Re: notes from Casey's talk

[Guest guest]

Teri,

Thanks so much for this info – sounds like a good guy! Does anyone know if

he’s related to the beloved Bob Casey, who was a Governor in my home state of

PA a long time ago?

We should invite him onto IPADD for a Q & A after the first of the year, before

the spring session starts.

That’ll get us all pumped up for the new session.

L.

From: teri steinberg

Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:22 PM

Teri Steinberg

Subject: notes from Casey's talk

I just heard Casey, the New Director of the Division of Developmental

Disabilities speak and then had lunch with him afterwards. For those of you

that were not able to make it, here are my notes. (So if I got something wrong

that's on me, not him)

really wants to hear from us. He wants self-advocates and their families

to be more involved.

He really believes that people do better in smaller environments when they are

supported correctly.

In PA he started a resource book, helping self-advocates and parents through

training on approaching and working your way through the system.

He hired self-advocates and parents to train other self-advocates and parents.

He wants to raise provider rates over the next few years & rebuild rate system

He's a big believer in Respite.

PA avg is 107K per person not 52K. He'd like to see ours raised soon.

He thinks the monitoring quality system is broken and wants us to pay more

attention to how to help providers to give better services.

said if we take a NO REJECTS stance, we need to support service providers

to support people by expanding level of tech assistance, give higher rate of pay

and fix the slow pay.

He wants us all to get more political. We are 98% funded by those legislators

decisions. Call Reps and Senators. Let them know what you want and need in the

system, the schools, waiting lists etc

He does not want to rely so heavily on the group home model but on what is the

best way to serve people.

wants day service programs to to push more towards employment.

I believe he will be able to help us change the system but he needs all of us to

get active. He can NOT do it alone...

Teri L. SteinbergChicago Regional OrganizerIllinois Association of Microboards

and ativeswww.iambc.org

Join us on Facebook and join the IAMC listserv A life changed for the better is

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corporations that allow them to live self-directed lives through the use of

person-centered planning, community supports and resource management.

[Guest guest]

> really wants to hear from us.

I heard him speak at the SUSO conference Wed. Several people who were in line

got to talk to him briefly. (think there was about 5 in front of me & another

lady from our area.) We hadn't even started talking to him about our concerns

before we were both " brushed off " .

Talked about giving phone #'s, which we didn't get from him, but then did get a

# from Sheila Romano.

Was hoping to talk to him about a couple things that were in my head before they

went stale. Too late.

Hopefully I'll get an email together soon to send to him.

Liz