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DRM Mourns the Loss of Judith Heumann

Photo: Judith Heumann at DRM’s 2015 Breaking Barriers Gala with former Executive Director Virginia Knowlton Marcus.

 

Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) mourns the passing of Judith Heumann, a hero in the disability rights movement, on March 4th at the age of 75. As we grieve the loss of Judith, often regarded as “the mother” of the disability rights movement, we remember her five decades of tenacious advocacy for people with disabilities.

In 2015, at our annual Breaking Barriers Award Gala, DRM presented Judith with the Lorraine Sheehan Lifetime Achievement Award for her heroic leadership and defining voice in the disability rights movement. Her leadership stood out in the crusade and victory for inclusion, as well as respect and acceptance of people with disabilities. Her voice defined what justice is and what justice means for people with disabilities.

In 2020, DRM established the Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award to honor in perpetuity her legacy as one of the world’s most influential disability rights activists. This prestigious award recognizes one outstanding honoree for a lifetime of advocacy for the disability rights movement and all the civil rights movements with which it intersects.

Judith personally presented the award at DRM’s virtual Breaking Barriers Gala in 2020 to Wade Henderson, whose leadership and advocacy helped secure vital legislation for people with disabilities. She returned in 2021 to present the award to Representative Jamie Raskin for his lifelong commitment to the advancement and legal protection of rights for people with disabilities.

DRM will continue to proudly celebrate Judith’s legacy by presenting the Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award to individuals who embody the values, accomplishments, and spirit that she infused into the disability rights revolution.

Judith was truly the agent and ethos that led to transformative changes in misperceptions about people with disabilities.

For more details on Judith’s life and memorial service, visit: judithheumann.com

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ARE YOU READY TO LEAD? Disability Rights Maryland Seeks an Executive Director

Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is seeking an experienced disability rights leader and advocate to lead this private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) law firm and advocacy organization as it creates an integrated and just society by advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout Maryland. DRM is Maryland’s designated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agency and a member of the National Disability Rights Network. We work with people with disabilities to pursue opportunities to champion their rights to self-determination, dignity, equality, opportunity, and freedom from discrimination and harm. We provide free legal services to persons with disabilities in Maryland and engage in systemic litigation and public policy advocacy to positively impact people’s lives.  DRM’s work spans a spectrum of issues including criminal justice and prison reform, education, monitoring facilities to investigate abuse, neglect and rights violations, voting, housing, transportation, assistive technology, health care, and the right to self-determination and appropriate services, among others, on behalf of Marylanders with all types of disabilities.  DRM envisions a world where people with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of community life.

The new Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead DRM’s experienced and talented team with a positive, results-oriented style that inspires all staff and broadens the circles of support for DRM’s work. The successful candidate will manage DRM in a manner consistent with this core mission and can relay commitment to the mission both inside and outside the organization while demonstrating the highest ethical standards and operating with integrity and transparency in conducting the business of the organization.

 

HIGH PRIORITY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • To serve as the primary public face of DRM with the disability community, the media, public officials, other nonprofits, and the community at large and to represent the organization in its various local, state, and federal networks;
  • To lead, encourage, and inspire a staff that is collaborative, talented, collegial and committed to the well-being of the communities we serve and one another;
  • To articulate and nurture a vision for DRM’s future;
  • To lead DRM’s community advocacy efforts including disseminating important information, making referrals, providing technical assistance, and training, as well as individual representation and systemic advocacy to promote legal rights for people with disabilities;
  • To lead DRM in setting priorities and in planning and pursuing creative strategies for addressing future challenges to the disability community and to the organization;
  • Develop and guide fundraising strategies which include cultivating and soliciting major gifts, and working alongside the board and staff to develop actionable fundraising plans;
  • To effectively and ethically oversee DRM’s finances in compliance with applicable law and DRM’s mission;
  • To grow and diversify resources to support DRM’s work;
  • To support an engaged Board of Directors in carrying out its responsibilities to the

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Possession of a Juris Doctor degree and membership in good standing with the Maryland Bar, or ability to obtain membership upon employment;
  • A passion for the mission of DRM and its multi-faceted advocacy approach;
  • A demonstrated commitment to, and experience with, advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in ways that express the values of inclusion, autonomy, equal access and full participation in community life;
  • Experience working with persons with disabilities, including from diverse communities;
  • An understanding of the difference between disability rights and disability justice;
  • Successful leadership of lawyers and others in a justice-oriented organization;
  • Experience managing a similar organization, including staff supervision, budget development, financial oversight, grant and contract compliance, strategic and priority planning, and managing change;
  • Experience successfully raising funds from private sources, including foundations and individual donors, and from federal, state and local governments;
  • Experience working effectively with multiple organizations and individuals with diverse perspectives, the public, elected and appointed officials, and consumers of services;
  • Demonstrated understanding of legislative and executive-level public policy issues and processes, in Baltimore and Maryland a plus;
  • Experience working productively with or on an engaged board of directors;
  • Interpersonal skills that demonstrate integrity, respect, compassion, collegiality, inclusivity, flexibility, capacity to motivate and thoughtfulness;
  • Outstanding communication skills, including written language, with a range of audiences and
  • Preference for an individual with lived experience as a person with a disabiiity.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS:        

The salary range is $130,000 to $160,000 depending on experience and special skills. DRM also offers a very generous benefits package which includes excellent medical insurance, employer-paid dental, prescription, vision, life, and disability insurance, as well as pre-tax savings plans, and a retirement savings opportunity with generous employer contributions. DRM offers eligible employees reimbursement for the cost of spouse or partner-paid health insurance premiums up to an established maximum amount. DRM also offers generous paid time off package, including vacation, holidays, sick time, and more. DRM is headquartered in Baltimore and a hybrid work schedule is available upon approval by the Board.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled and will be reviewed as they are received. Serious candidates should submit applications as soon as possible, but no later than June 30, 2023. Applications should contain a current resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

Applications should be submitted by email to Christine Griffin (cgriffin@benderconsult.com) and should include “DRM Executive Director Search” in the subject line. Please include in your message how you heard about the search. Only a select number of highly qualified individuals will be invited to participate in the formal interview process. This is a confidential process and will be handled accordingly throughout all phases of the recruitment and selection process.

Materials should be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

DRM has retained the executive search firm and certified disability-owned business enterprise, Bender Consulting Services, Inc. to conduct this search, www.benderconsult.com.

DRM is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified individuals with disabilities including those who are also people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals and others who contribute to staff diversity are encouraged to apply.   DRM provides reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Please notify us if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process.

 

ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS MARYLAND:

DRM’s advocacy improves the lives of people with disabilities and creates a more inclusive and just society for all, by advancing human rights. We help people with disabilities pursue opportunities to participate fully in all aspects of community life, and champion their rights to self-determination, dignity, equality, opportunity, and freedom from discrimination and harm.

DRM provides free legal services to Marylanders with disabilities on matters that are related to their disabilities and fall within our advocacy service areas. DRM’s advocacy services are developed in close collaboration with the community of people we serve, and in compliance with our funding sources.

DRM is Maryland’s designated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agency and a member of the National Disability Rights Network. As such, DRM is part of a nationwide network of organizations working to advance the rights of people with disabilities. Congress established the P&A System in 1975 in response to squalid conditions in institutional facilities for people with disabilities. In creating and funding the P&As, Congress granted us unique statutory authority to conduct investigations of suspected abuse and neglect of individuals with disabilities in facilities.

DRM currently has a budget of approximately $5 million, and a staff of 45, including 19 attorneys, 3 intake specialists, 14 advocates, and 9 administrative support staff. Among the leadership team members are the Director of Litigation, the Director of Finance, the Deputy Director, and the Executive Director.

DRM receives federal funding from several agencies under the following grants:

  • Protection & Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities (PADD), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Protection & Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR), U.S. Department of Education
  • Protection & Advocacy for Assistive Technology (PAAT), U.S. Department of Education
  • Protection & Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury (PATBI), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Protection & Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS), Social Security Administration

In addition, DRM is a grantee of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation. In 2016, DRM was awarded a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. DRM has received support from private foundations including the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, Open Society Institute, Hoffberger Foundation, Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund, Fund for Change, Steptoe Foundation, Venable Foundation and the Baltimore Bar Foundation. DRM’s governing Board of Directors financially supports the organization with 100% participation. DRM also relies on charitable contributions from individual donors.

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DRM Announces New Website Accessibility Tool

Photo of computer and smart phone displaying DRM website with a red circle around button with words 'Accessibility and Language Options'. Red banner with words in white 'Recite Me, Believing in Accessibility for All'

DRM is excited to launch a new accessibility feature for our website located on the ‘Accessibility and Language Options’ button at the top and bottom of each page. The feature allows website visitors to change the format of our website pages to make it easier to access information. Visitors can change the font, font size, language (including when playing audio), line height, plain text, color, mask screen, and much more. These features can be used on mobile devices and any documents opened from the site. See our Accessibility Statement below.

Website Accessibility Statement

Recite Me is a innovative cloud-based software that lets visitors view and use our website in a way that works best for them.

We’ve added the Recite Me web accessibility and language toolbar to our website to make it accessible and inclusive for as many people as possible.

It helps one in four people in the US who have a disability, including those with common conditions like sight loss and dyslexia, access our website in the way that suits them best.

It also meets the needs of one in five people in the US who speak a language other than English at home, by translating our web content into over 100 different languages.

How do I access the Recite Me toolbar?

You can open the Recite Me language and accessibility toolbar by clicking on the  Accessibility and Language Options button.

This button now appears in the top right and bottom middle of every page of our website.

After you click on the Accessibility and Language Options button, the Recite Me toolbar opens and displays a range of different options for customizing the way the website looks and ways you can interact with the content.

How does Recite Me help me access this website?

Recite Me helps people access our website and customize the content in a way that works best for them.

The Recite Me toolbar has a unique range of functions. You can use it to:

  • Read website text aloud (including PDFs)
  • Download the text as an MP3 file to play it where and when it suits you
  • Change font sizes and colors
  • Customize background-color
  • Translate text into more than 100 different languages
  • Access a fully integrated dictionary and thesaurus

You can find out more about how Recite Me works from the Recite Me user guide.

Where can I find support for Recite Me?

If you have any questions about Recite Me you can contact us by email at info@reciteme.com or call us at +1 571 946 4068.

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Maryland’s Eviction Crisis is an Affordable Housing Crisis

Disability Rights Activists holding yellow signs that say Housing is a "Human Right" and a green sign that says, "Fair Housing is a Civil Right."
Disability Rights Activists holding yellow signs that say Housing is a “Human Right” and a green sign that says, “Fair Housing is a Civil Right.”

In Maryland, more than half of all people with disabilities had annual household incomes below $15,000 in 2016. While many people with disabilities receive monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, SSI payments alone are usually not enough to afford market-rate housing: in 2020, the average monthly rent of a one-bedroom apartment in Maryland was $1,223, while monthly SSI payments were just $783.

Maryland’s eviction crisis is an affordable housing crisis.

If you are experiencing routine eviction filings by your landlord and cannot pay rent timely because of when your benefits arrive, you may have the right to a reasonable accommodation for an extended grace period to pay your rent.

Read more from The Baltimore Banner, “Filing for evictions is cheap and easy in Maryland. Tenants suffer.”

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You Can Make a Difference

African-American family consisting of father, mother, and adolescent daughter. Mother has cerebral-palsy.

DRM applauds the more than 60 attorneys who participate in our Pro Bono Program. By donating their services these attorneys, in partnership with DRM, make life changing differences in the lives of Marylanders with disabilities. To learn more about our Pro Bono Program visit our web site.

You can also partner with DRM to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities with a donation which makes it possible for us to provide more services around our state. Donate today.

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