Protection and advocacy of individual rights (PAIR)

The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services awarded $579,256 to Disability Rights Ohio on October 1, 2025, under the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program (CFDA 84.240), a formula grant providing legal and advocacy services to protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities who are ineligible for services from other protection and advocacy programs or whose needs fall outside the scope of the Client Assistance Program.

Disability Rights Ohio, the designated Protection and Advocacy system for Ohio, delivers comprehensive legal representation and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities across the state, ensuring access to rights protections and community integration. The award funds work performed in Columbus, Ohio, with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The program operates under a statutory non-supplanting requirement and restricted indirect cost rate provisions governed by 34 CFR 76.563 through 76.569. Awards under PAIR are made on a statutory formula basis to eligible state-designated protection and advocacy agencies.