Virginia Network of Private Providers
Community Inclusion Resources
Being In the Community Is Not the Same as Being a Part of the Community
Compiled by Dana W. Traynham, Senior Staff Attorney
disAbility Law Center of Virginia
September 2016
Introduction and Acknowledgements
This is an exciting time in Virginia! We are moving away from our long-held institutional model of care to a truly inclusive society. It has been a slow process, painfully slow at times. We have a long way to go before we are truly inclusive, but at least we’re moving in the right direction. I started working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the 1980s in California when that state was at the end of its deinstitutionalization process. I then worked in Virginia in Case Management and in group homes. I remember the push for “community outings” when I worked in the group homes. We got all four, six or eight residents into a big white van and went to Roses (this was in the days before Walmart!) or a fast food restaurant. We walked and sat as a group and staff did all the talking, ordering and paying. That was what we called “community integration” and I guess it was, to a degree. We were IN the community; but the participants had no opportunity to meaningfully interact with others in the community. As one day program staff member said to me when I asked about community integration, “We need to get to the point where community integration means more than a mother duck tour through Walmart!”
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The ideal would be for every person to live independently in a home of their choosing with a job in the community and as many friends and activities as the person desires. We don’t live or work in an ideal world. There are individuals who need support to live in the community, including residential programs, and there are those who are not currently able to work or who choose not to work. For these individuals, we must often create opportunities for community integration and inclusion. Our hope is that while it may be somewhat artificial at first, relationships will develop over time and we can achieve true inclusion.
“Community Integration” and “Community Inclusion” are terms we in the disability community hear and probably discuss every day, especially with Virginia’s Medicaid Waiver redesign and the HCBS Final Rule. I have had the pleasure of visiting many programs, residential and day support, over the years and this year, I focused specifically on integration and inclusion. I asked providers and participants about what integration and inclusion mean to them and how they are making it a reality. I asked about the barriers to true inclusion and I heard a few recurrent concerns—you know what they are before I mention them…money, transportation, and staffing. I also heard concerns about the barriers put up by community members and barriers created by fear and resistance to change (“But we’ve always done it this way…!”). I don’t have the answer to all of those concerns and I haven’t met anyone who does. What I do have are ideas, some are mine, but mostly they are ideas I’ve picked up from talking to providers and participants. I’ve also done some research on the internet, but there isn’t a lot out there other than the stuff we already know and live on a daily basis.
I want to thank Cathy Wolfe-Heberle, CEO of Blue Ridge Opportunities in Front Royal. The idea for this resource booklet was born in her office during one of my routine visits to her program. Her participants have many choices for community activities every day and they are definitely a part of that community. I started asking her questions about how she developed such an inclusive community model, and I sat back and learned a lot! I’ve visited other programs which seem to be struggling with how and where to start in their communities and Cathy agreed to provide much of the information that makes up the Laying the Foundation section of the booklet. Thanks, Cathy, for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Finally, thanks to all of you who welcomed me and other dLCV staff and volunteers into your programs and shared your experiences related to community integration and inclusion. Thanks for agreeing to share your successes as well as those experiences that did not go as well as you had hoped. I look forward to meeting more of you and talking to you about your programs and how you are creating a fully inclusive community!
Legal Disclaimer
You knew it was coming! Laws, regulations, guidelines, policies, etc….yes, you do have to consider these things in everything you do. The ideas in this booklet are offered with no guarantee that they fulfill requirements under federal, state or local laws, regulations or policies. It is up to you to ensure any activity meets requirements for licensure, reimbursement and any other hoop you must jump through.
Community Integration…Community Inclusion…It’s all the same, right?
One of my coworkers recently told me that we needed to stop talking about community integration and start talking about community inclusion. I’ve been around a long time and I’ve seen terminology change again and again. My general response is to avoid getting into the weeds of semantics and go with the flow as terms change over time, so I had a pretty blasé response to my coworker along the lines of “whatevs..!” BUT…well, I did some research and he was right (please don’t tell him!). Integration and Inclusion are very different and it’s not just a matter of semantics. Those “mother duck tours through Walmart” are Community Integration, but they are definitely NOT Community Inclusion.
We love to label things, even people. When we see a person or a group of people who are perceived as different in any way, we label them and decide as a society at what level “they” will be allowed to interact with “us”. Fortunately, we have moved past the days when people with disabilities are excluded and segregated…well, mostly. We still have issues with NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard), especially in some residential neighborhoods.
Here are graphics that show Exclusion and Segregation:
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Exclusion Segregation
This is Community Integration:
• Individuals are in the community.
• Individuals are in a group which creates distance from the rest of the community.
• There is no opportunity for meaningful interaction between the individuals and the other community members.
• Individuals are APART from the community.
This is Community Inclusion:
• Individuals are in the community.
• Individuals are not a part of a large group, so they blend into the community group.
• Individuals are able to interact with other community members.
• Individuals are A PART of the community.
So, as my coworker said, “Let’s start talking about Community Inclusion!”
True community inclusion occurs when EVERY person has access to and is encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of activities in the community regardless of any perceived differences (e.g. age, gender, race, nationality, disability). Activities in the community include employment, social and leisure, religion and spirituality, transportation, goods and services.
Laying the Foundation—Developing Ties in the Community
I’ve never built a house, but even I know that you won’t have much of a house if you don’t lay a good foundation first. The same is true of developing a Community Inclusion model for your program. There are things you as owners, directors and staff must do before you venture out into the community with the participants. Better yet, include the participants as much as possible when laying the foundation. Community Inclusion is about developing connections and relationships, and the first step is to find those people who can help you and your participants link people together in a meaningful way to foster relationship. Your program is not truly inclusive until your participants have relationships in the community.
Ask yourself this question and give it some thought… If your program closed its doors tomorrow, who in the community (besides your staff and participants) would miss you? What void would you leave? Would the community be upset or would they notice? You must become enmeshed in your community! You must not only be IN the community, you must be a vital part of the community.
Start looking at your community in a different way—see it through the lens of opportunity and open doors. As you go about your business in your local area, pay attention to the people and the businesses and organizations, all with your eyes open for opportunities for your participants. When you go to the grocery store, the cleaners, church, your clubs and organizations…how could your participants become a vital part of this community? Do the people you see as you run your errands and go about your day even know about your program or the people who receive services there?
Listed below are some steps you can take to lay a firm foundation for successful inclusion.
□ Know your resources, both in terms of what resources you need from the community and what resources you can provide to the community. You need the community to be open and provide space and acceptance for your participants and you have space and people which are assets to the community.
□ Make connections with your community—non-profit agencies, service agencies, retailers, local shop and restaurant owners, civic leaders, schools, volunteer agencies, etc. Join local organizations and groups that will allow you to network with the key players in these organizations. Network network network!
□ Be open to “YES”—say “yes” and then figure out how to do it. Too often, we let barriers stand in the way and we say “No” too quickly. Not all ideas will work for all people, but some ideas will work and there is at least one idea that will work for each person.
□ Develop a good relationship with your licensing staff, human rights advocate, dLCV staff and other entities that could sometimes be seen as adversarial. They just might be a powerful ally as you try to figure out how to best advocate for your participants in the community!
□ The importance of community inclusion has to come from the top-down. Management has to embrace the importance of the concept and both insist on it from staff and engender in them a passion for it.
□ Get your program recognized in the community. Go to town hall meetings, Board of Supervisors meetings and network; get on the schedule and speak whenever there is a relevant topic where you can share information about your program. Join local clubs if they interest you or ask to visit to talk about your program—local Ruritans, Rotary, United Way, Elks, Moose, Kiwanis, etc. Ask to speak at churches about your program or better yet, have a participant speak. Make the connections in the community and you will eventually meet someone who knows someone who knows someone…and you will get the connections you need to open doors in the community.
□ Speaking of opening doors, when are your doors shut? How can you open them to the community? Consider offering your day support space for community events in the evenings and weekends. Have a participant or two act as host for the meeting—opening the doors, giving a tour of the facilities, answering questions. If possible, have a participant or two participate in the meeting or activity. Even if no program participant is present at the activity or meeting, just offering your building to community organizations when you’re not using it will get your program recognized—it will generate discussion about what your program is and what services you offer and who the participants are. This practice could lead to promising community connections. This suggestion doesn’t work so well for residential programs because you can’t open up your home to community meetings, but you can open your doors in other ways.
• Open your home to your neighbors. Plan a block party; create a Sunday football club to get neighbors together to watch a game; plant a community garden in your back yard and invite your neighbors to participate; install a lawn game in your front yard (horseshoes, croquet, bocce, badminton, corn hole, etc.) and invite neighbors over for a game or a neighborhood tournament; plan a pot-luck dinner with some neighbors; have a video game night. Think about how you personally connect with your neighbors or how you wish you could connect with your neighbors and figure out how you can assist your participants to do the same with their neighbors.
□ Have time at staff meetings to share successes and brainstorm ways to overcome barriers. Consider starting your meetings with these successes. Don’t just focus on what hasn’t been done or what staff thinks can’t be done. Relish in the joy of success when it occurs wherever it occurs. It may be a small thing or a huge milestone—treat them all as important.
□ Identify who are the town members who “know everybody” and “know what’s going on” — how can you involve them in your efforts?
□ Ask each staff member what groups or organizations they are involved in and if they feel comfortable networking in those groups and educating the members about your program. How about their spouses, children and other connections? Remember, it’s all about networking and making those connections. Ask your staff to invite a participant to a meeting or event if there is a participant whose interests intersect with that of staff.
Build the Framework—Identify Goals and Interests of Your Participants
Every person has gifts, strengths, goals, interests and desires. That is where we start. Help each participant identify what he or she has to offer and what they want to get from relationships in the community. This will be easier for some folks than for others and it will be a continuing process. You can assign each participant to a particular staff to work on this step or you can work on it as a community with input from all staff and other participants who know the individual well. Remember to go for a “yes” whenever possible. Don’t get bogged down in worrying about barriers or logistics at this stage.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating…Community Inclusion is about relationships, not activities. For too long, we have focused on common community activities for participants such as going out to eat, shopping, going to movies or parks. These activities, while fun, do not usually lead to making friends or building relationships. We can certainly continue to do these things but realize that they fall under the category of Integration, not Inclusion. We will be more successful at creating an Inclusive community if we shift our focus away from activities and start thinking about people and relationships. Wherever we choose to go, consider who we will meet there and will this activity foster Inclusion. With that being said, going to a small local place for coffee or meals frequently over time may lead to the opportunity to get to know people. It’s all in how you focus your attention.
Look for relationships the individual may already have and consider ways to strengthen them. Maybe one of your participants has made a connection with a waitress at a local diner because you go there frequently, or maybe someone has developed a casual first-name acquaintance with the clerk at your post office. Is there a way you can foster a more meaningful relationship where this sort of connection has already been forged? That waitress or clerk might be a member of an organization that would welcome a new member or they may be open to developing a friendship outside of their current role. Perhaps you could help your participant develop this friendship by practicing asking for contact…”Would you like to have coffee together sometime.”
When looking at interests and goals, think about groups, clubs and organizations that center around that topic. There are groups for just about every interest! There are formal groups such as Rotary, choirs and sports teams; and there are more informal groups like book clubs, pick-up sports and craft groups.
Connecting interests to groups and clubs won’t always be an easy one-two-and-done process. For example, an individual may love football and his goal may be to play for the Washington Redskins. Well, how do we get to “yes” with that one?!? Focus on the interest—football—and see what connections you can make in the community. Every high school has a football team. Start with going to the games on Friday nights. Find someone who knows the coach or a player on the team. Make connections. Over time, your participant will get to know people on the team and other fans. Take it to the next level and invite someone over to watch the Redskins play on Sunday afternoon or maybe find a job for the participant with the local team.
Another example…if a participant likes the theater, make connections with your local community actors. There are many things an individual can do with the local playhouse. Of course, there are acting roles, but there are also behind-the-scenes tasks such as props, lighting, and sound. Maybe the participant can’t do any of those things. See if he or she can come to the practices and rehearsals and spend time with the actors and stage crew.
Some individuals will have difficulty identifying interests and goals because they have not had the opportunity to try many new things. For these individuals, the discovery phase can be exciting as you open doors to new experiences and help the participant figure out what he or she likes and doesn’t like.
Make the Connections
In many communities, there will be few readily available opportunities for Inclusion. You will have to find them or create them for your participants. Some groups may not be welcoming to your participants. Be persistent. There are people who will be welcoming and who will appreciate the gifts your participants have to offer.
We talk a lot about groups, clubs and organizations as ways to make connections because with groups, there are many people who are potential friends and connections to other potential friends, they are generally open to the public, they meet frequently, they are usually somewhat social and they generally offer many different ways to get involved. However, some of your participants will not choose to participate in group activities. The introverts among us will need other avenues to make our connections! Such participants might choose to volunteer in a place where he or she can interact with one or two people at a time rather than a large group. Some community classes might be a good fit if group participation is not a requirement. These folks might prefer to pick one person in the community he or she likes and work on developing a friendship with that person.
Volunteering—Do What You Love and Love What You Do
Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and really become a part of the community. It is a way to experience different tasks in different settings which may eventually lead to a paid job. It can be an excellent way to meet people who have similar interests. However, it can also quickly turn into a job without pay. Some programs I’ve visited offer volunteer services in the community but pay the participants for their work. This is a hybrid between paid work and volunteerism because the beneficiary of the service is not paying for the it, but rather the program is paying the participant. Obviously, not all programs have the capability to do this, but where it’s possible, it can be the best of both worlds. There are formal volunteer opportunities such as Meals on Wheels and hospital auxiliary programs; and there are more informal volunteer opportunities such as helping seniors in the community with odd jobs.
Volunteering can create connections in several ways. Participants can meet other volunteers through their working together; they can meet individuals who are receiving the services they offer; and it can create connections in more indirect ways by just getting the word out in the community about your program and its participants.
Just because a participant volunteers in the community does not necessarily mean he or she is included in the community. There are volunteer opportunities that offer no real interaction with the community, such as working in a recycling center or a paper shredding facility where the participant works alone with little or no chance to build relationships. Volunteering as a group is also less likely to lead to relationships with community members.
You can volunteer to help other volunteers! Contact local volunteer organizations to see if they need help with special projects. An individual may be able to work on a special project for a short period of time to see if this is a group he or she wants to join or it may be a group that the individual cannot join but would like to act as an auxiliary volunteer (e.g. volunteer fire department or rescue squad). Volunteer and other community groups may need assistance with annual fundraising or another annual event. This may be a good way for someone to ease into an activity or group and check it out.
Three’s a Crowd…Two’s Company…and One is Best
As much as possible, strive for opportunities for one-on-one connections. This is more likely to be achieved if one, or two at the most, participate in an activity. Once you get more than two participants together in a group, you have created an “us” and “them” situation and you are more likely to create Integration rather than Inclusion. Staffing and transportation are obvious hurdles when trying to get participants into activities as individuals or couples. However, once connections are established in the community, opportunities will open up for more independent participation.
Children—Gateway to the World!
Reach out to children. Sometimes, the best way to get through to an adult is through their child because children tend to be much more open. Look for ways to involve your program and participants in activities involving children. Do you have a greenhouse or a garden? Invite a children’s class over for a lesson on plants. Open your space to your local boy and girl scouts for meetings and activities. Consider assisting a participant in applying to be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Plan a low-cost field day for local children at a park and provide games with prizes that are either donated or cheap. (When I was in elementary school, we once had a field day and the prizes were rocks painted with gold paint! I’m not sure if kids today would get as excited about that as we did, but it’s an idea!) Ask your local scout leaders if there is a way your participants could help their troop earn a merit badge. Sponsor a local children’s sports team—this gets your name out to lots of people who watch the games and your participants could become ardent fans of the team.
Ask if your local schools have a BackPack Program (kids who are at risk of hunger over the weekend receive a backpack of food every Friday) and if so, have one or more participants volunteer to put the packs together each week and deliver them to the schools.
What About My Peeps?—Friendships with Peers are Important Too!
With all the talk about making connections in the community, you or your participants may be wondering about friendships with other people with disabilities and participating in activities designed for people with disabilities. Inclusion encompasses the opportunity to participate in all activities the individual chooses and to develop relationships in many different areas of his or her life. Community Inclusion looks beyond what is easy and readily available to develop more connections than can be developed through simply living together and attending the same program. People with disabilities do not often get to choose their housemates, their coworkers or their fellow program participants. They may develop close ties with these individuals or they may simply be what we might refer to as “work buddies”. Think about your own group of friends. You may have met some of them in school, some at work, some at church and some in clubs or organizations. Community Inclusion opens the doors for more varied relationships for people with disabilities just as we have varied relationships from different areas of our lives. We also may choose to spend time with people who look like us, talk like us, think like us, etc. The key word here is “choose”. We have that choice, and so should all people, regardless of ability, disability or any other perceived “otherness”.
Barriers
Let’s get real…there ARE barriers to community inclusion that must be overcome. You must tackle some of these barriers once and some every single day. There is often no easy answer to overcoming barriers, but one way to approach it is to say that the first answer is always “yes”. Yes, we will find a way to obliterate this barrier, yes we will find a way to make it work, yes the participant will do this thing he or she wants to do. The final answer may not always be “yes”, but it should be the first answer.
We may automatically think that money (or the lack thereof) is always the biggest barrier, but maybe not. The biggest barrier in your program may be the culture of “but we’ve always done it this way…” This attitude can stymie progress and even one staff person with this attitude can bring down the entire group. This is where top-down enthusiasm and expectation is vital. Culture change, like any change or growth, can be hard, but if there is no other option, staff will get on board. Remember, just as bad attitudes can bring down the entire group, passion and enthusiasm is just as contagious.
Other barriers that have been identified by providers:
□ Liability
□ Transportation (check out possible grant opportunities through the Department of Rail and Public Transportation); don’t forget public transportation where available
□ Staff—when will they have the time to develop community connections and create plans while still having to meet the daily needs of the participants every day?
□ Community pushback
□ NIMBY
□ Fear of loss of revenue if participant goes out without staff
□ More we haven’t even identified yet!
Brainstorm ways to overcome the barriers as they arise. Reach out to other providers to see how they have overcome similar barriers.
And Now for Some Ideas!
Some of the following ideas may seem obvious, but maybe they’re not obvious to everyone; and some may seem unattainable, but there may be someone out there who can make it happen (be open to “yes!”). There are many ideas here. Take and use what works for your program and participants.
Some of the ideas are things the participants can do, some are places they can go, some are ideas for networking, and some fit multiple categories.
Arts
Art Dance
Museums Classes
Cooperative Galleries Genre clubs (e.g. square, ballroom)
Art shows and exhibits Dance venues (clubs, bars, etc.)
Craft shows
Literature Media
Poetry club Photography club
Public poetry readings Visual Arts club
Creative writing Cinematography
Drawing
Music Painting
Singing classes Sculpting
Instrument classes
Bands (high school, college, professional)
Orchestras Culinary
Opera Cooking classes
Choir Wine clubs
Local concert series Microbrewing
Wineries
Theatre Catering
Acting classes
Local playhouses
Magic classes
Improv clubs
Costume design
Set design
Comedy clubs
Ballet
Businesses
Music store Radio station Bank
Newspaper Chamber of Commerce Beauty shop or barber shop
Restaurants Bookstore Nursery/garden supply store
Pet store Local business groups Craft Store
Grocery stores Locally owned retail stores Thrift/Consignment stores
Drug store Malls Coffee shops
Hardware store Laundromat Gas stations
Post office
Civic Events
County Fair
Farmer’s Market
Holiday events
Festivals
Clubs
Craft clubs (e.g. quilting bee, ceramics club, scrapbooking club)
Gardening club
Photography club
Other clubs focused on specific interest
Community Service/Charitable Organizations
Meals on Wheels Senior Centers
Red Cross Virginia Blood Services
American Cancer Society Immigrant and refugee organizations
United Way Fire Department
Rescue Squad Auxiliary groups for fire and rescue
Friends of the library Hospital volunteer
Master Gardener Program Local extension offices
Kiwanis Rotary
Elks Club Moose Club
Lions Club Sororities and Fraternities
Nursing Homes Hospitals
Homeless shelter Food bank
Literacy programs Habitat for Humanity
Ethnic Groups
Local chapters of NAACP
***-American Citizens League (many nationalities have their own civic groups)
Association of Hispanic Arts
Government
Board of Supervisors
City council
Commissions
Economic development
Advisory committees
Community Services Boards
Planning commission
Disability services boards
Hobbies
Collectors groups (e.g. stamp collectors, sports cards collectors) and shows
Classes
Fishing
Crafts
Leisure
Cards Clubs (e.g. Bridge, Clubs, Canasta)
Motorcycle clubs
Parks
Trails
Theaters
Amusement parks
Media
TV stations
Radio stations
Local newspaper (daily and weekly)
Social networking websites
Neighborhood Groups
Neighborhood watch
Homeowners Associations
Adopt-a-Highway
Neighborhood beautification
Pets/Animals
Dog shows Horse shows
Livestock sales Dog Agility
Dog breed associations Equestrian clubs
Dog walking Dog parks
Zoos Farms
Politics
Republican and Democratic Party
Local office of state and federal politicians
Election campaigns
Poll volunteers
Voter registration drive
League of Women Voters
Religious/Spiritual
Services
Special groups (e.g. men’s group, women’s group, singles)
Bible study groups
Youth group
Social action groups
Social activities
Trips
Schools
PTA/PTO
Mentor program
Backpack program
Clubs
Sports
Elementary, Middle, High, College
Self-Help/Support Groups
Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-Step groups
Groups focused on a physical or mental disease or disability
Therapy groups
Social Action/Justice
Advocacy groups and volunteer opportunities
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
Greenpeace
NAACP
American Association of People with Disabilities
AARP
Special Interest
Antique cars (clubs and shows)
Birding
Historical Society
Sports/Fitness
Area playgrounds where people meet for pick-up games
Walking groups
Training groups for runners (e.g. 5K training group, marathon running group)
Biking clubs
Local leagues (e.g. bowling, baseball or softball, tennis)
YMCA and other community recreation centers
Local gym
Local parks and recreation organization
Sporting events (e.g. games, races)
Miniature golf
Youth
Big Brother/Big Sister
Boy and Girl Scouts
4-H clubs
Resources for Even More Ideas
□ United Way—contact your local United Way or check their website for a Community Services Directory
□ 2-1-1 Virginia—on line or by phone; find services in your area by keyword (try general words such as recreation, classes, activities, volunteer or specific words such as gardening, animals or other interests)
□ County or city website—look for event calendar
□ Chamber of Commerce—check out the member directory
□ Social Media—follow your area’s businesses and organizations on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites; Does your program have a Facebook page?
□ Read your junk mail!—some organizations advertise events and meetings through direct mail campaigns
□ (list of approx. 500 organizations in the US working for progressive change on a national level)
□ Meetup () Find people in your area interested in the things you’re interested in or start a group based on your interests. There are meetups for everything!! Just in the 10-mile radius from Charlottesville, there are 155 groups! I think I must join the C’ville Area Harry Potter Book Club for Grown-up Muggles!!!
□ Craig’s List () there are listings for community events, jobs, personals, services and lots of other stuff
□ Provides search based on geographic area and interests
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This is just the beginning! I want to hear from YOU! What innovative paths to Community Inclusion have you found, tried or thought about? I’d like to add to this booklet specific examples of what you have done to overcome barriers and create Community Inclusion. I also want to hear about what hasn’t worked and those barriers you have not been able to cross.
You can reach me in the following ways:
Toll-free: 800-552-3962
Direct: 434-971-6733
Fax: 804-662-7057
Email: dana.traynham@
Mail: 1512 Willow Lawn Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, Va. 23230
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