Federal Grants
DLC receives over two thirds of its funding from the federal government through annual formula grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (US HHS), the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Department of Education (US DOE).
PAIDD – Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
PAIDD is the first P&A program, created by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights (DD) Act of 1975. P&A agencies are required by the Act to pursue legal, administrative and other appropriate remedies to protect and advocate for the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities under all applicable federal and state laws.
The DD Act provided for the governor of each state to designate an agency to be the P&A and to assure that the P&A was, and would remain, independent of any service provider. DLC was designated as the P&A agency for Massachusetts in 1990.
The PAIDD grant is administered by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) located within the Administration on Community Living (ACL) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
PAIMI – Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness
The PAIMI Program was established by the PAIMI Act in 1986 to protect and advocate for the rights of people with lived experience and investigate reports of abuse and neglect in facilities that care for or treat individuals with lived experience. The Act was subsequently amended to allow P&As also to serve individuals who reside in the community. The grant is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration (SAMSHA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
PATBI – Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury
The PATBI program was created in 2002 to provide protection and advocacy services to individuals with traumatic brain injury. This grant provides resources specifically to address the unique needs of this population. PATBI is administered by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities located within the Administration on Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
PAVA – Protection & Advocacy for Voting Accessibility
The PAVA program was established in 2003 as part of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). Under this program, P&As have a mandate to help ensure that individuals with disabilities participate in the electoral process through voter education, training of poll officials, registration drives, and polling place accessibility surveys. P&A agencies may not use PAVA program funds for litigation. There is no such restriction in any of the other P&A programs. PAVA is administered by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities located within the Administration on Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
PAAT – Protection & Advocacy for Assistive Technology
The PAAT program was created in 1994 when Congress expanded the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (Tech Act) to include funding for P&As to assist individuals with disabilities in the acquisition, utilization, or maintenance of assistive technology devices or assistive technology services. PAAT is administered by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities located within the Administration on Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
PABSS – Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security
The PABSS program was established in 1999 when the Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvement Act (TWWIIA) was enacted into law. Under this Act, grants to the P&A programs provide advocacy and other services to assist beneficiaries of Social Security secure or regain gainful employment. PABSS is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
PABRP – Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security with Representative Payees
On April 13, 2018, the President signed the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018 which authorizes the nation’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system to monitor and investigate how social security representative payees are administering Social Security funds. The law directs P&As to conduct periodic, onsite individual or organizational representative payee reviews along with additional discretionary reviews. In addition, the P&As conduct educational visits and reviews based on allegations, they receive about payee misconduct. Rep Payee is administered by the Social Security Administration.
PAIR – Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights
The PAIR program was established by Congress under an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act in 1993. PAIR programs provide services to persons with disabilities who are not eligible for services under PAIDD and PAIMI. PAIR is administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), at the U.S. Department of Education.
Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC)
The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) is the largest funding source for civil legal aid organizations in Massachusetts.
The Commonwealth established MLAC in 1983 to ensure that people with low incomes facing critical non-criminal legal issues have access to legal information, advice, and representation.
MLAC General Support Program (MLAC GS)
MLAC provides General Support funding to organizations that provide legal assistance at no cost to low-income residents of Massachusetts. Up to 20 percent of unrestricted MLAC funding is dispersed to organizations like DLC that provide services statewide.
Disability Benefits Project (DBP)
The Disability Benefits Project (DBP) was created by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1984 to provide legal assistance to low-income Massachusetts residents who have been wrongfully denied federal disability benefits or who have had their benefits unfairly reduced or terminated by the Social Security Administration. DLC provides backup and support to other legal service agencies in these matters.
Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime (CLAVC
The Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime Initiative (CLAVC) helps all victims of crime throughout Massachusetts (regardless of income) with their related civil legal problems, including disability rights.
The CLAVC Initiative is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (US DOJ).
Bart Gordon Fellowship
MLAC created the Bart J. Gordon Memorial Fellowship to improve access to justice for people who face linguistic or cultural barriers to attaining legal assistance.
The Bart Gordon Fellowship funds two one-year positions (with an option to renew for a second year) for recent law school graduates at legal aid organizations funded by MLAC. Civil legal aid organizations identify potential fellowship projects and submit proposals to MLAC. MLAC awards a fellowship to two legal aid organizations, which then each recruit and hire a fellow.