The Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities Civil Rights
Restoration Act, B22-0154, is getting a lot of attention this week, with articles
in both the City Paper (https://tinyurl.com/y8m2pzaa)
and Street Sense (https://tinyurl.com/y7qd24du). Both got some things right, others not so
much. I’ve given feedback to the
journalists who wrote these articles, and I hope they’ll keep tracking the
bill’s progress when the council comes back into session in the fall.
One issue that’s sure to get attention from council staff
and others during the recess is the question of developing stronger DDS grievance
procedures. The Department of Behavioral
Health has a system that was referred to in the June 15 hearing as a possible
model (https://dbh.dc.gov/service/consumer-rights). The Street Sense article indicates that DDS
is in discussions about how to move ahead on this front, while the City Paper
article quotes Andy Reese as saying he’s not sure what more needs to be
done. I truly hope Street Sense got it
right, since DDS needs to make sure all the people it supports have as much recourse
as they can when their supports aren’t going as they should.
You know if you’ve been reading my blog that I strongly
oppose civil commitment and don’t believe it’s the way to ensure good services,
but that doesn’t mean things are perfect.
My son’s services are quite good overall, but I’m extremely active. I read and react to his draft Individual
Support Plan, talk with his providers about the goals they’re setting, and let
folks know when things seem off track or information needs correcting.
Over the three years since my son began receiving supports
under the D.C. waiver, DDS leadership has promoted person-centered thinking
and, more recently, family support in many of their policy-level meetings. I know this is sincere. Still, changes in paperwork and training
sessions don’t change staff attitudes, as I know from my years in the federal
government. The public DDS deals with –
those it supports as well as their family and friends - don’t know, and shouldn’t
have to know, the ins and outs of the rule book in order to get the right
services for a person and courteous personal interactions with DDS. Quite a bit more work is needed to make
customer service a natural and normal part of the workday at DDS. Even if the reason is distraction or lack of
motivation and not outright bad intentions, at the receiving end the result is the
same. So yes, absolutely, the system is
improving steadily, but DDS still has work to do to make person-centered
thinking and family support more than slogans.
What’s your experience with the DDS system? I’d welcome hearing more from others about
your experience, either through comments on the blog or next time you see
me! Reach out and let me know.
Before closing, a couple of postscripts:
-
I appreciated the briefing DDS’s Rebecca Salon
gave on ABLE accounts (http://www.ablenrc.org/about/what-are-able-accounts)
at the June 29 Supporting Families Community of Practice meeting. Like others, I’m excited about this new
opportunity for people to save and invest for their futures. After the briefing, though, I did a little of
my own research and found many of these accounts carry high fees, which makes
them much less accessible to many of those who need them the most.
-
And remember the Quality Trust gala Saturday
night! Come and celebrate QT’s first 15
years at the Renaissance Hotel, 999
9th Street NW, reception beginning at 6:30 p.m. It’s not too late to get tickets: contact Courtney Clark, CClark@dcqualitytrust.org. I hope to see you there!