orientation for odp service providers · orientation for odp service providers individual rights:...

Orientation for ODP Service Providers Individual Rights: Webcast #2

Music only.

Course #: ID-2018-21 1


This webcast includes spoken narration.

To adjust the volume, use the controls at the bottom of the screen. While viewing this webcast, there is a pause and reverse button that can be used throughout the presentation.

The written version of the narration appears to the right of the screen.

Course #: ID-2018-21 2


Certificates of Achievement will be available to all staff of Direct Care Provider Agencies and Supports Coordination Organizations after completing all course requirements.

Please view and then save or print your certificate in order to receive credit for this course.

Course #: ID-2018-21 3


Hello, my name is Dave Maloney from The Columbus Organization. This is the second in a series of four webcasts developed on the topic of Individual Rights for all newly hired service provider staff including managers, supervisors, Direct Support Professionals, Supports Coordinators, buildings and ground staff and administrative support staff.

This training content is offered by the Office of Developmental Programs to meet the General Orientation training requirements specific to the topic areas identified in the 55 PA Code 6100 Regulations.

Course #: ID-2018-21 4


Think about choices and decisions you have made. Consider the big decisions that changed the course of your life: choosing a career, deciding where to live, or starting a family. Do you remember how you made those decisions?

Course #: ID-2018-21 5


For example, when deciding where to live, you might have gathered information. What are the schools like? How close are family and friends? How long is the commute to and from work?

Course #: ID-2018-21 6


Here’s another example of a big decision. Maybe you met someone who captured your imagination and said, “This is someone I want to get to know better.” Perhaps you sought advice from the people closest to you. How did you invite them into your decision‐making?

Course #: ID-2018-21 7


Making decisions is about the big turning points in our lives. But we also make choices every day. Who to spend time with, what to have for dinner, how to spend the weekend – or, to skip the donut and take a walk. Everyday choices are not all life‐changing decisions and we may not even be consciously aware of how many decisions we make each day.

Course #: ID-2018-21 8


The big decisions put our feet on the path toward the future we want. But the small choices accumulate and can, over time, change the direction of life.

Course #: ID-2018-21 9


We make the best choices and decisions we can based on the information we have and our own unique experiences. We seek the advice of other people. Some of us may not have had the exposure or experience to make a particular choice or decision, so we may need to take time to explore and try things before we’re ready to make the decision.

Our choices have to fit the kind of life we want to live with the right balance of comfort, opportunity to learn and grow, and have fun and feel content and fulfilled.

Course #: ID-2018-21 10


After viewing this webcast, participants will be able to:

* Describe the right to make decisions and choices.

* Explain roles and responsibilities in supporting individuals’ right to make choices and decisions, and

* Understand the ways in which the right to choice and decision‐making relate to experience, risk, and opportunity.

Course #: ID-2018-21 11


When you think about choices and decisions you’ve made – using experience, advice, finding balance, and thinking about risks and benefits – who is at the center of it all? Of course, you were. Other people may agree or disagree, but we take it as a given that we have control over our lives, including taking risks to try something new and accepting the consequences. We expect people to respect our fundamental right to make choices and decisions.

Course #: ID-2018-21 12


We provide support knowing that individuals have the same right to respect for choices and decision‐making as all other citizens. But it’s worth taking a deeper look at how this respect for people’s right to choose and make decisions shows in what we do and say.

*Does everyone in every role understand the individual’s right to make choices and decisions – think about a volunteer, receptionist, and the executive of the organization?

*Do we demonstrate that we’re available to support individuals’ right to choice and decision‐making while respecting their choice to ask us for advice – or not?

*If we are asked for advice, do we recognize our own beliefs and assumptions that influence the advice we give?

*Do we always keep in mind that, for individuals we support, there’s a balance between the right to try something new (and perhaps take a risk) and the responsibility to act if there is risk to health, safety, and well‐being?

*Is respect for the individual’s right to make choices and decisions a part of the way we interact with every person we know, every time, in the everyday choices and the big decisions of life?

Course #: ID-2018-21 13


In preparing for this webcast, I talked with Josh, who’s a member of Self‐Advocates United as 1 (or, SAU1). Josh gave two examples of how he is respected in making choices and decisions in his life. First, Josh told us his favorite food is hamburgers and that he and the people in his life choose to put hamburgers on the menu regularly. But Josh knows that he can’t have a hamburger for every meal. He realizes the benefits of eating a bit healthier.

Which of us hasn’t at one time or another made the decision whether to sometimes indulge in a favorite comfort food or say no to ourselves?

Course #: ID-2018-21 14


Josh also told us about a time when his life was at a crossroads. He did not want to stay in school until he was 21 and he didn’t want to participate in a structured program for people with disabilities. Although Josh communicates with actions and some words, he made what he wanted clear to other people. He even felt physically sick at times because people were not acting on his right to make this important decision. Perhaps some people in his life disagreed. But, as the person responsible for his own life, Josh decided who to invite into his decision, and together, they made it work.

Course #: ID-2018-21 15


Josh’s success in creating the life he wanted meant people really listened and learned the reasons for his decision.

The Office of Developmental Programs’ Everyday Lives: Values in Action speaks to what people and their families have said is important in their lives. Two values, in particular, are reflected in Josh’s story. To people with developmental disabilities, choice and control include every moment in life, big or small, and the support of others to make choice and control a reality.

Course #: ID-2018-21 16


Does what Josh experienced sound familiar to you? Do you always seek other people’s advice in every choice and decision that you make? Maybe in some decisions but not others?

How do you decide who to trust?

How do you react to getting advice that you didn’t ask for?

How do you feel if you take a long time to make a decision and someone makes it for you instead of waiting?

Course #: ID-2018-21 17


I’ve used the word “invite” deliberately when talking about choice and decision‐making because we know that asking for advice and guidance from someone else – or even if we ask – is our right. It’s the same for people we support. Showing respect for the right of the individual means that he or she decides if anyone should be a part of the decision‐making process, and if yes, then who to ask.

This is certainly true of adults receiving service, but it’s also true that children are involved in decisions about their lives, along with parents or legal guardians.

Course #: ID-2018-21 18


It’s okay to offer support in decision‐making, but it matters where we start. Starting with questions like “Here’s my opinion” or even “What can I do to help?” assume that the person wants our help.

Instead, we start by giving the individual as much control of the decision‐making process as possible by first asking IF he or she wants assistance. And, if the answer is yes – who, and how can we help make it happen?

Course #: ID-2018-21 19


If you and the individual have a relationship based on trust, you could be the person that’s asked for advice. It’s an honor to be asked to help with a decision or choice, but it’s also important to examine the assumptions we have that may influence the advice we give.

For example:

* You may believe the individual has not fully considered all the choices or consequences of making a decision.

* You may wonder if the individual has had experience on which to base the decision or choice.

Course #: ID-2018-21 20


I’m not saying that assumptions should be thrown out. Quite the contrary: knowing our assumptions can help us to offer even better support when people are making choices and decisions.

For example, if Josh had asked me for advice about leaving school, I might have wondered if he really understood the consequences. So, I’d have to test my assumption by talking with him. Perhaps I would learn that I was wrong and that Josh had really thought through all the choices and consequences.

If we test our assumption and learn that an individual has not fully considered choices and consequences of a decision, we know what to do next. Support the individual in thinking about the choices available and the potential results – positive or negative – of a decision.

Course #: ID-2018-21 21


You may believe that the individual has not had experience on which to base decisions. You need to test this assumption to find out if it’s true.

And even if it is true, inexperience is not a reason to advise against exercising the right to make choices and decisions. Every experience we’ve had was brand new to us ‐ the first time.

Course #: ID-2018-21 22


If lack of experience is really a concern, it’s the beginning, not the end, of providing support for choices and decisions. The upside is that each experience is a new opportunity for everyone.

* For the individual, new experiences present the chance to learn, to expand on interests and abilities, and to gain confidence and self‐esteem.

* For you, there is an opportunity to learn more about the individual’s preferences and how he or she makes decisions. This will help you offer better support in the future.

Course #: ID-2018-21 23


Let me give an example.

Marie and her sister Anne had been together all their lives. But after her sister passed away, Marie needed to rely on others for support. Her many nieces and nephews were devoted to her and supporting her to stay at home. They loved her but tended to make decisions for her because they didn’t feel she had the experience to really appreciate the consequences.

Marjorie, who volunteered at the senior center Marie visited a few times each week, saw a different side of her. Marjorie had known Marie for years and had seen her make good decisions, even if she had not had as much experience as other people. For example, Marjorie knew that Marie would only ask people she trusted to watch her purse if she left the room.

Course #: ID-2018-21 24


Because they were close, Marie invited Marjorie to her annual plan meeting. During the meeting, the team talked about Marie’s dream to volunteer with children at the daycare down the block from the senior center. Marie’s family was very concerned about whether she would be safe traveling to the daycare and what would happen if things didn’t go well.

Marjorie stepped up and offered to help. She said she would accompany Marie at first, then watch to ensure she safely traveled the short distance. Marjorie knew people at the daycare and said they’d already promised to welcome Marie and help if she needed support when she visited.

Course #: ID-2018-21 25


With Marjorie’s support, Marie made it very clear to her team that it was her decision to try volunteering with the children. When everyone realized how much this meant to her, they agreed to support Marie’s decision and then talked about what they needed to do to make it work.

There were some worrisome moments in the first few weeks, but a short time later, Marie had become a welcomed, grandmotherly presence to the children. Marie beamed when she showed pictures of herself with the kids. Because Marie didn’t use many words to communicate, she developed a special bond with the children with speech difficulties. Most importantly, by making a decision, being supported, and experiencing success, Marie became more confident and her family began to see her as more capable to make her own decisions.

Course #: ID-2018-21 26


Every new experience comes with some risk. Learning to ride a bike could result in a skinned knee. But we may remember the gentle guiding hand that let go little by little until we were sailing along on our own, feeling the thrill of accomplishment.

The right to be trusted to make decisions and try (and try again) while receiving support to manage risk can lead to a sense of pride in accomplishment, greater confidence, and a life richer in relationships and satisfying activities. This is referred to as “the dignity of risk”.

Course #: ID-2018-21 27


We can’t gloss over the idea of risk and simply stand by if there’s the potential for harm to someone an organization supports. Provider staff are required to act if there are imminent risks to health, safety, and emotional well‐being.

Here’s an example of promoting choice while providing respectful support for health and safety.

Jerry and Bill went through school together and have been close friends all their lives. Recently, Bill and his brother moved to a house a few blocks from Jerry’s group home and the guys have enjoyed spending more time together.

Course #: ID-2018-21 28


One Saturday, Jerry told his staff Julie that he wanted to go to Bill’s house to play video games. Julie grabbed her jacket but Jerry told her he wanted to go alone. This worried Julie because there are a couple busy intersections on the way to Bill’s house and she’s seen that when he’s excited about something, Jerry can forget to watch the traffic signals.

Julie knew that she needed to understand more and asked, “Why is it important for you to go to Bill’s house by yourself?” After thinking for a few moments, Jerry said, “Because I don’t want Bill and his brother to think that I can’t do things by myself.” Julie realized that pride in being seen as independent was what Jerry was really talking about.

Course #: ID-2018-21 29


Julie asked if she could explain why she was concerned and Jerry listened as she said, “There are some busy intersections between here and Bill’s house. I know how much you look forward to getting together with Bill, but when we’ve gone there before, you got so excited that you didn’t pay attention to the traffic signals. What could happen if someone crosses the street at the wrong time?” Jerry looked disappointed and replied, “Someone could get hit by a car and hurt.”

They talked about a way to work towards what Jerry wanted. They agreed that, this time, they would walk together as far as the corner of Bill’s block and then Jerry would walk by himself. On the way, Jerry stepped off the curb at a busy street, but Julie gently reminded Jerry to wait for the light to turn green.

Afterward, they talked about what to do next time and Jerry agreed it was okay for Julie to walk a few steps behind him. Over time, they’d work toward Jerry going by himself.

Jerry’s right to make choices and be independent was respected and Julie’s obligation to make sure Jerry was safe was fulfilled.

Course #: ID-2018-21 30


You can learn more about balancing the right to make decisions and support for health and safety in the webcast Addressing Day to Day Risks with the Team on the MyODP website. This webcast is part of the Detection, Reporting and Prevention of Abuse, Suspected Abuse and Alleged Abuse material included as part of this Orientation for ODP Service Providers training. We recommend that you talk with your supervisor about the best time for you to participate in additional risk training.

Course #: ID-2018-21 31


Risks are not always about bodily injury or harm. We care about the people we support and sometimes worry about disappointment. As we said, every new opportunity carries some risk. While no one can be protected from disappointment, we can support individuals to anticipate what could happen as a result of a decision and be ready to offer support if the result is not what he or she hoped would happen.

Course #: ID-2018-21 32


When risks have been addressed, there’s time to plan for the next experience with the person, including the best ways to offer support. When we are truly open to listening to the individual, we need to be prepared that he or she might disagree with what’s happening or want a change.

Course #: ID-2018-21 33


Every one of us who has received a service has at some point found themselves saying, “Oh. This is NOT what I wanted.”

You and I have authority over what happens in our lives. We can change our minds, disagree with how things are going, complain, or even refuse without worrying about negative consequences because we spoke our mind.

Course #: ID-2018-21 34


People with developmental disabilities may not always feel the power is on their side to speak up. They may worry about the reaction of others or even if there could be consequences because of saying how they feel or asking for a change.

When Josh wanted to leave school before he was 21, he had to find the courage to speak his mind to all of the people in his life, including school staff. Because the plan didn’t happen overnight, Josh continued going to school while an alternative plan was being put in place. It was his right to make that choice and expect that teachers would not be mad at him or treat him differently.

Course #: ID-2018-21 35


It’s our responsibility to respond to individuals’ right to change their minds, disagree, complain, or refuse.

It’s never easy to hear a complaint or disagreement, especially when it may reflect on something we did or did not do, but we can learn from it. It’s the first step in determining what needs to change, what else should be tried, and how to provide support in a way that’s more satisfying to the individual.

Course #: ID-2018-21 36


Life is not about having everything we want or making any decision. We all recognize that our right to do what we want does not mean we can infringe on the rights of others. Choices we make can have an impact on others. But in our system, we’re responsible to both support choice and to support individuals’ health, safety, and well‐being.

Negotiating choices doesn’t mean that either the individual or another person gets their way. It means we work to find the best balance possible between what is important TO an individual and what is necessary for health, safety, and well‐being. Negotiation begins with listening and learning the reasons why we want what we want.

Course #: ID-2018-21 37


Taking time to listen and learn from one another is essential to promoting choice and decision‐making. We’ve also talked about thinking through opportunities and consequences in advance, the right to try and try again, and learning from experience. Together, these practices form the foundation for informed choice and decision‐making.

Course #: ID-2018-21 38


Supporting informed choice and decision‐making is not a passive responsibility, it’s an active one. Think about these questions whenever you’re spending time with a person supported by your agency:

* If you are a leader, does your organization’s culture and practice promote respect for individuals’ right to make choices and decisions? Does your example model for others respect for individuals’ right to make choices and decisions?

No matter how you spend time with individuals with a developmental disability – as a direct support professional, a supports coordinator, a volunteer, or the person at the reception desk

* How do you pay attention to what the individual says and does that show agreement or disagreement with what’s happening, and take action accordingly?

* Are you available to offer information and assistance, when asked?

* Do you look for opportunities to support decisions and everyday choices?

* Do you offer experiences that will help individuals to become confident in making choices and decisions?

Course #: ID-2018-21 39


Having control over choices and decisions is a deeply human desire. It’s something we all have in common, including people with developmental disabilities. At the beginning of the webcast, we talked about the big decisions in life and choices that we all make and how we take responsibility for the consequences, knowing the risks and opportunities.

As we end this webcast, I want you to think about every interaction with individuals your organization supports. Remember that choices and decisions are a part of everyone’s life, every day. Does what you do and say continually support individuals’ right to make choices and decisions?

Course #: ID-2018-21 40


This concludes the second webcast on Orientation for ODP Service Providers: Individual Rights. Please be sure to watch all four webcasts and complete all the course requirements in order to obtain your Certificate of Achievement and training credit.

Course #: ID-2018-21 41


This webcast has been developed and produced by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs in partnership with The Columbus Organization.

Thank you for participating in this lesson.

Course #: ID-2018-21 42

orientation for odp service providers · orientation for odp service providers individual rights:...

Documents