Project ID • #Idea82921
This is a grassroot campaign – hashtag #SupportSDDD
[SDDD stands for Self-Determination for Persons with Developmental Disabilities]. It is about the need for a National Program to develop an universal solution that would be good and fitting to all in our Society and would also reach all the Disabled – the solution that would offer Self-Determination to all the people without exception.
Support is needed for initiating Phase 2 of this program [The summary of the grassroot solution is outlined below – It is a grassroot solution based on principles of Universality and Trust.
SupportSDDD is a movement for a just cause. It is about “Building all inclusive Culture of Health”. Our message is : #SupportSDDD • Universality [821] and Trust [101] • Support #Idea821x101
We ask our supporters to promote this campaign on social media – post it, tweet it, mail it, send a message [with #Idea821x101 attached], and if you may, also let the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation know of your support of their work and ask to support our movement [Use Contact Us link / rwjf.org/en/contact.html; choose option “Feedback” and write a few words of your personal support of movement #SupportSDDD, #Idea821x101, and Building a Culture of Health.
Thank you and thank you for asking others to #SupportSDDD! Your personal support would go a long way…
This is a grassroot movement. This movement is about “Building a Culture of Health – The society that discriminates against disabled is a disabled society”.
#SupportUniversality [821] • #SupportTrust [101] • Support #Idea821x101 • #SupportSDDD • #GiveYourSupport!
Project Title •
“The Self-Determination for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Program Phase-2″
Proposed Start Date •
2019
Project summary [following recommended format]
WHAT •
“The Self-Determination for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Program was a national program that began in 1996 to help 18 states implement a more cost-effective system for serving persons with developmental disabilities while simultaneously giving those persons and their families more choice in determining the services they receive” – quote from Robert Woods Johnson Foundation [RWJF] that has funded the program.
This groundbreaking program had laid the foundation of our current structure for delivering self-determination arrangements to Developmentally Disabled. The program however had reached only a fraction of disabled population.
The goal of “The Phase 2 of Self-Determination for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Program” is to engineer the next iteration of Self-Determination movement extending the framework to all the disabled while creating a structure that both increases cost-effectiveness and provides more choice.
HOW •
The RWJF National Program of 1996 has recommended a state policy reform based on the following framework:
- Person-centered planning
- Independent support brokerage
- Individual budgets
- Fiscal intermediaries
This framework involves interaction of multiple dedicated state and business entities and commonly also imposes a requirement for the individual or their family to be an Employer! All these just to allow a disabled person to get assistance with housing, transportation, and a few other personal needs.
Compare this to a common consumer way of accomplishing same by non-disabled person. Imagine plain folks requiring to register as employers interfacing with various business and government entities filing massive amounts of laborious paperwork in order to ensure the prudency and compliance for the purpose of a person to just go shopping, use transportation, or other common or even less common services!
At the time when the program was initiated the paradigm of universality was still in its infancy and approach to self-determination rather than accomodating solutions of accessibility for all instead aimed for the equitable yet differential treatment, thus resulting in a structure that is unwieldy, costly, and often inaccessible.
In recognognition of these limitations we draft here our proposal beginning the following Guideline:
- Simplify – it should follow a consumer-provider model
- A person must be an empowered person [equality]
- The State must allocate funds directly to an [verifiable equality]
- Self-determination must begin in childhood [Freedom, Authority, Support, and Responsibility are cultivated and acquired gradually]
The above guideline follows the customary ways our service economy works. This guideline is same for all the states – this is a National Guideline. This model is of highest value to disabled individual by giving them same universally accepted access to services and same consumer rights as customary to all the people. This is also a most cost effective solution for our time. It eliminates the exuberant overhead cost of the current structure.
At the base of this Guideline is TRUST. The Policy of Trust [trusting in the honesty, prudency, responsibility, and well meaning of disabled individuals, their families, and their extended circle of supports] in our age of smart technology is both cost effective and also highly verifiable; it leads to elimination of layers of ineffective bureaucratic machinery by replacing it with simple, inexpensive, incorruptible solutions that promote honesty, transparency, and community engagement, as well as the overall welfare and health of society. The verifiable Policy of Trust that underlies our approach extends the value of this program to our communities and leads to creation of a Climate of Trust which is essential for Building a Culture of Health.
Use of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Assistive Technology is instrumental for the success of this undertaking. The technology is currently at a point where what we need is highly feasible – some of technology is already available and can be easily adapted and integrated into cost effective incorruptible tools leveraging the support of Self-Determination for all the Disabled.
WHO •
The model for achieving this guideline adds two dimensions – the childhood dimension, and the reform of the institutionalized sector To enable this guideline and help to make it effective we recommend some important policy changes enabling a parental nurturing of disabled child in early stages, and incentives in the area of “person to person supports” specifically provided by disabled, retired, youth, and young people in transition, including family and friends – thus resulting in a dual benefit to society.
A comprehensive nationwide self-determination policy based on principle of universality and verifiable trust will impact all the communal institutions; from housing, to schools, to places of work. The target audience are the disabled and their families. The community are the stakeholders as well as active participants and the beneficiaries. We expect that Autism CARES Act via redefinition of its priorities would become an important source of subsequent funding.
WHERE •
Our initial emphasis will be on transitioning the Centers for Developmental Disabilities, group homes, and large facilities, including educational, as well as other communal and public places towards acceptance and universal access. This program may initially target the same 18 states prvisioned by the original RWJF program.
NOVELTY/LEARNING POTENTIAL •
Our approach towards universality vs. special solution [for special population] and use of AI combined with promoting a Climate of Trust is congruent with universal movement for Culture of Health. We expect our project to be of use to this overarching purpose regardless of the level of it’s success.
NON-RWJF FUNDING •
We have not applied nor received non-RWJF funding for this project.