What Suggestions Do You Have?
Stark MRDD would like to hear your thoughts and ideas about providing services for individuals with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. We are in a changing environment from the federal government down and it’s more important now than ever before to stay in touch and to share ideas about how to support individuals with developmental disabilities in Stark County. Please share your ideas with us!
January 12th, 2009 at 1:01 am
I think it’s important to provide a more job training, and employment services within the community. Since were talking about cut back, closing schools and services that affect children as well as adults, we need to call apon our community and focus on ability. One way to do this is to provide jobs within the community for our adults with disabilities. It’s time to open the minds of society.
Also since were talking about cutting back within the next few weeks, we must provide more respite through independent respite providers.
I was also wondering, is there a solid plan for our kids. Where will they go to school? Is the SKIP program prepared for the added number of children that will need an education? And is public school ultimately prepared for those students who are attending Southgate?
And I guess I’m wondering, for the students that are already attending public schools, are we going to have an even more difficult time gettig appropriate services implemented in our IEP’s because of the added students that will be attending public schools. It’s already difficult enough getting an appropriate education implemented within our IEP’s and I just want to be prepared for the ” fight ” .
It wouldn’t be so bad if all the stigma and stereotypes weren’t so intilled into the minds of society, it’s like hitting a bunch of bricks at times.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:50 am
It would be a shame to see Southgate School close where individuals benefit most from their person-centered programs (IEP), especially for those that have multiple disablities and require one-to-one training.
However, since there has been new construction of several school buildings in Stark the past 15 years, which by law should already be handicapped accessible, aren’t there already classes available at public schools for disabled children? Why can’t the children currently attending Southgate be enrolled at their public school in their own neighborhood?
If down the road if Southgate schools close, I think public schools need to rethink how they use their classroom space. Perhaps increase the number of typical students in a classroom if that what it takes to open up more classrooms for disabled students. Also reprioritize. Instead of building a second gymnasium, why not add a therapy room to a the medical tech vocational class so students can work with disabled students as part of their vocational training?
January 17th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I agree that public schools should be prepared for students that might be transitioning from Southgate to the public school system. Unfortunately, it isn’t always that rosey, I like the idea of the schools having a therapy room, but they don’t. My OT has the room the size of a closet, how can anyone get anything done in a closet. It’s difficult, and we build new schools, transition typical children into these new schools, and we do not consider our kids, our kids that need so much and deserve to be included within their funding and in the new schools. There is plenty of space within the school districts to provide for our kids, there are some schools that have empty classrooms, unused classrooms, and nothing in place for our children.
We pass levies to build a state of the art schools but yet, we can’t pass levies to fund our kids. Not nice and not fair. Free Appropriate Educacation, what is so appropriate about this.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
The biggest suggestion I have at this criticial time is to build more harmony and trust among all stakeholders. This includes parents and family members, staff and managment, outside entities who most definately will be affected by future decision making, and the community at large. The time for ill will, and focusing on individual or organizational self interests must stop. These are times when we must put aside our differences and work together to best decide how to meet basic human rights and what is good for the whole. I have listened and participated in discussions going on in this county for over a year and have been extremely dismayed at the negativity that has continued. While I agree that people are entitled to express their opinions, I have often not agreed on the methods. The county has made multiple attempts to provide or faciliatate information sharing opporitunities to help explain the oftentimes difficult decisions and complexities they face, especially as financial conditions continue to deteriorate. Individual or organizational self interests won’t matter if we don’t figure out how to play in the same sandbox and work together to support the organizational leaders who are ultimately responsible for determining how to continue to provide the best and most cost effective services to the greatest number of people possible. Like many other organizations, that may mean making sacrifices or figuring out ways to do things differently. Without the passage of the levy, that will be even more difficult. It is time we all work together and not at odds with one another. No one likes change, but change is inevitable. It is often more important how it is dealt with, and that responsibility rests with each one of us. We can begin by listening more, building bridges to more constuctive dialogue, and set aside any negativity and mistrust from the past. The individuals and families in our community that need services deserve nothing less.