Protection and advocacy of individual rights (PAIR)

The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services awarded Disability Rights Mississippi $195,895 under the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program on October 1, 2025, for the period ending September 30, 2026. PAIR provides legal and advocacy services protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities in Mississippi who are ineligible for services from other protection and advocacy programs or whose needs fall outside the scope of the Client Assistance Program. The award is a formula grant distributed annually to designated state protection and advocacy systems under section 509(c)(1)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Disability Rights Mississippi, a tax-exempt nonprofit based in Jackson, serves as Mississippi's designated protection and advocacy system and administers multiple federal disability advocacy programs including the Developmental Disabilities Act, Assistive Technology Act, Traumatic Brain Injury Act, and Help America Vote Act programs, as well as the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness program through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The organization delivers legal advocacy, rights protection, and related services to vulnerable populations throughout Mississippi.