RSA-227 for FY-2025: Submission #57

State name Arkansas

Report through date 09/30/2025

General Information

Designated Agency Identification

Name Disability Rights Arkansas, Inc.

Address 400 West Capitol Avenue Ste. 1500

Address Line 2

City Little Rock

State AR

Zip Code 72201

E-mail Address info@disabilityrightsar.org

Website Address https://disabilityrightsar.org

Phone 501-296-1775

TTY 501-296-1775

Toll-free Phone 800-482-1174

Toll-free TTY 800-482-1174

Fax 501-296-1779

Operating Agency (if different from Designated Agency)

Name

Address

Address Line 2

City

Zip Code

State

E-mail Address

Website Address

Phone

TTY

Toll-free Phone

Toll-free TTY

Fax

Additional Information

Name of CAP Director/Coordinator Thomas Nichols

Person to contact regarding report Thomas Nichols

Contact Person Phone 501-296-1775

Contact Person E-mail Address tnichols@disabilityrightsar.org

Part I. Non-case Services

A. Information and Referral Services (I&R)

1. Information regarding the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program 18

2. Information regarding independent living programs 0

3. Information regarding American Indian VR Service projects 0

4. Information regarding Title I of the ADA 0

5. Other information provided 0

6. Information regarding CAP 2

7. Total I&R services provided (Lines A1 through A6) 20

B. Training Activities

1. Number of training sessions presented to community groups and public agencies. 11

2. Number of individuals who attended these training sessions. 779

3. Describe training presented by the staff. Include the following information: FY25 APSE Conference Panel Presentation

DRA staff attended the annual conference for the Arkansas chapter of the “Association of People Supporting Employment First” (APSE). DRA staff educated and informed attendees about individual experiences working subminimum wage and what competitive, integrated employment means and discussed ways to leverage resources from multiple public and private systems in order to better access supports and services.

Number of Individuals Trained: 75

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 75

This project was 50% funded by CAP.

FY25 Bowen School Law Course- Special Ed

This project was a carryover from previous years (closed in FY2025) in which DRA Attorneys taught a special education law course for two semesters at UALR School of Law, 10% of which was focused on individuals’ rights with regard to transition from school to work, as well as alternative resources for accessing supports and services from Rehabilitation Act sources such as vocational rehabilitation through the transition process. The objective of this project was to provide training and education to law students in order to ensure a broader population of attorneys with understanding of special education law.

Number of Individuals Trained: 40

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 40

This project was 10% funded by CAP.

FY25 Bryant High School Transition training

DRA staff provided information to high school students about who our agency is/what we do, employment resources, such as Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and the importance of advocating for themselves during the process of transitioning out of high school. Provided information to high school students about who our agency is/what we do, employment resources, such as Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and the importance of advocating for themselves during the process of transitioning out of high school.

Number of Individuals Trained: 10

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 10

This project was 50% funded by CAP.

FY25 CAP Conference Presentation "Self-Employment Can Be Amazing"

DRA CAP staff presented "Self-Employment Can Be a-MAZE-ing" at the CAP Regional Training occurring on January 15th, 2025. The presentation educated CAP advocates on how to assist client's navigating services for self-employment.

Advocate shared information about strategies, resources, and best practices that VR professionals and disability advocates can use to help clients build successful, sustainable businesses with other CAP staff across the network.

Number of Individuals Trained: 20

This project was 100% funded by CAP.

FY25 CAP Conference Presentation "Use That Charm to Disarm"

DRA CAP staff presented "Use That Southern Charm to Disarm: CAP Relationship Building" at the CAP Regional Training that occurred on January 15th, 2025. The presentation educated CAP advocates on the importance of and how to build relationships.

Number of Individuals Trained: 20

This project was 100% funded by CAP.

FY25 Employment Accommodations Webinar (Dec)

To educate PWD about employee accommodations; how to get them, and what to do when they are denied. Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) hosted the educational webinar "Navigating Reasonable Accommodations: What to Know" to empower Arkansans with disabilities, advocates, and employers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate employee accommodations. This 90-minute session, presented by DRA’s Employment Team, covered critical topics such as:

Understanding reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

Steps to request accommodations and effectively communicate needs, including leveraging the services provided by the state’s vocational rehabilitation system.

What to do if accommodation requests are denied, including navigating the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) process.

The webinar attracted 56 participants and was met with positive feedback, with attendees describing it as insightful and actionable in addressing their specific challenges.

Outcomes and Impact:

Increased Awareness: Participants gained a clear understanding of reasonable accommodations and the rights of employees with disabilities, equipping them with strategies to advocate for themselves or others.

Number of Individuals Trained: 56

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 56

This project was 50% funded by CAP.

FY25 Guardianship in Arkansas: Rights, Remedies, and Responsibilities

To provide information to legal professionals regarding rights of individuals subject to guardianship as well as obligations of guardians and less restrictive alternatives. Attorneys from around the state were provided with a one-hour training on the rights of wards under guardianship and guardianship law, generally. Particular emphasis was placed on the relatively new enactment of the "ward's bill of rights." Discussed the process of restoring voting rights to individuals who are under guardianship as well as ensuring access to employment, education, and other opportunities for independence.

Dissemination Activities: Publications/Booklets/Brochures

Number of Individuals Trained: 75

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 75

This project was 5% funded by CAP.

FY25 Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Rights Trainings (cont'd from FY20-24)

DRA visited settings in which individuals with disabilities live and receive services to provide trainings to individuals living in those settings, as well as service providers, to educate them on how to leverage waiver and vocational rehabilitation services to increase opportunities for competitive, integrated employment, and to ensure individuals with disabilities living in HCBS settings are aware of their rights with regard to access supports and services to live independently. DRA visited several HCBS settings (for which individual projects were set up and linked and not narratively described separately) to speak with the residents regarding the providers' adherence to the settings rule, access to community services, understanding of our organization as an available resource, and voting rights.

Dissemination Activities: Publications/Booklets/Brochures

Number of Individuals Trained: 25

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 25

This project was 15% funded by CAP.

FY25 Mini-presentation on the U.S. Dept. of Education

The objective of this presentation was to provide a clear and accessible overview of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), focusing on its role in supporting students with disabilities and their families. This session explained what the ADE does, how its policies and programs impact students with disabilities, and why it matters to families navigating the education system. Through this conversational and approachable presentation, the audience gained a better understanding of the DOE's purpose and resources, empowering them to feel more confident in advocating for educational rights and support. Presented by DRA Staff Attorney, the session aimed to provide a clear and accessible overview of the DOE, explaining its policies, programs, and resources, and how they influence students with disabilities.

Event Highlights and Impact:

1. Educational Outreach:

The mini-presentation addressed common questions and concerns about the DOE, focusing on what the department does and does not do, its impact on students with disabilities, and the consequences if it were eliminated. Areas included child find, access to FAPE, and access to transition services, including the use of vocational rehabilitation services through the pre-employment transition services obligations.

The session was designed to empower families and individuals to better advocate for educational rights and support by increasing understanding of the DOE’s role.

2.Audience Engagement:

The online presentation reached 358 viewers within two days, with a broad audience that included the general public, with an emphasis on individuals impacted by disabilities.

3.Promoting Advocacy:

The session encouraged viewers to contact their representatives for further concerns about the DOE and directed them to ed.gov for additional resources on educational rights.

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 358

This project was 5% funded by CAP.

FY25 NDRN Presentation: "Self-Employment: A Viable Option for People with Disabilities"

Advocate presented alongside NDRN staff to discuss self-employment and small business supports through vocational rehabilitation as part of the NDRN national virtual conference.

Advocate shared information about strategies, resources, and best practices that VR professionals and disability advocates can use to help clients build successful, sustainable businesses with other CAP staff across the network.

Number of Individuals trained: 75

This project was 100% funded by CAP.

FY25 Self-advocacy Training for ACCE Students

DRA staff conducted a self-advocacy training for students participating in the “Academics, Community, Career Development and Employment” Program (ACCE) in collaboration with Easterseals Arkansas. The objective of the training was to educate and empower ACCE students to be self-advocates regarding access to community supports including obtaining, maintaining, and advancing in competitive, integrated employment. DRA staff provided important contacts to those trained, including vocational rehabilitation, community employment and supports waiver providers for supported employment, as well as the WIPA for benefits planning.

Number of Individuals Trained: 25

Number of Persons Receiving Information: 25

This project was 25% funded by CAP.

C. Agency Outreach

Describe the agency's outreach efforts to previously un-served or underserved individuals including minority communities. DRA engaged in outreach activities in which we exhibited CAP and other activities of the organization 23 times over the course of FY25. DRA made an effort to reach out to underserved, rural parts of the state, particularly in northeast Arkansas, through several of the activities discussed in the previous section in this report.

D. Information Disseminated To The Public By Your Agency

1. Agency Staff Interviewed or Featured on Radio and TV 1

2. Articles about CAP Featured in Newspaper/Magazine/Journals 0

3. PSAs/Videos Aired about the CAP Agency 1

4. Publications/Booklets/Brochures Disseminated by the Agency 797

5. Number of Times CAP Exhibited at Conferences, Community Fairs, etc. 17

6. Other 11255

Please explain below DRA has a presence on social media sites, which is a great means of disseminating information and educating people with disabilities. Social media sites include: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and BlueSky.

E. Information Disseminated About Your Agency By External Media Coverage

Describe the various sources and information disseminated about your agency by an external source. We are aware that the two vocational rehabilitation agencies in the state – the Division of Services for the Blind and Arkansas Rehabilitation Services – inform their clients about the CAP; however, we did not successfully capture when other entities disseminate information about the CAP.

Part II. Individual Case Services

A. Individuals served

1. Individuals who are still being served as of October 1 (carryover from prior year) 9

2. Additional individuals who were served during the year 25

3. Total individuals served (Lines A1+A2) 34

4. Individuals (from Line A3) who had multiple case files opened/closed this year. 0

5. Individual still being served as of September 30 (Carryover to next year. This total may not exceed Line A3.) 7

B. Problem areas

1. Individual requests information 5

2. Communication problems between individual and VR counselor 20

3. Conflict about VR services to be provided 8

4. Related to VR application/eligibility process 0

5. Related to assignment to order of selection priority category 0

6. Related to IPE development/implementation 0

7. Related to independent living services 0

8. Other Rehabilitation Act-related problems 0

C. Intervention Strategies for closed cases

1. Short Term Technical Assistance 24

2. Investigation/Monitoring 0

3. Negotiation 3

4. Mediation and other methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution 0

5. Administrative / Informal Review 0

6. Formal appeal / Fair Hearing 0

7. Legal remedy / Litigation 0

8. Total 27

D. Reasons for closing individuals' case files

1. All issues resolved in individual's favor 24

2. Some issues resolved in individual's favor 0

3. CAP determines VR agency position/decision was appropriate for the individual 1

4. Individual's case lacks legal merit 0

5. Individual chose alternative representation 0

6. Individual withdrew complaint 0

7. Issue not resolved in clients favor 0

8. CAP services not needed due to individual's death, relocation, etc. 0

9. Individual not responsive/cooperative with CAP 2

10. CAP unable to take case due to lack of resources 0

11. Conflict of interest 0

12. Other 0

(Please explain below) None

E. Results achieved for individuals

1. Controlling law/policy explained to individual 1

2. Application for services completed 1

3. Eligibility determination expedited 0

4. Individual participated in evaluation 2

5. IPE developed/implemented/Services Provided 13

6. Communication re-established between individual and other party 6

7. Individual assigned to new counselor/office 2

8. Alternative resources identified for individual 0

9. ADA/504/EEO/OCR complaint made 0

10. Other 2

(Please explain below) After initial assistance, client was unresponsive
Client received the services needed before agency became directly involved.

Part III. Program Data

A. Age

1. Up to 18 1

2. 19 - 24 7

3. 25 - 40 13

4. 41 - 64 11

5. 65 and over 2

6. Total (Sum of Lines A1 through A5. Total must equal Part II, Line A3.) 34

B. Gender

1. Females 16

2. Males 18

3. Nonbinary or Another Gender 0

4. Unknown 0

5. Total (Lines B1+B2+B3+B4. Total must equal Part II Line A3.) 34

C. Race/ethnicity of Individuals Served

1. Hispanic/Latino of any race 0

2. American Indian or Alaskan Native 1

3. Asian 0

4. Black or African American 19

5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0

6. White 14

7. Two or more races 0

8. Race/ethnicity unknown 0

D. Primary disabling condition of individuals served

1. Acquired Brain Injury 0

2. ADD/ADHD 0

3. AIDS/HIV 0

4. Amputations or Absence of Extremities 0

5. Arthritis or Rheumatism 0

6. Anxiety Disorder 0

7. Autism Spectrum Disorder 5

8. Autoimmune or Immune Deficiencies 0

10. Other visual impairments 2

11. Cancer 0

12. Cerebral Palsy 1

13. Deafness 0

14. Hard of Hearing/Hearing Impaired 1

16. Diabetes 0

17. Digestive disorders 0

18. Epilepsy 0

19. Heart and other circulatory conditions 0

20. Intellectual Disability 3

21. Mental illness 8

22. Multiple Sclerosis 0

23. Muscular Dystrophy 0

24. Muscular/Skeletal Impairment 1

25. Neurological Disorders/Impairment 0

26. Orthopedic impairments 7

27. Personality Disorders 0

28. Respiratory Disorders/Impairment 0

29. Skin Conditions 1

30. Specific learning disabilities (SLD) 1

31. Speech Impairments 0

32. Spina Bifida 0

33. Substance abuse 0

34. Other disability 0

35. Total (Sum of Lines D1through D34. Total must equal Part II, Line A3.) 34

E. Types of Individuals Served

1. Applicant of VR 4

2. Individual eligible for VR services currently on a wait list 28

3. Individual eligible for VR services not currently on a wait list 0

4. Applicant or individual eligible for Independent Living 1

5. Transition student/High school student 1

6. All other applicants or individuals eligible for other programs or projects funded unther Rehabilitation Act 0

Part IV. Systemic Activities and Litigation

A. Non-Litigation Systemic Activities

1. Number of non-litigation systemic activities not involving individual representation that resulted in the change of one or more policy or practice of an agency. 2

2. Describe the systemic activities conducted by CAP during the fiscal year and its impact on other agency's policies or practices. Activity 1

In working with clients receiving services through PASSE programs and seeking supported employment through Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS), DRA advocates identified that the ARS/DDS interagency agreement to provide supported employment services was resulting in a barrier to employment.
For individuals served by the PASSEs, ARS would first confirm that the Waiver Service Provider (WSP) had included an employment goal on the client’s Person-Centered Service Plan (PCSP) and would fund employment paths/soft skills development through ARS approved service providers during the trial work period. With this initial process leaving the responsibility with the PASSEs, clients experienced difficulty in finding service providers that would accept the rates of payment established by Medicaid.
Confusion about the process often led to poor communication between vocational rehabilitation counselors and care coordinators, which resulted in slow timelines for initiating a trial work period. DRA advocates met with the ARS Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and other staff members familiar with the DDS/ARS agreement to review these concerns and request that ARS assume the responsibility for employment paths/soft skills development, while maintaining the PASSEs’ role in long term supports. DRA advocates believed this would lead to a more streamlined process for those with most significant disabilities pursuing employment.
During the meeting ARS reviewed the policy and agreed that revision of the policy would better serve clients. While policy revision has not been finalized, DRA expects this change to be forthcoming. In the meantime, DRA advocates are requesting exceptions to the existing policy until the revised policy is in place.

Activity 2

We also used a small portion of CAP funding to assist with our guardianship project, due to the need to ensure individuals have meaningful access to services funded under the Act such as supported employment, independent living services and other forms of vocational rehabilitation. Over the course of the last several years we have taken multiple opportunities to rehabilitate our state's guardianship laws, from intervening in cases in which guardians have not taken an active role in advising their respective courts of their activities safeguarding the assets or person over whom they are guardians, to addressing specific instances of abuse or neglect by guardians and assisting individuals under guardianship with regaining the right to vote and work. This project was a culmination of the effort to standardize our advice on guardianship issues to guardians, lawyers, providers, and individuals under guardianships. We conducted several webinars on the rights of wards to access employment services, have input on where they live and with whom they associate, as well as reestablishing voting rights for individuals under guardianship. We developed a handbook for reestablishing voting rights of individuals who are under a guardianship as well as a formula-based spreadsheet for guardians to use to track income and expenses associated with their wards’ estates. Finally, we took two separate opportunities to educate the legislature on the value of supported decision making as an alternative to guardianships that were both unsuccessful.
At least two circuit courts noted the lack of accountings by guardians and issued show cause orders to all guardians on their docket to appear and explain the lack of accountings or their respective guardianships would be closed. In addition, we have witnessed private practitioners and the judiciary implementing more specific requirements for obtaining guardianship, in line with Arkansas law, whereas quite brief physician statements were previously routinely used to obtain guardianships. Finally, we were pleased to see the legislature enact a ward's bill of rights on the heels of our initiation of this project and our push for supported decision-making.

B. Litigation

a. Number of cases requiring litigation involving individual representation filed during fiscal year. 0

b. Number of on-going cases pending at start of fiscal year (carryover from prior fiscal year). 0

c. Number of cases resolved through litigation during fiscal year. 0

2. Describe the agency's on-going and completed systemic litigation activities involving individual representation. DRA's client assistance program did not engage in any systemic litigation in FY2025.

Part V. Agency Information

A. Designated Agency

1. Agency Type (select only one option): External-Protection and Advocacy agency

2. Name of designate agency: Disability Rights Arkansas, Inc.

3. Is the designated agency contracting CAP services? No

4. If yes, name of contracting agency:

B. Staff Employed

1. Provide a description of all CAP positions A total of 23 staff were charged to the CAP grant over the course of FY2025. Of those, 12 staff remained part of the organization by the end of FY2025. DRA’s staff cross-trains its attorneys and advocates to be familiar with all grants and to be able to lend support as needed. The CAP program has a part-time advocate who handles the majority of the cases regarding access to vocational services. Another advocate shares this load, devoting a third of his time to CAP cases and projects. Meanwhile, DRA has two attorneys who are able to assist with advice, and, if needed, representation regarding CAP issues. Program staff (attorneys, advocates, and paralegals) made up 88% of the time expended on CAP, while administrative staff (e.g. the Executive Director and Finance Director) made up 12% of the time expended on CAP. Staff hours allocated to the CAP as a percentage of all staff hours worked across all grants: 4.76%

Part VI. Case Examples

Case Examples

Provide some examples of some interesting cases during the past fiscal year. Case examples

Example 1

Client is an adult with low vision and learning disabilities. Client is enrolled in an online college college program to become a mortician. Client was encountering difficulties obtaining mandatory funeral directing and embalming experience through apprenticeship. The client is receiving services from both ARS and DSB. I spoke with his DSB counselor and the Deputy Commissioner of DSB to learn what services are being provided to support the client in a timely manner. DSB is purchasing necessary equipment and funding the client’s apprenticeship so that he may get paid experience as he works to meet embalming and funeral directing requirements. While there was never a denial of service to be addressed, the involvement of DRA helped the client better understand the roles of both vocational rehabilitation agencies and his responsibilities as a consumer.

Example 2

Client is an adult female with multiple diagnosis, including orthopedic impairment, auto immune disease, and cancer. Client contacted DRA because her case with ARS had not progressed in a timely manner. The client reported that her counselor had not developed an IPE in a timely manner and had not discussed what supports could be provided to assist the client in her graduate studies to become a professional counselor. When the DRA advocate contacted the ARS counselor, it was evident that the case needed to be transferred to a new counselor. The advocate contacted the regional area manager assigned to that field office and requested that the manager take over the case. In addition to addressing the client’s request for tuition support for graduate studies, the advocate requested an assistive technology evaluation referral. The case progressed quickly from that point with funding for tuition provided and an assistive technology evaluation resulting in recommendations to support the client’s participation in graduate studies.

Example 3

Client is an adult, female with mental illness. The client is a consumer of vocational rehabilitation services with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS). The client contacted DRA for advocacy services after noticing that ARS did not pay for any portion of her university tuition during the Spring Semester. DRA had been alerted to a number of students that had been impacted by an invoicing mistake from the same school the client is enrolled. Upon being contacted for advocacy services, the DRA advocate contacted ARS to determine if the client was part of the group identified in the invoicing mistake. After learning that the client was not listed among the students impacted by the invoicing issue, the advocate raised concerns to ARS administration that scholarships may have been used as a comparable benefit before applying ARS funds. The ARS Deputy Commissioner, ARS finance department, and UALR finance office reviewed the client’s case and determined that the specific scholarships the client received were earmarked as tuition only and were correctly applied by the university to the student’s tuition balance. This resulted in a zero balance reported to ARS. ARS cannot pay the university when there is no balance, because those payments would be paid back to the student, which is against policy. The advocate explained this information to the client, who was understanding and appreciative of the clarification. While this is not necessarily a successful case for the client, it demonstrates how communication pathways between DRA and ARS can support client understanding of vocational rehabilitation policies.

Example 4

Client is an adult male with blindness. Client is a consumer of the Arkansas Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) and was experiencing homelessness. Client contacted DRA as a prearranged hotel stay funded by DSB was set to expire prior to the client having located permanent housing. The client had a written job offer and was approximately two weeks from moving into an apartment with maintenance support from DSB. The advocate communicated with the client and DSB administration and proposed a resolution that would allow for an extension of DSB funded hotel accommodations while the client participated in orientation and mobility training to better navigate his new city of residence and work environment. Connecting this training to maintenance allowed DSB to extend hotel accommodations in accordance with DSB policies. The client was able to reside in the DSB funded hotel until moving into a new apartment, avoiding a potential move into a homeless shelter.

Example 5

The client is a graduate student with a hearing impairment. He is a client of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) with an employment goal of becoming an audiologist. DRA was contacted for advocacy services after client’s case was transferred to a new counselor, who was unresponsive to client’s attempts to schedule an annual review and payment authorizations were not sent to his university in a timely manner. Lack of payment could potentially result in the client being dropped from current classes and prohibited from enrolling in the next semester’s classes. The DRA advocate contacted the ARS field office regional area manager to request an inquiry into the case status. After this request was made by the advocate, the client contacted to inform that he had heard from ARS administration and all issues had been resolved, with payment authorizations issued to his university.

Certification

Reports are to be submitted to RSA within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report. Please be reminded that you can enter data directly into the RSA website via the internet. Information on transmittal of the form is found on pages 19 and 20 of the reporting instructions.

Name and Title of Authorized Certifying Official

I agree to submit this form by electronic means. By signing this form electronically, I certify under penalty of perjury that my answers are correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that an electronic signature has the same legal meaning and can be enforced in the same way as a written signature.

Full Legal Name of Signer: Tom Masseau

Certifying Official Title Executive Director

By checking this box and typing my full legal name above, I am electronically signing this form. Yes

Date Certified (mm/dd/yyyy) 2026-01-29

OMB Notice

OMB Control Number: 1820-0528, approved for use through 07/31/2023

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit (Section 13 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1820-0528. Note: Please do not return the completed form to this address.

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