Disability Rights Rhode Island

What Disability Rights Rhode Island does

Disability Rights Rhode Island (DRRI) is a private nonprofit organization established in 1977 as the federally designated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agency for Rhode Island. Operating under federal law, DRRI protects and advocates for the legal rights of people with disabilities through investigation of abuse and neglect in facilities, individual legal representation, systemic class action litigation, and public education. Its primary constituents are Rhode Island residents whose legal issues are disability-related, spanning abuse, neglect, discrimination, special education disputes, employment discrimination, healthcare access, housing, voting rights, and guardianship overreach. All services are provided free of charge, accessed through a multi-channel intake process (online form, phone, email, fax, mail).

DRRI's service portfolio comprises the DRRI Center for Supported Decision-Making (an SDM education and resource hub offering an alternative to guardianship), the federally funded Representative Payee Program for monitoring Social Security benefit management, an extensive self-advocacy resource library (fact sheets on assistive technology, education, employment, housing, Social Security, TBI, and voting), a five-part SDM Webinar Series developed with the Burton Blatt Institute, and the Rhode Island Transition App launched in June 2025 for transition-aged students. Class action litigation capabilities (e.g., J.E.L. v. Charest on children's behavioral health) and successful advocacy outcomes (St. Mary's Home for Children closure in August 2024, the DOJ settlement on Bradley Hospital in December 2024) demonstrate systemic impact beyond individual casework.

DRRI is funded primarily by federal grants through programs including PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness), PABSS, and PATBI, with secondary revenue from charitable donations. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The organization is led by Executive Director Morna Murray and two Legal Directors (Anne Mulready and Kristine Sullivan), governed by a Board of Directors and a PAIMI Advisory Council, and operates as a member of the National Disability Rights Network. Headcount is 11-50 employees, and the sole office is at 220 Toll Gate Road, Suite A, Warwick, RI.

Name

Disability Rights Rhode Island

Legal name

Disability Rights Rhode Island

Website

https://drri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Disability Rights Rhode Island is a federally designated nonprofit Protection & Advocacy agency providing free legal advocacy, abuse/neglect investigation, class action litigation, and Supported Decision-Making resources to people with disabilities in Rhode Island, funded by federal grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Legal Advocacy Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Guardianship, POA & Legal/Advance Care Planning Coordination (HSABAIAJ), 504 Plan Consulting & Disability Accommodations (School-Based) (EDAKACAG)

Keywords

• Disability rights advocacy
• Legal advocacy services
• Protection and advocacy
• Supported decision-making
• Disability civil rights

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants and Government Funding: DRRI operates as a federally mandated Protection & Advocacy organization, funded primarily through federal grants including PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) and grants for the Representative Payee Program monitoring.
2. Donations: The organization accepts charitable donations from the public to support their work protecting and advancing legal rights of people with disabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DRRI provides free legal advocacy, investigation, and representation services to people with disabilities in Rhode Island. It serves as the state's federally designated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agency, investigating abuse and neglect in facilities, providing legal representation in disability-related matters, conducting class action litigation on systemic issues, and educating individuals on alternatives to guardianship such as Supported Decision-Making. All services are provided at no cost to eligible individuals.

Product overview

Disability Rights Rhode Island (DRRI) is a federally designated Protection and Advocacy agency providing legal advocacy, investigation, and advocacy services for people with disabilities in Rhode Island. The organization's offerings include an Online Intake Form for service requests, the DRRI Center for Supported Decision-Making (a comprehensive SDM education and support hub), the Representative Payee Program for monitoring Social Security benefit management, the Rhode Island Transition App for transition-aged students, and an extensive library of Self-Advocacy Resources and Publications. DRRI also offers a five-part SDM Webinar Series as an educational resource. All DRRI services are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DRRI Center for Supported Decision-Making: A center dedicated to providing information and resources about Supported Decision-Making (SDM), an alternative to guardianship that helps people with disabilities make their own decisions while staying in charge of their lives.

Products and services

• Online Intake Form

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Rhode Island Supported Decision-Making CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroad coalition of community organizations committed to Supported Decision-Making advocacy in Rhode Island. Coalition members were instrumental in the passage of Rhode Island's SDM law in 2019 and continue monthly meetings for outreach and education activities.
• ACLU of Rhode IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy partner on disability rights issues including class action litigation, children's behavioral health services, and institutional reform. Collaborated on letters to the Rhode Island legislature regarding community services.
• Jonathan Martinis / Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Jonathan Martinis, Senior Director for Law and Policy at Burton Blatt Institute, to present a 5-part webinar series on Supported Decision-Making. Martinis is the leading national expert on SDM and represented Jenny Hatch in the landmark 2013 case.
• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)coreOthersDRRI is a member of NDRN, the nonprofit membership organization for federally mandated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs. NDRN represents the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
• Advocates in ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition member of the RI SDM Coalition, self-advocacy organization.
• RIPIN (Rhode Island Parent Information Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition member of the RI SDM Coalition, provides parent information and training.
• Paul V. Sherlock Center on Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition member of the RI SDM Coalition; University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
• Personal Lifetime Advocacy Networks of Rhode Island (PLAN RI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition member of the RI SDM Coalition, lifetime advocacy services.
• Social Security AdministrationcoreOthersFederal partner for DRRI's Representative Payee Program. DRRI has a federal grant to monitor how Representative Payees handle Social Security benefits under SSA rules.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National nonprofit organization on intellectual and developmental disabilities operating advocacy, public policy, and direct service programs; shares the disability advocacy mission with DRRI but serves a broader set of constituents and service lines.

Direct peers

• Disability Rights Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania's P&A agency providing free legal advocacy and protection services to Pennsylvanians with disabilities; comparable scope of services including facility monitoring, legal representation, and individual advocacy.
• Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: National legal advocacy organization focused on the rights of people with mental disabilities; runs litigation, policy, and training programs directly comparable to DRRI's PAIMI-funded mental illness advocacy work.
• Disability Rights California: California's designated state P&A agency providing free legal advocacy to people with disabilities, operating the same federal programs (PAIMI, PABSS, PATBI equivalents) under the same statutory authority, but at much larger scale.
• Disability Rights Massachusetts: Disability Law Center, Massachusetts' federally funded P&A system; operates in the same New England legal and policy environment as DRRI with directly comparable advocacy and litigation focus areas.
• Disability Rights New York: New York state's federally funded P&A system providing legal representation and advocacy for people with disabilities; directly comparable service model including abuse/neglect investigation and class action litigation.
• Disability Rights Vermont: Vermont's small-state P&A agency with a population and operating profile closely matching DRRI's; provides direct services, advocacy, and legal representation for Vermonters with disabilities under the same federal P&A framework.
• National Disability Rights Network: The national membership organization for all federally mandated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) systems, of which DRRI is a member; provides training, federal grant administration, and litigation support that DRRI relies on, and is directly comparable in mission and program model.
• Center for Public Representation: National disability rights legal center providing litigation and policy advocacy in areas including guardianship alternatives (SDM) and institutional reform; closely aligned with DRRI's SDM and class action portfolios.
• Disability Rights Maine: Maine's P&A and Client Assistance Program providing disability rights legal advocacy in the same New England region; offers direct services and class action work under federal P&A mandates directly comparable to DRRI's programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ridisabilities
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@disabilityrightsrhodeislan7811
• Facebookfacebook.com/drri.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhode-island-disability-law-center-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Disability Rights Rhode Island