[acb-hsp] Diagnosing Developmental Disabilities

Fri Aug 3 19:09:03 EDT 2012

I respectfully disagree.  People are being told
that the workers who receive subminimum wages in the sheltered workshop system have nowhere else to go, and that their lives will be destroyed by H.R. 3086.  this is based on outdated ideas about the capacity of workers with disabilities and a misguided commitment to an antiquated model of service to such workers.  Rather than
participating in a constructive dialogue about what life will be like for workers with disabilities, once the subminimum wage exemption is phased out in three years as required
by H.R. 3086. The workshops choose to circulate material meant to evoke pity, and to promote low expectations.
The argument of the sheltered workshops is that some people, particularly those with severe developmental disabilities, are simply unfit for competitive
employment.

This is not true.  To continue this practice when proven employment strategies exist is inexcusable.
We are also told that these individuals must be given a choice.  We are all
for freedom of choice, but true freedom of choice can only come with unbiased and accurate information.
Do people with these disabilities and their loved ones know that people like them are in fact working in
competitive jobs?  Do they know that services like supported employment are already
available to help them acquire and keep such jobs?  Probably not.   Rather, they have
more than likely been told by sheltered workshop staff who also often share society's
low expectations for disabled people and have a conflict of interest that  these individuals will never achieve competitive employment and that the sheltered
workshop is the best they can hope for.  

There has to be a willingness as a society to work hard to help them succeed in their goals.  
Disabled workers can do far better than receiving pennies per hour.  Under this bill,
they will either earn real wages in the workshops that currently employ them, or
they will receive the training and support that they need to obtain competitive employment somewhere else.  If all of the government and philanthropic resources that are currently supporting the sheltered workshop system were
redirected to finding real employment opportunities for people with disabilities, solutions as yet undreamt of would emerge to help such individuals succeed in competitive employment situations.  

The sheltered workshop industry has existed for over seventy years.  Many
argue that it is an acceptable status quo, which must not be changed.  
The current practice of paying subminimum wages is unfair, discriminatory, and immoral.
It is wrong to let the exploitation continue because we as a society will not expend the effort to come up with anything better.

H.R. 3086 allows for a grace period of three years before sheltered workshops and other nonprofit employers currently holding special wage certificates must
begin to pay their workers at least the federal minimum wage.  This is plenty of
time for sheltered workshops to study the business models of similar entities that are already paying their employees competitive wages and make adjustments to their own
policies and practices.  Meanwhile, policy makers can redirect resources to enhance
programs like supported employment, and create new solutions, to help workers with
disabilities. 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Baracco, Andrew W 
  To: Discussion list for ACB human service professionals 
  Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2012 11:23 AM
  Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] Diagnosing Developmental Disabilities

  Sounds like she is trying to grease the wheels for a claim for disability benefits.  Also, at least here in CA, there are all kinds of special programs for DD, ranging from living situations to recreation, work, etc.  Now, some of these things might go away if the NFB has its way about this 14C thing.

  Andy

  From: acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org [mailto:acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
  Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 5:02 PM
  To: 'Discussion list for ACB human service professionals'
  Subject: [acb-hsp] Diagnosing Developmental Disabilities

  Hi Everyone,

  I haven't worked a lot with adults who had diagnosed developmental disabilities--our TANF clients were given a brief IQ tests and some other things and if their IQ as evidenced by the test results--they were deemed eligible for VR services under our TANF grant.

  I am working with a 62-year-old consumer who, even in my limited MH counseling experience, has depression and asserts she has a personality disorder, panic disorder and claims she is developmentally disable, though I personally don't see that, but she is determined to have an evaluation for developmental disabilities.  Even if, on the off chance she has them, what can really be done at this point?

  It appears to me she wants to be cared for; she has a husband, but their relationship isn't good, I'm guessing, partly because of all her physical and emotional ailments--she asserts she also has bursitis, arthritis, GI problems; stenosis (which, if any of you don't know, is just a narrowing of the vertebra that surround the spine.

  She appears to have no goals either except wanting to live back in the country which, as an ILC, we can do little to help her achieve that, and I believe she is using us as a social outlet, and once our VR contract is signed, we truly won't have the time--and most of us don't have the expertise to do mental health work.

  She has been to several mental health facilities in the area, so I'm hoping she keeps her promise and signs the release; that way, we might have an idea whether or not we can really assist her.

  She does not follow through, at all, and as a depressive myself, I understand that one very well, so I tried breaking it down into small tasks--Call X and check on Y this week--next week Call y and ask about X--but she does none of these things, and as an independent living center, it is our job to help clients be empowered to help themselves.

  Anyway, after the novel:  I want to know any advantages of a late-in-life diagnosis of developmental disability; she claims she was beaten and otherwise abused as a child, but my sense is something else is going on with her, and I want to make sure she is getting the best referrals possible.

  Darla J. Rogers

  djrogers0628 at gmail.com

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