Drinker Biddle and Disability Rights North Carolina filed a lawsuit on May 24, 2017 to address the failure of the State of North Carolina to provide appropriate behavioral health services to citizens with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) so that they do not suffer segregation or institutionalization.

The Foundation, the Ropes and Gray law firm, Children’s Rights, and Disability Rights Iowa filed suit in November 2017 on behalf of boys confined to Iowa’s Boys State Training School who have significant mental illnesses.

The Foundation received from the 2017 Grantees their year-end reports.

The Barbara McDowell and Gerald S. Hartman Foundation has selected four organizations for 2018 grants, each receiving an award of $25,000.

Maggie Menditto has started working as the Administrator for the Foundation as an independent contractor. Maggie, a recent graduate of Oberlin College, will assist the Foundation with respect to its social media contacts and fundraising.

Jerry Hartman, attorneys from Drinker Biddle, and Disability Rights North Carolina filed a lawsuit challenging the State’s practices of segregating and institutionalizing individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

The Foundation received from the 2017 Grantees their six-month reports.

Jerry attended his 50th college reunion at Columbia College in New York in June 2016 and a news item written in the alumni magazine, Columbia College Today, published in April 2017 had information about Jerry and the Foundation.

Jerry Hartman retired as a partner at Drinker Biddle in January 2017 where he had maintained an active employment law practice.