by Julia Endicott | Sep 10, 2025 | Announcements, Voting
Rutgers University and the Center for Civic Design are working on a study to learn what people with disabilities need to make voting more accessible. We are seeking participants who regularly vote and identify as having a disability to take part in 1-hour focus group discussions. The focus groups will take place on September 23 and 24 from 1pm – 2pm by Zoom.
We will ask questions about your experiences in voting, difficulties you have encountered, and how your experiences have changed over time. Your answers will contribute to a proposal for a disability research center dedicated to ensuring voting accessibility for everyone.
Your participation is voluntary and confidential; participation involves only taking part in a 1-hour discussion that will be conducted remotely. No information about you will be released. We will pay you $50 by bank deposit, Venmo, or Amazon gift card for your participation in this study. Participant payments will be processed through the Ethn.io platform. This platform is designed to securely store participant data and process payments for research participation. The research team will not have access to your mode of payment or any financial details. The Ethn.io platform is compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
The payment will be made within three weeks of your interview.
If you are interested, please go to this site https://civicdesign.ethn.io/146229 for more information about the study and to answer some screening questions to see if you qualify. On that site you will be able to click a link to indicate your interest in participating. You can also sign up by emailing Misty Crooks, misty@civicdesign.org.
If you have any questions or concerns about this study, you may contact Professor Lisa Schur of Rutgers University at Lschur@rutgers.edu.
by Julia Endicott | Jul 25, 2025 | Community Mental Health, Inpatient Psychiatric Settings & Group Homes, News, Press Releases
CONTACT: Julia Endicott
978-877-3871
jendicott@drme.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2025
Disability Rights Maine Condemns Executive Order Taking Away Civil Liberties
Augusta –Disability Rights Maine (DRM) is deeply concerned by yesterday’s Executive Order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” The Order directs the Attorney General to seek “the reversal of Federal or State judicial precedents and the termination of consent decrees that impede the United States’ policy of encouraging civil commitment of individuals with mental illness who pose risks to themselves or the public or are living on the streets and cannot care for themselves in appropriate facilities for appropriate periods of time.” In short, it authorizes increased involuntary commitment of people experiencing homelessness, including individuals with psychiatric labels.
“This order is a horrific backsliding of decades of progress to protect and advance the rights of disabled people. Institutionalizing people under the guise of humane treatment is a false narrative designed to stigmatize and isolate. Forced institutionalization is often violent, harmful, and expensive. What unhoused people with disabilities need is real, robust investments into supportive housing, peer support, and community-based services,” stated Executive Director, Kim Moody.
Decades of research and the experiences of people with disabilities themselves have shown that people thrive when they are provided with the tools to make their own choices, not when those choices are stripped away.
Disability Rights Maine remains committed to defending the rights of all Mainers and will continue working with the State of Maine and our partners nationally to oppose any effort that violates the civil rights of our community members.
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Disability Rights Maine is Maine’s Protection & Advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance justice and equality by enforcing rights and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities in Maine.
by Julia Endicott | Jul 8, 2025 | Announcements
CONTACT: Julia Endicott
978-877-3871
jendicott@drme.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7/8/2025
Disability Rights Maine Condemns Passage of Reconciliation Bill
Augusta – Last week, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R.1 by a vote of 218-214. This follows the bill’s passage by the United States Senate by a vote of 51-50. On July 4th, 2025, the President signed the bill into law. This bill includes devastating cuts to essential federal programs, including Medicaid and SNAP, which will have a significant impact on Mainers with disabilities, children, and older adults. More than 31,000 people are expected to lose their MaineCare in the first year alone. Disability Rights Maine (DRM) strongly condemns this legislation.
“Mainers with disabilities already struggle to get the care they need to survive, let alone thrive, in their communities. The horrific reality of this legislation is that the poorest and most disadvantaged in our state will suffer devastating cuts to benefit the wealthiest taxpayers who need the least help,” stated Executive Director Kim Moody.
The final bill cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, slashes funding for home-and-community-based services for people with disabilities, and weakens protections for people with disabilities. It is projected that between two and five rural hospitals in Maine will close, and more are threatened. The impact, while not immediate, will be profound.
DRM remains committed to advocating for the rights of disabled Mainers and ensuring that all Mainers are able to remain in their communities with access to the care and critical services they need.
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Disability Rights Maine is Maine’s Protection & Advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance justice and equality by enforcing rights and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities in Maine.
by Julia Endicott | Jul 1, 2025 | News
Take DRM’s Community Survey!
Tell Disability Rights Maine (DRM) what you think! We use your answers to help us understand the disability community’s needs to shape our goals and priorities for next year.
Every day we fight to create a world where everyone benefits from the inclusion of people who experience a disability. We act to change Maine’s schools, workplaces, businesses and public spaces to ensure that people with disabilities are empowered in their choices. We need your input to help direct our work!
If you need an alternative format of this survey, please contact us at 207-626-2774, 207-766-7111 (VP) or 800-452-1948 or advocate@drme.org.
by Julia Endicott | Jun 26, 2025 | Announcements, Self-Advocacy
1 in 3 Mainers have a disability. Help us remind everyone that disability inclusion matters!
The Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS), Disability Rights Maine (DRM), the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, and Speaking Up For Us (SUFU) are partnering for a video project! We’re inviting people with disabilities and family members to submit short videos sharing why being part of their community matters. This project is intended to highlight the perspectives of disabled people across Maine and bring attention to important issues impacting the disability community.
Submissions encouraged by 8/31.
Download and share the flyer (PDF)!
Who can participate:
- People with all disabilities of all ages and backgrounds (invisible disability, chronic illness, neurodivergent, any and all)
- Family members of people with disabilities
What to share:
In a 15-30 second video, tell us:
- Your name, where you live, and your disability (if you feel comfortable sharing)
- If the location in your shot is important, tell us where you are (example: I’m in front of where I work)
And, tell us one thing you want your community to know about people with disabilities in Maine. You can use any of the following questions as prompts:
- Why does being a part of your community matter to you?
- What do you wish people understood about disability?
- Why is it important to listen and learn from people with disabilities?
- What help do you need to be included in your community? (example: MaineCare)
- Why does Medicaid (MaineCare) matter to you?
- Why does communication access matter to you?
Technical Guidance:
- Recording in “Landscape” orientation is best, avoid vertical (up and down) video!
- Be mindful of distracting sounds or activities in the background.
- Check the sound quality before you submit if applicable!
- Make sure you are lit well from the front, without a lot of light coming from the back (no big windows behind you).
- Keep your phone or camera steady while recording.
Submission:
- Please submit using this form.
Questions?
If you have trouble uploading your video or have other questions about this project, contact Julia Endicott at jendicott@drme.org or 207-626-2774 ext. 212.
