PRESS RELEASE: Disability Rights Maine Announces Lauren Wille as New Legal Director

by Julia Endicott | Jul 9, 2024 | Press Releases

CONTACT: Julia Endicott
978-877-3871
jendicott@drme.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUSTA – Disability Rights Maine is pleased to announce Lauren Wille as its new Legal Director. Atlee Reilly, who has been serving as Legal Director since 2021, will resume his role as Managing Attorney of DRM’s Educational Advocacy program, and continue his life’s work advocating for the rights of children with disabilities.

“Lauren is a remarkable leader and I am excited for her to bring her strategic vision to the helm of DRM’s legal practice. I am also deeply thankful to Atlee for his exceptional leadership over the past several years, and even more thrilled that he will once again be able to focus his full attention on improving outcomes for Maine’s children,” said Kim Moody, Executive Director.

Wille joined Disability Rights Maine in February 2017 as a Staff Attorney on the Developmental Disabilities team and became a Managing Attorney in 2020. Her practice has covered individual representation in matters of abuse and neglect, access to Home- and Community-Based Services, access to competitive integrated employment, and addressing civil rights violations of individuals with disabilities. Wille helps lead DRM’s guardianship reform practice, which addresses the overuse of guardianship and lack of legal representation for Maine people who are unnecessarily placed under guardianship at both individual and systemic levels. In 2023, Wille’s expertise in Probate Court was recognized through her appointment to the Advisory Committee on the Maine Rules of Probate Procedure.

Notably, Wille authored an amicus brief, filed jointly with the ACLU of Maine in In Re Child of Barni A. The case resulted in the Maine Supreme Judicial Court overturning a lower court order that terminated a mother-child relationship after the state failed to provide nursing services to the child who was legally entitled to them. The decision was a victory for disabled parents and children, finding that families should not be separated when the state fails to provide legally required services and accommodations to ensure families can stay together.

“It is an honor to practice civil rights work in this area in which civil rights are so often overlooked. I look forward to continuing to serve DRM and our clients as Legal Director to improve people’s lives through our litigation practice,” said Lauren Wille.

Before joining DRM, Wille worked as an attorney at a small law firm in Portland, representing clients in criminal defense, child protective matters, and appellate litigation. Wille has argued cases before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Wille holds her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law and her B.A. from Rutgers University.

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.

PRESS RELEASE: Disability Rights Maine Invited to Participate in White House Event, Highlighting Investments that Expand Disability Rights

by Julia Endicott | Mar 13, 2024 | Press Releases

CONTACT: Julia Endicott
978-877-3871
jendicott@drme.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2024

Augusta – Disability Rights Maine is pleased to announce that Executive Director Kim Moody will join leaders from across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont at the White House on March 14, 2024 to participate in the Communities in Action, Building a Better America event.

“I am honored to take part in this event to highlight the many new exciting initiatives funded in part by the federal government, that have the potential to entirely transform our disability service system,” said Executive Director Kim Moody.

Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support Home and Community Based Services has seeded ideas and innovation within the system of supports and services for Maine people with disabilities, including for youth 14-18 who have not been served well historically and for people with ID/DD who also experience co-occurring behavioral health needs.

Maine also utilized ARPA funds to start its first crisis-receiving center, a transformative model that is currently being considered for expansion in other areas of the state to address critical gaps for people in need of mental health services.

As a result of new grants supported by federal funds, DRM has:

• Piloted a youth self-advocacy project, encouraging young people to learn new skills to be their best selves;
• Educated and informed thousands of individuals about COVID-19, and the availability of vaccines;
• Conducted an expansive health equity research project, highlighting the disparate impact of healthcare access among people with disabilities; and
• Developed a new program to address the disproportionate sexual violence that people with developmental disabilities experience.

The event is part of a series organized by the White House to highlight recent investments leading to positive impacts in local communities.

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.