Michelle Fry is taking on tough task.

The former Indiana attorney starts Oct. 11 as directo of the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.

She will oversee the agency responsible for the wellbeing of South Carolinians with disabilities and special needs.

DSSN has a spotty record — as do some of the care givers it finances and monitors — for protecting challeged people who cannot care for themselves.

DDSN reforms resulted from the Chronicle’s 4-year series of reports on cases of abuse, rape, neglect and even death in some care giver agencies.

Fry replaces Mary Poole, DDSN’s former director who was fired over how she handled a sexual harassment allegation.

The commission was divided on Poole’s dismissal.

Circuit Court Judge Lawton McIntosh found that some commissioners conspired in secret to fire Poole, a violation of the Freedom of Information Act.

McIntosh ordered the commissioners to pay Poole’s salary and benefits for 6 months and attorney fees. Her salary was $171,400 a year.

Her attorney Jack Cahoon told the Chronicle she also seeks compensation for harming her ability to get another job, as well as punitive damages to deter them from violating the FoIA law again.

Fry’s experience has been in education, not care for the disabled.

But the DDSN commission announced she spent most of her career advocating for equity and access for students with disabilities and she’s worked with marginalized citizens.

Fry was general counsel to the Indiana State Board of Education, the Indiana Charter School Board and the Indiana Department of Education.

Former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence appointed her to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.