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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-07-25 Correspondence - Disability Rights Montana - EXTRA, EXTRA - Two New DRMT reports Released TODAYFrom:Disability Rights Montana - Life Beyond Compliance To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]EXTRA, EXTRA - Two New DRMT reports Released TODAY Date:Tuesday, September 30, 2025 1:15:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Every paid subscription supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is nowhere near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! EXTRA, EXTRA - Two New DRMTreports Released TODAY Learn how paternalism limits Montanans with developmental disabilities& how inaccessible government buildings in 5 Montana cities show thatMontana needs to change to include people with disabilities READ IN APP Disability Rights Montana’s staff have spent a lot of hours behind the windshield this year. We traveled to over 70 residential settings and over 20 day service centers in Scobey, and Troy, and Dillon and dozens of other communities around the state to meet with with over 700 people with developmental disabilities to hear how they are being treated and to monitor the conditions of the places the state pays for to deliver care to them. What we saw was inspiring in many places. SEP 30 Unfortunately, many other places were down right depressing. You can read about what we saw and recommendations we have for improving the state-funded and regulated services we all support with our tax dollars and design through our elected representatives in state and federal government. I am confident Montana wants a service delivery system that is respectful of people with disabilities, and by working together I think we can create a system that delivers on that ideal. Read The Cost of Control to learn more about the problem and how you can be a part of the solution: DRMT Report - The Cost of Control Disability Rights Montana’s staff also dove deep into the accessibility of state and local government buildings in five major Montana cities. We looked at dozens of city, county, and state buildings in Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula. Despite having 35 years to learn what was necessary and make necessary modifications, we found too many examples of our government excluding people with disabilities due to their failure to follow established law. Accessibility isn’t a favor or a nice caring thing to do for the “poor disabled people” in our community, it is a federal law. That law was passed in the U.S. House with a vote of 377-28 and the Senate 91-6, and signed by President George H.W. Bush in a grand signing ceremony on the lawn of the White House surrounded by disability advocates because people with disabilities wield significant political power and secured a widely supported, bi-partisan law that gave them enforceable legal rights when state and local governments exclude them. That powerful community of disabled people has been patient, but don’t take that grace as weakness. Read ADA in MT at 35 to learn more about the ways our government buildings still exclude people with disabilities: DRMT Report - ADA in MT at 35 You’re currently a free subscriber to Life Beyond Compliance. Upgrading to paid subscriptions supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is no where near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! Upgrade to paid LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Disability Rights Montana1022 Chestnut Street, Helena, MT 59601 Unsubscribe