At OHI, advocacy is not a program. It is a promise—and a legacy.
Since 1979, OHI has stood at the forefront of the fight for the rights, dignity, and full inclusion of people with mental health challenges and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Maine. We were not latecomers to this movement—we helped build it. OHI's founder, Bonnie Jean Brooks, is recognized as one of the defining figures in Maine's disability rights history. She is honored by MACSP as a founding mother of the organization, a state and national leader who helped de-institutionalize people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Maine, a driver for and creator of quality services to help people build supportive and independent lives in the community, and a mentor to many—so much so that MACSP's most prestigious award for advocacy excellence, the Bonnie Jean Brooks Leading Light Award, was established in her honor.
That is the standard OHI holds itself to every single day.
We believe—without reservation—that every person deserves the opportunity to live independently, participate fully in their community, and have a powerful voice in decisions that affect their own life. That belief drives us beyond service delivery — to speak up, push for change, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the people and organizations fighting to make that vision real.
How You Can Advocate—and Why It Matters
Advocacy is not reserved for professionals or policymakers. Some of the most powerful advocates in Maine are community members, neighbors, and employers who simply decide to show up. Here's how you can make a difference:
Become a Volunteer Correspondent
Being a Volunteer Correspondent is one of the most personal and powerful forms of advocacy. Through the MDSOAB's Volunteer Correspondent Program, community members are matched with adults with IDD or autism who have no family or friends to advocate on their behalf. You become their champion—attending goal-planning meetings, making sure their voice is heard, and simply being a consistent, caring presence in their life. It might mean sending a birthday card. It might mean sitting at a table with a case manager and a guardian to ensure your friend's wishes are truly honored. Whatever form it takes, the impact is profound.
Hire Someone With A Disability.
One in five Americans lives with a disability—representing a vast, largely untapped pool of talent, loyalty, and perspective. Businesses that build inclusive hiring practices don't just do the right thing—they build stronger teams, stronger cultures, and stronger communities. OHI can help connect employers with individuals who are ready and able to contribute, as well as with the vocational support resources that make inclusive hiring succeed for everyone.
Support Self-Advocacy
Attend a SUFU event. Amplify the voices of people with disabilities in your workplace, your neighborhood, and your civic life. Help the people around you understand that independence and inclusion are not aspirational ideals—they are rights.
Our Pledge
The people OHI serves are not problems to be managed. They are leaders, contributors, neighbors, and friends. They have rights. They have gifts. And they deserve a community—and a state and nation—that sees and values both.
OHI will never stop fighting to make that a reality. It's what Bonnie Jean Brooks built. It's what we carry forward every day.
Want to get involved in OHI's advocacy efforts?
Contact us today—we would love to have you join the fight.
