Disability Rights South Dakota

Disability Rights South Dakota is a tax-exempt non-profit organization headquartered in Pierre, South Dakota, that has been registered to receive federal awards since August 2004. The organization functions as a designated Protection and Advocacy System for South Dakota, providing comprehensive legal representation, advocacy, and support services to individuals with disabilities. Through its federal grant awards, Disability Rights South Dakota delivers critical services aimed at protecting the legal and human rights of vulnerable populations, including individuals with developmental disabilities, serious mental illness, traumatic brain injuries, and voting accessibility challenges.

Disability Rights South Dakota has received consistent federal formula grant funding across multiple programs administered by the Administration on Disabilities, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Social Security Administration. The organization's service portfolio encompasses several key federal grant programs: the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program, which provided $158,333 for legal representation and advocacy to adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances; the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Act State Protection and Advocacy Systems program; the Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology (PAAT) program; the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Voting Access program; the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act Protection and Advocacy program; the Client Assistance Program (CAP) supporting vocational rehabilitation advocacy; and the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program. Additionally, Disability Rights South Dakota manages Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security grants, including a program focused on protective payee reviews to ensure responsible use of social security benefits. The organization also received funding through block grants such as the Public Health Workforce expansion grant and demonstrated capacity as a prime grantee, with a documented sub-grant award to the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Inc. for a disability liaison position. All of these awards support the organization's mission to investigate abuse and neglect, facilitate community integration, promote employment assistance, ensure voting accessibility, and provide access to assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities across South Dakota.