Fw: (NOEWAIT) And from Washington State - being posted on the official blog

[Guest guest]

Please take the survey.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

With over 13,600 people documented on the State’s DD waiting list, there is

much talk among policy makers about how to meet the demand for services and

supports. For the most part, policy makers have concluded that in the future

there will be a greater reliance on families and natural supports.

With this in mind, a parent having two children with disabilities is making a

national effort to end waiting lists. His name is Denver Fox. Denver has been

speaking out on how waiting lists impact families and he has compiled

information from all the State’s waiting lists. You may be interested at

looking at his website: http://www.noewait.net/

Since we have been told that we should use our " natural supports " to provide

services to families - even in place of paid services, Denver wants to gather

information about the use and availability of natural supports. He is inviting

self advocates and their parents, guardians, and caregivers to participate in a

short survey. Please help him out. Go to:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JWWTXBF

The survey involves eight questions. It will take you fewer than two minutes to

complete it. You will not be asked for your name and your responses will be

anonymous. To help him out, take the survey right now or before May 7th. Once

he has tabulated the responses, Denver will publish the results at:

http://www.ourwebs.info/indexpad.htm

If you want to share your story with Denver about being on the waiting list or

your experience with Natural Supports, you may write him at: dnvrfox@...

Natural supports are described as the relationships that occur in everyday life.

Formal supports usually involve some form of payment for services and may

include relationships with service providers – such as counselors, therapists,

line staff and care managers. In contrast, natural supports usually involve

relationships with family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors and

acquaintances, and are of a reciprocal (give-and-take) nature. Such supports

help one to develop a sense of social belonging, dignity and self-esteem.