The Individuals and their self-directed activism toward what they want to

achieve:A Training for Brokers and Medicaid Service

Coordinators

by theamazinJ (Jason Ross)

Individualitytheamazinj

IDENTITY

Objects,Possessions Creations Choices

Genetics

Interests

Friends &Family

Work andHobbies

Practices andHabits

Ethnicity

Appearance

Beliefs

Values

Identity First Language vs. Person First Language

theamazinj (Jason Ross)

Language is important

not only for a Disabled person, but

for any person

Speak to any Person

the way they want to be

Identified as instead of

giving people an ID

the way society or you wants

What is Self-Advocacy

andWhy is it so important?

theamazinj

Self-Advocacy is important because it is a basic human right.

No one gets to say what other people cannot do, think, say, or

represent ourselves as.

Being Human means having the individual rights to be whoever we

want to be.

Self-Determination

freedom to live as one chooses, or to act or decide without consulting another or others without being influenced by others

theamazinJ

An Individual’s Path to Self-determinationEveryone has their own agendas. It is important not to influence the individual to what you think they should

want.

The individual has to advocate for themselves constantly when the agencies and others want to maintain their own agendas for what they think is

right for the individual.

I must make sure I maintain my own self-advocacy to get what I want and need for my

success in my life.

The stronger self-advocate I become, the more I get what I want and need.

Don’t be afraid to say ‘NO’ when something does not feel right from an agency or person.

Tell everyone what you want and need! theamazinj

The Person Centered, Self-directed Services, maintaining Self-Determination• It is important that the whole circle of

support maintains the Individual’s own self-determination

• The individual makes decisions based on what they believe feels right for them without being directed by other people telling them what to do

• The individual is in charge of their own life who knows what fits, what feels right, and knows what they want and the success they need. The circle of support assists the individual to maintain that success.

• No one tells or influences the individual, but offers support

• The Individual gets to make their own mistakes too and learns from those mistakes

For example, if an individual chooses to

further their education to enable themselves toward their activism,

let them!

theamazinJ

The Individual Self-directing their own life

theamazinj

The Individual calls their own meetings The Individual creates their own circle of support which includes mostly the Broker, the individual’s choice of

supportive people, and partly the Medicaid Service Coordinator

The individual tells the circle of support what they want in their life, what they need,and what success looks like.

The Circle of Support is only there to support the decisions of the individual’s wants and needs in their life

while helping to make those things possibleThe Individual makes all the decisions

The Individual is an adult who IS taking responsibility for their own life.

This is about supportive decision making, not influencing or telling

Self-Direction

theamazinj

Self-determination from what the individual wants, needs, and says. Basically, the individual

leads!Without the head, body, and feet,

the system cannot functionHead : Fiscal

Intermediary, takes care of the money in

the budgetBody: person who works the most with the individual: The Broker with the circle of support

Feet : Medicaid Service

Coordinator

The Head: Fiscal Intermediary

theamazinj

This person allocate the money in the budget for the individual

They work closely with the broker to function by allocating money for the different things

within the approved budget

Without the The Fiscal Intermediary no broker, staff, or other things gets paid

The Body: The Broker

theamazinj

The Broker is the MAIN person who works with the Individual

The Broker gets to know the individual the most and helps construct the budget

and must be creative to think outside the box of how to get the individual

what they want and needThe Broker works closely with the individual to make sure all the needs and wants are met by the plan that is

approved

The Feet: Medicaid Service Coordinator

theamazinj

The person who does the least, but still important factor in maintaining the needs of

the individual

This person maintains medicaid, health insurance, social security

benefits, food stamps, the Individualized Service Plan, and helps provide support within the

circle of support to maintain that the services are centered

around the individual

Helping Disabled People Build Community and Direct Their Own Lives:

My meet up group

theamazinJ

Disabled People’s Rights + Civil Rights = Human

Rights

theamazinJ

We need to view disabled people as part of the human race too without

prejudicial thinking

or tragic burden thoughts

alistairdegaetano@gmail.comalistairdegaetano@gmail.com

Disabled people are NOT Your Inspiration, we are people too, and need to be respected with what we want out of our life just as much as everyone

else,respect what we want, and we will respect you.If non-disabled people get paid for work being done, please concur with disabled people too.

theamazinJ

Supported Decision-Making New York

What Is SDM?

It’s something that we all do every day!• Supported decision-making (SDM) is a process by which a person with an intellectual or developmental disability can be supported in making his or her

own decisions • We call them decision-makers

• There is no “one-size-fits-all” model for SDM• It generally occurs when people receive assistance from one or more trusted friends, family members, professionals or advocates to help them understand the situations they face and choices and options they have so they can make

their own decisions

Not Just Pie In The Sky!

In Texas, SDM is already the law

“A process of supporting and accommodating an adult with a disability enable the adult to make life

decisions, including decisions related to where the adult wants to live, the services, supports and medical care the adult wants to receive, whom the adult want

to live with, and where the adult wants to work without impeding the self-determination of the adult.”

Texas established code 1357.002 (3); 1357.003other states like DE

and MA, are catching on, too!

Key Concepts for SDM• Put decision makers in the driver’s seat

• Value the will and preferences of decision makers

• TRUST decision makers to take risks

• Create Meaningful Choices

• Recognize decision making supports as a right

• Recognize decision making supports as a right

SDMNY’s Theory of Change1) Education - spreading the word about how supported

decision making improves the lives of decision-makers2) Diversion - Helping people avoid guardianship and

uses alternatives3) Restoration - Helping people under guardianship have

access to alternatives and get their rights back4) Sustainability - Ensuring that supported decision

making will be here to stay

National Resource Center for Supported Decision Making -supporteddecionmaking.org

Northampton, MA Supported-Decision-Making Pilot Project

-supporteddecisions.org/pilot-projectMaine’s Supported Decision Making

Coalition-supportmydecision.org

Supported Decision-Making New York-sdmny.org

-Yuri Kochiyama

“Consciousness is Power,Consciousness is Education and Knowledge,

Consciousness is Becoming Aware,Tomorrow’s World is yours to Build!”