Meet Jane

Situation: One of triplets, Jane Hood was born with cerebral palsy. After Hurricane Katrina forced her family to move to Minnesota, Jane found that as she grew, she needed a standing wheelchair that would allow her to wash her hands, reach kitchen counters and do other tasks safely (and without the constant need for personal care attendants). Unfortunately, when she applied to the state for Medicaid funding to procure the wheelchair, her application was denied.

Action: Jane’s parents contacted Legal Aid’s Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC), and we took the case. As an advocate for Jane, we appealed the denial to the Department of Human Services, submitted legal briefs, represented her in a hearing before a Human Services judge and testified on her behalf.

Result: Based on our work, the state reversed its decision and got Jane the wheelchair she needs. She is now able to experience a whole new sense of independence—which, as you can see, puts a big smile on her face.