DRM in the News:
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DRM Champions Fair School Police Policies for Students with Disabilities : For several years Disability Rights Maryland (DRM), with its partners in the Maryland Coalition to Reform School Discipline, has advocated for Baltimore City Public Schools to pass policies governing the interaction between school police and students. Contact with police in school can lead to the unnecessary arrest and prosecution for behavior traditionally handled by school staff, an important factor in the “school-to-prison pipeline”. This “pipeline” disproportionately impacts students of color and students with disabilities. DRM is pleased to announce that on June 12 the City Schools’ Board of Commissioners approved, for the first time, school board policy and regulations that set out the role of school police and school administrators when disciplining students and ensuring school safety. While the approval of policies is an important step in ending the school-to-prison pipeline, DRM will continue to work with Coalition members to advocate for updates to the policies that serve to protect students’ rights, including a call for Miranda warnings that minors can understand. CBS local news coverage of the board meeting included comments from DRM Attorney Amanda White. 
Great News: Hearing Aids for Adults in Maryland!
Several years ago, DRM learned that Maryland Medicaid only provided hearing aids and cochlear implants to children through age 20. What happens when they grow up? What about adults who want and need such devices for hearing loss occurring after age 21? DRM Attorney, Sarah Steege , has worked with a team of pro bono attorneys from the law firm of Sidley Austin for several years to expand Maryland's coverage for individuals 21 and older. Starting this month, Medicaid will be covering hearing aids for adults! Maryland has issued draft regulations necessary to implement this coverage. Read more about these changes on our website!
DRM in the Community:
Willing to Work Campaign: In June's issue of Spotlight, we introduced you to Josh Basile, this month we invite you to support his Willing to Work campaign to improve Maryland's Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID) Program. If you have tried and/or enrolled in the EID program please complete the survey. Sharing success and struggles will help strengthen future program policies!
Client SM (right) and his mother
Never, Never, Never Give Up!
It is not surprising that this motto is found in DRM’s Managing Attorney, Nancy Pineles’ office. 10 years ago, Nancy took the lead in drafting and advocating for a Maryland law to be passed so parents, who care deeply for their child with one or more disabilities but lack the resources to meet the child’s highly specialized needs, would not face charges of neglect by the state and lose custody. The law instead allows a parent to voluntarily place their child with the state while the parent retains legal custody. Since then DRM staff have helped loving parents, who needed additional resources to meet their child’s highly specialized needs, arrange for a voluntary placement of their child and avoid being charged with neglect and losing custody. Nancy recently helped an extremely devoted mother obtain the specialized services that her son, SM, who has autism, needed with a voluntary placement. SM’s mother sent us a photo with her son expressing her appreciation for DRM’s staff:

"The dedication of the staff at DRM has helped my son overcome the unthinkable milestones. My family is forever grateful to Nancy and Leslie. Thank you a million times and more. Words will never explain the true and complete depth of my appreciation"
Tickets now available!


Save the date! 9/27/18


We can't wait to celebrate 40 years of advocacy with our community! DRM will honor Curt Decker, Executive Director of National Disability Rights Network, and Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic Champion and disability rights advocate for their incredible achievements.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!