PAIMI Advisory Council

The DRTx PAIMI Advisory Council is mandated under the PAIMI Act of 1986 and advises our agency on policies and priorities to be carried out in protecting and advocating for the rights of people with mental illness. PAIMI stands for Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness.

The PAIMI Council accepts applications for new members year-round. Apply now!

2026 PAIMI Council Meetings

• March 28, 2026 (virtual)
• June 27, 2026 (virtual)
• September 19, 2026 (virtual)

Public Comment at PAIMI Meetings

The public is invited to provide comments related to rights of people with mental health concerns during a specific time frame at each quarterly council meeting. If you would like to provide public comment at one of the upcoming meetings, please complete our PAIMI Meeting Public Comment Sign Up Form at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. You can also use the form to provide public comment in writing.

About the PAIMI Program

Protecting the rights of people receiving inpatient mental health treatment 

People with mental health conditions are often among the most vulnerable in society. Many may not be able to advocate for themselves due to the nature of their condition or the place where they are receiving care. Our PAIMI program steps in to make sure their safety is prioritized.

History of the PAIMI program 

PAIMI stands for Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness. The PAIMI program was established by Congress in 1986 following widespread reports of dangerous mistreatment and neglect of people in psychiatric institutions.

Congress responded by legally establishing Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organizations like Disability Rights Texas to monitor these settings, investigate complaints, and advocate for change. Since its establishment, the PAIMI program has helped bring crucial reforms, improved conditions, and supported hundreds of thousands of individuals across the country in safeguarding their rights.

P&As designated to implement the PAIMI program 

P&As are uniquely qualified to provide advocacy services to people receiving inpatient mental health treatment for several reasons.

Proven track record: The PAIMI program was modeled directly after the PADD (Protection and Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities) program established in 1975. By 1986, P&As had already spent 11 years building the infrastructure to handle complex disability rights litigation and investigations. Today, the PAIMI program’s track record spans nearly 40 years.

Efficiency: By designating existing P&As as PAIMI agencies, the federal government avoided the “red tape” and expense of setting up a second, parallel system of oversight.

Independence: Because P&As don’t run the facilities they monitor, they can investigate abuse and neglect with no conflict of interest. And they have the authority to sue state and private entities—a power most state-run social service agencies do not have.

Direct accountability: Each PAIMI program has a PAIMI Advisory Council that ensures the agency that operates the PAIMI program is uniquely of and for the community it serves. In accordance with the PAIMI Act, at least 60% of the Council must be individuals who have received (or are receiving) mental health services, or their family members.

Other demographics represented on the Council include mental health providers and professionals, attorneys, and interested members of the public. The Council helps set the agency’s annual PAIMI priorities, ensuring the P&A remains focused on the needs of people with significant mental illness.

Formidable legal authority: P&As possess unique federal powers that standard non-profits or state ombudsmen do not. Under the PAIMI Act, P&As are granted: 

• Access: P&As have a federal mandate to enter any facility (public or private), unaccompanied, that provides care or treatment to individuals with mental illness.

• Records: We can access all records of any individual if there is “probable cause” to believe abuse or neglect has occurred, even if a legal guardian has not authorized it.

• Remedies: We are authorized to pursue legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies to protect the rights of their clients.

The PAIMI Program in Texas 

In Texas, our staff focuses on the following priorities as established annually by our Governing Board and PAIMI Advisory Council and in alignment with PAIMI Act regulations:

• Monitoring public and private facilities

• Conducting investigations into abuse, neglect or rights violations

• Advocating for individuals when violations are discovered

• Filing litigation to combat ongoing, systemic abuse and neglect or when our legal access authority is denied.

In Fiscal Year 2025, our outcomes included:

• 44,475 PAIMI-eligible individuals impacted by our work

• More than 3,400 individuals trained through PAIMI education and training events

• 632 PAIMI-eligible individuals received our advocacy services

• Death investigation in a state-run facility where P&A involvement resulted in substantial policy changes and training of staff to prevent further deaths of patients

More about the Council and How to Apply

Members of the PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) Advisory Council reflect the constituency served by Disability Rights Texas (DRTx). We are mandated by the Federal PAIMI Act, the purpose of which is to assist states to establish and operate a protection and advocacy system for individuals with mental illness and protect and advocate for the rights of such individuals through activities to ensure the enforcement of the Constitution, Federal and State statutes. Pursuant to federal statute, the Council “…will advise the system on policies and priorities to be carried out in protecting and advocating for the rights of mentally ill individuals…”

Persons with mental illness, family members and professionals are all represented on the Council. DRTx and the PAIMI Advisory Council are also committed to appointing members representative of Texas communities and makes efforts to ensure the Council reflects different geographic areas of the state.

In order to be eligible for membership on the Advisory Council, an individual must reside in the State of Texas, cannot be a relative or significant other of a current Advisory Council member, and cannot be an employee of DRTx.

Subject to these limitations, the Advisory Council shall consist of:

1. At least one (1) attorney
2. Mental health professionals
3. Individuals from the public who are knowledgeable about people who are labeled mentally ill, the advocacy needs of persons with mental illness, and have demonstrated a substantial commitment to improving mental health services
4. Providers of mental health services
5. Individuals who have received or are receiving mental health services
6. Individuals who are family members of individuals who have received or are receiving mental health services.
7. At least one member shall be a primary caregiver for an individual who is current a minor child

Please read Frequently Asked Questions about the PAIMI Council to learn more about the requirements of the position and to apply.