Disability Rights Montana

Disability Rights Montana is the federally-mandated civil rights protection and advocacy system for Montana. We have the legal authority to represent almost any person with a disability.

Our Board of Directors Disability Rights Montana is governed by a statewide, cross-disability, volunteer Board of Directors. Through personal and professional experiences, the directors represent people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, brain injuries, physical disabilities, and visual and hearing impairments.

The Board reviews the advocacy and legal needs of people with disabilities. It establishes priorities, policies, and the budget for our organization. Each year the Board determines the level of resources allocated to individual, systems, and policy advocacy to protect the legal, human, and civil rights of Montanans with disabilities.

Disability Rights Montana provides information and referral, individual advocacy, legal representation, outreach and training, and systems advocacy.

Information and referral

We provide information regarding the rights of people with disabilities and provide suggestions on how to handle their situation. We offer referrals to other organizations or programs when we are not able to resolve their concerns.

Individual advocacy

We can negotiate on an individual’s behalf to resolve problems such as denial of services, discrimination, abuse and neglect, or support their own self-advocacy efforts.

Legal representation

We provide legal representation to people and groups who are eligible for our services if their issues fall within our program area priorities. Our legal staff may also give technical assistance to private attorneys working on disability issues.

Outreach and training

We educate others across the state about the legal rights of people with disabilities through presentations to groups and organizations, participation on committees and task forces, technical assistance and educational booklets. Our staff is experienced in many disability-related areas ranging from the Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA), the Montanan Human Rights Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Olmstead Decision, to self-advocacy training and disability awareness and etiquette.

Systems advocacy

In collaboration with others, we work for systemic changes that affect people with disabilities, in order to improve their quality of life.

Disability Rights Montana does not provide assistance in such matters as personal injury, divorce, child custody, will drafting, estate planning or criminal representation.