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Center + Imagine Enterprises = Self-Determination for Texas
Self Determination for Texas is a joint project with Imagine Enterprise and the Center or Self-Determination that will bring the principles and practices of self-determination to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in Texas. With three year funding from the Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Center and Imagine Enterprise will focus on several Texas communities and begin training and technical assistance to a broad range of families, individuals with disabilities, providers and policymakers.
Headed by Norine Jaloway Gill, Executive Director of Imagine Enterprises, Self Determination for Texas will develop a strong cadre of local leaders who will provide a growing and knowledgeable constituency for self-determination. With expertise from the Center for Self-Determination, this partnership will systematically engage necessary constituents in transforming systems through learning events that strengthen self-determination knowledge and skills of individuals, families, providers and agencies, and other community allies.
Dennis Harkins, a lead consultant for the Texas project described the Center’s conviction that in order for self-determination to be carried through, local leaders must take responsibility: “We like to get in and get out,” Harkins says with sincerity. With values-based training that adapt to current environments, the Center distinguishes itself by supporting learning communities by truly building capacity. Watch for more information.
www.imagineenterprises.com
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The Balancing Long-Term Care project
On September 11, Center Director Tom Nerney served as an expert resource and discussant for the Balancing Long-Term Care project session "Lessons Learned from Rebalancing LTC for the MR/DD population."
Balancing Long Term Care Project consists of state government officials -- mostly from programs in aging or Medicaid-- and is designed to create institutional change in states’ long-term care systems by assisting states to move towards more balanced forms of long-term care, encouraging system change rather than partial technical changes, and serving as a vehicle for bringing about cross-fertilization of expertise from one state jurisdiction to another and for developing a team of state officials with commitment to and skills in balancing LTC systems and addressing the institutional bias in the field of aging.
Other issues discussed at this meeting were workforce development, the unionization of direct care workers and the differences in values between the field of developmental disabilities and aging. This project is directed by Robert L. Kane, MD Minnesota Chair in Long-Term Care and Aging at the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota.
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Achieving the Promise: the Real Work of Transformation
Tom Nerney will present as a part of a panel at the 4TH Annual Training Institute for State Mental Health Olmstead Coordinators at the Georgetown University Conference Center in Washington D.C on September 13, 2004.
This Institute is a result of the Division of State and Community Systems Development, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration commitment to state initiatives to implement the goals and recommendations of the Final Report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Sue Jamieson, lead counsel for Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W will join Tom. Panel will be moderated by Patricia Deegan, PhD www.patdeegan.comor
www.self-determination.com/pdf/rethinkingRehab.pdf
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Immersion Learning in Ohio and Minneapolis
In Akron, Ohio on September 14 & 15, the Self-Determination Association and The Ohio Association of Adult Services - Ohio Department of MRDD, in partnership with the Center for Self-Determination will host Ohio 2004 Self-Determination Immersion Training
http://www.self-determination.com/pdf/ohimmersionagenda.pdf
The Center has developed expertise in immersive learning events and is prepared to assist others in developing these intensive learning sessions. See related article below Immersion Learning about Change for Prosperity or visit: http://www.self-determination.com/events/index.html
Additionally, plans are underway for a Midwest Immersion Learning about Self-Determination in Minneapolis during summer 2005. Contact Pat Carver pcarver@chartermi.net or Rebecca Rooker remarkabler@comcast.net for further information.
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News from Self-Determination.com
Speaking for Myself:
Reflections on “Passing” and Labels
Read Center Consultant Ruthie Marie Beckwith’s most recently published article at
http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/issues/pdf/RDSissue022004.pdf As a personal essay, the impact of labeling on humanity is particularly explored in this important writing.
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Self-Determination State Sites
Arkansas
- Center and AARP offer Alternatives to Guardianship
Center for Self-Determination President and attorney Kathleen Harris will present September 14 on Alternatives to Guardianship at the American Association for Retired Persons in Little Rock.
www.self-determination.com/states/arkansas/index.html. This event is sponsored by a unique partnership of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons http://www.aarp.org/states/ar/ and the Independent Living Council. Questions? Contact Rebecca Riggs at rriggs@ipa.net For more information on Alternatives to Guardianship visit:
http://www.self-determination.com/publications/guardreform.html
- New State Contact
Eric Treat joined the Center's website as an Arkansas State Contact. Mr. Treat, an active leader in the disability community at local, state and national levels is very innovative in getting discussions going on self-determination through teleconference calls. As president of Arkansas People First he invited Carolyn Delgado from New Mexico to present on Self-Determination Waivers on a teleconference call this month as part of a recent series.
Eric Treat ettreat@yahoo.com
State contacts are Center members who serve as sources of information and support for citizens in their state looking for assistance concerning self-determination. If you live in Arkansas, feel free to notify Eric Treat above with news about self-determination – otherwise visit your own state page
http://www.self-determination.com/states/index.html to read or add relevant information.
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Texas
-Team Looks at Alternatives
Attorney Harris will also present on guardianship alternatives to the State Self-Determination Policy and Planning Team in Austin on September 24. This team includes a number of state agency people in key jobs, staff from legislative and Governor's offices, disability advocacy groups, individual advocates and provider representatives. The following day Kathy will consult with Advocacy, Inc.-- a nonprofit corporation funded by the United States Congress to protect and advocate for the legal rights of people with disabilities in Texas.
- "Call to Action"
Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (CTD) 26th Annual Convention held in Dallas Sept. 17-19, 2004 brings together members of various disability groups with diverse backgrounds to build the knowledge and skills necessary for effective advocacy in the 79th Texas State Legislature and beyond. This year, Vickie Vining from the Center on Self-Determination will present a workshop on "Self-Determination as an Advocacy Strategy." Visit http://www.cotwd.org/index.php?cat=19
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Tennessee
- Creative Budgeting in Nashville
Center Trainers Carol Wallace and Jan Lampman will present "Guaranteeing the Promise of Freedom through Redefining Quality and Creative Individual Budgeting" in Nashville on September 28 and 29, 2004. For more information on budget training and other technical assistance visit http://www.self-determination.com/consulting/index.html Contact Ruthie-Marie Beckwith EMPFANATIC@aol.com for further information about the Nashville training.
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Michigan
- "Dream It! Achieve It" Person-Centered Planning
Conference
On September 20 & 21, 2004 in Lansing Jim Conroy, president of Center for Outcome Analysis and Center for Self-Determination consultant will discuss the reasoning behind linking individual budgets to person-centered planning. He will also share developments concerning new quality assessment instrument designed jointly by the Center for Self-Determination and Center for Outcome Analysis. For more information http://www.macmhb.org/PCP/PCPAgenda.pdf
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New Mexico
- Institute on Self-Determination
ARC New Mexico Executive Director Rebecca Shuman knows first hand that the promise of self-determination requires that people be prepared to engage in a different kind of process around planning and using support and services. Therefore, she pulled together a creative team and built the Institute on Self-Determination to address this need.
http://www.self-determination.com/states/newmexico/index.html On September 24 and 25, Center staff Tom Nerney and Pat Carver will conduct a two-day training session on individual budgeting.
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Virginia
- Disability History Explored
Center Consultant and Inclusion Research Institute Executive Director Jackie Golden will address Virginia’s first session of Partners in Policymaking Saturday September 18 in Richmond. The primary purpose of the Inclusion Research Institute (IRI) is to develop, research, and disseminate educational, therapeutic, and technological innovations that enable persons of all ages, including individuals with disabilities or other disadvantages to be independent, productive and included in schools, communities, and places of employment. http://www.inclusionresearch.org/
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Updates and Announcements
Immersion Learning about Change for Prosperity
Immersion Learning about Change for Prosperity will occur December 7-10 at the RENAISSANCE CHICAGO HOTEL. This Learning Event is a collaborative effort developed by the University of Iowa’s Center for Disabilities, Development Employment Policy Group, and the Center for Self-Determination with support from the Iowa Department of Human Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
This three-day Immersion Learning planning forum will focus on economic security for young people with disabilities/special health care needs. Keep up to date about Immersion Learning about Change for Prosperity by visiting: http://www.self-determination.com/events/index.html
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Web cast on Using Work Incentives to Fund Micro Enterprises
September 20, 2004, 2 PM ET, In this web cast, David Hammis Sr. Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, will discuss using Plan For Achieving Self-Support (PASS) as a small business funding source that directly infuses operating cash into a business cash flow. He will address Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE), Blind Work Expenses (BWE), and using Property Essential to Self Support (PESS) that allow unlimited cash resources in small business accounts not subject to the SSI $2000 personal resources limit. Mr. Hammis will explain how Vocational Rehabilitation and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding interact with net earnings from self employment. Lastly, he will cover other critical issues related to self employment such as Medicaid, Section 8, and small business loans. Register Online - http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/cyberu/webcast/webcast.htm
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Thanks to Kris Copeland
This past summer, the Center for Self-Determination began linking more closely with our sponsoring agency Community Living Services to develop stronger administrative support. Kris Copeland left the Center employment in early August. We thank Kris for her commitment and wish her well!
Training Administrative Assistant
Louise Dennis has joined the Center staff as Administrative Assistant for Training. Following Louise's first-rate assistance during the Atlanta Immersion Learning, we knew we could not let her go. In a newly created position, her responsibilities are to organize Center training opportunities. Louise lives in Powder Springs Georgia and can be reached at lfdennis@ngcsu.edu. Please contact her to arrange Center learning opportunities for your advocacy organization, policymakers, provider agencies etc.
Closing Quote
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-- Thomas Paine
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