Who am I? - UNT WISE Centered... · 2015. 3. 10. · Jessica L. Hart Self Advocate D.R. Wilkes...

1

The Success of a

Self-Advocate:

A Transition StoryBy Jessica Laine Hart

Moderated by: Debbie Wilkes

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate

D.R. Wilkes Consulting

Who am I?

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate

Employee at

Region 10

Self-Advocate


2

Objectives

• Avoid pitfalls of transition planning –

– Learn to listen to the person

– Avoid making assumptions

– Follow through

• Discover what worked and didn’t work in

the school system and Vocational

Rehabilitation

• Learn the role of Medicaid Waiver

Programs to enhance transition.Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


How You Can Help Today

• Audience participation

–Ask questions

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


3

I was born on January 3, 1984

weighing in at only 2 lbs. and 3

oz. The day after I was born my

parents found out that I had

Cerebral Palsy.

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate



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CP is a group of brain disorders

that affects movement. The brain

does not send proper signals to

the muscles. The person is

unable to control how certain

muscles tighten or relax.

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


5

Cerebral Palsy

• Not a disease.

• Doesn’t get worse over time,

• Not contagious

• There is no cure

• Cases vary from mild to severe


Control/Support versus Cure

• Speech Therapy

• Occupational Therapy

• Physical Therapy

• Electric Wheelchair

• Botox treatment

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


6

CP and Me

• The Problem: My left hand basically is

fisted all of the time

• The Solution:

– Occupational Therapy

– Touch Screen

– Wireless Mouse and keyboard

– Enlarged grip on fork

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


CP and Me

• Problem: Mobility, grooming, dressing, and sometimes eating

• Solution:

– Mom helps me

– Attendant care

• While in school – 30 hours

• After graduation- 60 hours a week

– Adaptive equipment at the home

– Paratransit

– Soup - someone helps me or I avoid it Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


7

Elevator


Track

for lift


8

Roll-in

Shower

Lift


Wheelchair

Accessible

VanD.R. Wilkes Consulting

9

Getting to know ME

• Direct questions to me

• Don’t assume that I have an Intellectual

Developmental Disability

• If you don’t understand me, ask me to clarify.

It is worth listening to me. You may learn

something new.

• Don’t be afraid of meJessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


Cortical Visual Impairment

• Larger font

• Customized computer (touch screen)

• Great memory

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


10

School Days


Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate

Terrace Elementary: PPCD

What worked

•Being around other kids

What didn’t work

•Expecting me to see and

learn like others

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


11

Richland Elementary: K-6

What worked•Aides who expected me to do my own

work

•Teachers who accommodated

•Third grade Mom began thinking

about transition

What didn’t work•Aides who over helped

•OT who wrote inaccurate assessments

with no functional plan

•Expecting me to learn things on the

curriculum schedule and not my

schedule

•Wasting time

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


Elementary Transition

• Put on waiting list

for CLASS 1992

• Received CLASS

end of 1995

• Parent attending

Transition

Information Team

Meetings

• Began Person

Centered Planning

• Parent connecting

with other

agencies

– UCP Dallas

– UCP Texas

• Testifying in

Austin regarding

CLASSJessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


12

Richardson Junior High

What Worked

•Switching aides

•Took state assessment with

accommodations only

•Math teacher recognized that some days

were better for learning than others

•Including friends my age at my person

centered plan

•Choir

What didn’t work

•OT didn’t want to try computer

programs Apple versus IBM Jessica L.

Hart

Self

Advocate


Gold Award

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


13

Berkner High School

What Worked

•Discontinued OT

•Rolinda Duran from TCB

•Continuing with Person

Centered Planning

•Relationship with Tyler

•Summer employment

•Riding DART

•Being part of the high school

What didn’t work

•Huge school/elevatorJessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


Prom

Ram Jam

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


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Transition Program: RichlandWhat worked

•Person Centered Planning

•Employability Skills Class at Richland

•Traveling to Chicago and New Orleans

•Starting and ending day at home

•Determining what I wanted to do (not take

classes, telemarketing)

•Got paid job

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


CLASS Medicaid Waiver

I am on the CLASS Medicaid waiver or

Community Living and Assisted Support

Services.

CLASS provides funds for habilitation,

therapy services, adaptive aids, case

management, nursing and minor home

modifications.

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


15

How I use CLASS

• 60 hours attendant care

– 12 hours helping at Region 10 and Police

Department

– 15 to 20 getting up in AM and ready for bed

in PM

• Occupational Therapy (1 hour a week)

• 12 hours recreational therapy a month

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


There is a reason that God

created each and every one

of us. I believe God has

many purposes for me.

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


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I hope you’ll feel free to ask me

any questions, because I want

you to have a full understanding

about me.

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


Jessica Laine Hart

Jessica L. Hart

Self Advocate


Who am I? - UNT WISE Centered... · 2015. 3. 10. · Jessica L. Hart Self Advocate D.R. Wilkes...

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