently, for what I read and after what I saw, they always excuse themselves with "no resources for it," the same excuse they give to other affected people who trust their federal agency. The letter by the Executive Director states: "DRNY has finite resources and receives far more requests for services than it can possibly handle (...). There is nothing in the PAIMI Act that requires DRNY to provide any specific level of service." After the millions in federal funding they receive, and after stating on their webpage that they offer free legal services, if you cannot pay for your own lawyer, you're lost. The "big solution" they gave me was to fill out a random online form from the city stating what happened. I have to proceed with the process ALONE, I do not have any representation when the investigation comes, and the counterpart has access to good lawyers while I have to navigate this process alone. This is DRNY as a federal agency, leaving citizens with disabilities fighting big institutions, alone. Being fair, I have to say that the person who attended me, Marc Fliedner, was very polite, and I do not share the reviews saying that DRNY treats people badly, as he treated me well. However, "treating well somebody" doesn't mean they care about you: If you do not have economic access, you're lost, in my experience and after the director's letter. I do not understand how, after I stated that I cannot afford the high fees of a lawyer, and after contacting an organization that provides "free legal services," they simply state that they will not do it because they can't, even if the case has merit to receive these resources. After my blood boiled and while I am awaiting the second appeal before the Board of Members, even though I do not have any hope at this point, I contacted a journalist who covers disability rights in NYC. I guess you can also join if you are from outside the city. You can contact me at: alicebitvila@gmail.com if something similar happened to you and if they also left you alone with your case or they offered a pseudosolution that does not cover representation, if you cannot pay a lawyer by yourself. As a reminder: DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE NOT ENSURED UNTIL CITIZENS WHO CANNOT AFFORD A LAWYER ARE ALSO PROTECTED. read more

I am very disappointed with my experience with Disability Rights New York (DRNY). They present themselves as an independent protection and advocacy organization, but in practice I feel they only advocate when it benefits them, not the people they are supposed to serve. Communication has been poor, my concerns were not meaningfully addressed, and I did not feel heard or supported at any point in the process. Based on my experience, I would not recommend relying on DRNY if you are looking for strong, client-centered advocacy. read more

Read the other review. Had a similar disappointing experience but for a disabled child who struggles to communicate. I spent a lot of time doing an intake and gathering/organizing materials for them. I had proof of abuse of this child at school and they wasted my time with all the work I put in to prove it including recordings and witnesses. They have so many negative reviews on Google and other places and they are misusing the federal funds that support them by not doing their job. I am taking time out now to write this review to save you time and heartache as it is hurtful what they do and do not do despite their name, "Disability Rights". Don't waste your time even though they are a "free" service. Sadly, they are not serious about protecting and supporting individuals with disabilities. read more

DISGUSTING, LAZY, INCOMPETENT. Had an awful experience with this cheap organization. I have PROOF OF DISCRIMINATION but they refused to help because they are to inept or to afraid to find justice. Lia Nelson took all my information, asked me to send her ALL THE DOCUMENTS I HAVE INCLUDING AUDIO FILES, etc, and then I did not heard back from her or anyone until days later when I get an email from her where she included a letter, a coward way to tell a DISABLED PERSON we are not going to help you, saying that her supervisor MEGAN DRUM stated there is no evidence and they will not do anything and then she proceed to give me pages of other places that DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. I called in order to find out exactly what they wanted and they were not there and I was transfer to speak with DAVID YOUNG who is the Intake Director, a nasty angry little men who treated me poorly and mistreated me, I have to ask him several times to treat me like a human being and remind him that I was the victim and that he should be angry at the people who discriminated me AND NOT ANGRY AT ME. He was unaware of my case and he only based his answer by reading the letter that Lia sent me and not looking at the almost 300 pages of evidence that I provided them and not even listening to the audio conversation I sent them. It is a shame that this people mislabel themselves and refuse to help a Disabled Person in need. This people are too lazy and wanted something that the company said YOU ARE A CRIPPLE AND WE ARE NOT HIRING YOU, and even do I presented them with plenty of evidence, they refuse to take my case because is too much work, without forgetting that the company who discriminated me HAS TO PROOF THAT I WAS NOT HIRE BECAUSE I WAS DISABLED, but it seems this institution that presumes to help Disabled people do not. I just read in Facebook other complaints similar to mines. What a shame, they are a waste of time. read more