Disability Rights Rhode Island

Disability Rights Rhode Island is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Warwick, Rhode Island, that serves as the state's designated protection and advocacy system for individuals with disabilities. The organization has maintained continuous federal funding since at least 2021 and is registered as a tax-exempt corporate entity in SAM.gov, with its registration set to expire on March 26, 2026. Through a robust portfolio of federal formula grants and project grants, Disability Rights Rhode Island provides comprehensive legal advocacy, rights protection, and support services to ensure the constitutional and statutory rights of Rhode Island's vulnerable populations, including individuals with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, mental illness, and those facing barriers to voting access and assistive technology.

Disability Rights Rhode Island's work is funded through multiple federal agencies and grant programs, primarily from 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 administers formula grants under the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program, which provides $158,333 to address complaints of abuse, neglect, and rights violations for adults with significant mental illness and children with significant emotional disturbances through legal advocacy and remedies. Additionally, Disability Rights Rhode Island receives formula grant funding for the Developmental Disabilities Basic Support and Advocacy Grants program ($138,685), the Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology program, the Protection and Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury program, the Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities program (extending through September 2030), the Client Assistance Program, the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program, and the Rehabilitation Services Client Assistance Program. The organization also manages project grants from the Social Security Administration, including awards for strengthening protections for Social Security beneficiaries. All services are delivered directly by Disability Rights Rhode Island without identified subcontractors, and the organization's work encompasses legal representation, investigation of abuse and neglect, benefits counseling, voter registration assistance, election access guidance, vocational rehabilitation support, systems change advocacy, and comprehensive rights protection services to promote independence, productivity, and community integration for individuals with disabilities across Rhode Island.