Disability Organizations in the U.S.: A National Directory

Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 19 Apr 2011 - Updated: 14 Oct 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information provides an updated, categorized directory of national nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups and federal resources in the United States that serve people with disabilities, their families and the professionals who support them. Listings are grouped by need - cross-disability rights, intellectual and physical disability, blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, veterans, employment and ADA help, independent living, families and parents, and accessible design and data - so readers can quickly find the right starting point. With more than 70 million U.S. adults, or more than 1 in 4, reporting a disability in 2022, and the rate rising to 43.9 percent among adults aged 65 and older, this guide is useful for seniors, caregivers and anyone newly facing a disability. Each entry was checked against the organization's own website or a government source, and defunct listings have been replaced with their current successors.

At a Glance

• 1 - Founded in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind calls itself the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans.
• 2 - The Job Accommodation Network, funded by the Department of Labor, gives free and confidential advice on workplace accommodations and Title I of the ADA.
• 3 - More than 350 Centers for Independent Living operate in every state and territory, and people with disabilities hold 75 percent of their decision-making positions.
• 4 - The federal portal Disability.gov was shut down in December 2016, and USA.gov now hosts a disability services section covering benefits, job training, ADA rights and accessible voting.

Topic Definition

Disability Organizations

Disability organizations are nonprofit groups, advocacy bodies and government-funded programs that exist to protect the rights of people with disabilities and to provide them, and their families, with information, services and support. Some work across all types of disability on civil rights and public policy, while others focus on a single condition such as blindness, hearing loss or spinal cord injury, or on a single need such as employment, independent living or parenting. Many are led by people with disabilities themselves, reflecting the long-standing principle that people with disabilities should direct the decisions and services that affect their lives.

Overview

This directory lists national government resources, nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups in the United States that provide help, information, legal protection and services to people with disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them. Entries are grouped by focus area and listed alphabetically within each group. Charity is generally understood as giving help to people in need who are not related to the giver, and many of the groups below operate as charities. For a separate listing of charities, see our charity groups page.

Disability in the United States by the Numbers

More than 70 million U.S. adults, or more than 1 in 4, reported having a disability in 2022, and the rate rises to 43.9 percent among adults aged 65 and older [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024]. A separate federal survey that counts people of all ages and asks different questions found that 44.7 million people, or 13.6 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, had a disability in 2023 [U.S. Census Bureau, 2025]. Both figures show how many households may need the organizations listed here at some point.

Cross-Disability Rights and Policy Organizations

• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) - A national, disability-led, cross-disability rights organization that has worked since 1995 to advance the Americans with Disabilities Act. Its programs include the REV UP voting campaign, Disability Mentoring Day and summer internships [American Association of People with Disabilities, n.d.].
• Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) - Founded in 1979 and based in Berkeley, California, DREDF is a national law and policy center directed by people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. It advances civil and human rights through legal advocacy, training, education and public policy work [Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, n.d.].
• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) - The nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P and A) systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP), which operate in every state and U.S. territory. If you believe your rights have been violated, your state P and A agency is often the first place to call [National Disability Rights Network, n.d.].
• National Organization on Disability (NOD) - Founded in 1982 by Alan A. Reich, NOD now focuses on employment, working with employers and policymakers to increase job opportunities and remove workplace barriers for people with disabilities [National Organization on Disability, n.d.].
• TASH - Founded in 1975 as the American Association for the Education of the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped, TASH advocates for people with significant disabilities and support needs, particularly those at greatest risk of segregation, neglect or institutional placement [TASH, n.d.].
• World Institute on Disability (WID) - Co-founded in 1983 by Judy Heumann, Joan Leon and Ed Roberts, WID is a nonprofit research and policy center led by people with disabilities. Its work covers accessibility services, policy advocacy, training, and emergency and disaster planning [World Institute on Disability, n.d.].

Intellectual, Developmental and Physical Disability Organizations

• Easterseals - Founded in 1919 as the National Society for Crippled Children, the organization took its name from its spring Easter "seals" fundraising campaign, launched in 1934. Through a national network of affiliates it serves about 1.5 million people each year with early intervention, employment, rehabilitation and other services [Easterseals, n.d.].
• The Arc of the United States - Founded in 1950, The Arc describes itself as the largest community-based disability organization in the country, with a network of 549 state and local chapters. It advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families [The Arc of the United States, n.d.].
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) - Founded in 1949, UCP is a network of independent affiliates that promotes the independence and inclusion of people with cerebral palsy, intellectual and developmental disabilities and other disabilities, serving about 200,000 people a year [United Cerebral Palsy, n.d.].
• United Spinal Association - Formerly the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, United Spinal traces its roots to paralyzed World War II veterans in 1946 and now serves people with spinal cord injuries or disease regardless of age, gender or veteran status. It reports more than 60,000 members and over 50 chapters [United Spinal Association, n.d.].

Blind and Low Vision Organizations

• American Council of the Blind (ACB) - Founded in 1961, ACB is a national advocacy organization working to increase the independence, security and equality of opportunity of people who are blind or have low vision. It works through state and special interest affiliates [American Council of the Blind, n.d.].
• American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) - Founded in 1921, AFB works for equal access and opportunity for people who are blind or have low vision. Helen Keller worked with the foundation from 1924 until her death in 1968 [American Foundation for the Blind, n.d.].
• National Federation of the Blind (NFB) - Founded in 1940, the NFB calls itself the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. It is run by blind members with democratically elected leaders and has affiliates in every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico [National Federation of the Blind, n.d.].

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Organizations

• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) - A nonprofit membership organization founded by Alexander Graham Bell that helps children with hearing loss develop listening and spoken language, supporting families, professionals and students [Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 2026].
• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) - Founded in 1979 by Howard E. "Rocky" Stone as Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH), HLAA is a national consumer organization for people with hearing loss. It runs more than 120 local chapters and advocates for communication access [Hearing Loss Association of America, n.d.].
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD) - Founded in 1880 by deaf leaders, the NAD is a civil rights organization that works to preserve, protect and promote the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people [National Association of the Deaf, n.d.].
• TDI (TDIforAccess) - Founded in 1968 as Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., TDI works to advance full accessibility in the information and communications technologies people use to live, work and connect, for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened or DeafBlind [TDI, n.d.].

Veterans with Disabilities

• Disabled American Veterans (DAV) - A national organization for veterans with disabilities that offers free help filing VA benefits claims and free medical transportation for ill and injured veterans [Disabled American Veterans, n.d.].
• Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) - Founded in 1946 and chartered by Congress, PVA serves veterans with spinal cord injuries or diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Membership is free, the injury does not need to be service-connected, and PVA offers free benefits counseling and career support [Paralyzed Veterans of America, n.d.].

Employment, ADA and Legal Help

• ADA National Network - Ten regional ADA Centers, funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), give free and confidential answers to questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act at 1-800-949-4232 (voice and TTY) [ADA National Network, n.d.].
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) - Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), JAN offers free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and Title I of the ADA for employees, job seekers and employers [Job Accommodation Network, n.d.-a].

Independent Living

• Centers for Independent Living (CILs) - More than 350 CILs operate in every U.S. state and territory under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. They are local, community-based nonprofits where people with disabilities hold 75 percent of decision-making positions, and every center provides information and referral, independent living skills training, peer support, advocacy, and help moving from institutions or school into community life [Administration for Community Living, n.d.].
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) - Founded in 1982, NCIL is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Its members include CILs, Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) and individual advocates [National Council on Independent Living, n.d.].

Families, Children and Parents with Disabilities

• Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) - The hub for nearly 100 Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers across the U.S. and its territories, which help families of children and youth with disabilities from birth to age 26 take part in their children's education [Center for Parent Information and Resources, n.d.]. CPIR also preserves the online materials of the former National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY), which closed in 2013 when its federal grant ended [Education Week, 2013].
• PACER Center - A Minnesota-based nonprofit that provides information, training and support for families of children and young adults with disabilities, with programs in parent training and advocacy, assistive technology and social inclusion. It also runs the National Bullying Prevention Center [PACER Center, n.d.].
• Through the Looking Glass (TLG) - A Berkeley, California, nonprofit founded in 1982 that develops services for parents with disabilities and their children, including babycare adaptations, training for child welfare systems and expert support in custody cases. From 1993 to 2017 it was federally funded as the first national center for parents with disabilities [Through the Looking Glass, n.d.].

Accessible Design, Information, Research and Data

• Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ) - A long-running multidisciplinary academic journal in the field of disability studies, read by scholars, advocates, writers and others concerned with disability issues.
• DisabilityStatistics.org - Developed and maintained by the Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, this site lets users build maps, charts and tables of national, state and local disability statistics from the American Community Survey and other sources [Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, n.d.].
• Disabled World - An independent online publication founded in 2004 that covers disability news, benefits and health resources, with a focus on the United States. Its reporting includes Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, accessibility law, medical research and assistive technology [Disabled World, n.d.].
• Environmental Health Network (EHN) - One of the first organizations to support and advocate for people with chemical injuries and sensitivities, based in Larkspur, California. It runs a support and information line and publishes a newsletter [Job Accommodation Network, n.d.-b].
• Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) - A Boston-based organization founded in 1978 as Adaptive Environments, IHCD promotes accessible and universal design for people of all ages, abilities and cultures, and has been home to the New England ADA Center since 1996 [Institute for Human Centered Design, n.d.].

Federal Government Resources

Disability.gov, the federal inter-agency disability portal, was shut down in December 2016 [USAGov, 2018]. Today, USA.gov has a disability services section that covers government benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), working while receiving benefits, job training, workplace discrimination protections, ADA rights and accessible voting [USAGov, n.d.].

Related International Resources

• Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) - A Canadian national organization whose sole mission is employment for people with disabilities. It helps employers arrange and pay for workplace accommodations through its Accommodation and Inclusion Management program [Employment and Social Development Canada, 2021].
• Independent Living Institute (ILI) - A Sweden-based institute founded in 1993 by disability rights pioneer Adolf Ratzka, who died in 2024, ILI promotes self-determination for people with disabilities [Independent Living Institute, 2024].

Choosing the Right Organization

Start with the group that matches the need. For a rights violation, contact your state Protection and Advocacy agency through NDRN. For workplace accommodation questions, call JAN or the ADA National Network. For help living at home or leaving a nursing facility, contact your local Center for Independent Living. Condition-specific groups such as the NFB, HLAA or UCP can connect you with peers and local chapters. Seniors who develop vision or hearing loss later in life, and the family caregivers who support them, may also qualify for help from many of these groups. These organizations provide information and advocacy, not personal legal or medical advice, so speak with a qualified attorney or health professional about your own situation.

Please contact us if you would like your organization, group or charity added to our listings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a disability advocacy group and a disability service provider?

An advocacy group works to change laws, policies and public attitudes and may help individuals defend their rights, while a service provider delivers hands-on help such as therapy, job training, housing support or personal care. Many organizations do both, so check what a group actually offers before you contact it.

How do I find the Protection and Advocacy agency in my state?

The National Disability Rights Network keeps a directory of its member agencies on its website, listing the Protection and Advocacy system and Client Assistance Program for each state and territory along with contact details.

Do disability organizations charge for their help?

Many services are free, including ADA questions answered by the ADA National Network and accommodation advice from the Job Accommodation Network. Some membership groups charge annual dues, and some service providers bill insurance, Medicaid or a sliding fee, so ask about costs up front.

How can I check that a disability charity is legitimate?

Use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm that the group is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, then review its most recent Form 990 to see how it spends its money. Be cautious with any group that pressures you for an immediate donation or personal information.

What is a state vocational rehabilitation agency?

Every state has a vocational rehabilitation agency, funded under the Rehabilitation Act, that helps people with disabilities prepare for, find and keep jobs. Services can include career counseling, job training, assistive technology and help with job placement.

Where can I get help applying for Social Security disability benefits?

You can apply directly with the Social Security Administration online, by phone or at a local office. Free help is often available from legal aid offices and Protection and Advocacy agencies, and veterans can also get claims help from veterans service organizations.

How do I file a complaint if my rights under the ADA are violated?

Workplace complaints go to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, usually within 180 days of the incident, or 300 days in states with their own fair employment agency. Complaints about state and local governments or businesses open to the public can be filed with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

Can family caregivers get support from disability organizations?

Yes. Many organizations, including Parent Centers, Centers for Independent Living and condition-specific groups, offer information, training and peer support for family members and caregivers as well as for people with disabilities themselves.

References:

• ADA National Network. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADA National Network.
• Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). Centers for independent living.
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. (2026). Alexander Graham Bell: A legacy that lives on.
• American Association of People with Disabilities. (n.d.). About.
• American Council of the Blind. (n.d.). About the American Council of the Blind.
• American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). History.
• Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). About parent centers serving families of children with disabilities.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). CDC data shows over 70 million U.S. adults reported having a disability.
• Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. (n.d.). About us.
• Disabled American Veterans. (n.d.). Free services for veterans.
• Disabled World. (n.d.). Disability news, benefits, and health resources.
• Easterseals. (n.d.). History.
• Education Week. (2013). Longtime special education resource to be reborn as part of new center. Education Week.
• Employment and Social Development Canada. (2021). Government of Canada helps employers create accessible and inclusive workplaces for employees with disabilities.
• Hearing Loss Association of America. (n.d.). About HLAA.
• Independent Living Institute. (2024). Adolf Ratzka passed away 2024.
• Institute for Human Centered Design. (n.d.). Mission.
• Job Accommodation Network. (n.d.-a). About JAN.
• Job Accommodation Network. (n.d.-b). Organization details: Environmental Health Network.
• National Association of the Deaf. (n.d.). About the National Association of the Deaf.
• National Council on Independent Living. (n.d.). About.
• National Disability Rights Network. (n.d.). About.
• National Federation of the Blind. (n.d.). About us.
• National Organization on Disability. (n.d.). Our story.
• PACER Center. (n.d.). About us.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions.
• TASH. (n.d.). About TASH.
• TDI. (n.d.). About TDI.
• The Arc of the United States. (n.d.). About The Arc.
• Through the Looking Glass. (n.d.). History.
• U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act: July 26, 2025.
• United Cerebral Palsy. (n.d.). About UCP.
• United Spinal Association. (n.d.). Our history.
• USAGov. (n.d.). Disability services.
• USAGov. (2018). How we created our disability section pt. 1.
• World Institute on Disability. (n.d.). WID history.
• Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. (n.d.). Disability statistics.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Some of the oldest groups here go back a long way - the National Association of the Deaf dates to 1880 and Easterseals to 1919 - yet the field keeps changing, and resources that families relied on for years can disappear when funding ends, as the national children's disability clearinghouse NICHCY did in 2013. With the Census Bureau counting 44.7 million people with a disability in 2023, a directory is only as useful as it is current. The most practical lesson for readers is that federally mandated help, such as the Protection and Advocacy agencies in every state and territory and the free ADA National Network hotline, tends to last, while smaller projects come and go, so it is worth confirming any organization's status before relying on it.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability, a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.