FY2026 (PATB) TBI act protection & advocacy: traumatic brain injury

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living awarded Disability Rights Tennessee $132,846 under the State Grants for Protection and Advocacy Services program (CFDA 93.873) on October 1, 2025, for the fiscal year 2026 Protection and Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury (PATB) program. The award funds protection and advocacy services to individuals with traumatic brain injury in Tennessee, including information and referrals, individual and family advocacy, legal representation, and assistance in self-advocacy. Performance runs through September 30, 2027, with activity concentrated in Tennessee.

Disability Rights Tennessee, the designated Protection and Advocacy system for Tennessee, delivers comprehensive legal advocacy and rights protection across multiple disability-focused federal grant programs. This formula grant is one of three primary federal funding streams the organization receives annually, alongside awards from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Beyond the PATB program, Disability Rights Tennessee operates specialized protection and advocacy initiatives addressing individual rights, assistive technology access, developmental disabilities, voting access, and mental illness, as well as benefits counseling for vocational rehabilitation and social security beneficiaries.