allenbill

Moving from supported living to a supported life 

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 Michael Smull  One of the central questions in implementing CSLA was whether or not supported living could successfully move beyond the pioneers. A small group of pioneering agencies had shown that people with disabilities could have lives of their own choosing regardless of severity of their disability. These agencies are committed to supporting people in … Read more

Full inclusion and the value of students with severe disabilities 

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Michael W. Smull  How are these core values to be taught? Simply adding them to a curriculum will not work. These are values that are learned by being practiced. While occasional excursions to segregated settings may acquaint you with elders, or others who benefit from your gifts, the real lessons are learned from everyday experience. … Read more

A Plan is Not an Outcome

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by Michael W. Smull Person centered planning is our label for learning how people want to live, to learn what is important to them in everyday life and to discover how they might want to live in the future. However, a plan is not an outcome. The only reason to do the planning is to … Read more

SOLUTION CIRCLE

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Getting Unstuck A Creative Problem Solving Tool. This is a short and powerful tool that takes no more than a half hour. It is effective in getting “unstuck” from a problem in life or work. Solution Circles are tools of “community capacity”. It assumes and demonstrates that nearby people – in any community or work … Read more

A Workbook for Your Personal Passport

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This workbook is for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and families who want to learn more about person-centered planning. This workbook is for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and families who want to learn more about person-centered planning. When you’re finished filling it out, you can take it to your next … Read more

How Sonoma County became the dark center of America’s forced sterilization movement

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Santa Rosa Press Democrat –  October 21, 2021 “Institutions collect secrets when they stand for 130 years. The stately, tree-shaded campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center may harbor more than most. Closed in 2018. It’s a tranquil place these days, the steady stream of neighborhood walkers diverted only by an occasional team of firefighters or police … Read more

We’ve Changed The California Gatherings Resource Notes!

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After a year of desktop publishing the California Gatherings Newsletter and Resource Notes, we’ve decided to move to an email format. It’s faster and easier to move resource information out to our mailing list in a timely way. We’ve also merged elements of the Newsletters into the Resource Notes. If you would like to subscribe or would … Read more

Measure for Measure: person-centered quality assurance

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In the summer of 2000, representatives of nine national developmental disabilities organizations joined together to launch theDevelopmental Disabilities Quality Coalition (DDQC). The purpose of the DDQC is to prospectively address the public issues surrounding the quality and availability of community services for persons with developmental disabilities. The Wingspread Conference was organized around a series of … Read more

Allen, Shea & Associates – Examples of DVBE Subcontracts

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Here is a listing of recent DVBE subcontracts that we are currently working on or have successfully completed: First 5 California Kit for New Parents Evaluation with American Institutes of Research (2022 – 2024) First 5 California Home Visiting Workforce Policy Recommendations & Supporting Evidence with Child Trends (2022) CDCR Professional Learning Communities in Corrections … Read more