Collaboration WHOLE COMMUNITY Planning

Collaboration Defined As: an exchanging of information, altering activities, sharing resources and enhancing the capacity of another for mutual benefit. To achieve a common purpose by sharing risks, responsibilities and rewards.

GOAL Lessens impact – Resources – Medical personnel Integrate Functional Needs into general population Match and Maximize resource allocation Make sure we are all ready

Begin with Collaboration is NOT and end in its self BUT a means to other ends – Improve performance – Increase Quality – Stimulate Innovation BUT If the end can be accomplishes better some other way – DO NOT – expend the energy and resources WHY??????WHY??????

Begin with Don’t plan for plan with NOT ‘Special Needs’ Do not tell us what we are doing wrong – tell us how to do it right Allows looking at the diverse needs of your community C- MIST (Communication, Medical, Independence, Supervision, Transportation) Addresses cival rights issues Ensures inclusion Moves away from medical model WHY??????WHY??????

The 3 T’s and 1 C Trust, Turf Time and Communication

Trust and Turf Is not built overnight - it takes TIME Building is a transformation process that must – Respect diversity of values – Respect diversity of perspective – A willingness to listen – A willingness to respectfully educate – A willingness to share power – Mutual Learning – Mutual accountability – A willingness to draw out ideas and information in ways that contribute to effective problem solving – Leave ‘ego’ at the door

Trust and Turf cont. It comes through building relationships through engaging honest sometimes NOT PC but respectful conversation Put away ‘this is the way we have always done it’ or ‘it’s the law’ Put on your teaching and listening hats

Trust Damage Trust Not open and inclusive Not adding value in term of meeting participation Carless handling of confidential/group discussion Not keeping commitments to communicate message or have a discussion with a non member Not open and inclusive Not adding value in term of meeting participation Carless handling of confidential/group discussion Not keeping commitments to communicate message or have a discussion with a non member Destroy Trust Not delivering commitment to the group Misleading members about their abilities or intent on group Poaching ideas Always being the ‘devils advocate’ Deliberately using confidential group information Repeatly damaging relationship within the group Not delivering commitment to the group Misleading members about their abilities or intent on group Poaching ideas Always being the ‘devils advocate’ Deliberately using confidential group information Repeatly damaging relationship within the group

Communication The definition of communication may be seen as: a culture of people who relate to each other through various means as our means of keeping track of the events that occur in our immediate environment and in other places in the world be seen in the way we perceive each day of our life by means of our connection with people

Ways We Communicate Perceptual Barrier Most Common barrier to communication because our words actions and mannerisms are open to interpretation. Can differ based on culture, emotion, personal and spiritual background Easy to make assumptions Most Common barrier to communication because our words actions and mannerisms are open to interpretation. Can differ based on culture, emotion, personal and spiritual background Easy to make assumptions

Generations Greatest Generation or G.I. Generation – Silent Generation – Baby Boomer Generation – Generation X or Baby Buster Generation – Generation Y or Millennium Generation – Generation Z or present

Things to consider Engage a facilitator when beginning We all view the world through different lenses – Cultural (native heritage, work/living environment, generational) – Language (native heritage, acronyms, work living environment, generational) – Do not continue to restate the problem – move forward – FIND SOLUTIONS

Kentucky

How it all began! Collaboration began in 2005 National conference on disabilities Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Public Health, Department of Community Based Services, Office on Aging and the Developmental Disabilities Council At The Governors Request

THROUGH GUIDED FACILITATION We accomplished – A knowledge base of each agency and the role each plays in all areas of disaster – A work plan - ‘NEXT STEPS’ that is updated annually. – Other partners that were needed – A readiness to work cooperatively

Partnership expanded Private organizations representing individuals with disabilities, children and the aging population University programs, state agencies, private disaster agencies, human services organizations Individual advocates About 40 in total

What have we accomplished Held a large Summit that included anyone that was interested in all aspects of emergency planning for individuals with disabilities Over 150 attendees from every part of the state Held break out session with facilitated discussion on – preparedness, response and recovery Developed an outcome focused project plan based on the input provided by the Summit attendees

First Responders and Community Responders Held two conferences to focus on First Responders and Community Response agencies to at the local level – All presentations were provided by individuals with disabilities – OUTCOME DIALOGUE WAS OPENED Distributed over 5000 First Responder handbooks Preparations underway for 5 th conference due to demand

Adopted by Public Health Created a charter Function under Public Health Formally a part of Health Emergency Management as a sub-committee with a representative on the larger committee This has given the committee a formal status within the emergency management structure

In Closing Collaboration and communication go hand in hand When you have a diverse group it is more difficult Consider everyone a valuable partner and resource Everyone is at the table Collaboration and communication go hand in hand When you have a diverse group it is more difficult Consider everyone a valuable partner and resource Everyone is at the table

Right People Right Reason Right Time COLLABORATE

Last But Not Least Maintain a VERY good sense of humor and flexibility especially during those times when the process gets a bit messy.

Everyday thought Make brilliant things happen by collaborating with unlikely partners Pat Seybold Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities