Disability Rights Connecticut, Inc. received a $195,895 formula grant under the Program of Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR), CFDA 84.240, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. As Connecticut's designated protection and advocacy system, the organization will utilize these funds to provide comprehensive disability rights advocacy services, including legal representation, information and referral services, and complaint investigation to protect and advance the legal, human, and civil rights of individuals with disabilities throughout the state.
Under this formula grant, Disability Rights Connecticut will pursue legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies on behalf of eligible individuals with disabilities while establishing systems that ensure client grievance procedures and prioritize alternative dispute resolution methods. The organization will develop annual priority statements with public input and maintain compliance with federal record-keeping and financial accountability requirements. These services supplement the organization's existing portfolio of federal protection and advocacy programs, including initiatives focused on mental illness, developmental disabilities, assistive technology, traumatic brain injury, and voting access rights.