Every spring and summer the Protection and Advocacy System works to identify the priorities for the next fiscal year which will guide us in the work performed from October 1st to September 30th.The services P&A provides focus on the priority issues through: individual case work, work to improve and change systems, outreach to persons with disabilities, and training and information on rights and potential solutions to problems. This year P&A developed goals and priorities for Fiscal Years 2001-2003 and Objectives in those goal and priority areas for FY 2001, which began October 1, 2000.


This year, P&A increased our efforts to obtain more public input and to involve the public earlier in the process of priority planning. We collaborated with the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council(DDPC) to create a survey seeking input from the public. We mailed out the survey in the P&A newsletter, posted it on our web page, and distributed it through the DDPC and P&A staff.
In July, we held five regional focus groups in Santa Fe, Gallup, Las Cruces, Roswell and Albuquerque to hear directly from consumers . The groups were well attended and included individuals with a range of disabilities. The input received was instrumental in determining which priority objectives to continue and which new priorities and objectives to develop.