Disability Rights Montana Settles Lawsuit with Department of Corrections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 16, 2022 Contact: Kona Franks-Ongoy, Disability Rights Montana, kona@disabilityrightsmt.org, (406) 449-2344; Gujari Singh, ACLU of Montana, singhg@aclumontana.org, (631) 404-9977 Subject: Landmark settlement agreement ratifies significant reforms for treatment of mentally ill incarcerated individuals at Montana [...]
CMS Finds the Health and Safety of Patients at Risk in Montana State Hospital
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found Montana State Hospital in Immediate Jeopardy. This finding is serious and disturbing. Immediate Jeopardy means the conditions in the hospital constitute a serious threat to the health and safety of patients. The [...]
Disability Rights Montana
Disability Rights Montana
Disability Rights Montana is more than 40 years old.
Before 1977, the rights of people with disabilities were being largely ignored in insititutions and were removed from the community. In 1977, the Protections and Advocacy system was established in each state to overlook and protect the rights of these citizens. In the beginning, we had only one funding source. In those early years, DD MAP – as we were then known – contracted its legal services with two Helena attorneys, and concentrated solely on providing advocacy and legal services to people with developmental disabilities.
Today, Disability Rights Montana employs an executive director, four attorneys, five advocates, a paralegal, a data coordinator, a finance/administration director, and an office coordinator. In March 2008, we changed our name from Montana Advocacy Program to Disability Rights Montana. The change better reflects what we do and whom we serve.
