In the social sciences a lot of terms are floating out there — person-centered planning, life cycle planning, self-determination, and many more. A common component of these terms, when it comes to a person with a disability, is the person’s direct involvement in decision making that affects him or her. This is driven by federal laws, regulations, and funding. Underlying this trend and federal push is years of experience and research that contrast what occurs when individuals with disabilities are and are not at the table when decisions are being made about them. Good things happen when they are involved and not so good things happen when they are not. The positive effect of their participation, their perspective and that of their advocates needs to be extended to tables where larger community decisions are being made.
There is a lot going on in education these days. Central to these activities is the role of the school in the community. Two initiatives involve federal funding for Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) and Full Service Community Schools (FSCS). The Office for Innovation and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education, where these grant programs were housed, recently has been merged with the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, so old links don't work. However, if you Google the grant names, you will be taken to the webpages for these two grant programs. We here in Hawaii have a Hawai‘i Family Engagement Center and have put in a proposal for a Full Service Community Schools grant. Underlying these two federal initiatives are requirements for collaboration from parents, employers, and community organizations. Included among the intended beneficiaries are children with disabilities. It is clear that these two initiatives are after structural change that will be sustainable. The question is how do we get there?
It is clear that when you bring a diverse group together that can agree on a common goal, as demonstrated through “communities of practice”, amazing things can happen. Individuals are energize, empowered, and committed to achieving a consensus-driven outcome. But, what is also needed is a plan, strategies, resources, a way to judge progress, regroup, and share. Perhaps it’s time we coin one more phrase — a Community Action Plan — a CAP could be for an individual, a school, a neighborhood, a town, a region, or a state. It could focus on one thing like a transition plan for when a student leaves high school; a big thing like finding entry level jobs and promoting them or expanding early learning for three-and four-year olds; or a complicated thing like increasing the capacity of health care professionals to interact with and serve people with disabilities effectively, expanding supported living housing options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or expanding accessible public transportation.
Doing any of this will not be easy. Any group will need to have at the table — people who can help articulate the goal; people who know what strategies are likely to work or who can bring an expert in to advise the group; people who have or can find funding and develop a budget; people who can shape and carry out progress evaluation; and people who can craft messages and inspire partnership among implementers.
If every community of practice or group recognizes that it not only must agree on a common goal, but develop a CAP for it, then it is more likely it will achieve its goal and sustain the goal’s longevity and provide a replication guide for those with similar interests.
Thank you.
Common Grounder
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