Protection and advocacy of individual rights (pair)

The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services awarded Disability Rights Vermont, Inc. $195,895 under the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program on October 1, 2025. The award funds protection and advocacy services for individuals with disabilities whose legal and human rights fall outside the scope of other protection and advocacy programs or the Client Assistance Program. Performance runs through September 30, 2026, with work conducted in Montpelier, Vermont. This is a formula grant issued under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, distributed annually to designated protection and advocacy agencies in each state and territory. Disability Rights Vermont serves as Vermont's designated protection and advocacy system, delivering advocacy, legal representation, and support services to individuals with disabilities across the state, including investigation of complaints involving abuse, neglect, and rights violations; provision of legal representation and administrative remedies; and advocacy for systemic policy improvements.