Disability Rights Maine

Disability Rights Maine, doing business as Maine Advocacy Services, is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Augusta, Maine, that receives federal formula and project grants for protection and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities across multiple statutory programs. The organization operates as Maine's designated Protection and Advocacy system and holds no federal contracts; all federal funding flows through grant awards from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Justice, the Social Security Administration, and related agencies. Disability Rights Maine acts as a prime recipient on 99% of its recent grant awards, with a small sub-recipient footprint.

The organization's grant portfolio centers on disability rights advocacy, victim services, and representative payee oversight. Recent prime work includes a $600,000 project grant from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (CFDA 16.529) awarded August 1, 2026, running through July 31, 2029, that funds direct assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault affecting individuals with disabilities; training for disability and sexual violence service providers; and statewide partner collaboration. Disability Rights Maine also holds a $632,033 Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness formula grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (CFDA 19.004, awarded October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027) that pursues administrative and legal remedies for abuse and neglect complaints affecting individuals with mental illness in care facilities, community settings, and detention facilities. The organization received a $553,662 Developmental Disabilities Basic Support and Advocacy formula grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living (CFDA 93.630, October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027) protecting legal and human rights of individuals with developmental disabilities; a $195,895 Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights formula grant from the Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (CFDA 84.240); and a $188,180 Help America Vote Act Protection and Advocacy formula grant from the Administration for Community Living (CFDA 93.618, through September 30, 2030) supporting voter access and election official training for individuals with disabilities. The organization also administers Client Assistance Program formula grants (CFDA 84.161), Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security grants, and Traumatic Brain Injury and Assistive Technology protection and advocacy formula grants.

Customer concentration runs across federal disability and health agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living leads with 40 awards; the Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services follows with 35 awards; and the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration contributes 11 awards. These three agencies represent 88% of Disability Rights Maine's recent awards. The Social Security Administration and the Department of Justice round out the active set. Activity has remained steady at seven to ten awards per year over the past five years, though only one award has been obligated so far in 2026. Six awards face ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months, representing modest recompete exposure. Disability Rights Maine's sub-recipient footprint is minimal; two sub-awards flow through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for COVID-19 vaccine outreach and peer support services.