Disability Rights Montana Attorneys Alexandra Volkerts and Andree Larose Win National Advocates of the Year Award

On June 7th, 2011, Disability Rights Montana
(DRM) http://www.disabilityrightsmt.org and its client were honored in Baltimore at the
annual National Disability Rights Network and TASC
conference as Advocates of the Year for the work
of two of DRM’s senior attorneys, Alexandra
Volkerts (Missoula) and Andree Larose
(Helena).

Ms. Volkerts and Ms. Larose brought 4 legal
actions to obtain medically necessary treatment
and educational services for a Montana youth essential
to help him move from living in an institution to
living and working in the community. Alexandra
Volkerts was lead attorney in a 10 day fair hearing for
medically necessary Medicaid services while Andree
Larose was lead attorney in 2 special education claims
and in overturning the youth’s illegal commitment.

The TASC award recognized the youth’s employment
success subsequent to his successful medical
treatment. The youth now works two part time jobs and is
learning to read after 12 years of inadequate educational
services. Settlement of some of the claims provided
specialized employment services by Ellen Condon, employment
specialist for the Rural Institute at the University of Montana, on the job supports and transportation
by AWARE, Inc. staff, and individualized educational
services designed for the youth’s autism by Dr. Ann
Garfinkle, of the Univ. of Montana, Dept of Education.

Ms. Volkerts accepted the award on behalf
of DRM and dedicated it to her sister,
Dorothy Morris, a woman who lived almost
her entire life with significant disabilities.

Disability Rights Montana is a federally
funded, nonprofit law firm which is part of a nationwide
system of law firms dedicated to advocating for
the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities.
DRM’s main office is located at 1022 Chestnut
St. Helena MT 59801. Tel 1-800-245-4743
Website: http://www.disabilityrightsmt.org DRM has
two branch offices in Missoula and Glasgow.

Every state, the District of Columbia and the
trust territories have similar protection and advocacy
law firms dedicated to protecting the rights of people
with disabilities which operate cooperatively within the
National Disability Rights Network. http://www.napas.org

De Die In Diem The Newsletter of the Western Bar Association