Have you been denied the Assistive Technology you need?

There are numerous devices and equipment that can assist with communication, mobility, independence, etc. There are many items that can be described as Assistive Technology. If you have been denied the funding for needed equipment, evaluations, or services, call us, we can help!

Leadership Change Made Permanent

After serving for 6 months as the Interim Executive Director, Ann Maclaine officially accepted the full time position and began her tenure as Executive Director for Disability Rights Mississippi on Sept 1, 2009.  The DRMS Board of Directors had contracted with Ann Maclaine to serve as Interim Executive Director in February of this year.  During her time as Interim, she helped lead the agency into many transitions needed to refocus the scope of its work for individuals with disabilities in the state of Mississippi.  Ms. Maclaine served as the Director of Legal Services for Louisiana’s protection and advocacy system for twenty years, and DRMS staff and board are energized about the future outlook of the agency under her leadership. 

Since Ms. Maclaine’s arrival in February, the changes within the P & A have been tremendous.  A new name and logo, a new team structure, new internal committees that provide staff with more autonomy and voice, a statewide summer listening tour that provided 41 outreach opportunities in a 14 week time frame, the setting of new goals and priorities, work on several important investigations and other systems advocacy projects, and the opening of the first official satellite office on the MS Gulf Coast are all highlights of the changes that have taken place under Ann’s leadership.  There has also been a trend for more active collaboration with other agencies, for which she has been extremely supportive.  

In Louisiana, Maclaine has overseen the legal work of the agency, and was involved in major litigation, including class action suits to improve conditions in a crisis psychiatric facility and to insure accessibility of the public transportation system in New Orleans. She also was co-counsel in one of the first jury trials brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which resulted in a favorable verdict for a young deaf woman denied the opportunity to complete her preparation to become an elementary school teacher. Her primary role, however, was to inspire, support and nurture staff by assisting in the management of the agency. These are all attributes that have been experienced by both staff and board members at DRMS, and everyone is pleased for the trend to continue in Ann’s new full time capacity.
 
Please join DRMS staff as we welcome Ann to the agency and to the state. She may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .