1. The Importance of Community for Everyone – What is Community?
IM4Q Annual Statewide Training Conference Harrisburg, Pennsylvania July 26-27, 2017 Facilitators – Dr. Guy Caruso, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University Kevin Burrell, Office of Developmental Programs Panelists – Eric Haymon, Advocacy Alliance and IM4Q Steering Committee Zarifa Roberson, Mobile Therapist, SPIN, Philadelphia, Pa Michelle Tessitore, Voice and Vision and IM4Q Steering Committee

2. Intent of Session
This session will share what the word community means and how it has come to  be described for people with disabilities.
A number of panelists will talk about community as it relates to them as individuals.
An audience discussion will follow the panelists.

3. com·mu·ni·ty kəˈmyo͞onədē
noun
1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
“Pennsylvania’s Amish Community“
2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
"the sense of community that organized religion can provide“
The IM4Q community
synonyms:
group, body, set, circle, clique, faction; More

4. Community and Disability – What it has Meant
You are only part of a disability community as services control your life and the people you spend time with and the places you spend time in (This is a segregated community seldom chosen and done to people with disabilities by others)
Chosen disability community such a the deaf, visually impaired community, other that one purposely decides to associate with and belong to
Living in the Community where you physically spend time in the community where non-disabled people spend their time, but are not really socially part of it as you have few/no relationships with others who do not have disabilities

5. What We Hope Community and Disability Means
People with disabilities are not only in the community (physical integration), and also are part of the community (social integration) through relationships, friendships, memberships, and are seen as peers, as belonging, missed when not there, and as citizens (versus clients/consumers).

6. From Presence to Participation
So close (presence = physical integration) and yet so far (participation = social integration) One needs to be present and participate for true community involvement

7. What Is the Vision of a System For People with Disabilities?
Support people with disabilities to have lives like people without disabilities and be seen as citizens and NOT clients
Provide opportunities for true integration, independence, choice, and self-determination in all aspects of life – where people live, how they spend their days, and real community membership (people be in valued, not devalued roles)

8. We Know Physical Integration by Itself is NOT ENOUGH
We all know you can be in the community and not be part of it
We all know people with disabilities can still be seen as less than and not as peers and equals
People with disabilities can be “cast” into devalued roles
Devaluation cannot be mandated away by laws and rules
More lasting change comes from the valued roles one assumes
We all desire to be in valued roles, yet this concept is often foreign to our work and efforts as the devaluation process exists

9. Panelists Perspective on Community
Eric Haymon
Michelle Tessitore
Zarifa Roberson

10. Now Your Perspective What does community mean to you?
For Monitors: Are the people you interview really part of community or just physically in community?
For Monitors: What does communitynmean when we do IM4Q interviews?
For Monitors: What does community mean for considerations?