AutismBC’s Post

Mothers caring for children with disabilities demonstrate immense strength and resilience in facing complex challenges. Society must recognize their dedication and provide robust support. Access to specialized healthcare, educational services, and respite care can alleviate pressures. Community understanding and inclusion are crucial for fostering environments where these mothers feel valued and connected. Advocating for accessibility policies and offering emotional support empower these mothers to thrive. Strengthening this support network enriches lives and builds a more inclusive community. What actions are you taking to support them?

At Liberty, we are proud to partner with Maryland Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) to improve services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Through the National Core Indicators (NCI) surveys, we gain valuable insights into what’s working and where we can grow together. Key Findings from the Latest Surveys: ✅ Over 1,700 surveys completed, amplifying the voices of families and participants! ✅ 94% of families said services help their loved ones live a good life. ✅ 54% of participants without a job expressed the desire to work, highlighting opportunities for better community employment support. ✅ 63% of participants reported doing activities they enjoy in their communities. We remain committed to ensuring that all services are person-centered, empowering individuals and fostering inclusion in every way possible. Learn more about the surveys here: https://lnkd.in/eGzaQ_ZU

REMINDER Alternatives to Guardianship: Supported Decision Making virtual seminar. Registration available at https://go.hawaii.edu/nLv Presenter Che Silvert Thursday, April 11th, 2024 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm HST, via Zoom. --- The goal of the presentation is to educate our community of what Supported Decision Making is and how it is an alternative to Guardianship/Conservatorships. In this talk we would fully break down how SDM works, what the benefits are, and where Hawai'i is today with implementing it. ✔️ Attendees of this session will be able to address the following prompts: ✔️ What is Supported Decision Making and how does it work? ✔️ What are the benefits of Supported Decision Making? ✔️ Where is Hawai'i in terms of implementing Supported Decision Making? Che Silvert, a Community and Legislative Liaison for the Department of Developmental Disabilities, is born and raised in Hawaii and has worked for the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities since 20218. --- Interested in getting updates on upcoming partner seminars? Sign-up for our news email listserv at https://go.hawaii.edu/yVn

People with IDD who want to live and work in their communities need committed direct support professionals, but this workforce is chronically underpaid and short-staffed. ICI’s Direct Support Workforce Solutions and Rhode Island partners published this report explaining how they are stabilizing direct support in Rhode Island. ICI’s partners on this project are the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities at Rhode Island College; the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals; and the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island. Available in English and Spanish. https://z.umn.edu/a2og

With the new administration in place, it's an opportune moment to renew our call for a Historic Resource Study focusing on sites significant to Disability History. Despite being the largest minority group, the disabled community remains underrepresented. Among the 400+ parks in the National Park System, none are specifically dedicated to narrating the American Disabled experience. Important sites for study include mental asylums, schools for the Deaf/Blind, Eugenic Sterilization Centers, Centers for Independent Living and advocacy sites, Vocational Rehabilitation programs, and notable locations of adaptive redesign post-ADA. It's crucial for the National Park Service to share and interpret the Disabled story, and that starts with a study requested by Congress.

ECTA Center eNotes for November 20, 2024 are available. In this issue: - Save-the-Date for the International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute - A Blueprint to Inclusion: Supporting Systemic Change in California Webinar Available - Voluntary Self-Assessment for States to Support Military-Connected Children with Disabilities and their Families under the IDEA - Fast Facts Explores IDEA Section 618 Data in Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States - More Kids Than Ever Need Special Education, but Burnout Has Caused a Teacher Shortage - Coping and Resilience Aid Parents of Disabled Children, Study Says https://lnkd.in/eQmdY4QM

How to avoid the scarcity trap ⬇️ The disabilities community encounters significant obstacles in accessing quality healthcare. Now is the time to advocate for policy changes that enhance resources! In today’s episode of Parenting Impossible, I emphasize the importance of building community to accelerate progress, with topics of: ✨ How to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset when setting goals ✨ Effective individualized planning for those with disabilities ✨ The value of education, online resources, and mindfulness in creating a supportive network 🎙️ Come join the conversation here and let’s thrive together: https://lnkd.in/eabyqH9c How do you cultivate powerful communities to initiate change?

What does community mean to you? Community, to me, means committing to mutual care — it is the expectation that everyone puts effort into being present and consistently available to receive or give support. Community allows each individual to show up in ways that align with their strengths, abilities and intentions. Community is not necessarily about creating equal exchanges — it is an interest in providing support to one another based on shared goals, and individual needs and capabilities. As a Developmental Services Professional, it is my responsibility to… --Find opportunities for people with disabilities to showcase their skillsets within workplaces and community settings. --Advocate for the development of more inclusive spaces. --Facilitate relationship-building between people with disabilities and healthcare workers, employers, family and other community members. Disabled people deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated for the vital role they play in the communities that surround them. 

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to live and work in their communities need committed direct support professionals, but this workforce is chronically underpaid and short-staffed. The Institute on Community Integration's Direct Support Workforce Solutions (dsws.umn.edu) and its partners published this report explaining how they are stabilizing direct support in Rhode Island. ICI’s partners on this project are the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities at Rhode Island College; the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals; and the Community Provider Network of RI. Available in English and Spanish. https://z.umn.edu/a2og

Reflections on connecting with the Inclusion Langley Society community 🩵 Inclusion Langley provides services that improve quality of life for children with developmental or support needs and adults with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. The organization received a Community Engagement Grant from BC’s Ministry of Children & Family Development to support the engagement of their community in discussions around creating a better network of services and supports for children and youth with disabilities or support needs and their families. Roots & Rivers was engaged to design and facilitate community engagement sessions with children, youth, caregivers, and service providers. Team members Janani Ravikularam and Kareen Wong created spaces for accessible engagement where participants felt comfortable sharing meaningful insights into their nuanced experiences with services and supports for children and youth with disabilities or support needs. The team also supported the Inclusion Langley team with analysis of input they collected through a survey and community engagement sessions hosted by their team in Chinese and Korean. What we heard from the engagement was synthesized into a clear, plain language report which was shared back to the community and the Ministry of Child, Youth & Family Development to contribute to the design of future systems. Our gratitude goes out to Jenilee Woods, the team at Inclusion Langley and to all the community members and service providers who contributed to this project🩵