The DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER (DRC) is a private non-profit agency with offices in Little Rock, Arkansas. Since 1977 the Governor of Arkansas has designated DRC the independent rights protection and advocacy system for persons with disabilities in Arkansas. DRC operates under authority outlined in Federal law and is funded primarily by the Federal government.

PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY SYSTEMS (P&A) like DRC are established in every state and U.S. territory. We carry out activities under several federal programs to provide a range of services to advocate for and protect the rights of persons with disabilities throughout the state. To learn more about the Protection & Advocacy/Client Assistance Program system, and to locate a P&A/CAP office in any state then visit the National Disability Rights Network website.

Did You Know?

The number of individuals with disabilities not residing in an institution who are below the poverty line improved very slightly between 2006 and 2007, while the employment rate of individuals with disabilities declined slightly between these years according to statistics compiled by Cornell University released November 2008.  Based on the annual U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, which asks respondents to self-report on disability, Cornell reports:

• 14.9% of individuals age 5 and up have a disability nationwide representing approximately 41.3 million people.  This is essentially the same as in 2006.
• 36.9% of individuals with disabilities ages 21 to 64 were employed in 2007 while the percentage of individuals without disabilities employed was 79.7%.  This represents a 0.8% decrease in the employment rate for individuals with disabilities from 2006, while the employment rate for individuals without a reported disability remained unchanged.
• 24.7% of individuals with disabilities ages 21 to 64 were at or below the poverty line in 2007, compared with 9% for individuals without a reported disability.  This represents a 0.6% statistical improvement in the poverty rate for individuals with disabilities as compared to 2006.

The 2007 Disability Status Report for the nation contains many more statistics, or go to the Cornell University Disability Statistics Website for detailed disability reports for 2007 for each State, as well as D.C. and Puerto Rico.

DRC Grievance Procedure

If you have a grievance with the services you receive from Disability Rights Center you have the right to resolve your complaint utilizing the grievance procedure.

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