NMPASI staff bid farewell to co-workers

The staff and board of the Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems, Inc. bid farewell to two of its long-time staff after a combined 16 years of service with the state-designated agency of protection and advocacy services for individuals with disabilities.

One of NMPASI’s staff stated, “Being the tight-knit, small group that we arae, Matt (Matthew Holley) and Jan’s (Janet Taitano) absence certainly leaves a noticeable void in our office to which we are having to adjust, but ‘onward and upward’ as some have said.”

Another would be quoted saying, “We all support their decisions to branch off and try their hands at whatever new adventures may come—no doubt they carry with them an inalienable sense of NMPASI’s mission to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and that they will forever remain advocates on behalf of people with disabilities wherever they may be.”

Matthew “Matt” Holley served as legal counsel with NMPASI for the past five and half years investing much of his time on prison/juvenile detention reform issues and successfully litigated (in U.S. District Court) NMPASI’s “access authority.”  Per federal statute, NMPASI is mandated to, “protect and advocate for the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities” [42 USC §15043 (a)(1)] and the federal regulations mandate that our office shall, among other things:

n Have reasonable unaccompanied access to public and private facilities which provide services, supports, and other assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities in the state when necessary to conduct a full investigation of an incident of abuse or neglect [42 CFR 1386.22(f)];
n Have unaccompanied access to all residents of a facility at reasonable times, which at a minimum shall include normal working hours and visiting hours (emphasis added) [42 CFR 1386.22(g)]

“Advocacy for disability-rights is something I intend to continue pursuing regardless of whether or not I work for NMPASI,” Holley told his fellow advocates before leaving.

Janet L. Taitano was NMPASI’s fiscal officer for a little over 10 years and generally kept behind the scenes of direct advocacy work, but holds a very personal attachment to the mission of NMPASI which was instrumental in protecting and advocating for the rights of an immediate relative (“Someone I love with all my heart,” as she would say) who was involuntarily held at the psychiatric ward for a time due to a mental illness.  Taitano and her family relocated to Guam in December when her husband was offered a new job and where they can be closer to the husband’s family.

NMPASI was founded in 1993 with a mission to protect the civil, legal and human interests of individuals with disabilities.  Since its inception, NMPASI has provided assistance to thousands of local residents with disabilities in the form of: (1) free legal services / representation to combat various forms of discrimination due to their disabilities, (2) free outreach/training activities throughout the community (to include Tinian and Rota) on issues relating to the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities and (3) free advocacy services for the elderly who may not otherwise qualify under our disability-related programs.

For more, please contact NMPASI at (670) 235-7273/4 [tel] / 235-7275 [fax/tty] or on-line at www.nmpasi.org.