Service From the Heart is Universal

Dear Friends of Full Access:

We recently had two guests in our home from Pakistan, who were in Oregon for a special program sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and delivered by Mobility International: USA.   These women with and without disabilities in leadership positions have been changing the face of women’s rights in Pakistan, and shared their expertise, efforts and experiences with the U.S. community in Eugene from May 8-22, 2014.  The program was designed to build the capacity of women leaders to promote the inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in the mainstream women’s rights movement, as well as the disability rights movement, in Pakistan.

Delegation of women from Pakistan sharing their stories

Our two guests were Najma Shakur and Saira Shams.  Even though we are from vastly different cultures and locations, we found much in common personally and in our commitments to advocacy and service.  We also discovered how differences are easily worked through with enough communication and a bit of patience.  Often times Saira served as our translator, since she speaks three languages including English!  In addition to that, we used our body language a lot more, looked things up on the internet together and used the tools MIUSA provided for communicating.  We sure enjoyed the conversations, sharing meals, and driving around sharing our community.  I especially appreciated Najma’s gift of making a traditional Pakistani supper one night!

Najma (on the left) and Saira at our home

There was so much I valued in this experience that relates to my work at Full Access.  Saira and Najma work tirelessly to ensure people with disabilities and others are fully included in their communities and important decision making for the future of their Country.  One of Saira’s goals is to be a member of Parliament, and I am convinced she will achieve that!

Najma is the Founder/President of the Women Welfare Organization Poonch (WWOP).  She founded this organization in 1995. The mission of WWOP, a grassroots women’s organization, is to enable and assist marginalized, underprivileged, and underserved populations to achieve their development goals and rights in society. As the President, Najma oversees program development and management, and spearheads initiatives to ensure that women with disabilities are included in her organization’s programs and activities. Currently, WWOP is working on policy reform for inclusive education in the AJK province, and conducting a research and advocacy project on education for people with disabilities with a specific focus on continuing education opportunities for girls with disabilities.

Saira Shams is the Coordinator of Women with Disabilities Group, Special Abilities Development Association (SADA).  This organization is a disability rights organization focusing on advocacy, awareness campaigns on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and policy reform. In her role, Saira networks and mobilizes community members and educates the public on the rights of women with disabilities through radio and TV talk show.   It is quite obvious she has the energy and charisma for her public role!

Pakistani guests getting a tour of the Full Access offices with CEO, Margaret Theisen

When listening to anyone’s story, it is an opportunity to discover how apparent differences can become strengths.   In a short visit with these two women leaders, it gave me such inspiration for the work we do.  Whatever the struggles or challenges, it’s important to notice the bigger and broader picture.  And also, the deeply personal journey each of us has in our work toward justice.

MT, CEO

Who Moved My Cheese?

Dear Friends of Full Access:

 

I love this book!  I have been reminded again about the challenges of change when re-reading it.  Here is just a brief statement about the book written by Spencer Johnson:

“Most people are fearful of change because they don’t believe they have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Spencer Johnson shows us that what matters most is the attitude we have about change.”

For me,  I am having to work on my attitude about change and it is not an easy challenge!   I definitely feel that the changes happening are out of my control.  I think there is too much happening at once for everything to go well. As Who Moved My Cheese points out, change can be difficult.  We can deny it, fight it, be smothered by it and even try to ignore it.   Change can also be confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.   Sometimes all three.   What I am hoping for and working for, is to make sure our mission stays first and foremost in the thinking and work of myself and all our staff.   I was reminded of this in a very painful way this week.  One of our long time providers called to ask me about what is going on.  We both expressed deep concerns for our clients, their families, and the movement of self determination that has been our calling.  As two people in this system that experience our work as our own personal missions, we cried a bit, laughed very little and recognized we are in this fight together.  And, it does feel like a fight.

So as all these changes go on around us, and within our agency, and particularly with client services, the “main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”.  And that is our attention to our clients, their supports and the self determined future they deserve and have been promised.  I have to say truthfully, I think our Personal Agents and the support staff at Full Access have been SUPER AMAZING!  Against the odds, they continue to problem solve and ensure our clients have the supports they need.  We continue to be successful (not perfect!) in this regard, so please let me know if you think differently!

To speak to some of the specific changes upon us, here are reminders for clients and providers both!

 

For our clients there are a couple things to pay particular attention to.

• There are 35 working days left between now and the end of the current fiscal year, June 30, 2014. Over the past year, that date has been a target for many changes in the Oregon’s developmental disabilities brokerage system.  This includes significant changes such as ensuring all 7,500 or so brokerage clients have been assessed with the new Functional Needs Assessment, ensuring that all providers are signed up in the state’s payment system, and preparing for having the state take over direct payment to all brokerage providers.  For Full Access and other brokerages and counties, clients are changing fiscal intermediaries as well.
•  Be sure to respond to your Personal Agent’s (or a state worker’s) call to complete the new Functional Needs Assessment. It’s essential these are completed for everyone by June 30th. This allows the state to draw down increased federal funding via the new K Plan.  Be ready to revise your plan to make some language changes. Your PA or extra staff we temporarily hired will contact you about this.
• If you have a provider, be sure that s/he has filled out a Provider Enrollment Agreement. We want to be sure they can continue to get paid after the state takes over payment (currently planned for July 1st.)

 

If you’re a provider of brokerage services there is quite a list!

• Make sure the customers you serve have scheduled a Functional Needs Assessment with their PA (or a state worker.) If they need some support during the assessment and would like you to assist, offer your help.
• If you have not already, you must apply for and receive a Medicaid provider number. Sign up by filling out the Provider Enrollment Agreement form as soon as possible.  The website for the PSW forms needed is http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/spd/Pages/adv/hcc/tools_psw.aspx
•  If you have already applied for a provider number, but haven’t heard back from the state, please contact them directly at 1-800-241-3013 or email  SPD.ProviderNumber@state.or.us
• If we’ve contacted you about updating your Criminal History Check, be sure you respond quickly. All PSWs must have a CHC completed every two years. You cannot be paid without a current check on file.
• Attend one of the upcoming Personal Support Worker webinars. There are currently three scheduled. The webinars will give you basic details on the state’s payment system (eXPRS) and how the way you’ll be paid is changing. See details below.
  • Thurs, May 15th @ 6:00 pm – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/268795474
  •  Thurs, May 22nd @ 1:00 pm – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/73388009
  • Mon, June 2nd @ 10:00 am – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/522914722

Once registered, participants will receive an email with the training site link, conference phone number and instructions on how to connect to the training on the date you are registered to participate. If you have questions, contact Julie Harrison at JULIE.A.HARRISON@dhsoha.state.or.us

 

I am sure there will be more to come on these changes, so stay tuned!

With thanks to Larry Deal at INW Brokerage for writing much of the detail in this blog!

 

MT, CEO