Disability Rights Washington
Disability Rights Washington is a private nonprofit and the federally designated Protection and Advocacy system for Washington State, providing free legal representation, systemic litigation, and policy advocacy to people with disabilities across the state.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Disability Rights Washington does
Disability Rights Washington (DRW) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the federally designated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system for the state of Washington, with statutory authority under seven federal programs (PADD, PAIMI, PATBI, PAIR, PAAT, PAVA, PABSS) to investigate abuse and neglect, monitor facilities, and provide legal representation to people with disabilities. The organization serves all people with disabilities in Washington through a portfolio of advocacy programs organized around specific focus areas: the AVID program (incarcerated individuals with disabilities), Community Inclusion & Services, the Disability Mobility Initiative (transportation accessibility), Long-Term Care Resident Rights, the Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds, Public Policy and Community Mobilization, Rights Investigation & Accountability, Rooted in Rights (a video advocacy sub-brand), and Treatment Facilities monitoring. Supporting these programs are self-service resources (Tools to Help You information sheets, Learning Videos, a Request Services intake portal), systemic litigation (Pratt v. DSHS, R.R. v. DSHS, Trueblood class action, Jane Doe v. Fairfax Behavioral Health), and an investigative reports archive.
DRW operates as a legal services and advocacy organization, not a technology company. Its core "technology" consists of legal staff capacity, video documentation, and a digital presence (website plus social channels on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn) used for outreach, not for service delivery. Services are provided free of charge to eligible individuals with disabilities and are accessed through a formal request process, community-based referrals, and outreach at events such as transition fairs and public forums.
DRW's revenue model is grant-based rather than transactional. The majority of funding comes from federal formula grants distributed by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), SAMHSA, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), and the Social Security Administration (SSA) across the seven P&A programs listed above. Substantial non-federal revenue comes from private grants and donations. The organization submits an annual IRS Form 990 and undergoes a Single Audit as required by funders. No pricing is publicly disclosed because services are free. Distribution is direct: staff attorneys and advocates deliver services to individual clients, intake occurs via website self-service and partner referrals, and outreach is conducted through coalition partnerships (SOS Coalition, Civil Survival, ACLU-WA, Look2Justice, Unlock the Box) and disability-focused community organizations statewide.
Disability Rights Washington firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Disability Rights Washington
- Legal name
- Disability Rights Washington
- Website
- https://disabilityrightswa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Disability Rights Washington is a private nonprofit and the federally designated Protection and Advocacy system for Washington State, providing free legal representation, systemic litigation, and policy advocacy to people with disabilities across the state.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Disability Rights Washington industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Rights Legal Advocacy
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
Keywords
Where Disability Rights Washington is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Disability Rights Washington business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Federal Grants: Disability Rights Washington receives the majority of its funding from federal formula grants under multiple Protection and Advocacy programs: PADD (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities), PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness), PATBI (Protection and Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury), PAIR (Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights), PAAT (Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology), PAVA (Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access), and PABSS (Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security). These grants are provided by ACL, SAMHSA, RSA, and SSA.
- Private Grants and Donations: Disability Rights Washington receives substantial non-federal funding through grants and donations from private entities and individuals. The organization submits an annual IRS 990 form and undergoes a Single Audit as required by most funding sources.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Disability Rights Washington product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Disability Rights Washington is Washington's designated Protection and Advocacy System, providing free legal representation, systemic litigation, abuse and neglect investigation, facility monitoring, and policy advocacy for people with all types of disabilities statewide. Services are organized into specialized programs covering incarceration rights (AVID), long-term care, developmental disabilities ombudsman services, mobility and transportation access, community inclusion, treatment facilities, and rights accountability, supported by self-help resources, learning videos, and published reports.
Product overview
Disability Rights Washington is a private nonprofit organization designated as Washington's Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system under federal law. Its offering consists of a portfolio of advocacy programs and resources organized around specific disability rights focus areas. The core programs include AVID (advocacy for incarcerated individuals with disabilities), the Disability Mobility Initiative, Community Inclusion & Services, Long-Term Care Resident Rights, the Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds, Public Policy and Community Mobilization, Rights Investigation & Accountability, Treatment Facilities, and Rooted in Rights (media/storytelling). Supporting these programs are self-service resources including Tools to Help You (information sheets), Learning Videos, the Long-Term Care Facility Poster, a Request Services intake portal, Systemic Litigation case pages, and a Reports archive of investigative publications. The organization does not offer a technology product platform; its 'products' are advocacy service programs and informational resources funded primarily through federal grants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AVID: Amplifying Voices of Incarcerated Individuals with Disabilities - a program focusing on the rights of inmates with disabilities in Washington's correctional systems
- Rooted in Rights
- Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 9 years, the City of Seattle constructed or repaired 11,777 total curb ramps under the Reynoldson settlement agreement, including 1,424 ramps requested by community members with disabilities.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Disability Rights Washington
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Disability Rights Washington technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Disability Rights Washington partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Survivors Opposing Solitary (SOS) CoalitioncoreDRW's AVID Program partnered with SOS Coalition, Look2Justice, and Unlock the Box to host the Journey to Justice bus tour in Washington State. The bus tour raises awareness about the harms of solitary confinement through art, writings, VR experiences, and educational materials.
- Look2JusticecorePartner in the Journey to Justice bus tour, a cross-country initiative to raise awareness about solitary confinement. Collaborated on hosting the bus at the Northwest Detention Center and other Washington locations.
- Unlock the BoxcorePartner in the Journey to Justice bus tour campaign to end solitary confinement. Contributed to the cross-country awareness tour visiting Washington State.
- La ResistenciaminorAdvocacy organization that shared information about harmful isolation practices at the Northwest Detention Center during the Journey to Justice bus tour.
- Civil SurvivalcoreDRW partnered with Civil Survival to provide trainings on voting rights and civic engagement to people held at four separate state psychiatric treatment facilities, addressing political disempowerment of isolated individuals.
- Public Defender AssociationcorePartner in the Trueblood litigation class action regarding pretrial detainees waiting in jail for court-ordered competency services that DSHS is required to provide.
- ACLU of WashingtoncoreCollaborated with ACLU-WA on the 2019 report 'Coming Into the Light' examining restraint and isolation practices in Washington schools. Ongoing partnership on systemic advocacy.
- Carney Gillespie PLLPcoreCo-counsel in multiple litigation matters including Pratt v. DSHS and R.R. v. DSHS, providing legal representation in systemic lawsuits on behalf of people with disabilities.
- Hagens BermancoreCo-counsel in Jane Doe et al v. Fairfax Behavioral Health class action lawsuit regarding strip-searching and video recording of psychiatric patients.
- National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)coreDRW is a member of the National Disability Rights Network, the association of Protection and Advocacy agencies across the U.S. and territories. NDRN provides coordination, training, and support for P&A agencies.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Disability Rights Washington competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Disability Rights Oregon: Disability Rights Oregon is Oregon's designated Protection and Advocacy agency, providing disability-rights legal representation, abuse-and-neglect investigation, policy advocacy, and public education. Its statutory mandate and service mix closely parallel Disability Rights Washington's work in another state.
- Disability Rights California: Disability Rights California operates as California's Protection and Advocacy system and offers legal advocacy, investigations, monitoring, and systemic reform for people with disabilities. It is directly comparable in mission, mandate, funding model, and service portfolio, though it serves a different state.
- Disability Rights New York: Disability Rights New York is New York State's Protection and Advocacy agency, providing legal services, rights education, investigations, and systemic advocacy. Its combination of individual representation and class or systemic reform closely matches Disability Rights Washington.
- Disability Rights Texas: Disability Rights Texas serves as Texas's Protection and Advocacy agency and advances disability rights through legal representation, investigations, monitoring, and policy work. It is a strong state-level analogue with a comparable statutory role.
- Disability Rights North Carolina: Disability Rights North Carolina is the state's designated Protection and Advocacy organization, offering legal advocacy, abuse-and-neglect prevention, disability-rights education, and systemic reform. Its nonprofit advocacy model is closely aligned with Disability Rights Washington.
- Equip for Equality: Equip for Equality is Illinois's Protection and Advocacy agency and provides legal representation, advocacy, monitoring, and self-advocacy support for people with disabilities. It is comparable because it combines federally authorized disability-rights enforcement with direct service and public education.
- Disability Rights Pennsylvania: Disability Rights Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth's Protection and Advocacy agency, focused on legal advocacy, abuse-and-neglect investigations, access, and civil rights for people with disabilities. It has a closely similar mandate and mix of individual and systemic work.
- Disability Rights Florida: Disability Rights Florida is Florida's designated Protection and Advocacy organization, providing disability-rights legal services, investigations, monitoring, and policy advocacy. It is a direct mission and operating-model peer serving a different geographic population.
- Disability Law Center: Disability Law Center serves as Alaska's Protection and Advocacy agency, advancing disability rights through legal representation, investigations, education, and systemic advocacy. Its designated role and broad service model make it highly comparable despite the different regional mandate.
Others
- National Disability Rights Network: The National Disability Rights Network is the national association of Protection and Advocacy agencies, including Disability Rights Washington. It provides coordination, training, and support across the same federally funded disability-rights system, making it a closely related ecosystem peer rather than a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Disability Rights Washington social profiles
Digital presenceDisability Rights Washington financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Disability Rights Washington leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Disability Rights Washington funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Disability Rights Washington M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Disability Rights Washington
What does Disability Rights Washington do?
Disability Rights Washington is Washington's designated Protection and Advocacy System, providing free legal representation, systemic litigation, abuse and neglect investigation, facility monitoring, and policy advocacy for people with all types of disabilities statewide. Services are organized into specialized programs covering incarceration rights (AVID), long-term care, developmental disabilities ombudsman services, mobility and transportation access, community inclusion, treatment facilities, and rights accountability, supported by self-help resources, learning videos, and published reports.
Is Disability Rights Washington a public or private company?
Disability Rights Washington is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Disability Rights Washington founded?
Disability Rights Washington was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Disability Rights Washington based?
Disability Rights Washington is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Disability Rights Washington make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Federal Grants are the primary driver. The others are private Grants and Donations.
Who are Disability Rights Washington's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Disability Rights Oregon, Disability Rights California, Disability Rights New York, Disability Rights Texas, Disability Rights North Carolina, Equip for Equality, Disability Rights Pennsylvania, Disability Rights Florida and Disability Law Center. National Disability Rights Network is listed as an others.
Does Disability Rights Washington have an API?
No public API is recorded for Disability Rights Washington.
What industry is Disability Rights Washington in?
Disability Rights Washington's product category is Disability Rights Legal Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAF, Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAM, Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8111.