August 2024 Meeting

Meeting Date
  • Opening quotation 
    • “Nothing is impossible. The disability is not in arms or legs. The disability is to not persevere in whatever you would like to do.”- Ibrahim Hamadtou
  • Agenda 
    • Invited Guest: Alex Gossage - Executive Director, Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston  (Legal name Ann Arbor Center for Independent living)
    • Overview of DNWML & what they do
      • Mission: Empower the lives of people with disabilities and advocate for a more inclusive community for all.
        • Make the world more accessible and work with people with disabilities to make sure they are able to live in their communities.
      • History:
        • Our Center for Independent Living (CIL) was founded in 1976.
        • CILs began as grassroots organizations, nonprofits, groups of advocates and groups of people with disabilities getting together. 
        • Now they are a hybrid of a grassroots organization and a federally funded program. 
          • CILs receive government funding.
        • 15 CILs in Michigan
          • Services change based on community size and region. 
          • Each CIL is an expert on their region but the CILs do engage in cross collaboration with each other.
      • How CILs are organized:
        • CILs are required to be majority board members and staff.
      • What they do:
        • Employment services
        • Advocacy
        • Disability Awareness and education
        • Information and referral
        • Peer support groups
        • Recreational programs
        • Benefits counseling
        • Nursing facility transition
        • Independent living support
        • Youth and transition services 
        • Community leadership and support
        • Business training
        • ADA and Accessibility support
      • Who are they?
        • Peer organization of advocates coming together to make the world more accessible and work with people who have disabilities in order to help them live the lives they choose and want to live.
        • 80% of staff and board identify as members of the community.
      • Who do they work with?
        • Individuals with disabilities.
      • How do they interact with the community?
        • Evaluate accessibility within the community
          • An example is working with the U of M engineering school to assess the accessibility measures being taken.
        • Making sure disability voices and representation is included in the conversation to begin with and is not an afterthought.
          • Example: Self driving vehicle accessibility.
      • Where are their offices
        • Research Park Drive in Ann Arbor
        • Monroe office
        • New office in Howell in Livingston county
      • Social/Independent Living and Medical Models
        • Medical model- perceived as an impairment in a body system or function.
        • Social/independent living model- Viewed as part of a person's identity.
    • How they have collaborated with the University  
      • Accessibility walkthroughs, planning checks, and consultations
      • Collaborative case support with social workers 
      • Disability support groups
      • Grant and research partnerships
      • Disability awareness
      • University medical center disability workgroup participation
      • Making sure people with disabilities are included in research
    • Contact information
    • Currently working on a Needs Assessment for communities they serve
      • All options will be available between July 15 to August 16, 2024
      • Online option: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DNWML2024 
      • Phone option: 7349710277 and tell them you would like to take the community needs assessment.
      • In person: Call 7349710277 or email [email protected] to schedule an interview
    • Questions and comments:
      • Do your services cover mental health related disabilities?
        • They work with individuals with all disabilities and will try to connect people with resources if they cannot supply the resources the individual needs. For example they do not offer counseling services but can connect individuals with counseling resources.
      • Can this office help individuals with disabilities get healthcare?
        • They can. It is a difficult task but they can help the individual get what they need and connect them with resources.
      • I work with engineering faculty who sometimes want to engage the disability community as part of a broader impacts of their research proposals (so not as research subjects). Would you be available to consult or connect to community members? Is there a cost associated with this type of consultation?
        • No cost for connecting community members
        • All services are no cost or low cost. Depending on service and the amount of time they will be working with you.
      • Within their services they are able to direct you to the resources you need.
      • If I suggest someone seek out DNWML services does that impact funding?
        • Funding is primarily for the federal and state government. They are required to have a state entity in order for them to be an independent living organization. They do this through Michigan rehabilitation services. They have to track the information of individuals who use their services for their grants. They also do fee for service work, write grants, and fundraise. The more people they serve the more funds they can receive.
      • Since DNWML is a state funded organization and you have to facilitate conversation with MRS does it cause problems?
        • They currently work less formally with MRS than in previous years. Despite there being complexity in the relationship between DNWML and MRS they will sit down and work with them and other entities to get the individual the support they need.
      • Client Assistant Program- for supporting individuals in navigating MRS processes- https://www.drmich.org/services/client-assistance-program-cap/ 
        • Vocational rehabilitation agencies, like MRS, typically experiences high rates of turnover and have very stressful environments. The Ann Arbor Office recently onboarded more staff to fill vacancies but transitions can impact progress of individuals. Being on top of the case manager is an integral part of the process (which can be stressful)  In personal experience, I have found MRS Ann Arbor to be very responsive and their supervisors very committed to trying to support individuals to the extent possible.
  • Other Matters Arising