Self-determination is the right of all people to participate in and approve of the design of their personal support systems, to fully engage in their communities, and to make choices in their daily lives. Though the ultimate exercise of self-determination is having people direct their own supports, not every individual receiving Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) may be eligible for or interested in the self-directed services available where they live. Provider-directed services, such as community-based group homes, supported employment, day programs, or shared living will continue to be part of the array of options available to people needing support. Human services providers, however, can infuse self-determination in every aspect of service delivery by helping people exert greater control over their environments and make choices about their everyday lives. In this webinar, panelists will explore strategies and resources to assist HCBS providers in championing self-determination among the people they serve, including the NCAPPS Human Services Provider Agency Toolkit for Self-Determination.
Jeff Keilson currently serves as Senior Vice-President at Advocates and on Disability Policy Consortium’s Board of Directors. He is a passionate supporter of people living in real homes in the communities of their choice and has worked extensively with people with disabilities. Jeff has also been a key supporter of self-determination initiatives with elders and in communities of color. He has held positions both with DMH and DDS in Massachusetts and has received numerous awards for his innovation, including the 2008 Gunnar Dybwad Leadership Award.
Keith Scott is currently the Vice President of Peer Support and Self-Advocacy at Advocates, a private, non-profit human services agency in eastern Massachusetts where he has worked in a variety of positions since 1989. He was originally hired for his psychiatric lived experience and has been a life-long user of psychiatric services, both voluntarily and involuntarily. Keith has worked to create environments that support the autonomy of people, amplify their voices, advocate for their rights and provide access to information and resources
Cindy Ostrowski has been supporting and advocating for people with disabilities since 1989. Cindy is the Chief Executive Officer at Hiawatha Homes, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality support services for individuals with disabilities at home and in the community of Rochester, MN. Prior to working at Hiawatha Homes, Cindy served as the Region 10 Quality Assurance Director where she worked collaboratively with stakeholders to develop and implement a person-driven quality assurance and licensing process called VOICE.
Kenny Bedtka lives in Rochester, MN at a group residential house for people with different abilities, called Hiawatha Homes. He works at Buffalo Wild Wings and with a local baseball team during the summer. His biggest goal is to be able to live on his own with some help and his staff is helping him to become as independent as possible so he can meet this goal one day. He has been a self-advocate for many years and currently meets with two advocacy groups regularly and has also spoken at the Capital several times to advocate for people with disabilities.
Sahra Hussein has been living in Rochester, MN since 1994 and has been a Direct Support Professional for 14 years. She has worked in various group homes within Hiawatha Homes and is incredibly passionate about what she does. The greatest lesson she has learned from her work is the satisfaction you get from helping people reach their full potential. Sahra has witnessed some of the most incredible transformations in the people she has supported. The most rewarding part of her job is being able to provide meaningful experiences to people.
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NCAPPS is an initiative from the Administration for Community Living and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to help States, Tribes, and Territories to implement person-centered practices. NCAPPS webinars are open to the public, and are geared toward human services administrators, providers, and people who use long-term services and supports. All NCAPPS webinars will be recorded and archived at https://ncapps.acl.gov.