Disability Rights Rhode Island is an independent, statewide, nonprofit corporation designated as the federally-mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System for Rhode Island. We are part of a national network created by Congress to help secure and advance the rights of people with disabilities. As a P&A agency, we protect and advance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities by providing individual representation, advocating for systems change, and reviewing abuse and neglect investigations. Located in downtown Providence, we provide services to over 1,000 persons with disabilities each year. Established in 1977, we currently administer nine federally funded programs that authorize us to represent people with a diversity of physical, intellectual, and psychiatric impairments on a broad spectrum of disability-related issues.