Disability Rights New Jersey

What Disability Rights New Jersey does

Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ) is a private, non-profit Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency incorporated in 1994 and headquartered at 210 S Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey. As the federally designated P&A system for New Jersey, DRNJ is empowered under federal law to investigate abuse and neglect, access facilities where people with disabilities live or receive services, and pursue systemic litigation. Originally incorporated as New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (NJP&A) following the dissolution of the NJ Department of the Public Advocate, the organization rebranded to Disability Rights New Jersey in 2008. It is governed by an 11-15 member Board of Directors and currently operates with a staff of more than 40 employees under Executive Director Gwen Orlowski (since January 2019).

DRNJ's service portfolio spans legal representation, advocacy, investigations, and resource production across nine program areas: abuse and neglect investigation, assistive technology (via the Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center), community integration, education (IDEA/Section 504), employment and vocational rehabilitation, representative payee review, resident and patient rights, traumatic brain injury, voting access (PAVA), and youth justice (the Youth Justice Project, active in Mercer and Essex Counties). The Self-Advocacy Resource Center provides webinars, fact sheets, sample documents, and guides; ASPYIR is an interactive self-assessment tool for IEP transition planning. The organization does not offer proprietary software products or APIs — its "technology" footprint is limited to web-based content delivery and one interactive tool.

DRNJ's business model is non-commercial. All services are provided free of charge to eligible individuals with disabilities as mandated under federal P&A law. Revenue is derived almost entirely from federal appropriations distributed across eight P&A grant programs (PADD, PAIMI, CAP, PAIR, PATBI, PABSS, PAVA, PAAT), supplemented by a state sub-contract with the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (for ATAC), Ford Foundation seed funding (for the Youth Justice Project, 2020), and individual donations. Customer acquisition is through direct intake (phone 1.800.922.7233 / online form) and statewide outreach, with the 890,000+ New Jerseyans with disabilities constituting the addressable population. The organization does not pursue a sales-led GTM; it operates a regulated, mandate-driven service delivery model.

Name

Disability Rights New Jersey

Legal name

Disability Rights New Jersey

Website

https://disabilityrightsnj.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Disability Rights New Jersey is a non-profit that advances the human, civil and legal rights of citizens of New Jersey with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Legal Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability legal advocacy
• Protection and advocacy services
• Special education advocacy
• Assistive technology services
• Voter access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Trenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal P&A System Funding: As New Jersey's designated Protection and Advocacy agency under federal law, Disability Rights NJ operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through federal grants and appropriations. Services are provided free of charge to eligible individuals with disabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Disability Rights New Jersey is the federally designated Protection and Advocacy agency for New Jersey, providing free legal advocacy, abuse and neglect investigation, facility monitoring, education advocacy, assistive technology services, voting access support, and representative payee reviews for individuals with disabilities. Services are delivered through staff attorneys, advocates, and outreach personnel across the state via phone intake, online intake, and direct representation.

Product overview

Disability Rights New Jersey is a non-profit Protection and Advocacy agency that offers a portfolio of advocacy services and resources rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include the Self-Advocacy Resource Center (an online collection of tools, webinars, fact sheets, and guides), the ASPYIR interactive transition planning tool for students, the Youth Justice Project for legal representation of justice-impacted youth, the Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) for assistive technology services, the PAVA voter access program, the Representative Payee Program, and Education Advocacy Services. The organization also provides Abuse and Neglect Investigation Services. All services are free and confidential, delivered through staff attorneys, advocates, and outreach teams rather than through a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC): Serves as New Jersey's federally-funded assistive technology project through a sub-contract with New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
• Youth Justice Project
• Center for Youth Voice, Youth Choice
• ASPYIR
• New Jersey Partners in Policymaking

Products and services

• Self-Advocacy Resource Center An online collection of tools and resources empowering people with disabilities to develop self-advocacy skills and stay informed about their rights. Includes webinar recordings, presentation slides, fact sheets, sample documents, how-to guides, and resources organized by frequently asked topics. Free and accessible to the public.
• ASPYIR (Accessing Strategies to Prepare Youth for Independence and Responsibility) An interactive self-assessment tool that asks students about their likes, dislikes, interests, needs, strengths, and preferences related to education, employment, and independent living. Generates documents to help students advocate for themselves during IEP meetings and with state agencies for transition planning services.
• Education Advocacy Services Legal advocacy services ensuring students with disabilities benefit from rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504. Provides advice, resources, sample forms, training webinars, and in limited situations, representation in formal proceedings such as mediation, due process, and systemic litigation.
• Youth Justice Project A legal advocacy program working to decriminalize disability for youth by ensuring educational and community needs are met through direct legal representation, community advocacy, and self-advocacy training. Currently serves Mercer County and Essex County in New Jersey.
• Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) New Jersey's federally-funded assistive technology project that assists individuals across the state in overcoming barriers and making assistive technology more accessible. Provides device demonstrations, short-term loans, device reutilization through Goodwill Home Medical Equipment, and training activities.
• Protection and Advocacy for Voter Access (PAVA) Program Federally-funded program ensuring every qualified person with a disability can vote on Election Day through voting rights presentations, outreach events, polling place accessibility reviews, and collaboration with voting rights coalitions. Produces the voting resource guide 'Voting, It's Your Right' and operates a free voter hotline.
• Representative Payee Program Program providing advocacy and legal services to protect people with disabilities from financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect through Social Security Administration representative payee reviews. Reviews representative payees to ensure benefits are used for current and future needs of beneficiaries.
• Abuse and Neglect Investigation Services Investigation services empowered by federal law to access all settings where people with disabilities live or receive services. Conducts limited investigations, primary investigations, secondary investigations, and systemic investigations of abuse and neglect allegations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000 individuals served directly
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• New Jersey Council on Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on New Jersey Partners in Policymaking program, a leadership development and advocacy education program for adults with developmental disabilities and family members of children and transition-age youth.
• The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities (Rutgers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities and DRNJ on New Jersey Partners in Policymaking program. The Boggs Center hosts the program location at 335 George Street, Suite 3500, New Brunswick, NJ.
• Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRNJ serves as the New Jersey state team member for CYVYC, promoting supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship for youth with disabilities ages 14-26.
• SPAN Parent Advocacy NetworksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the New Jersey state team for CYVYC working together to advocate for alternatives to guardianship.
• New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRNJ's Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) operates through a sub-contract with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development as New Jersey's federally-funded assistive technology project.
• Administrators of the Courts in New JerseycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding allows DRNJ direct access to the court system and justice-impacted youth in Mercer County and Essex County for Youth Justice Project.
• Office of Public Defender (New Jersey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with DRNJ on Youth Justice Project, providing initial support for establishing the project in Mercer County.
• Goodwill Home Medical EquipmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerATAC partners with Goodwill to support reuse of assistive technology, getting equipment into hands of NJ residents with disabilities at reduced cost.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Disability Rights Network: The federal umbrella organization for the P&A system and DRNJ's national network; provides training, technical assistance, and coordination across all state P&A agencies including DRNJ.

Direct peers

• Disability Rights California: California's designated P&A agency; the largest state P&A with analogous mandate to investigate abuse, provide legal representation, and pursue systemic advocacy for people with disabilities.
• Disability Rights New York: New York's designated P&A agency providing identical legal advocacy, abuse investigation, and disability rights services as DRNJ; geographically adjacent peer with directly comparable structure and funding model.
• Disability Rights Texas: Texas's designated P&A agency with parallel federal mandate, organizational structure, and service portfolio to DRNJ including legal advocacy, investigations, and assistive technology programs.
• Disability Rights Washington: Washington state's P&A agency delivering the same federally mandated mix of legal advocacy, abuse/neglect investigation, and disability rights enforcement as DRNJ.
• Equip for Equality: Illinois's designated P&A agency offering legal advocacy, special education representation, and disability rights services under the same federal P&A framework that funds DRNJ.
• Disability Rights Oregon: Oregon's P&A system providing analogous legal advocacy and disability rights services to Oregonians with disabilities through federal P&A grants.
• Disability Rights Advocates: A national disability rights legal center focused on impact litigation and advocacy for people with disabilities; shares DRNJ's litigation-driven approach to systemic disability rights enforcement.

Regional players

• The Arc of New Jersey: New Jersey chapter of The Arc, providing advocacy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the same geographic market as DRNJ with overlapping client populations.
• SPAN Parent Advocacy Network: New Jersey-based parent advocacy organization partnering with DRNJ on the CYVYC initiative; focuses on family-led advocacy for children with disabilities in the same NJ market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AdvocateDRNJ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjk3GsavP5noGMm95t-joGg
• Facebookfacebook.com/disabilityrightsnewjersey
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/disability-rights-nj
• Instagraminstagram.com/disabilityrightsnj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Disability Rights New Jersey