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