Values
Summer 2013
A Newsletter of Ability1st—North Florida’s Center for Independent Living
B
y the time you receive this
newsletter the finishing
touches will be going on
the new addition at Ability1st. The
additional space makes it more
efficient for Ability1st staff to receive
donations and provide needed
durable medical equipment to
individuals with physical disabilities.
The Access to Independence
Program continues to experience
increases in the number of people
being served. Over 200 individuals
have already received loans of
durable medical equipment (DME)
this year. Most often families need
more than one item; such as items
include a wheelchair and shower
bench or a hospital bed and bedside
commode.
Please join other generous members of the community for a celebration
and placement of the donor plaque on the new addition.
August 16, from 4:30 – 6:30.
Up in Smoke Pit Bar-B-Q will be served.
Please RSVP to [email protected] or 850-575-9621 ext. 101 if you plan to join us.
Inside this Issue
Access to Independence
Deaf Services
Helping Victims
Ability1st program that is providing medical
equipment to those who need it.
Helping hearing impaired individuals understand
their right to an interpreter.
Reaching out to survivors who need
disability services.
Page 2
Page 5
Page 6
Access to Independence
by Kevin Ogden, Access to Independence Manager
W
hen Bridget’s sister, Doris
was ready to leave Capital
Regional Medical Center
(CRMC) 3 months after experiencing
an intracranial hemorrhage
(commonly referred to as a “brain
stroke”), she was directed by the staff
to contact Ability 1st. CRMC often
refers their patients being discharged
with Medicaid or no insurance to
Ability 1st for assistance with the
medical equipment and supplies
needed to continue their recovery or
maintenance at home. Until Bridget
was successful in getting Doris
Medicaid coverage, she had no way
to afford the equipment and supplies
needed to care for her sister.
Ability1st provided Doris with a
wheelchair, hospital bed, Hoyer lift,
a bath transfer bench and a bedside
commode. These are items the
organization most often has available
to loan. Because Doris also had a
tracheotomy she was being tube-fed
so Bridget was also in need of tube
feeding supplies, cleaning supplies, a
suction machine and liquid nutrition.
Those items are not frequently
available but in this case Ability1st
had received a donation and was
able to assist Doris with all the items
needed to assist in her recovery at
home.
When asked for a quote to
go along with the picture for this
article Bridget said: “I was referred
to Ability 1st for medical equipment
and supplies so I could bring Doris
home with me until we could receive
Medicaid services. Ability1st was
a great help in providing lots of
different equipment we needed
and the tube feeding and trach
supplies to get us started. If I needed
anything, they were there to help
and if Ability 1st didn’t have it, they
would try their best to get it. I would
refer anyone to Ability 1st – and truly
thank Ability 1st for all they have
done to help my sister.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE ACCESS TO INDEPENDENCE PROJECT DONORS
“You helped make our dream a reality for people living with physical disabilities”
Accent Office Interiors
Michael Atkisson
Rick & Martha Barnett
Richard Barnett, Sr.
Harold & Allyn Barrett
Kristopher Barriros
Beatitude Foundation
Jann Bellamy
Deborah Bergstrom
Bonnie Braendlin
Gary & Elyse Brodeur
William Brueckheimer, Jr.
Capital IT
Alicia Crew & Janet Stoner
James M. & Theresa Croteau
Florida Blue
Zandra Glenn
Letreze Gooding
Marci Gray
Alice Grow
Elizabeth Gruber
Margaret Hardee
Calynne Hill
Mart Hill
2 | Values • Summer 2013
Ronald & Suzette Howse
Lawrence James
James Moore & Company
Toy Keller
Lora Kibler
Tara Kyvik
Joe & Mary Lazor
Laurie LoRe-Gussak
Mary C. Luce
Hetal McGuire
Diana McSwain
Rand Metcalfe
Lisa Meyer
Dr. Jamileh Mikati
Daniel W. and Donna Moore
Mary K. Moore
Sarah Mullane
Daniel Nordby
Takemichi Okui
Old Town Café
Chastity O’Steen
Ryan Overstreet
Diane Patchen
Anne Peery
Brooks & Almena Pettit
Caryl and Robert Pierce
Joan H. Raley
Edie Ramsey
Sonia Richards
Michael Ross
Vanessa Rowse
Sheila Salyer
Kelvin Sands
Natalie K. Sellars
Larry Spalding
J. E. Starnes
Lawrence Stombock, Jr.
Talcor
Tallahassee Northside Kiwanis
Tallahassee Sunrise Rotary
Allison Tant
Nora Underwood
Terry Ward & Judith Barrett
J. Ben Watkins
Ashley Webb
Kathy Whitehead
Dolores Wilder
Patricia Wilhoit
JOIN US SEPTEMBER 7, 2013
5KRUN/1MIFUN WALK AND ROLL
F O R M O R E I N F O : W W W. A B I L I T Y 1 S T. I N F O
Valuing Each Person’s Ability1st | 3
Lake Windfall is presented in American Sign
Language with English subtitles. The film is
directed by a person that is deaf and most of the
actors are deaf.
4 | Values • Summer 2013
Deaf Services
by Alexis Borochoff, Deaf Services Coordinator
I
magine waking up to a suspicious
looking lump on your forearm that
hurts to the touch. You call your
physician on the video phone, and
request an appointment and an ASL
interpreter for this appointment. The
receptionist seems dumbfounded
and tells you she will call you back
after she asks her co-workers or boss
what she is supposed to do. A few
minutes later, she calls back and tells
you that they cannot afford to hire
an interpreter and suggests that you
bring a family member to translate.
Your options are to either bring a
family member or friend that is not
qualified to interpret, or you bite your
lip and come to the appointment
with a notepad and pen.
Unfortunately, only a few hearing
impaired individuals know and
understand their rights and will
be persistent with their interpreter
request. Ability1st works to instill
confidence in our deaf consumers so
they understand their rights.
The Deaf Services Program at
Ability1st works to prevent the
Deaf from being denied access to
interpreters by educating providers
about the Americans with Disability
Act Public Law 101-336. We reach
out to local businesses, health care
providers, schools, and community
based organizations with a list
of local interpreters, their type of
certifications as well as how to
MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY
SUPPORT GROUP
Our Mental Health Recovery Support Group
meets from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. every Wednesday
in the Ability1st conference room. It is an informal,
peer-led support group.
For more information call (850)575-9621 ext. 119
and ask for Beth.
Contact Beth at (850)575-9621 for information
on our smoking cessation classes.
handle emergencies with access to
video interpreting available 24/7.
Ability1st provides an outlet
for hearing impaired individuals
struggling with accessibility. As a
hearing impaired individual, I can
identify with my consumers because I
have been through similar situations.
Our consumers are reassured
because they have an advocate that
can relate. Because of the majority of
hearing impaired people are signers,
there is often a communication
barrier. Their voice or lack thereof is
often overlooked, and this is where
we come in –we become their voice.
In the wise words of the deaf actress
Marlee Matlin, “Every one of us is
different in some way, but for those
of us who are more different, we have
to put more effort into convincing
the less different that we can do the
same thing they can, just differently.”
SIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES
FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Beginners (no signing skills)
September 4th to November 20th (Wednesday evenings)
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm $80 includes the book
Novice (knows basic signs)
September 3rd to November 19th
(Tuesday evenings) 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
$40 (if you already
have the book)
Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (lozenges,
patches and gum) provided to participants.
Valuing Each Person’s Ability1st | 5
Helping Victims Through VOCA
O
ne evening on the six o’clock
news the lead-in story was of
a 47-year old woman who was
attacked and beaten on a downtown
street. Her assailant, later identified as
her estranged husband, escaped. Law
enforcement assures the community
that he will be caught. The TV camera
pans to a power wheelchair, up-ended
and abandoned in the grass, just off
the sidewalk.
We may vent our outrage at the
TV, perhaps because we personally
abhor violence, more specifically
against women… and children. Or
maybe it was the close up picture of
the wheelchair lying on its side, empty
and abandoned that upsets us. Several
might even indulge in a moment of
concern over the fate of this victim,
obviously disabled or impaired and
now with the added insult of having
suffered physical violence on her
person.
How can anyone beat on a
defenseless woman with a disability?
What happens to her now? Where will
she go? How does she begin to make
sense of this and recover? Move on?
For the past thirteen years, Ability
1st has addressed these and more
questions, issues, and challenges that
present themselves to this victim and
over 150 others now served by the
agency yearly. Of these victims, at
least 100 of them represent instances
of domestic violence against a person
with a physical, developmental or
cognitive disability and/or mental
illness.
Ability 1st is known in the
community for meeting the varying
needs of a number of uniquely
challenged individuals attempting to
survive, live, and prosper to the best of
their abilities within our community.
Through a Victim of Crimes Act Grant
No. V12235, the agency has been
entrusted with being only one of two
Centers for Independent Living in the
State of Florida to meet the needs for
6 | Values • Summer 2013
by Sheri E. Smith, M.S.
advocacy helps empower a victim
persons with disabilities who become
to not be ashamed of their disability
victims of crime or persons who
become disabled as a result of a crime. or circumstances they may believe
made them vulnerable to being a
Success is dependent upon a series
crime victim. Individual and/or group
of agency collaborations, networking,
counseling further empowers a
and cross-education.
survivor to not fear that their mental
For example, the lady mentioned
illness or cognitive challenges will be
above may have been taken to the
Refuge House
emergency
shelter which
serves the
community’s
victims of
domestic
violence and
sexual assault.
For the past
several years,
Ability 1st
—Meg Baldwin, Executive Director, Refuge House
and the
used against them. Survivors continue
Refuge House have worked in close
to do so weekly at the Share Our
collaboration to serve the needs of
Strengths (SOS) Women’s Support
the persons with disabilities who seek
Group that has existed for the past
safety.
six years. We all can learn to know
Meg Baldwin, Executive Director
ourselves and recognize the “red
of the Refuge House recently stated
flags” that warn us against persons or
that, “Ability1st ‘s services make an
enormous difference to the survivors of situations that may cause us harm.
violence we serve. The on-site support As a result, advocacy and
education are crucial components to
that Ability1st provides to residents
the VOCA Program not only accessing
in our emergency domestic violence
more victims with disabilities in our
shelter offers security, continuity, and
community but also empowering
a trusting relationship for survivors
persons with disabilities to prevent
seeking disability services.”
repeat victimizations or becoming
While attention may appear
victims of new crimes.
to focus on filling the disability The greatest success is that
related gaps created by the trauma
individual who has achieved the
of victimization; just as important is
ability to trust and be comfortable
assisting that individual in recovery
with themselves as a former victim
and re-building. Some victims, rather
and survivor. That person not only
survivors, actively seek vindication
through the legal systems, cooperating takes better care of their physical
and emotional health but gradually
with the State’s efforts to prosecute
embraces being their own advocate.
their cases. This is significant as cases
And the 47 year old survivor of
with victims with disabilities are still
under-reported and under prosecuted domestic violence? She was assisted
although persons with disabilities have in obtaining permanent housing,
attended school, and became an active
higher instances of victimizations,
participant in her own healing and
repeat or multiple victimizations.
recovery.
Counseling and personal
“The on-site support that Ability1st
provides to residents in our emergency
domestic violence shelter offers
security, continuity, and a trusting
relationship for survivors seeking
disability services.”
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PA I D
Tallahassee, FL
PERMIT NO. 504
1823 Buford Court
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
Voice: (850) 575-9621 • TDD: (850) 576-5245
Fax: (850) 575-5740
www.Aability1st.info
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Ryan Overstreet, President
Diane Patchen, Vice President
Judy Barnes, Secretary
Rand Metcalfe, Treasurer
Calvin Brinkley
Erika Harding
Dalton Headley-Perdue
Julie Jean
Natalie Jean
Viv Miley
Mike Ross
Kelvin Sands
Amanda Shaver
Rebecca Telesco
Dale Travis