Disability Rights Maine (DRM) is Maine’s Protection & Advocacy agency for people with disabilities. DRM’s mission is to advance justice and equality by enforcing rights and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities in Maine.
DRM represents individuals whose rights have been violated or who have been discriminated against based on their disability. DRM also provides training on rights and self-advocacy and advocates for public policy reform.
DRM’s Deaf Services provides advocacy, equipment, training and resources for individuals who are Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened, Deaf and Deaf Blind, or who use signs and gestures to communicate. Services include:
- The Telecommunications Equipment Program (TEP), which provides no-cost or low-cost equipment to any Maine resident who cannot use a conventional telephone due to hearing loss, speech barriers, or other disability. Mainers over 65 may qualify for a hearing aid through this program. Examples of equipment the program can provide include: amplified telephones, captioned telephones, hearing aids, speech generating devices, personal amplification systems, tablets for using telecommunications apps, and others.
- Maine Relay Outreach & Education assists people who are hard of hearing, deaf, or who have speech disabilities to have access to phone calls. Maine Relay is a free statewide service. The service allows users to make calls to standard voice telephone users, using special equipment (for example, a captioned phone or TTY). DRM can provide Maine Relay info, demonstrations, presentations, and one-on-one technical assistance to individuals and organizations.
- Advocacy for individuals, to ensure equal access for people who are Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened, Deaf and Deaf Blind. The program also offers scribe services, information and referral assistance, and training on rights and self-advocacy.
Disability Rights Maine (DRM) is Maine’s Protection & Advocacy agency for people with disabilities. DRM’s mission is to advance justice and equality by enforcing rights and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities in Maine.
DRM represents individuals whose rights have been violated or who have been discriminated against based on their disability. DRM also provides training on rights and self-advocacy and advocates for public policy reform.
DRM’s Deaf Services provides advocacy, equipment, training and resources for individuals who are Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened, Deaf and Deaf Blind, or who use signs and gestures to communicate. Services include:
- The Telecommunications Equipment Program (TEP), which provides no-cost or low-cost equipment to any Maine resident who cannot use a conventional telephone due to hearing loss, speech barriers, or other disability. Mainers over 65 may qualify for a hearing aid through this program. Examples of equipment the program can provide include: amplified telephones, captioned telephones, hearing aids, speech generating devices, personal amplification systems, tablets for using telecommunications apps, and others.
- Maine Relay Outreach & Education assists people who are hard of hearing, deaf, or who have speech disabilities to have access to phone calls. Maine Relay is a free statewide service. The service allows users to make calls to standard voice telephone users, using special equipment (for example, a captioned phone or TTY). DRM can provide Maine Relay info, demonstrations, presentations, and one-on-one technical assistance to individuals and organizations.
- Advocacy for individuals, to ensure equal access for people who are Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened, Deaf and Deaf Blind. The program also offers scribe services, information and referral assistance, and training on rights and self-advocacy.