SAI Travels the State for Regional Meetings
During the month of April, the Self-Advocates of Indiana officers traveled around the state for our annual regional meetings. We held meetings in Central, Northern, and Southern Indiana. During these meetings we shared updates from SAI, important information about this year's state legislative session, and reminders about our upcoming events. We also led a training about the new PCISP process and how to use the LifeCourse tools to plan your vision for a good life. The first meeting was held in Indianapolis at New Hope of Indiana on Wednesday, April 17. We then traveled up to Michigan City on April 24 to meet with members of SAI from Northern Indiana. Thank you to Paladin for hosting us. The final meeting was held on April 30 in Charlestown, IN. A huge thank you to Rauch and Hawthorne Glen for letting us use your clubhouse and for providing snacks.
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Governor Holcomb Signs Supported Decision Making Bill
On Wednesday, April 24, Governor Holcomb signed Senate Bill 380 into law. This legislation recognizes Supported Decision Making Agreements as a less restrictive option for individuals with disabilities to get the support they need while remaining in control of decision making. Supported decision making does not replace legal guardianship, but provides an additional option. This bill also requires less restrictive alternatives, such as supported decision making, to be considered before a court can appoint a guardian. Self-Advocates of Indiana is glad to have been a part of advocating for this important legislation. Thank you to Jamie Beck, who led the way, and became the first person in Indiana to have their guardianship replaced with a supported decision making agreement. Also, thank you to Indiana Disability Rights, The Arc of Indiana, and many other partners who helped us advocate for this bill.
SAI will be working to create some educational materials over the next few months to help provide more information about Supported Decision Making.
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Registration for the 2019 Self-Advocates of Indiana Annual Picnic will open on May 20. Tickets are $15 if you register by July 5. After July 5, tickets will increase to $25 per person. Stay tuned for more information on how to register.
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Disability Policy Seminar 2019
In earl y April, members of the Self-Advocates of Indiana board of directors traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 2019 Disability Policy Seminar. The policy seminar is an annual event that brings together several disability advocacy organizations to learn about important legislation and policies affecting individuals with disabilities and their families. Attendees spent the first two days hearing from policy experts, strengthening their advocacy skills, and learning how to speak with their federal representatives. Included in the presentations was a session on Supported Decision Making led by SAI member Jamie Beck. Jamie was the first person in Indiana to have her guardianship replaced with a Supported Decision Making Agreement. The final day wa s spent on Capitol Hill. SAI President Shawn Fulton and Past President Melody Cooper and other advocates from The Arc of Indiana had the chance to attend the Hoosier Huddle, a time for Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young to meet with their Indiana constituents. They also met with staff members for Rep. Jim Banks, Rep. Andre Carson, and Rep. Jackie Walorski.
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For more information about the Sexuality Matters Program or to schedule a class, please contact acircle@arcind.org. Classes will be half or full day workshops.
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#StopTheShock at the Judge Rotenburg Center
By Danie'l Mize
The Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) is an institution in Massachusetts for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. JRC is using an electric shock device called a Gradual Electronic Decelerator (GED) to punish behavior of individuals at the JRC. They can get shocked for doing things like flapping their hands, swearing, or not taking off their coat. This is hard to believe because I am a person with a disability, and I can not believe that this is still is around.
On April 24, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration, held a hearing and concluded that there was not way to use the GED without causing significant harm to an individual and recommended a ban.
As of April 24, 2019, it has been five years since the FDA recommended a ban on GED, but no ban has been put in place.
SAI joined many other advocacy groups on April 24 to raise awareness about this issue on April 24, but we still need your help to #Stoptheshock
We need you to contact the FDA and your Congresspeople and tell them to ban the use of the GED.
To find out more please go to #StopTheShock
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Mark Hublar spoke to a standing room only crowd at a Lunch and Learn at the Carnegie Center for Art and History. In his presentation entitled "Inclusion & Respect=Opportunity," Mark spoke about inclusion and support for people with disabilities in school, public, and in the workplace. Mark is a motivational speaker and member of the SAI Speakers Bureau. You can learn more about Mark on his website at www.markjhublarspeaks.com.
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Click to read about the highlights from the 2019 Legislative Session.
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Adria, a self-advocate from New Hope of Indiana, shares here thoughts on Disability Awareness Month.
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Want to contact SAI? Have a question for the SAI President, Shawn Fulton?
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SAI has a Speakers Bureau. We can come speak about many different topics. If you would like a self-advocate to come speak to your group or organization, click the link.
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