Disability Rights Center Training

The Disability Rights Center is hosting a series of trainings on the appeals process. For more information, see their announcement below:

In order to assist people receiving services and their guardians we, the Disability Rights Center (DRC), would like to offer a few trainings on the appeals process in different areas of the state over the next few weeks. We are looking for organizations/agencies to get the word out about this opportunity and to help people get there.

The training would last about 2 hours and will cover the following topics:

  • The process for over median staffing reviews
  • Documentation required for the reviews
  • Tool the Department used to determine reduction in hours
  • How to ask for an extension for the appeal hearing
  • How to prepare for the appeal hearing
  • What happens in the hearing

This training will be conducted either by Jodie Benvie, Advocate for the DRC, or the DRC's DD Attorney, Staci Converse. Staci cannot give legal advice to individuals, but they can make themselves available after the training and may take some cases on a limited basis. We are prioritizing cases by first representing people who are not Class Members and either do not have a guardian or have a state guardian. We are also assessing cases for merit.

While we certainly won't prohibit providers from attending (and we understand you will likely be assisting people in the process), we want to be clear that this training opportunity is for individuals and their guardians/family members, etc. And we certainly need your help to get people there—you are well—connected to the people we are trying to reach and we want to train as many people as possible.

We are looking forward to working together to educate and assist people with this process.

Please help get the word out about the call-in option. If people have e-mail, we can e-mail the Power Point so people can follow along.

Telephone call-in options available for Sanford on 2/12, Bangor on 2/18 and Gardiner on 2/26 Phone number to call in: 877-765-9007 and the pin is 3363280

Dates and times are as follows:

Wednesday February 11th 6 pm-8 pm at Port Resources in South Portland (Jodi & Staci) Directions: Word document for download

Thursday February 12th 3 pm-5 pm at WABAN in Sanford Wormwood Center, 5 Dunaway Drive Sanford, ME directions attached (from the North) (Jodi & Staci) Directions: Word document for download

Wednesday February 18th from 4:30 pm-6:30 pm at OHI in Hermon (Jodi & Staci) with phone call-in option. Directions available at: Once the page is up, scroll down to the Hermon location and click on "map", or you can download this: directions, Word document for download.

Thursday February 19th 3:30 pm-5:30 pm at Hope Association in Rumford (Staci) 85 Lincoln Ave in Rumford-in the old Rumford Armory Building 364-4561

Thursday February 19th from 4 pm-6 pm at CAARC in Presque Isle (Jodi) Directions link on this page: directions

Thursday, February 26th, 4 pm-6 pm at Uplift in Gardiner 25 Winter St., Gardiner. There will be a phone-in option at this training as well.

For questions please contact:

Jodi B. Benvie
Advocate
Disability Rights Center
24 Stone Street
PO Box 2007
Augusta, ME 04338
V/TTY 207 626 2774 x205

Additional downloads: