DRM received a complaint from the father of “August,” a male resident at a state psychiatric hospital who was receiving inpatient treatment for Bipolar Disorder. Throughout August’s stay at the hospital, his father attended all of his treatment planning meetings as his advocate. However, when he was transferred to a different ward, August’s new treatment team denied him the right to have an advocate attend his individual treatment planning meetings. DRM investigated by reviewing August’s records and interviewing hospital staff members. We discovered that denying residents the right to have an advocate attend treatment planning meetings was an ongoing ward practice designed to promote “patient independence” by cutting off family involvement in their mental health treatment. DRM determined that this practice was in clear violation of Maryland law. August and his family also reported that the other residents on the ward were afraid to contact DRM about the practice because they feared retaliation from the treatment team. DRM wrote a complaint to the hospital CEO and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) demanding that the practice be discontinued. During DRM’s investigation, the OAG re-educated all hospital employees on patients’ rights. DRM later conducted a monitoring visit on the ward and determined that the practice had been discontinued. We also conducted a rights presentation to all residents on the ward. A few days after the monitoring visit and rights presentation, DRM received numerous calls from ward residents to inform us about other rights violations that they had experienced on the ward.
DRM Seeks Housing Attorney
DRM is seeking to hire an attorney to advocate on behalf of the fair housing rights of people with disabilities. Join our dynamic disability rights team! See the full job description for details and info about how to apply.
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Special Education
DRM assists students with all types of disabilities from birth – age 21 in K-12 special education matters, with an emphasis on placement in the least restrictive environment; appropriate assessments, educational and behavioral plans, services and supports; access to the school curriculum and high school diplomas; inclusion in school-based and out of school activities; and student discipline matters, including inappropriate school exclusion, restraint, seclusion, and the use of school police and arrests. DRM also advocates for appropriate educational programming and related services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. We provide information, advice, training, and selected individual and class representation for issues of systemic significance.
Housing
DRM provides information, advice, training and legal representation to help individuals with disabilities access and remain in public or subsidized housing, and obtain reasonable accommodations or modifications to allow them to live meaningful, integrated lives in their communities. DRM’s current focus is on Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Prince George’s County; we accept a limited number of cases outside these areas that present important systemic issues affecting large numbers of people with disabilities. DRM also works on various systemic policy issues that improve housing opportunities for Marylanders with disabilities.
Voting
DRM provides voter information, registration and advocacy to remove barriers, ensure accessibility, and promote full participation of people with disabilities in the electoral process. We provide information and resources to make the electoral process simple and accessible for all voters.
VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS
As a Maryland Voter, you have the right to:
1. Vote in an accessible polling place. Call your local board of elections or check on-line at http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting/accessibility.html to find out if your polling site is accessible to you. The on-line polling site locator will also confirm that you are registered. To request an accessible polling site contact your local board of elections by close of voter registration.
2. Vote at an early voting center in the county where you live. To find an early voting center near you, go to: http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting/early_voting.html
3. Vote by Absentee Ballot. Any registered voter may request to vote by Absentee Ballot. To get an application and to check deadlines, go to: http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting/absentee.html
4. Cast a private and independent ballot.
5. Receive voting assistance if needed. You may ask an election judge for help, or bring any other person to help you except your employer or union official.
6. Mark a ballot on an accessible voting machine. You may select a large print or high contrast ballot. You may also request an audio ballot, which requires use of headphones and a keypad. The angle of the voting machines can also be adjusted for better access. More information on Maryland’s Accessible Machines.
7. Cast a ballot as long as you are in line when the polls close.
8. Vote a provisional ballot if your name does not appear on the voter registration list or there is a question about your eligibility to vote.
9. Bring identification with you to your polling location. Federal law requires that if you registered to vote by mail you must provide identification before voting for the first time in Maryland.
VOTER HOTLINE
To report voting concerns that may be related to a disability (such as access to a polling place, voter assistance, or problems using a voting machine) please contact:
Disability Rights Maryland Voter Hotline
by phone: 443-692-2492; 800-233-7201 ext. 2492; TTY 410-235-5387
or by email: Voting@DisabilityRightsMD.org
More information about DRM’s Voter Hotline
REV UP MD VOTER TOOLKIT
The Maryland Rev Up Toolkit includes information and resources to help people with disabilities and supporters register and vote.
REV UP Maryland Toolkit – 2018
For more information about REV UP 2018 go to: www.aapd.com/REVUP
