Issues in Developmental Disabilities Community Building Interview Lecture Presenter: Connie Lyle O’Brien, MSW Interviewed by: Stefanie Primm

Where do we go from here?  System side or Community side  System side can’t do everything Need to connect people  System isn’t going away  Focus on Community Building

Person Centered Planning  Beth Mount’s: Personal Futures Planning Include their families, community members, service personnel  Do what works best for people  What does the person want for their life? Put people in a position to offer what they have to give

Tools for Community Building  Bring people together Include family members, community members, and stakeholders  Focus questions  Have more than one meeting

Alex (16 yrs old)  Power from Within  Real choice Having legitimate things to choose between  Ask person questions  Alex wants to teach a gymnastics class Teaches a class of 3-4 years olds Wants to be paid  “You give me my classes for free or you pay me for what I do? It’s up to you.” Teacher, employee first time in his life  Important social roles, kids look up to him

Using Language  Individual: all you need is a person’s NAME  Don’t need labels  May need to talk about what types of supports a person needs Needs an accessible place because uses a wheelchair Needs an interpreter because doesn’t speak

How do you show choice?  Help people have a wider range of experiences  Ask Questions  Listen

Normalization and Inclusion  Use Normalization Ideas Need to return to the Principles of Normalization  Help people become part of the community AND  Support them in the community  As typical as possible  Training for new workers Some resistance, but is necessary

Inclusion in Schools  Huge difference in terms of skills, abilities, and connections. People read and write now  Ordinary Environments vs. Separate Places.  Problem: Supports can dissipate in adult life services  Missing Link: Transition between exiting school and entering the adult world

Allies  Any support person could become an ally Allies join with person to achieve their goals  Case Managers/Support Brokers Assitance vs ally Assistance role can tied to funding source Not static roles

Making Changes  “Power Over” Power imposed on people  Input from variety of sources People with disabilities, their families, community members  Choice

Forming Associations  Example: Ray His church His adapt group His self-advocacy network  Safety on buses and in the community Neighborhood associations  Focus on people’s interests  Natural Groups vs Segregated Groups

The Service System and Community Building  Service providers cannot always do the community building May not have the reciprocal relationships  Their role is to find the connections Connect with people who CAN do it