1/13/2009

                       How to close an Institution from this Self Advocate Perspective

My Dad, who I call Padna, asked me the other day “How do you close an institution?” I told my padna you do it one person at a time… But it takes a little bit more than that…

Here are some of the  ingredients to create A Life Like Yours (ALLY) in the community for all people regardless of their abilities:

1)      A Vision: Self advocates created a vision in Waynesboro VA in the spring of 2008. You can find the Self Advocate Credo on The Arc website or go to you tube and see Erin Thompson reading the Credo on the Arc Of VA channel.

2)      We need leadership at every level:  From the self advocates to the Governor we must all take a stand– regardless of our passion and be strong to work for A Life Like Yours in the community.

3)      We need to have open communication:  Change can be scary. Rumors can fly. We must be direct, honest and open with each other.

4)      We need income: Building community takes funding and a commitment to make community work for everyone.

5)      We need a strategic plan:  A plan will give us direction so we can all work together.

6)      We need a transition plan for state employees:  Direct Support Professionals and managers who have made a career in the institutions may be afraid that they are losing there jobs…let’s give them the tools to use there skills in community settings.

7)      We need to increase our entourage of support to help us make this change: There are lots of experts around the country who can help us make this change, let’s ask for there help.

      We need to be good students: We need to learn from others states who have done this right and make sure we don’t make other’s  mistakes a long the way