DES/DDD National Core Indicator (2005-2006)

Consumer Advocacy Objective

The Division of Developmental Disabilities has participated in the National Core Indicator Project since its inception eight years ago. Each year, participating states solicit input from individuals and/or families regarding levels of satisfaction with services and supports. From this input, the Division has selected areas that individuals and/or families have identified as needing improvement.

For fiscal year 2005-2006, the Division’s Management Team has identified the need to improve consumer participation in self-advocacy efforts. As a result, each district has agreed to develop and implement action strategies that will facilitate this improvement. The following are the strategies that each district has identified:

District I

  • District I Program Administrator will review the goals of the Self-Determination/ Self-Advocacy Implementation Plan to the District-wide Supervisors by May 11, 2005.
  • The Support Coordination Supervisors will identify and solicit prospective participants and submit a brief synopsis to the District Managers and the Area Program Managers. This information will be attained from Support Coordination staff, Families Actively Communicating Together (FACT) meetings, Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL), Group home residents etc. by May 20, 2005.
  • Minnie Williams will contact Lynn Berjnar in an effort to form a collaborative partnership on this project by May 11, 2005.
  • Area Program Managers will review nominations and make committee selections by May 27, 2005.
  • The District Program Administrator and the District Managers will identify the initial meeting date and location by May 27, 2005.
  • District Administrative staff will develop and present a meeting notice flyer for approval to the District Administrative staff by May 27, 2005.
  • Area Program Managers will send out meeting notices by June 01, 2005.
  • The initial meeting held by the District Program Managers will occur by June 10, 2005.

Comments:

  • Committee members should include (but not be limited to): Adult consumers, Community partners (example: ABIL), Area Program Managers for Support Coordination and Resource, an Support Coordination Supervisor of an Adult Unit and a Support Coordinator who serves adults.
  • District I will have one meeting per area/ location on a quarterly basis. (Example: West, Central, and East).
  • Group Homes will be asked to transport consumers to meetings if a consumer in their program is participating in the group.
  • Case Aides and/or other staff can assist with transportation as needed.
  • District I will form a partnership with ABIL on this project.

District II

We have formed a workgroup to develop Consumer Advisory Council for District II. It includes Management Team members and representatives from our Futures Planning Council.

We have contacted Center for Disability Law and will be collaborating with their Self Advocacy Specialist.

We will include District II members of the DDD statewide Consumer Council in our planning group.

We are in contact with DIRECT to seek assistance from their Peer Mentoring Coordinator.

In June the first meeting of the planning workgroup will be held. This group will develop strategies to recruit, train and support members of a District II Consumer Advisory Council.

District III

The first Consumer Advisory Council meeting is targeted for September 2005.

Goal: To increase self-determination through self-advocacy groups in District III.

Strategies:

1) To identify the existing advocacy groups within the District by 1/20/05.

2) Partner with the District advocacy groups to expand advocacy activities to areas across the District by 2/15/05.

3) Develop strategies by 2/15/05 to increase awareness that the advocacy groups exist and their functions.

4) Include one D3 client on each of the District HRC Committees by 2/15/04

District IV

Goal:

"A consumer advisory committee will be established to assist the district in increasing self determination and self advocacy"

Strategies:

  • District IV will work with each of its respective Human Rights Committees to increase the membership of consumers on each committee. Each of these consumers will learn to advocate for themselves and others through participation in the committee and the training that is provided for each member. It is anticipated that this core of self-advocates will be a catalyst for motivating other consumers to join in self-advocacy development within their local communities. There are two Human Rights Committees established for the District; each committee currently has one consumer as a part of its membership.
  • The Liaison for each District IV Human Rights Committee will work with support coordinators to identify consumers 1) that are interested in requesting nomination; and 2) reflect the diversity of their respective communities to become a member of their local Human Rights Committee. This will be accomplished by 5/1/05.
  • The Human Rights Committee Liaison or the Support Coordinator will assist the consumer in completing the required application form, resume, Volunteer contract and DES Volunteer application. The appropriate paperwork will be forwarded to the Human Rights Committee for consideration prior to 6/1/05.
  • After appropriate approval has been obtained from the local Human Rights Committee, the facilitator will immediately forward the application to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Central Office Liaison with an attached recruitment memorandum.
  • Once membership has been approved, the District Liaison will notify the consumer and include them in activities, meetings and training of the local Human Rights committee.
District V

"A consumer advisory committee will be established to assist the district in increasing self determination and self advocacy"

Strategies:

  • District Manager, in May, will solicit names from the Support Coordinator Supervisors of individuals who might be interested in being a member of a District advisory committee.
  • District Manager will contact each interested individual the month of June to discuss the purpose of a consumer advisory committee, determine interest and plan for a conference call.
  • District Manager or designee will coordinate a conference call in July with individuals to plan District direction, frequency of meetings and type of meetings.

District VI

Goal: To increase self determination thru self advocacy groups

A. The District will educate all Staff of their role and function in increasing self-advocacy/self determination.

The District Management Team and Support Units will review the literature on self-determination. Each staffing unit will be asked to write and submit to the DPM one objective that they will complete to promote self-determination in their geographical area. A lead person will be identified to coordinate for the area.

Timeline: Submit to the DPM the activity/objective by January 31, 2005, and provide 4 quarterly progress reports by the end of each month of March, June, Sept, and December 2005.

B. At the Annual District VI Advisory Conference in June 2005 the DDD District VI will sponsor a group workshop on self-advocacy/self determination. The feedback will be reviewed and acted upon by September 2005.

C. The DDD District VI will continue to work in partnership with the District VI Advisory Council as we carry out our collective work with Self Advocacy for consumer members. Division Staff have participated in the development of the new work plan for the DAC, [October 2004] and a specific goal has been devoted to self-advocacy and self-determination.

D. Increase family/ consumer representation at the public meetings by 50% by December 2005.