The Evolution of the Quality of Care
in Developmental Disabilities
Jim Conroy
Jim Conroy is the founder and President of the Center for Outcome Analysis, Inc., a non-profit firm that is devoted to evaluation, research, training, and policy analysis on quality of life issues in the developmental disabilities field. The Center is founded on the principle that service agencies should be guided by measurable quality of life outcomes regarding the services and supports received by individuals with developmental disabilities.
Ed Roberts, Activist
Ed Roberts was a pioneering leader of the disability rights movement. Ed declared that people with disabilities are fully human; that they have a right and a responsibility to take control of their own lives, to help build a new culture in which they and all people participate fully in the leadership, the labor, and the fruits of society.
Ed Roberts Day was Monday, January 23, 2012.
An interview with Ed's son, Lee Roberts and Ed's colleague, Dr. William Bronston, conducted at Ed's induction to the California Hall of Fame, has been added to the Ed Roberts website section.
The METO Lawsuit and Settlement Agreement
At the December 1, 2011 Fairness Hearing before United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank, the METO Settlement Agreement was accepted. Judge Frank issued the official Order on December 5, 2011. In this first videotaped interview with Shamus O'Meara, counsel for the Plaintiffs in the METO class action lawsuit, he talks about his decision to take the case, the legal issues involved, and some of the critical aspects of the Settlement Agreement, including the focus on staff training around person centered planning, and the establishment of both an Olmstead Committee and Rule 40 Committee.
Following the Fairness Hearing, Shamus O'Meara was interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). A related article was featured on MPR's "All Things Considered" on December 1, 2011.
Professor John McKnight:
Capacity Building Beyond Community Services
Video Interview
Anyone interested in successfully including people on the margins into neighborhood and community life needs to listen to John McKnight and study asset based community development. John is a community organizer, an academic and a brilliant story-teller. He is deeply committed to promoting the ability and capacity of people, their neighbors and their associations. He believes every community has welcoming places and people and that every person has a gift, ability or skill to share...
John McKnight (continued)
Ethical Issues, End of Life Conversations
and Developmental Disabilities
Honoring Choices is a collection of stories by ordinary people about end of life conversations with family and friends, each of whom is sharing their perspective from their personal and professional lives.
http://honoringchoices.org/videostories/#!developmental%20disabilities
The Council thanks Bill Hanley and Pam Palan for inviting our participation in this important initiative. Developmental Disabilities is one of 16 different identity groups included in the online archive of conversations. Please note: These stories are not closed captioned.
Thinking Ahead: Thank you to the California Department of Developmental Services for creating resource materials in plain language that can be used with self advocates to discuss end of life issues. This guide can be useful in assuring that self advocates express preferences about end of life decisions. Please note: this is not a legal document.
CNN Special Assignment: "Okahoma Infanticide": On April 6, 2011, Council members watched a three part series by Carlton Sherwood that described the lack of medical treatment for babies born with spina bifida in Oklahoma in 1984. This series demonstrated the fundamental difference about end of life issues for people with developmental disabilities compared to other groups. As a result of centuries of discrimination and oppression, people with developmental disabilities have been abused, neglected, and died as documented in Parallels in Time and Parallels in Time, Part 2.
The Council continues to work with Bruce Kappel in reviewing historical issues. Bruce Kappel prepared briefing papers on a series of moral and ethical issues specific to developmental disabilities. These brief papers include: guardianship, involuntary servitude, sterilization, Baby Doe, and euthanasia. To read more about these issues:
Guardianship
Involuntary Servitude
Sterilization
Baby Doe
Euthanasia
Complete Briefing Paper
The Evolution of Disability Rights Litigation
(and some stories)
David Ferleger on Disability Rights Litigation>>>
Institutions to Independence
"Institutions to Independence" is a 30 minute documentary produced by TPT (public television) in cooperation with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, the law firm of Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Government Training Services. This documentary tells the story of services in Minnesota from the 1860s into the 21st Century through the telling of stories of people with developmental disabilities, families, and professionals.
In addition to the documentary, the Minnesota Governor's Council worked with TPT to create "Know Your Rights", an Illustrated Essay by David Gillette regarding the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities.
Meet the Future Face of Employment
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Technology Fields
and Families Can Take
Top 10 Actions for Educators
Top 10 Actions for Employers
Top 10 Actions for Vocational
Rehabilitation Services
