Self – Advocacy and People with Brain Injuries Daniel J. Keating, PhD Executive Director The Alliance for the Betterment if Citizens with Disabilities

Health Condition ( disorder/disease ) World Health Organization Interaction of Concepts ICF 2001 Environmental Factors Personal Factors Body function&structure (Impairment ) Activities(Limitation)Participation(Restriction)

Self-Advocacy Important in rehabilitation and recovery Can affect physical health Can affect emotional health Can impact quality of life Empowers

What is Self-Advocacy? “‘Advocacy” can mean many things, but in general, it refers to taking action. Advocacy simply involves speaking and acting on behalf of your self or others.” Advocacy Tool Kit: Skills and Strategies for Effective Self and Peer Advocacy; Disability Rights Wisconsin, 2008,

What is Self-Advocacy? “Advocacy is a type of problem solving designed to protect personal, and legal rights, and to insure a diversified existence.” Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

What is Self-Advocacy? There are several types of action that a person can take: ◦System advocacy: taking actions to influence social, political, and economic systems to bring about change for groups of people ◦Legal advocacy: what lawyers do to establish or protect legal rights ◦Legislative advocacy: change laws, promote new laws ◦Peer advocacy: taking actions to represent the rights and interests of someone other than yourself ◦Self-advocacy: taking action to represent and advance your own interests Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

What is Self-Advocacy? Individual self-advocacy: speaking or acting for oneself and deciding what is best for the individual and taking charge of one’s life by standing up for oneself. Group self-advocacy: individuals join together to advocate for a common cause; Groups can become social outlets for people with disabilities Brandt, J. Creating a New Self-Advocacy Organization – Imagine the Possibilities, Partnership for People with Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University.

What is Self-Advocacy? “People with…disabilities must be able to act as self-advocates, that is: to exercise their rights of basic personhood and citizenship by speaking and standing up for themselves. This means that people must have a voice in decision-making in all areas of their daily life and in public policy decisions affecting them.” Self-Advocacy, The Arc of the United States, px?piwww.thearc.org/page.asd=2358

Advocacy Skills Self advocacy skills can help you avoid or solve problems with family and loved ones, doctors and lawyers, employers, associates, and friends Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

Advocacy Skills Self-advocacy skills can help you obtain reasonable and necessary accommodations in both public and private settings; i.e., education, housing, employment, transportation, and taxation. Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

Advocacy Skills Self-advocacy skills can help you identify, analyze, and make informed decisions concerning choices one must make. The regular exercise of self-advocacy skills can empower one to gain greater control over one’s life. Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

Self-Advocacy Plan Effective advocacy of any kind requires building a solid strategy or plan and practicing skills to help you feel comfortable and confident in reaching your advocacy goals. Advocacy Training Manual: Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, 1986

Self-Advocacy Plan Break Down the problem Educate yourself Identify your rights Develop a solution (goal) and strategy to address your problem Advocacy Training Manual: Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, 1986

Self-Advocacy Skills Educate oneself about your condition Keep good records Problem solve Keep a positive attitude Be Persistent Thank those who help you Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center;

Advocacy Plan Create a Plan: Statement of the problem ◦What would you like to achieve? ◦A statement of general purpose or intent

Advocacy Plan What would you like to achieve? ◦What are your goals? ◦What is the ideal solution ◦What are compromise solutions

Advocacy Plan Information available: What Information do you have? What information do you need?

Advocacy Plan Arguments: What are the arguments that are pro your position? What are the arguments that are con your position?

Advocacy Plan Step by Step Plan: Who will do what ◦What will you do? ◦What will other do? When will things be done by? ◦Establish dates and deadlines

Advocacy Plan What will you do next if you succeed? What will you do if you do not succeed?

Conclusion Questions ???