Wolf Wolfensberger
01 Mar 2011 1 Comment
We are sorry to let you know that Wolf Wolfensberger passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2011.
Dr. Wolfensberger was the originator of Social Role Valorization and the Normalization Principle, concepts that strongly influenced disability policy and practice in the US and Canada. He was widely recognized as a major contributor to the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities in the 20th century had a reputation for being a stirring and controversial speaker.
Dr. Wolfensberger was born in Mannheim, Germany and emigrated at age 16 to the US. His undergraduate degree was earned at Siena College in Memphis, Tennessee; he earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology at St. Louis University and a doctorate in psychology from Peabody College for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt University) where he specialized in mental retardation and special education.
His professional positions included postings at Muscatatuck State School (Indiana), E.R. Johnstone Training Center (New Jersey), Maudsley Hospital (London, England), Plymouth State Home and Training School (Michigan), Nebraska Psychiatric Institute of the University of Nebraska Medical School, National Institute on Mental Retardation in Toronto, Canada, and the Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership and Change Agentry at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.
He was the author and co-author of more than 40 books and monographs, and more than 250 chapters and articles. His writing has been translated into 11 languages. His best known books were Changing Patterns in Residential Services for the Mentally Retarded, The Principle of Normalization, PASS, and PASSING.
His passing is very sad. He will be greatly missed by so many. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Calling hours will be held Friday, March 4, 2011 from 4-7 pm at All Saints Catholic Church, 112 Lancaster Place, Syracuse, NY 13210
The funeral service will be Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 10 am at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 259 E. Onondaga Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
Stephen Whan Visiting from Malparinka in Australia
15 Feb 2011 1 Comment
Stephen Whan from Australia plans to visit us in late April of 2011 as part of a learning tour on personalized supports. He is part of an organization called Milparinka.
Milparinka is currently going through a process of reorientating from group service to assisting people to have personalized and self directed supports. They have quite a few arrangements in place but they know they can do better. Stephen is going to visit agencies in the states that have been doing this effectively, successfully and sustainably for 20+ years.
After Stephen spoke to Frank Crupi (Milparinka CEO) and Michael Kendrick (consultant) it was decided that the best way for Stephen to learn the how’s, why’s etc of individualised service design and provision is through a series of causal conversations.
His starting point is
- What works?
- How to spread it?
- How to keep it going?
The how, who, what, where, when and why of individualised service design and provision from a number of perspectives. As OCL does personalized supports that include people going to college, volunteering in the community, with paid positions in community businesses and with living in their own home, there will be much for him to explore. Many people have been supported for years now, which will show the changes and flexibility that is needed to keep services thriving in the long haul for a person.
Stephen plans to meet and talk with some staff, family members, people that OCL supports, community members, housemates and maybe some state officials. It will help to give him a number of perspectives.
Kindale
01 Feb 2011 2 Comments
Pat had the nice opportunity to meet with staff from Kindale once again during her travels. Kindale is in the process of thinking about organizational change from group living and paid housemate support to that of life sharing. They asked Pat to talk a bit about OCL and the transition it made and then we did a brainstorming session to think out answers to many questions that they had. It is always tough when a change happens and there are always people who want the change and others who do not. The struggle is real. What is important is what the person who is paying for support wants and what we can do to make it happen. Many times it is the people we support that teach us the answers and paves the way for others to see what is possible.
Kindale is fortunate in that in British Columbia there are several other societies that have begun a transition. Of ones Pat knows about are Spectrum directed by Ernie, Susan and Aaron; NOCLS directed by Garry and two Kamloops Societies, one directed by Gail and the other by Bob. They all have the great potential of teaming up together to learn from one another as they all work towards true inclusion of the people who come to them for support.
Kamloops
27 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
Pat was asked to do a full day presentation on organizational change. Pat shared the story of OCL along with the lessons learned and the challenges faced. Many families and societies joined in on discussion. Those present included Kamloops Society for Community Living (who sponsored the event), Community Living BC, Interior Community Support Services, Along Side Support Services, People in Motion, Chris Rose Therapy Center for Autism, Choices for Gillian Tomyn Society, Jenna’s Caring Team Society, Den Gary Professional Services, Gordon Dewar Society, Cody’s Dream Care Society, All About Brian Society, Thompson Okanagan Community Co-Op and New Perspectives. 
Pat was impressed with the depth of the discussion. Many families and professionals shared ideas and dilemmas. Of most interest was how life sharing works, and how vulnerable people are properly safeguarded. Pat thanks Gail at Kamloops Society for Community Living for the invitation to join in conversation with their community.
NOCLS
26 Jan 2011 1 Comment
Today Pat had the opportunity to meet 4 people from NOCLS in Vernon, BC. These are people that NOCLS has come to provide personalized supports. She had the opportunity to see each of their homes, meet their unpaid housemates, the families and meet the staff who work for each person. They described what was happening in each of their lives and asked for input on how they were doing. Everyone involved knew the importance of having each person supported to have meaningful relationships and have their own jobs, connections and daily activities. Each person has come a long way since the days of institutionalization and group home support. Although they have positive ideas on where they are headed it was reminded to them that the life of each person will only be as good as they support that is given to him or her. A comment from Matt Whiting from NZ was shared with one of the teams that had recognized lost skill level due to inadequate support of the past, “When professionals make mistakes, the scars can last a life time.”
NOCLS is a society in BC that is transitioning from group models of support to personalized lifestyles. They regularly welcome consultants and visitors to brainstorm with, or get critiques from. Pat will be back on Thursday to meet four more people and visit their homes and meet the people in their life.
Visits to British Columbia
25 Jan 2011 5 Comments
Pat Fratangelo had the opportunity to meet with a magnificent agency in Vancouver today called Spectrum Society for Community Living. Spectrum shared it stategic plan with its vision. They believe that together they can create a world where all people are valued, their voices heard, and their choices respected.
Wonderful brainstorming ocurred where we all worked to think more deeply about the roles we each have in the lives of those we support, how we work to manage an agency that listens to its people, and how we work to enable each person to have a more connected life with others in the community.
One of the big questions of the day was what are the hallmarks of true person centered and person directed services? The answers we learned are not all that clear as so much is subtle. We talked about decrease in behavior problems, decrease in incidents, decrease in medications, people being at more peace with themselves and happier with their life. We all agree that personalized budgets are of paramount importance. When all knew that when people have a champion in their life and a good support circle, life is susually more self fullfilled and happy. Everyone agreed that each person needs to be in the pilot seat of their service. And everyone agreed that flexibility was necessary as a person’s needs changes over time.
OCL very much sees those at Spectrum Society as a sister agency sharing the road of moving down new and different paths in the journey of supporting people in the manner that they need and want.
We look forward to having the co directors visiting OCL this summer and will open up a day of their visit to a community presentation.
Personalized Supports
15 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
Much like the United States, Australia is also working to moving from congregate living arrangements to personalized supports based on a person’s needs and wants. It has been a slow hard climb for both countries as the masses are still consumed into agency based group programming whether it be for the day or the home. More and more people are now speaking out about how life has improved due to the fact that their services have been personalized. And guess what? Many times it is less costly than the large congregate facility.
So lives are better and it is not costing the government any more than it would have before.
So what really is the problem?
It seems it is the mindsets of those who run services. Many think them to be less safe, more costly, agencies may have less control. But lives are more fullfilled and happier.
This periodical focus on what can happen when agenices let go of their preconcienved ideas and move in a direction that is more normal and welcoming. Your comments on this are always welcomed. PLA issue 4
OCL Welcomes a Visitor from Australia
03 Sep 2010 1 Comment
Robbi Williams
(blog http://juliafarrrobbi.blogspot.com)
CEO,Julia Farr Group, UNLEY SA 5061 Australia
Robbi William plans to visit OCL in late September as part of a study tour on personalized supports. He was recommended to come here by Michael Kendrick an international consultant who has worked repeatedly in Australia. Dr Kendrick http://www.kendrickconsulting.org/ has spent much time with OCL with presentations, retreats and also worked to complete a study for OPWDD. http://www.oclinc.org/links/links_index.htm
Robbi hopes to learn more about organizational change and personalized support so that he can better help people in Australia. We look forward to his visit.
Natalie Collins from Australia Publishes Her Study Visit
03 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
Onondaga Community Living Asked to Speak In British Columbia
03 Sep 2010 1 Comment
OISD Related Vancouver Annoucements
Pat Fratangelo, Executive Director for Onondaga Community Living will be co presenting with Michael Kendrick on a Individualized Service Design Course in Van Couver, British Columbia in October 2010. As part of the time there Pat and Michael will do a community presentation to families and professionals to enable them to see the possibilities of what can happen in their region based upon the work of OCL. Pat has been asked to come to various regions in British Columbia over the past 6 years and has worked with governmental staff, providers, families and self advocates.
