In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) reaffirms our commitment to protect and advance the fundamental rights of people with disabilities. Disability communities have long faced systemic violations of bodily autonomy including forced sterilization and increased rates of sexual violence. The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs disproportionately impacts people with disabilities who already face significant barriers accessing healthcare, especially people with disabilities from communities of color, who identify as LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those who live in poverty.
We are concerned about the decision’s implications which may lead to further removal of longstanding constitutional rights that people have come to rely and build their lives upon for decades. The Dobbs decision, leaves other civil rights, including the ability to choose who a person marries or has a relationship with, and access to other forms of reproductive health care, in jeopardy.
Whenever people with disabilities’ civil rights are threatened, we stand ready to defend these challenges. DRM remains steadfast in our dedication to advancing equality and self-determination for people with disabilities and zealously advocating for a world in which fundamental rights are guaranteed for everyone.
DRM has continued its campaign to educate the public, including legislators, to put pressure on the state’s paratransit provider to respond to rider complaints. Paratransit is a shared-ride public transit service for individuals with disabilities who have difficulty riding fixed-route public transit. The service is an important piece of protecting the right of people with disabilities to have equal and meaningful participation in their communities.
In our state, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) oversees MobilityLink paratransit service. MobilityLink riders use the service to get to work or class, as well as medical appointments, religious worship, and visits with loved ones. Sadly, MobilityLink has failed its riders, who commonly report serious issues with the service, including:
Late or missed rides, leading to riders being left alone, waiting for hours, often in the cold or heat, or in the dark (see Floyd and Gwen’s stories);
Long onboard travel times causing riders to miss important activities (see Brandon andTroy’sstories);
No access to backup vehicles and a triage system when riders are left stranded (see Tierra and Keyonna’s stories);
Difficulty finding out the status and location of rides;
Vehicles in disrepair, as well as being dispatched without straps to ensure safe transport for riders who use wheelchairs; and
Staff shortages causing poor service.
If you are interested in sharing your story with your Maryland elected officials, local council people, and MTA officials, please see the below sample letter, which includes space to include your own story or words. The following links will help you share your story:
Thank you for taking the time to inform and educate the public about the current state of MobilityLink and issues impacting people with disabilities!
Dear Elected Official:
I would like to tell you about the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) paratransit, MobilityLink, a very important service meant to provide transportation to people with disabilities who have difficulty using other types of transportation, like the bus, light rail, and metro. As you may know, Maryland’s MobilityLink service underperforms compared to the other types of public transportation services being run by the MTA. This failure endangers the health and safety of riders and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Marylanders with disabilities who use MobilityLink live busy lives—they have things to do, and places to be. MobilityLink is the only means of transportation for many riders, who often lack access to their own vehicle. Without reliable transportation, Marylanders with disabilities cannot travel to work, attend class, receive medical care, visit loved ones, and participate in religious worship. MobilityLink should protect the right of people with disabilities to participate equally in their communities, but the service has failed to do so.
Poor MobilityLink service really hurts riders. Whether day or night, rain or shine, riders are left stranded because their ride is late or not coming at all. Riders traveling for medical services miss care, contributing to negative health outcomes. Disturbingly, the MTA has no back up service in place to locate and assist stranded MobilityLink riders. Since MobilityLink service is so unreliable, many riders report a fear of leaving home, only traveling when absolutely necessary.
[Please use this space if you would like to add your own thoughts or personal story.]
Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) Attorney Megan Rusciano received The Arc Maryland’s 2022 Outstanding Advocate of the Year award. The award honors individuals whose advocacy leadership on behalf of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families led to increased rights for persons with IDD to live inclusive lives.
Megan was recognized at The Arc’s annual May 2022 Awards Ceremony for her tireless efforts in founding and leading a broad statewide Coalition of stakeholders to establish Supported Decision Making (SDM) as an alternative to guardianship in Maryland. Megan’s unwavering commitment to self-determination and alternatives to guardianship led to every member of the Coalition, including people with disabilities, state agencies, attorneys, and families, supporting SDM legislation. The legislation successfully passed the first year it was introduced.
Megan expressed her gratitude for receiving this honor “It truly took a village to get us here—and it wouldn’t have been remotely possible without the work and dedication of our bill sponsors, Supported Decision-Making Coalition, the DD Coalition, my boss and colleagues at DRM who supported and made space for this work, and most importantly people with disabilities and those who amplify their voices. People who reminded me and all of us—it doesn’t matter how you communicate, how you use your voice—it must be heard.”
Disability Rights Maryland applauds Megan for her leadership skills and countless hours devoted to improving the lives of people with disabilities.
Robin C. Murphy, RobinM@DisabilityRightsMD.org (410) 727-6352 ext. 2482
A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that Maryland prison practices of confining individuals with serious mental illness in segregation violate the constitutional and federal rights of such individuals. Spending hour after hour in a steel and concrete cell the size of a parking space results in deterioration of health for persons with serious mental illness demonstrated by hallucinations, self-injurious behaviors, paranoia, increased anxiety, depression, aggression, social withdrawal, and serious risk of harms according to the lawsuit. The case, filed by Disability Rights Maryland, Inc. (DRM), represented by Venable LLP, states that individuals with serious mental health needs are receiving grossly inadequate health care and confined in cells for days and weeks at a time with little opportunity to engage in any meaningful activity. Some individuals have been kept in segregation for years. The lawsuit was filed against the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) and its officials in their official capacities and seeks injunctive relief.
“We continue to see firsthand the harm to Maryland’s incarcerated persons with serious mental illness, despite promised reforms,” stated Luciene Parsley, Legal Director at DRM. Citing to research, practices of other jurisdictions and a plethora of recommendations for best practices by organizations with expertise in these issues, including the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the United States Department of Justice, all noting the serious harm inflicted upon individuals with serious mental illness subjected to segregation, DRM seeks to end the state’s practice of confining individuals with serious mental illness in segregated conditions and to instead establish humane conditions and programs. “Corrections officials across the country have recognized that confining people with serious mental health needs in segregation is inhumane and harmful. Providing alternative programs and services to meet basic health care needs is not a novel concept,” said Munib Lohrasbi, attorney with DRM.
Michael Hecht of Venable LLP stated that they seek a remedy that will divert people with serious mental illness from harmful conditions in segregation units. “The State can fix these problems and we look forward to resolving our claims and ending practices that violate the Constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.”
Disability Rights Maryland, Inc. (DRM), a non-profit organization, is Maryland’s designated Protection & Advocacy Agency federally authorized to advance and protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. DRM works with people with disabilities to achieve full participation in community life, self-determination, equality, freedom from abuse and neglect, and access to civil rights.
Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, high-net-worth entrepreneurs, and other individuals. With more than 850 professionals across the country, including in California, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients’ objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable, which is celebrating its 121st anniversary, advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines.
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Keyonna Mayo, Susan Goodlaxson & Janice Jackson Recipients of the 2022 Excellence in Advocacy Leadership Award
Baltimore, MD – Disability Rights Maryland’s (DRM) clients Keyonna Mayo, Susan Goodlaxson, and Janice Jackson, who filed a class action lawsuit with the Image Center against Baltimore City for safe and equal access to the City’s sidewalks and streets for individuals with mobility disabilities, have been named the recipients of DRM’s 2022 Excellence in Advocacy Leadership Award, which will be presented to them at the 2022 Breaking Barriers Awards Gala on Thursday, May 12, 2022.
Excellence in Advocacy Leadership awardees are DRM community partners, who, in collaboration with DRM, act as agents of change through legislative, policy or litigation initiatives. They demonstrate outstanding determination and resolve in defending and enhancing the rights of people with disabilities to full inclusion and community access. Awardees bravely, selflessly, and publicly, leverage their own personal experiences to rectify the inequities of discrimination against people with disabilities by taking on the “system” fearlessly to secure equitable participation in all aspects of society.
Keyonna Mayo, Susan Goodlaxson, and Janice Jackson, are on the forefront of citizen-based disability advocacy to make Baltimore’s sidewalks accessible to all residents. “Two years ago, only 1.3% of our more than 37,000 City curb ramps were in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” stated Robin C. Murphy, DRM Executive Director. “The work to provide people with disabilities their basic right to freely travel outside of their home is well past due, 30 years overdue.”
DRM looks forward to celebrating with you the extraordinary accomplishments of its exceptional honorees as well as the life-altering work its staff does every single day of the year at our 2022 Breaking Barriers Awards Gala on Thursday, May 12. To learn more, click here.
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