Federal Grant Award Summary: Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR)

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) awarded Disability Law Center Inc. a formula grant of $348,637 under the Program of Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR, CFDA 84.240) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. As Massachusetts's designated protection and advocacy agency, Disability Law Center Inc. provides comprehensive legal advocacy and civil rights protection services to individuals with disabilities throughout the state. Core services delivered through this award include legal representation, administrative advocacy, information and referral services, and dispute resolution assistance for eligible individuals with disabilities. The organization pursues legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies to protect client rights and maintains a grievance procedure for clients and applicants.

The PAIR program establishes systems for protecting and advocating the legal and civil rights of persons with disabilities through designated state-based agencies. Disability Law Center Inc. is required to develop annual priority statements, solicit public comment on proposed priorities, maintain comprehensive financial and programmatic records, and maximize the use of mediation and alternative dispute resolution procedures. As a prime recipient of multiple federal protection and advocacy programs, the organization supplements existing nonfederal resources to ensure sustained legal advocacy services for vulnerable populations with disabilities, including individuals with developmental disabilities, mental illness, traumatic brain injuries, and other disability categories.