Families Create Touch Base Center in Houston

Presentation Outline

Deafblind International (DbI) Network of the Americas Conference

April 18, 2018

David Wiley, Texas Deafblind Project

Vivecca Hartman, Touch Base Center, Houston, TX,

Problems with existing models for community support

•There is often no continuation of structured activities following graduation.

•Poor ratios in center-based settings/lack of adequate staff to provide consistent support.

•Individual support staff/interveners working in isolation, without ideas, or oversight.

•No team to provide modeling of good support strategies or on-going training opportunities.

How Touch Base was created to solve these problems

•Family directed action to create improved community services for adults.

•Formation of a non-profit organization.

•Utilizing existing systems -- resources from DBMD Medicaid Waiver.

Setting up a non-profit organization

•Consider your set-up options

•Consult your peers that could become your Board

•Find a lawyer that has experience setting-up non-profits

•Review the documents they prepare, before executing them. This is important to the IRS’s approving your 501(c)(3).

A few resources for non-profits

•Ask your local United Way for help in setting up a Non-profit in your area.

•Read How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation by Anthony Mancuso

•Make notes and review them to summarize important areas and follow-up to ensure they are complete (e.g. allow electronic voting; state that you intend to be a 501(c)(3) and that funds upon termination will go to another nonprofit).

The Touch Base service model

•The Touch Base facility.

•Individual Interveners accompany each participant.

•Activity director/coordinator provides guidance.

–Support and feedback for interveners.

–Schedule and activities.

Problems encountered getting Touch Base started

•Distance and transportation.

•Consumers and families unwilling/unable to change routine.

•Lack of availability of trained interveners.

•Family members filling the labor gap/role issues.

•Supervision/direction of interveners.

Find Touch Base on the web

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•@touchbasecenter on Twitter

•Look for us on Facebook!

Texas DeafBlind Project

•Texas School for the Blind and Visually impaired
Outreach Program
1100 West 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756

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This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education.