Author: Alan

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Tips for Supporting Youth in Foster Care – Part 3 of 3

A cartoon graphic of a family hugging each other

Part 3 of 3: Supporting the Foster Provider

Being a Foster Provider requires a well-rounded skill set. Like Services Coordinators, Foster Providers support the whole team, not just the youth. This can include the family, the Services Coordinator, other supporters on the ISP team (including medical, mental health, and educational providers) and in some cases, Child Welfare.
 
The first article in this series was dedicated to helping youth navigate life in foster care. The second article in the series illustrated how important it is for families and youth to receive consistent and person-centered support when exploring the option of foster care. The last article in the series is focused on Services Coordinators can develop trusting relationships with Foster Providers and help them maintain a wide variety of skills.

Be Resourceful

Ensure the Foster Provider knows what their role is in the youth’s life, as well as the role of other on the team, including your role as the Services Coordinator. These conversations are best held in person (if possible) to connect about the importance of supporting a youth physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The donut sort is one possible tool for facilitating and recording this conversation. In addition, bring information about: 
 
  • Oregon Administrative Rules for Foster Care
  • Local community resources (Fun/free activities, medical/mental health resources, etc.) 
  • Monitoring schedules that your CDDP may have (Behavioral, medical, financial, ISP) 
  • Blank copies of ISP documents for review 
  • Your information and the best time to get a hold of you 
  • The Foster Care Certifier’s information 
The more knowledge a Foster Provider has, the more they will be prepared and ready to help the youth navigate through life during a potentially stressful time. The Foster Provider may have complex questions for you, especially if they are new to providing care and working with IDD Services. When I was a Services Coordinator, I often received many different questions and concerns, including insurance coverage for medical equipment, funding for Foster Care homes, and individualized questions about the youth they are supporting.
  
If you are feeling overwhelmed or not ready to answer difficult questions, think about bringing another Services Coordinator with you when you visit to help facilitate these conversations. This can also be a great opportunity to speak with your supervisor about training opportunities or continuing education for the Foster Provider or yourself.
 
Remember, you do not need to have the answer to every question. If you are not sure what the answer is, it is okay to say that you don’t know. If you say you will follow up with more information, make sure to do so. Be clear when communicating what the Foster Provider can expect from you, including how long it may take to hear back.

Training and Continuing Education

Foster Care training is an important part of the process of becoming a Foster Care Provider. Each Foster Provider has a unique set of skills and life experiences which can enable them to understand and support a youth in their home. It is important to build upon these skills and experiences regularly. 
 
Foster Providers should be equipped with the tools they need to address any complex situations that may arise. Training also providers the Foster Provider opportunities to help the youth grow and develop new skills.
 
Since Foster Providers may not be aware of local trainings or continuing education opportunities, provide them with resources regularly. Here are some resources within Oregon that may be helpful:
 
  • The Arc Oregon/OTAC Training
  • Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Foster Provider Trainings 
    • Live online trainings for Foster Providers and Adoptive Parents. Training sessions range between 1-3 hours long and are hosted on Zoom. 
  • Foster Club Training 
    • FosterClub is a national network for young people in foster care. It provides young people in foster care an opportunity to connect and gain support from their peers. The non-profit organization also provides online training and resources for resource parents. 
  • Child Trauma Academy 
    • CTA works to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research, and education. 
  • Trauma Informed Oregon 
    • Trauma Informed Oregon is a wealth of information about trauma informed supports, practices, and resources from across the state. It includes free online training modules introducing Trauma Informed Care.  
  • Foster Parent Lending Library 
    • The Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC) has a wonderful online Lending Library that is free to be used by Oregon Resource Parents, Relative Resource Parents, and Pre-Adoptive, Guardianship and Adoptive Parents.​ 
  • Foster Parent College 
    • Interactive multimedia training courses for foster providers and adoptive parents.

Build Positive Relationships

The relationship between the Services Coordinator and the Foster Provider is very important and can directly impact everyone in the youth’s life. However, building a strong professional relationship takes time and effort. We have the opportunity to regularly build and strengthen our connection with Foster Providers by:
  • Providing clear expectations and consistent follow through
  • Keeping your commitments
  • Asking questions and listening
  • Providing resources regularly
  • Offering assistance
  • Checking in frequently, using their preferred method of communication
  • Recognizing the work that they do and sharing appreciation for it

Conclusion:

Foster Providers have the ability to offer a loving and nurturing home where each child can feel safe and celebrated for their unique gifts. As Services Coordinators, we have the responsibility of actively supporting both prospective and current Foster Providers. By doing this, we can make a difference in a youth’s life and work towards increasing their quality of life.

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Tips for Supporting Youth in Foster Care – Part 2 of 3

A cartoon graphic of a family hugging each other

Part 2 of 3

Some families that are supported by IDD Services and their Community Developmental Disabilities Programs (CDDP) may choose foster care as an alternative to their child or loved one living in the family home. This difficult decision is very personal and can be a confusing and challenging time for families and youth.
 
The first article in this series was dedicated to helping the youth navigate life in foster care. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how important it is for families and youth to receive consistent and person-centered support when exploring the option of foster care.
 
Many families do not receive much information, training, or resources about foster care or how it can benefit the youth and/or the family. The family often relies on the Services Coordinator to provide information and choice counseling on this subject. Many youth receiving supports from IDD Services need additional help, most often with medical, behavioral, or other complex needs. At times, these needs can be overwhelming for a family, and they are not aware of the support they can receive. This can be extremely stressful and traumatic for families when they are not sure where to go for additional help. Foster care is an important resource that families can access.

Building Trust:

Trustworthiness and transparency is one of the key principles of Trauma Informed Care.
 
Ensure the family has a voice in the planning process and feels safe to speak up. Families that have accessed multiple systems for assistance may experience trauma around the planning process. The topic of foster care can activate specific traumatic feelings for some, such as fear, distrust, anxiety, and stress, or conflict with their cultural values and practices of caring for a loved one with a disability. It is important to build trust with the family while navigating through these difficult and uncertain times. 
 
  • Use Active Listening: Truly listen to the family and youth when they express their dreams, hopes, fears, and concerns for foster care and the future. Active listening keeps you engaged with your conversation partner in a positive way. It also involves paraphrasing and reflecting what is said and avoiding judgement and advice. 
 
  • Be Dependable: Be open, honest, and dependable. Families may look to you for advice or to help advocate for their rights or their child’s rights. Navigating multiple systems can be difficult for families. Be aware that systems of support (such as IDD Services, Medical Systems, and Mental Health Services) can inadvertently cause trauma. This ‘systems trauma’ can be elevated for families in these situations; ensure that you are following through with plans or commitments you make.
 
  • Have Empathy: Understand that the family you’re working with may experience life differently than you. Their experiences can often be complex and involve many factors you are not aware of. Offer a caring, understanding, and empowering environment for them. While offering a safe space for the family, remember to take care of yourself. Compassion fatigue and secondary trauma can affect emotional, mental, and physical health. Learn more about workforce wellness at Trauma Informed Oregon.

Working as a Team

Occasionally, outside support may be used in complex situations. For example, a youth who has many goals and a team with different perspectives may choose to access Wraparound Services. Wraparound is a unique program that guides youth and families in a goal-oriented approach. Different counties may have programs that look similar and support the team to be family-driven and person-centered.  
 
Everyone on the team benefits from clear and consistent communication. Depending on the youth’s needs, meetings may need to happen as often as once a week, or as little as once a month. During the planning process, the family may like additional check-ins from the SC to provide reassurance and promote trust.

Ongoing Support

Family planning and support will be ongoing after the youth moves into a foster home. In fact, this may be the most important time of the whole process. The youth and family may feel a variety of emotions during this time. This is the time to be creative about offering support to the family.
 
  • Encourage the provider to send fun photos of the youth engaging of activities that they enjoy. For example, if they are on the High School basketball team, snap photos of them playing and send to the family.
 
  • Send fun resources via email to the family and provider to encourage community engagement with the youth. There are lots of fun opportunities to be creative with this and tailor the experience to the family’s heritage and culture. For example, if the family celebrates Día de los Muertos, find a local celebration that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Occasionally, a foster provider and the youth may not share the same values, culture, or heritage. It is important to support the youth with their culture, even if it is different than the providers.
 
  • Promote communication between the family and youth by encouraging scheduled phone or video visits. This can be a great way for the SC to catch up with the youth also! The donut sort can be a creative way to plan and make sure everyone’s voice is heard. Working and not working can also be a helpful way to record different perspectives and creatively problem solve.

Conclusion:

The families and youth you are supporting will need a variety of different supports during this difficult time. Building trust, team collaboration, and ongoing support are just a few of the building blocks that make up the whole pyramid of support. Each family dynamic is unique, and we have the opportunity help families learn, grow, and develop skills together.

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Tips for Supporting Youth in Foster Care – Part 1 of 3

A cartoon graphic of a family hugging each other

Part 1 of 3

Many Services Coordinators (SC) work with youth who live in a foster care home, served by Oregon’s Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS). Often, there is a lack of training for Service Coordinators around best practices for supporting these children, families, and providers. This can affect the way youth living in DD certified foster homes are supported.
 
The purpose of this three-part series is to:
  • Recognize and honor relationships and networks of support in the youth’s life, which can often be complex.
  • Share effective approaches to support youth, families, and providers; and
  • Understand the significant role of the Services Coordinator in helping someone live their best life.
Foster homes are designed to be a structured, family-like environment that youth can live in short-term or long-term. There are specific monitoring requirements to help ensure health and safety risks are being addressed.
 
A parent or guardian may face a difficult decision and voluntarily choose to have their child or loved one move to a foster care setting. Other times, this decision is court-mandated by the Oregon Department of Human Services. Whether a move to a foster home is voluntary or court-mandated, it does pose a risk of trauma to the youth. This may impact the youth in many ways. When I worked as a Services Coordinator, I supported a child who went through multiple moves in two years, which negatively affected his mental health. He was not able to form stable bonds with foster providers and could not consistently engage in skill-building. Trauma-informed care is essential when supporting youth in foster care.
 
It can be difficult to balance the expectations of the family with the needs of the child. Services Coordinators often support three different entities throughout this process: the youth, the family, and the foster provider. It is important to focus on the youth and prioritize their needs to ensure they maintain their sense of safety, self, and well-being.

Support with Transitions

Moving into a new foster home can be a confusing and potentially painful time for youth. As a Services Coordinator, it is important to facilitate a conversation between the youth and the family about what foster care is and how they would like to be supported.
 
While the family is often making the decision for the youth, ultimately, we are supporting the youth and need to ensure their voice is heard and their needs are met. It is crucial to build trust and communication with the young person, to create a more trauma-informed move as well as support their positive trajectory to adulthood. Consider building a One Page Profile with the youth, focused on the move. This can help the youth be more involved and amplify their voice, perspective, and preferences.

Communication and Continued Connection with Family

During the planning process, speak with the youth, family, and foster provider about communication expectations. The youth should continue to be supported by their family, even while in a foster care setting. This can look very different for each family. Some families choose to call every day, and some have a specific time they call during the week. Some families choose to take the youth to every doctor’s appointment, while others may have the foster provider take on this responsibility. Sometimes families have monthly planned outings, while others may be more spontaneous. Whatever is decided, it should be in the best interest of the youth, to support them in their new home and make sure they feel loved and cared for.
 
The Services Coordinator may need to help facilitate communication and planning with the youth and others on their support team. It can be helpful to refer to the Trajectory to help everyone focus on the goal of helping the youth be happy and healthy. This tool can be especially helpful if disagreements or strong emotions begin to derail the conversation.
 
Be creative with planning continued family connections. Some youth like to video call their parents nightly, and this could become a routine that is important to them. Drawing pictures and sending mail can also be a fun way to keep in touch and allow the youth to embrace creativity.
 
When supporting a youth who has limited family connections, and/or an ODHS Guardian, the youth’s level of trauma will likely be higher. Services Coordinators may need to “think outside of the box” to prioritize physical and emotional safety around family connections. Some things to consider when working with a youth who has limited family connections:
 
  • Does the youth have any close friends or siblings they can connect with?
  • How often does the ODHS Guardian connect with the youth and what is their relationship like? Can you collaborate with the guardian to ensure that the youth has multiple trusted adults in their life? Can visits or communication with trusted adults be increased?
  • How often does the youth attend events where they can make friends? How are those going?
  • Do they have any safe distant relatives (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc.) that can be contacted and brought into their life?
The definition of family can be broad and looks different for everyone. As Services Coordinators, we should recognize this and help the youth feel supported and whole in life. Consider using the Integrated Supports Star tool to help visually map out and explore important connections and possibilities with youth you are supporting
Using the Trajectory Tool to Support Youth in Foster Care
 
Download Henry’s Trajectory – this example trajectory demonstrates how the trajectory tool might be used to support a youth and their family and they prepare for a move into a foster care setting
 
Inclusive support is essential. While reviewing potential foster providers, chat about any important considerations the youth has (Cultural, Religious, Medical, LGBTQ+, etc.). Youth may have topics they don’t feel comfortable sharing with their existing family or potential new supporters, such as sexuality or gender expression. You might need to have more than one conversation to ensure safety and privacy. Ask the youth if they would like to invite another trusted adult they feel comfortable with into the discussion. A LifeCourse Trajectory can be very helpful in identifying what the youth and their family wants in this move, and what to avoid.
Give the youth and family information about the potential foster provider. This could include:
  • Where they live
  • If they have pets (pictures are a plus)Other youth in the foster home
  • Everyday life details: What they do for fun, what food they like, if they have any shared interests with the youth, etc.
Extend the opportunity to do a “meet and greet” with the potential provider to see if this home would be a good fit for the youth, and make sure to facilitate the meeting in such a way where the youth can ask questions and give their opinion without pressure. This would be a great time to review the youth’s One Page Profile with the foster provider.
Using a One Page Profile to Support Youth in Foster Care
 
Download Henry’s One Page Profile – this example One Page Profile demonstrates how this tool might be used to support a youth and their family and they get to know a new foster provider.
 
If possible, show pictures of the home including a bedroom, bathroom, and shared spaces. Families may want to complete an in-person tour before deciding. Virtual tours can also be a great option during COVID.
 
If a home is identified as a good fit, start the planning process with the family. This could include:
 
  • Making a visual schedule with the youth of timelines for their upcoming move.
  • Creating Social Stories or other visual tools to help explain to the youth what foster care is and why the transition is happening.
  • Providing opportunities to share hopes and fears as the move date approaches. It is likely the youth and their family may experience anxiety related to the move. Putting together or referring to a LifeCourse Trajectory can be helpful for youth and families to express hopes and fears.
  • Scheduling family or individual therapy sessions with a counselor they can relate to and feel comfortable with.
  • Discussing important relationships in the youth’s life and how they will be maintained throughout this move. If some relationships cannot be maintained, acknowledge the youth’s grieving process with empathy and help connect them with grief/mental health supports.
  • Finding out the youth’s comfort items to bring to the home (blankets, sheets, personal items, favorite foods, etc.)
  • Exploring school and bus schedules.
  • Preparing for Medical Provider transitions and ensuring the youth has an adequate supply of medication for the move.
Because this time can bring up a variety of emotions for the youth, try to limit the number of changes to reduce any additional potential stressors and trauma. For example, if the youth has many friends at their current school and they enjoy attending, advocate for them to stay in that current educational environment.

Conclusion:

There are many ways to support youth in a foster care setting. After working with youth in these settings for many years, I’ve realized that continued communication, advocacy, and consistency builds trust. When we build trust with a youth, family, and foster care provider, we have an increased ability to advocate for the youth and help them build their best life.
 
Foster care can be an important stepping stone in a youth’s life. It gives them a chance to learn skills and reach goals in a different environment while having the opportunity to increase the bond between family and youth or provider and youth. Many of these bonds can last for years and become an essential part of a youth’s life.
 
We will continue to explore this important topic in the coming months. If you have any questions, or would like to collaborate, please reach out to our team!

Meet the author

Emily Canela – OTAC Trainer

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Chosen Services: “List Needs Identified by the Needs Assessment”

Tips for Services Coordinators and Personal Agents

This month, we will take a close look at the Chosen Services section of the ISP, focusing specifically on one box within this section: “List needs identified by the needs assessment that this service will address”. This box can be found for each authorized service in the plan, regardless of funding stream (example: Chosen K plan services, Chosen waiver services, etc.). .

We’ve heard many questions over the years from Services Coordinators and Personal Agents about what information to include in this section, and we hope this article answers a few questions you may still have.

Minimum Expectation
 
It is an expectation that a person’s Oregon ISP will address all needs identified by their needs assessment. In other words, a person’s plan should include all of their support needs, whether those needs are being met by formal services, through other supports, or if a person is declining support at this time. There are many places in the ISP that different support needs are addressed. The section “List needs identified by the needs assessment that this service will address” for authorized services is one important place where support needs are addressed in the plan.
 
At a minimum, the “List needs identified by the needs assessment that this service will address” box should include a list of areas of support that the service will be assisting the person with, unless the need is addressed in another section of the ISP (such as the risk management plan).
 
For example, Alek’s in-home support provider assists him with cooking, laundry, transportation, and money management. Alek is at risk of financial exploitation, so his support need of money management is addressed the risk management section of his ISP. The chosen services section of Alek’s ISP that authorizes his in-home support provider might look something like this:

Writing “ADL/IADL” or “see ONA” is not enough information for this section. Areas of support should be clearly listed. The example above meets the minimum expectation; however, you may consider how much information and detail is helpful, as well as what language works best for the person and their family.

Consider how much detail is helpful

The example above does not provide any information about what best support looks like for Alek. Consider ‘laundry’. Does Alek just need some reminders or instructions on how to do the laundry? Does he need help carrying his clothes to the laundry machine? Does Alek need someone to do laundry for him, while he gives instructions on what clothes need to be washed?

If Alek has been with the same in-home support provider for a while, it may be that they already have a good idea of what support works best for Alek. They may already have worked with Alek to capture this information in his Person Centered Information form or have created instructions for new supporters about this best support. In this case, the example above may be enough information.

However, if the provider is new to Alek, additional information in this section would be extremely helpful. After all, ‘laundry’ only gives an idea of what area Alek wants support, but no clues on what that support should look like. Here’s another, more detailed example of this section:

Why not ‘Copy and Paste’?

Copying information from a person’s needs assessment and pasting it into the “list needs identified by the needs assessment that this service will address” is not considered a best practice. There are a few different reasons for this.

First, the plan belongs to the person. Language used in needs assessments is often technical and not person-centered. If this language is copied into the ISP, it may alienate someone reading their own plan. Instead, we want to consider what words or ways of writing information work best for the person and their family. What language would you want to see if this was your plan? The plan of someone close to you?

Second, the needs assessment is full of systems language and jargon which is not easily understood. A person has a right to understand and direct the contents of their plan. Plain language should be used whenever possible.

Consider the following examples:

Copied and Pasted

Plain language

Elimination, Toilet hygiene- supervision or touching assistance

After using the bathroom, Margret is supported to adjust and fasten her pants. 

Transferring and Positioning- Partial/moderate assistance

Amir needs to grab onto a steady arm that he can pull on when he stands up from a chair, couch, or his bed.

Transportation- substantial/maximal assistance, persons providing support accompany person on bus/van

Lidia gets around town with the support of staff in the accessible agency van. She also uses accessible busses if a supporter rides along.

While copying and pasting is typically not a best practice, you may consider whether ONA assessor notes provide helpful context and details about a person’s support needs. This information may be useful to include in the plan, while still using plain, person-centered language

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Desired Outcomes- Feeling Stuck?

Within the Oregon ISP process, Desired Outcomes are the things the person is interested in doing, learning, trying or accomplishing in the next year or beyond. A Desired Outcome is what a person wants their life to look like. It is the transformation that others can see once a person has taken specific steps or achieved goals.

Sometimes, writing Desired Outcomes is fun. The person and those around them may have a lot of ideas. The person may have a clear vision for what they want. There may also be a lot of excitement and creativity when coming up with Desired Outcomes.

Sometimes, we may feel stuck. Perhaps the person has had the same Desired Outcome year after year. Maybe it’s unclear what the person might want to do, try, or learn. The person may not be interested in anything suggested and struggle to come up with ideas themselves. We may not know where to start.

If you’re feeling stuck when developing Desired Outcomes, we have a few tips for you.

It starts with the person

The plan belongs to the person and so do their Desired Outcomes. Even when we do a lot of work to put the plan together, it’s still their plan- not ours. That’s why Desired Outcomes begin with the person:

  • What is the person telling us, with words or otherwise, about what they want to do? About what they want more or less of in their life? About their long-term hopes, dreams, and aspirations?
  • Are we listening to all the ways a person may be communicating their perspective? If we’re not sure of how someone communicates this perspective- who in their life can support us to better understand?
  • Is there a clear connection between the Desired Outcome and what is ‘important TO’ the person? Do the Desired Outcomes reflect the person’s vision of their own ‘good life’?

Each of us are the #1 expert in our own life. This means that we are the best source of information about ourselves. Desired Outcomes are all about the person- who they are, what is important to them, and what direction they want their life to go in

Who else does the person want to plan with?

Often, those closest to the person play an important role in planning- in helping the person communicate their perspective, in encouragement to dream big and imagining new possibilities, and sometimes offering support to make ideas happen. This can include family members, friends and other supporters.
 
Of course, it is a person’s choice who they want to plan with them and about what parts of their life. Being invited to plan with someone is an honor and important role.
Consider:
  • Have you ever been encouraged by a friend or family member to try something new? Did this lead to a new interest, passion, or skill?
  • Would all your friends or family agree with the things you want to do, try, and learn in the next year? Does this impact who you might want to invite to plan with you?
  • If fears or doubts are holding teams back- are we supporting the team to feel heard so we can move forward together? Are we able to identify and articulate the ‘why’ or ‘important to’ behind what a person is sharing with us?

'Important TO' is key

We each have things that are important to us. They come from our own perspective- those things that give us happiness, comfort, and fulfillment. If we are truly recording the person’s perspective in the Person-Centered Information Form, this can be a useful place to look for conversation-starting ideas.
 
Understanding a person’s ‘important to’s’ is not a one-time conversation. As supporters, we are constantly seeking to better understand who someone is and what’s important to them.
 
Each conversation, each interaction is an opportunity to better understand someone else.
 
Have you ever had the experience of purchasing a new vehicle and then suddenly noticing just how many of these cars are on the road? As humans, we tend to notice what we are focused on or paying attention to. When we keep Desired Outcomes on the forefront of our minds, we will naturally have more ideas and notice more opportunities.
 
Desired Outcomes don’t have to be only an annual conversation. Instead, as we learn new things and better understand the person and what is important to them throughout the year, we can dig deeper and have more meaningful conversations.
If you’re looking for more resources on Desired Outcomes, check out:
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Independence, Integration, Productivity – Values of the Oregon ISP Planning Process

Cartoon drawing of a girl in a pink shirt and grey pants standing on a rock. She is wearing an orange backpack and using binoculars to look at a lake with mountains in the background
Our team, while providing support around the Oregon ISP, often hears this question: What does it mean for an ISP to reflect Independence, Integration, and Productivity? These values are important in each of our lives and show up in many ways. But how do these values look when planning with someone within the Oregon ISP process?
 
There is no one answer. When we are invited to plan with someone around what a “good life” means to them, we must consider how the values of independence, integration and productivity can look different for each person. You’ll find these values listed in the ‘acknowledgments’ section of the Oregon Individual Support Plan (ISP).

ISP team – does this ISP reflect…
Independence: Having control and choice over one’s own life.
Integration: Living near and using the same community resources and participating in the same activities as, and together with, people without disabilities.
Productivity: Engaging in contributions to a household or community; or engaging in income-producing work that is measured through improvements in income level, employment status, or job advancement.

While we can all agree that these values are not only required but key to living a good life, how do we know if they are reflected in plans? The answer to that is much different than simply “checking the box”.

Values Embedded in the Planning Process

Independence, integration, and productivity are values embedded throughout the planning process. These values are intended to be part of a shift away from a plan that only reflects support needs and services. Instead, planning is about supporting someone to live the life that is meaningful to them. This is a very personal thing. After all, each of us have our own vision for a good life and what this means to us.
 
Consider your own life for a moment. What does “productivity” mean to you? What does it look like in your life, community, and culture? How is this different from others that are close to you? For example, “productivity” in a parent’s life will looks different that “productivity” in the lives of their children, their own parents, or even their partner. It can also look different depending on what is happening in that moment, that day, or that time of year. Productivity, as a life value, is something that is deeply personal, constantly evolving, and cannot be reduced to someone else’s checklist.
 
Ultimately, what’s guiding planning is the person: who they are, what is ‘important to’ them, and what their personal vision for a good life is. In the case of children, this also includes who the family is, what is ‘important to’ the family, and what the family’s vision for a good life is. When this happens, independence, integration, and productivity follow.
Cartoon drawing of a girl in a pink shirt and grey pants standing on a rock. She is wearing an orange backpack and using binoculars to look at a lake with mountains in the background

Common Misconception- Values, not Check-Boxes!

A common misconception about independence, integration, and productivity is that there is some part of a person’s ISP that must be specifically written to ‘show’ each of these values. This is not the case. The guiding force of the planning process is the person (or the family, in the case of children). If we support someone to pursue their ‘good life’, then these values will follow naturally. When this happens, we can confidently answer “yes” to the three questions about what the plan as a whole reflects.
 
There is no one section of the plan that must capture these values. These values will show up in many different places, if the person’s vision of a good life is truly leading the planning process. Consider these examples:
  • Gavin’s autonomy is reflected in their Desired Outcome to get a new tattoo. This reflects independence.
  • Malik, with support from his PSW (described in the Provider Service Agreement), creates pottery alongside other artists at his community college. This reflects integration.
  • Maria contributes her time as an usher at her church, as described in her Person-Centered Information. This reflects productivity.
When we write documents aiming to specifically demonstrate these values, it can shift the focus away from what is truly the person’s vision of their good life. In some cases, it may even lead to imposed or outside perspective of what “independence, integration, and productivity” should look like in someone’s life. Consider the examples below:
Desired outcome: Jackson increases his independence by learning to do his laundry by himself. VS Desired outcome: Jackson takes a road trip to a tabletop-game convention.
The first sample shows a desired outcome that may have been written to specifically demonstrate that Jackson’s ISP reflects independence. However, unless Jackson is interested in learning to do own laundry and this is part of his vision for a good life, we have missed the mark. Additionally, this outcome may reflect the values of others on the team, and what they believe ‘independence’ should look like in Jackson’s life. It may ignore Jackson’s perspective on what independence means to him.
 
The second example shows a desired outcome that has been written in response to Jackson’s ‘good life’ and something he is really hoping to do in the next year. Although this outcome was not written with independence in mind, there is a lot of things here that relate to independence- planning a trip, saving and budgeting money, taking that trip. In fact, Jackson might even be learning to do laundry so that he can pack fresh, clean clothes or wash his clothes while on vacation!

Yeah, but what about…?

If you are reading this article and wondering how it might apply to your work and the people you support, please reach out to our team! We understand this can be a complex topic and our team is happy to offer support.

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Support Documents – Tips & Resources

Support documents are written instructions for direct supporters. They lay out in a clear, step-by-step way, instructions for how to provide support to someone around a known, serious risk in their life. Support documents come in many forms and include protocols, safety plans, financial support plans, and more other documents. All support documents need to be personalized and specific to the person whose supports are being described. We should only provide supports that the person agrees with.

This month, we want to highlight several resources related to creating support documents. We’ve also included a few prompting questions that may help you improve and review existing documents.

Questions to consider when developing or reviewing support documents:

  • Was the person involved in creating supports around the risk? Has their perspective been captured in the support document?
  • Does the person want this support? Do they agree with how it is provided?
  • Is the support document unique to the person? Are the supports individualized? Is it clear who the supports belong to if you didn’t read the name at the top of the page?
  • Is what is ‘important to’ the person reflected in the support document? How?
  • Does the document provide clear instructions for direct supporters? Is the language used accessible? Are the instructions specific to the location where the support will be provided?
  • Is information up to date? Have you learned anything new since this document was written? Does the person want to something different?

Support Document Resources

Recorded Webinars

Online Modules

  • At OregonISP.org, we offer a number of deeper dives on support documents and developing risk management strategies.
  • ISP Module 5: Risk Management Strategies–-This module explains a person-centered approach to managing known risks. It also covers supporting challenging behaviors. The Provider Risk Management Strategies (PRMS) form is also addressed.
  • Risk Management Strategies– This recorded webinar introduces a person-centered approach to risk management. It reviews the purpose and function of the risk management plan in the Oregon Individual Support Plan (ISP). It then provides an overview of various written strategies that could be implemented to address an identified risk. It also talks briefly talk about protocols, financial plans, safety plans, and various types of positive behavior support documents. Finally, it closes with an overview of implementing support strategies and keeping them current.
  • 2017 Support Documents– This recorded webinar introduces the 2017 General Protocol and Financial Plan forms published in Adobe Acrobat DC format. It also discusses topics such as who writes support documents and why they’re helpful.
  • Protocol Instructions, Financial Plan Instructions– These documents give some helpful tips when using the protocol templates available at https://oregonisp.org/forms/support-docs/
  • Reach out to us! We’re happy to be a resource for you. If you have a specific question, if you’re wanting suggestions, or even if you just want to brainstorm, we’re happy to connect.Reach out by sending a support request.
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Intersectionality and Planning

In Oregon and across the country, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color face discrimination, oppression, and harm. The widespread Black Lives Matter movement against racism and other forms of oppression has significance for each of us. Our actions or inactions have the power to either challenge oppression and bias, or to sustain it. As this is true in both our personal and professional lives, this pipeline is intended to help inspire conversations on these important topics.
Three Black and disabled folx (a non-binary person holding a cane, a woman sitting in a power wheelchair, and a woman sitting in a chair) partially smiling at the camera while a rainbow pride flag drapes on the wall behind them.
Photo attributed to Disabled And Here
For information on the Oregon Office of Developmental Disability Services’ position, read:
 

Photo Description: Three Black and disabled folx (a non-binary person holding a cane, a woman sitting in a power wheelchair, and a woman sitting in a chair) partially smiling at the camera while a rainbow pride flag drapes on the wall behind them.

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is not a new concept, even though it has come up more frequently in recent years. The term was coined by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw and it is “the idea that we all experience life—sometimes discrimination, sometimes benefits—based on a number of different identities we have.” No one experiences the world through only one aspect of themselves. For example, this writer isn’t a woman OR an immigrant OR someone with anxiety – rather, this writer is a complex person with all three of these identities that impact her in different ways at various times. When we use intersectionality in our work, we consider each of someone’s identities, how they work together, and how that shapes their experience of the world.
 
For those with multiple marginalized identities, oppression and discrimination can be compound. Consider:
  • A transgender person may experience others denying their gender identity by not using their correct pronouns. If the person also has an intellectual disability, are others more likely to deny or disregard their gender identity?
  • How might a person who is using repetitive movements to meet a sensory need be perceived by law enforcement? How would that response change if that person is also Black or a Person of Color?
We cannot only consider someone’s disability identity without also considering the impacts of racial, economic, gender-based, and other oppressions on their life. For more information about intersectionality, check out the resources at the end of this article.

Combating Our Own Biases when Planning with Others

As we plan with people, it is critical that we value and honor all parts of a person’s identity, even if we don’t know or understand all of them. Planning is a process of continued listening, learning, and action. This includes doing the critical work of discovering and confronting our own biases and the harm they may cause to others. This can be challenging and uncomfortable, but it is necessary to acknowledge if we want the impact of our efforts to match our intent.

Keep Learning

These topics are not one-time conversations, and this Pipeline article is just a small piece of the work ahead. It is important to remember that we are all at different places on our learning journeys. People are the experts in their own experiences, so it is critical to listen to, learn from, and help amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
 
What is most important, is that we commit to learning, unlearning, and changing our actions.

Additional Resources

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Quick Tips for Better Remote Planning

As we adapt and adjust to the current health crisis, many are turning to online platforms to plan remotely. Of course, online meetings have their challenges.

As we continue to plan remotely, we want to offer a few tips from the field on how to improve remote meetings.

DO:

Find the Person’s Preferences:
Even as we adapt to remote meetings and planning, it is still the person’s meeting, it is still the person’s plan! When does the person prefer to connect? What platform, application, or device works for them? Who do they want to join the conversation? Understanding and responding to this information is critical as we seek to engage with others remotely.
Share Accessible Agenda:
Agendas can help people collect their thoughts, share their perspective, and know what to expect during a meeting. If possible, send along materials that will be discussed. Give others enough time to read and respond to the agenda and materials.
Test Technology:
Choppy bandwidth? Dropped call? User error? Technology challenges can and will occur. Be prepared to walk people through new platforms and help them to know what to expect during a meeting. Have a plan of how to connect if ‘Plan A’ goes awry.
Prioritize:
We are all adjusting and adapting to a crisis. No one is on their “A-Game” and our meetings may be significantly less productive as a result. Prioritization is essential. If you can only get one thing done with the person or the team today, what would it be? Make that goal known. Anything more is a bonus
Take Care of Yourself and Each Other:
Recognize that this crisis is impacting everyone, but that everyone is impacted differently. People with pre-existing conditions, mental health needs and trauma history may be especially affected. Others, especially providers, may be experiencing significant burnout. Give yourself and others “outs”- options to stop, take breaks, and reschedule as needed.

AVOID:

Long Meetings: Have you noticed your own attention span being shorter on an online meeting than an in-person meeting? Keep meetings short and take breaks often. Does the person seem overwhelmed or ‘checked out’? It may be time for a break or to reconvene on another day.
Talking Over Each Other: In conference calls or meetings, consider asking others to keep themselves on mute if they are not speaking. Give people time to respond to questions and share their perspective. Expecting people to “chime in” can lead to a meeting in which people aren’t heard.
“Assume Zoom”:
Not everyone can use or wants to use Zoom. Meet people where they are in terms of time and technology. Consider what platforms they may already be using: Phone, Google Hangout, Facetime, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp etc.
Expecting to “Plan as Usual”: Expect that technology will fail, meetings will not be as productive, and distractions will abound. Do not hold yourself or others to ‘pre-crisis’ expectations. We are surviving in a global pandemic under incredible stress and uncertainty, not simply “working from home” or “meeting online instead of in person.” Remind and validate that for yourself and those you work
Everything in One Meeting: Trying to accomplish everything in a single meeting may cause others (and you) to feel overwhelmed. Keep the focus on fewer topics. Consider which are time sensitive and need to happen during the meeting. Can other topics be achieved through email or connected about later?

Download an infographic of the tips above!

While we want to offer tips for things to try and things to avoid while planning with people remotely, it’s important to recognize that each one of us is doing our best. If possible, laugh at the things you can laugh at. Kids will run in front of the screen; pets will find the worst times to play with their toys. Keep a sense of humor where you can. We’re all in this together.

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Infusing Trauma Informed Care into the ISP Process

Black chalkboard with a white chalk outline of the shape of a person's head from the side. Inside the head are different colored post-it notes that say angry, sad, excited, afraid, shy and happy
Have you heard the term trauma informed care?
Have you wondered what it is or why it seems to be the topic of so many conversations? If so, you’re not alone.

For this month’s ISP pipeline, we will give a brief introduction of trauma informed care and answer this key question: How might trauma informed care influence and shape our work within the ISP process? What is trauma, anyway? Trauma consists of those experiences which overwhelm, terrify, and violate a person.

This can be:

  • a single experience (such as an injury or assault) OR experiences that happen over time (such as abuse or neglect)
  • experiences of systemic oppression and adversity (such as racism, ableism, and sexism)
  • Toxic Stress- prolonged experience of stress in the body over time, typically without protective supports
We use the words trauma, adversity, and toxic stress interchangeably because they can impact us in similar ways. For example, they can activate our fight/flight/freeze response.
 
Unfortunately, trauma is very common, and even more so for people who experience disabilities. What is trauma informed care? One of the biggest misconceptions about trauma informed care is that it is a therapy for people who have experienced trauma. Trauma informed care is not about a therapy for trauma (although that is important and needed). It is a way to do our work differently so that we actively reduce re-traumatization for people.
 
The reality is, even with our best intentions, the service systems designed to help people can be traumatizing. Think about the amount of paperwork, the direct support workforce crisis and eligibility assessments that focus on deficits. With trauma informed care we use strategies that help people to regulate and reduce the time spent in fight/flight/or freeze mode.
 
Trauma informed care is an approach our work which focuses on creating safe experiences, restoring power, and valuing both the people engaging in services and those providing services.

Create a Safe Context

This is where we start: for someone to be able to engage in services they need to feel safe. This includes both physical safety and emotional safety. We often talk about safety during the planning process, but typically only from the perspective of a supporter. We think about if someone can safely navigate the internet without support, or if someone can navigate their community safely. We sometimes forget to dive in and understand if someone feels safe with a support provider assisting them with personal hygiene, or if they feel emotionally safe when they walk into their ISP meeting. Safety might look like:
  • Someone fully understanding their rights and knowing who they can go to if they have a concern.
  • A conversation with parents to listen to and address fears before talking about their child’s goals around relationships and sexuality.
  • Ensuring that a person’s voice and perspectives are heard when their group home is looking to hire additional support staff.

Restore Power

Some people have had very negative experiences with the ISP process. Historically, ISP meetings may have been a time in which a person’s restrictions, variances, and approved independent time in someone’s community were all talked about. It may have been a time when well-intentioned decisions were made that took power and control away from a person. Even when strengths and goals were also discussed, the loss of power is likely the memorable experience from this process. Providing a corrective experience will take time and require us to build trust.
 
If you work with someone who does not want to take part in their ISP meeting, try to understand why. Take steps to create a process they can engage in. Is the meeting not accessible for their learning or communication style? Do they have the final say on who their team members are? Have they had traumatizing experiences in previous ISP meetings? When someone can drive the planning process, they are more likely to engage in the plan and services. Restoring power throughout the ISP process might look like:
  • Using supported decision-making to help the person in making choices and directing their life.
  • Supporting the person to build relationships and supports outside of the service system.
    • This includes identifying when we, as paid supporters, are getting in the way of a person building relationships.
    • Ensuring that people have the needed information, time, and support to consent to their plan and services.
      • This includes providing clear options about what to do if they do not consent to parts of their plan.

Value the Person

When someone walks through your doors, do they feel valued? Do they feel like you want them there? We want to deliver culturally responsive, inclusive services where people feel valued. Valuing the person throughout the ISP process might look like:
Trauma informed approaches can’t be captured in a checklist and most certainly can’t be simplified into one pipeline article. The intention of this month’s article is to start the conversation. Trauma informed care involves changes in how we do our work, and how we support our workforce. For more information please check out:

Resources and References

Things to Consider When Providing a Trauma Informed ISP Meeting:

  • Schedule the meeting at the person’s preferred location at their preferred time of the day.
  • Make sure the person has easy access to a door to take a break and a good way to communicate they need a break.
  • Have water and snacks available.
  • Provide access to fidgets that work for the person (some ideas are rubber bands, colored pencils and paper, pipe cleaners, stress balls, play-dough).
  • Provide an agenda and refer to it along the way, so someone can see where they are in the meeting.
  • Be aware of your language:
    • Use plain language. Define acronyms, don’t assume someone knows them.
    • Use discretion with when and where you talk about sensitive topics. Someone might not want to talk about their sex life or their bowel movements in front of 6 people. Those might be conversations they have with a trusted support provider before the meeting.
    • Use person centered language opposed to systems based language.
      • Talk about who will support me with taking a shower, not who will be showering me.
      • Talk about my evening support workers teaching me how to do laundry, not my graveyard staff doing my laundry.
  • Provide clear, easy to process take away resources that show what is involved in the ISP process and what someone should expect.
  • Provide time, space, and support when people are asked to consent to plans. Someone might need to take a day, or a week to process the information, ask questions, and provide feedback before they feel ready to sign a plan. That is OK and should be encouraged!!

Author- Kelli Downey is a 2018 graduate of Trauma Informed Oregon’s train-the-trainer program.

Remember, we do not need to know someone’s trauma history, or even if someone has or has not experienced trauma to be able to provide trauma-informed care.

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ISP Forms in Action: Recording the Person’s Perspective

The Person Centered Information (PCI) form aims to capture the person’s perspective and what is ‘important TO’ them. Person Centered information is essential to planning. How can we help a person plan their life if we don’t first try to understand what a good life means to them? This goes beyond listening to a person’s words. Words are a very small part of our communication. Some people don’t use them at all. We want to pay attention to all the ways a person may express how they feel and what matters to them.

Person Centered Information Form

Understanding a person’s perspective is critical, and the PCI form can help us do just that. However, when gathering person-centered information, we may run into real life challenges. This month, we will explore a common barrier we’ve heard to gathering person-centered information and provide some suggestions and ideas that may help you in the future.

How can I record a person's perspective if they don't use words to communicate?

Corissa has been working as Dev’s personal agent for about a year. She’s met with Dev and his brother, Kamal, several times in their home. Kamal has shared a lot about his brother. Corissa has recorded everything she learns in the “additional input” sections of the PCI. Corissa has been hesitant to fill in anything in the “person’s perspective” sections. She questions whether she can record anything here, because Dev does not use words to communicate, but communicates using a few signs he has adapted from American Sign Language (ASL), facial expressions and gestures such as nodding and pointing.

So, how can we capture Dev's perspective in the PCI form?

When someone communicates without using words, we often learn what their perspective is through observation, spending time with them, and by gathering information from people in their life who they know and trust. We can record this information in the PCI in the person’s perspective by describing HOW we have learned what matters to them. For example:

 

Kamal has shared that Dev is interested in sports cars. Dev will point to cars when people arrive at his home. He will sign “car” and “fast” to others when they interact with him. At the grocery store, Dev often stops in the magazine aisle to flip through magazines that feature sports cars.

  • In Dev’s PCI, this information might be captured in a few different sections, including Transportation, Community and Social Life, Communication, Pre-Employment/Work, Characteristics of People Who Best Support Me, and Hopes and Dreams.
  • We might record under the ‘person’s perspective’ that “Dev likes fast, sporty cars. We know this because he will point to cars and sign “fast” and “car” as well as point to the car magazines when he is at the store. Dev likes to flip through magazines and point to pictures of sports cars and laugh.”
  • We also could write “fast cars” in Dev’s perspective, as he specifically signs these words. Context for these words is important. For example: “Dev signs ‘fast cars’ when he wants to talk with others about cars. Dev will smile broadly when people bring up the topic of sports cars with him.”
  • Kamal thinks that Dev is afraid of dogs. When Dev and Kamal walk in the neighborhood and come across a dog, Dev’s body tenses up and he begins to shake his head.
    • In Dev’s PCI, this might be captured in the Life in Current Living Arrangements, Community and Social Life, or even in his Pre-Employment-related Preferences sections.
    • We might record “Dev is afraid of dogs and does not want to interact with them. We know this because his body will tense up and he will shake his head from side to side when he sees a dog. This seems to be true for dogs of all breeds and sizes. Dev does not appear to react this way to cats or other pets.”

Quick Tips for Using the Person Centered Information Form:

Use 3rd-person language

  • It is generally best practice to avoid writing in first-person language such as “I love sports cars,” unless the person directly communicated this. A person could directly communicate their perspective through words, sign, assistive technology, or by agreeing to what is being written for them. Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotes from the person.
  • If we are making our best guess about a person’s perspective, or they did not directly communicate it with us, stick to third-person language. For example: “Dev signs ‘fast cars’ when he wants to talk with others about cars. Dev will smile broadly when people bring up the topic of sports cars with him.”

It’s all in the details! 

  • Ask yourself “what does that look like?” and “how do we know?” when helping a person capture their perspective in the PCI. These details are important!
  • Would a new supporter reading the PCI and be able to understand the person’s perspective and how we recognize what the person means?

Be clear and specific

  • Record who provided what information on behalf of the person. This way, we can follow up to gain clarity in the future, as well as find out more about the person’s communication in various situations. This is also important to help understand the person’s relationships and evolving interests, which could lead to potential desired outcomes, job prospects, or other positive life changes.
  • Even if a person is not directly sharing their perspective with us, we want to understand and include it in the ‘person’s perspective’ sections. It is okay to describe your “best guess”. We do this by including details of how the we came to understand their perspective. Be clear that what you are describing is your best guess.
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Oregon ISP Webinar – Introducing the new ISP form

This webinar is designed for Services Coordinators, Personal Agents, and other interested ISP team members. An optional, new ISP form will be available in July 2019. The new form contains updated service codes, minor formatting fixes, and provides a new option for formatting the Risk Management Plan. In this webinar, we’ll walk through the upcoming changes to the form. We’ll demonstrate how to import information from a previous version of the ISP using a licensed copy of Adobe Acrobat. We’ll also have time to answer your questions about the Oregon ISP process.

The presenters for this webinar include Melissa Crawford from Oregon’s Office of Developmental Disability Services and Alan Lytle from the Oregon ISP team at OTAC | The Arc Oregon.

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Working in a Diverse World, part 3 of 3

Two men and two women standing in a field holding cut outs of different shapes - rectangle, square, circle, oval
We live in a diverse world. As supporters, we get opportunities to work with people who share identities with us and people who have very different identities from ours. This diversity makes our jobs and our lives rich and meaningful. This multi-part series aims to build skills to better support all people.  

Below you’ll find three more tips for working in a diverse world. You can review tips #1-3 here and tips #4-6 here.  
Have a question or a comment? Contact us!

Tip #7 Understand your own culture.

Todd was raised to believe that most expensive purchases were wasteful. His grandmother would tell him that “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Todd would often judge others who he believed made expensive and frivolous purchases, especially families who were not as well off as his.  
 
To overcome these thoughts, Todd had to learn that his grandmother’s approach to handling money was not the only way of doing things. He now understands that everyone has different values around money management and that his values are not superior to others.
Two boys playing while Grandma sits on a couch, watching
Young woman using laptop computer on sofa
Punctuality was important to Lin. She believed that being more than ten minutes late to a meeting showed disrespect and lack of caring. When Isabella arrived late to multiple meetings, Lin became frustrated. During their meetings, Isabella was always fully attentive, while Lin would often take breaks to respond to calls and emails.  
 
Weeks later, Lin discovered that in Isabella’s family, the concept of time was much more relaxed and being present while relating to one another was more valued. Isabella was acting in a way that was normal in her family and country of origin. Not realizing this difference, Lin had mistakenly assumed that Isabella was disrespectful and that she didn’t care about their meetings.  
 
When Lin meets with Isabella now, she uses the time before Isabella arrives to respond to calls and emails. After she arrives, Lin puts her electronics away.
Culture is the lens through which we see the world. If we don’t understand our own values and preferences, we can fall into the trap of thinking that our way of doing things is “right,” and anyone different is “wrong.”
  • What are some of your values that guide your life? How do they influence the way you go about doing your work?
  • How might your culture be different from the that of people you work with? For example, what do you consider “on time”… five minutes early, right on the minute, ten minutes after? To a meeting? To a party?
  • Find out more about your own culture and how it relates to others. Review our previous two articles here and here for more tips.

Tip #8 Support cultural identity.

Woman in purple kneading dough
Aniya is a young woman with epilepsy. While her foster providers do a great job providing for her physical needs, she often expresses discomfort with her own body. Aniya was recently connected to an epilepsy support group online. She was surprised how many people experience the same things that she experiences.  
 
After returning from her first social meeting with the group, Aniya shared that others with epilepsy are very normal, and even cool.  
Dae is a middle-aged man who immigrated to the United States from South Korea with his parents when he was six. He no longer has any contact with his family of origin. Until last year, everyone in Dae’s life was white.
 
Ryan (who is Korean-American) was recently hired to work in Dae’s group home. When Ryan prepared Ramyeon, Dae showed how happy he was by laughing and clapping his hands. Ryan put together a book of recipes that others could try with Dae. He also suggested a Korean church Dae could try, where he would be able to meet others who shared his cultural identity .
bowl of noodles with egg
Community is important to all of us. It is essential to our emotional and social well-being to be part of communities with people that share similar identities. This is especially true when we are otherwise unlikely to meet people with similar identities to ours.
  • Not everyone needs a community for every identity that they have. It is important that we consider if others feel supported in their different layers of cultural identities.
  • As supporters, we may need to think about how we can help others connect with the communities that are important to them.
  • How could technology support people to engage more with their cultural identity?

Tip #9 Realize your limits as a supporter.

Lo is a young woman who identifies as queer. She wants to meet others who share this identity. She is interested in social justice, writing, queer culture, and being a part of her town’s LGBTQIA community.  
 
Berniece, Lo’s primary support provider, has a close bond with Lo and cares about her very much. Berniece has been married to her husband for many years. She is not familiar with queer culture. Berniece wants to help Lo meet others who identify as queer. She searches the internet for local LGBTQIA events, and since she knows that Lo gets anxious about going places alone, she offers to take Lo. Lo declines going with Berniece.
7 pairs of flip flops in the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, purple. They are lined up on the sand with a wave coming towards them.

Sanjay has recently started missing days at work. He has not wanted to leave his house. His supporter, Amber, noticed that he seems more unsteady on his feet. He has been using his walker all the time, while in the past he only used it for longer walks. She is concerned that he is afraid of falling, so she offers to help him with his shower. Sanjay gets angry and tells her he is “not a baby.” Amber discovers later that Sanjay is not comfortable with a young woman helping with his personal care.

Our job as supporters is not to be a person’s “everything.” Our job, rather, is to help people connect with the communities which are important to them. Sometimes that means we have to take a step back from personally providing supports. We may need to get creative about the possibilities and make space for others to support people in their unique identities.
 
Consider…
  • Do you understand the person’s preference on how they’d like to be supported?
  • Is there another person who can be a better match for this specific support? Keep in mind that all supports do not need to be provided by a single person.
  • What are potential opportunities for the person to branch out and meet others they share things in common with? How do they feel about that?
  • How could we help support a person from the sidelines, while they shine? What do we need to learn?
  • Could an assistive device or technology be helpful?

This is a light-hearted but informative video about being a good ally to people who are part of a marginalized group but want to help.

Meet the author

Headshot of Jennifer Buss

Jennifer Buss – ISP Project Manager

Additional contributions to this article

Aniko Adany – OTAC Trainer