Rights & Safety

Maryland Blue Card

The Maryland Blue Card is a voluntary wallet card for a person with a developmental disability to share information with law enforcement during an interaction. It can communicate that the person may respond, communicate, or process information differently and can provide helpful contact information. The card can be useful for a person who wants a simple way to explain their needs during a stressful encounter.

How to get one: Visit a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration branch and ask for a Blue Card. The MVA says no proof of disability is required and that it does not track who takes a card. Filling out and carrying the card is voluntary. It does not replace identification, change a person’s legal rights, or guarantee a particular response from an officer.

Helpful links: MVA information for individuals with disabilities, including the Blue Card · Blue Card information and image · Find an MVA branch.

Disability Rights Maryland

Disability Rights Maryland is Maryland’s protection and advocacy organization for people with disabilities. It provides information, advocacy, and legal services on selected disability-rights issues. Its work can involve access to services, discrimination, abuse or neglect, and other issues affecting the rights of people with disabilities.

How to start: Review its help and eligibility pages, then contact its intake team. Explain what happened, where it happened, any deadlines, and what resolution you are seeking. The organization assesses requests under its eligibility rules and current priorities, so contacting intake does not guarantee legal representation. Even if it cannot take a case, its published resources may help you identify a next step.

Helpful links: How to get help · Services and advocacy areas · Eligibility information

Intake: 410-727-6352, extension 0.

ADA.gov

ADA.gov is the U.S. Department of Justice’s official source for information about the Americans with Disabilities Act. Its guides explain disability rights and accessibility obligations in everyday settings, including state and local government services and businesses open to the public. It is a useful starting point when you want to understand what the law says before raising an accessibility concern.

How to use it: Start with the disability rights guide, then explore the topic that matches your situation. If you need advice about a specific dispute or possible legal representation in Maryland, contact an advocacy or legal organization such as Disability Rights Maryland.

Helpful links: Guide to disability rights laws · Public accommodations and businesses · ADA laws and regulations.