Federal Grant Award Summary

The Hawaii Disability Rights Center received a $195,895 Formula Grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services under the Program of Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR, CFDA 84.240) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. As Hawaii's designated protection and advocacy agency, the Center delivers comprehensive legal advocacy and rights protection services to individuals with disabilities throughout the state, with particular focus on populations including those with developmental disabilities, serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and traumatic brain injuries.

Services provided through this award include legal representation, investigation of abuse and neglect allegations, information and referral services, dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution procedures, voting access assistance, benefits counseling, and systemic advocacy efforts designed to protect constitutional and statutory rights. The Center is required to develop annual priority statements informed by public comment, establish client grievance procedures, maintain comprehensive financial records for three years, and maximize mediation and alternative dispute resolution approaches before pursuing formal legal or administrative remedies. This award represents one component of the Center's multi-source federal funding portfolio supporting its core protection and advocacy mission across the state.