NW Independent Living Matters

NW Independent Living Matters Newsletter of Independent Living Resources Fall of 2009, Volume 17, Number 2

In this issue Cathy's Corner page 1 People Are Talking about STEPS page 2 LIFT Tips page 3 SMS Staff Corner page 4 A Roll in the Park 2009 page 5 Program Updates page 6 Disability Mentoring Day page 7 ILR Job Opportunity page 7 Happy Holidays from ILR page 8 Winter Recreation Events page 9

ILR Celebrates with "A Roll in the Park" By Barry Fox-Quamme, ILR Executive Director ILR celebrated a year of innovation and community partnerships on Saturday, October 3rd at OMSI with the 4th Annual "A Roll in the Park." Volunteers were challenged by Shawn Boa, widow of Scott A. Lay, to usher in the next generation of advocates in Oregon as a way of honoring the memory of Scott's leadership. ILR established the Scott A. Lay Disability Advocacy Award to meet this goal. Thanks for a Great Year Everyone!

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Cathy's Corner by Cathy Blahut, ILR Services Coordinator: Our Resource Guru! Emergency Preparedness: What You Can Do For People with disabilities, preparing for an emergency, such as an Earthquake, can be stressful and requires more planning. In Portland and Multnomah County, you may sign up for the Volunteer Emergency Registry or volunteer for Neighborhood Emergency Teams. It's a great way to get to know your neighbors and learn how to cope with an emergency. The Voluntary Emergency Registry(VER) is a cooperative effort between the City of Portland and Multnomah County to identify and assist people who may need extra help in an emergency. VER lists persons who need help evacuating their home during an emergency or are unable to evacuate without special assistance. The registry also includes people who are unable to remain at home, without assistance, following a disaster. Information in this list will be provided to the Portland Office of Emergency Management (POEM), Bureau of Emergency Communications (911) and other emergency response personnel from the City of Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County, depending on which type of registration you choose. Two Registration Types Available: ALL EMERGENCIES: Information will be released whenever there is an emergency at your address. DISASTER ONLY: Information will only be released if a disaster is declared by authorized City, County, or State officials. To fill out an application online, go to: http://multnomah.or.networkofcare.org/aging/erf.aspx. A paper application and/or assistance filling out the application is available by calling 503-823-2036. Volunteer for your Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET): Whatever your background and physical abilities may be, the NET in your neighborhood needs you! Basic training will give you the skills to work with your neighbors to save lives and property during the first 72 hours of any citywide emergency. The skills you'll learn in the free NET training will also help you manage emergencies that you may encounter in daily life. To learn about NET visit: www.pdxprepared.net. If you are a person with a disability and would like to volunteer as a member of your Neighborhood Emergency Team, contact William Warren with the Portland Office of Emergency Management at 503-823-4421. Tell him you are a person with a disability and would like to attend the next NET training. This information was compiled from www.portlandonline.com and from www.pdxprepared.net.

------People Are Talking About STEPS! BY Suzanne Huffman, ILR Training Coordinator STEPS at Your Doorstep: Did you know? We are happy to bring our STEPS to Success with Homecare Workers workshop to any location that's convenient for eligible consumer-employers *. In recent months, we've conducted STEPS workshops at senior centers and also in apartment community rooms. If you have 10-12 neighbors who receive in-home services, the process for arranging a workshop on site is easy: Tell your Resident Services Coordinator or apartment manager that you know about a great program that will be helpful to residents. Call the STEPS Coordinator with the name and phone number of the person who schedules activities for your apartment building or complex. * Eligible consumer-employers are defined as those receiving in-home services through these programs: Medicaid Client-Employer Provider, State Plan for Personal Care (for people with physical disabilities,) Spousal Pay, and Oregon Project Independence. We'll take it from there, scheduling the workshop, providing flyers and brochures, and if helpful, I'll attend a residents' meeting to answer program questions. We provide a healthful lunch during the 3-hour workshop and mail $25 gift cards to eligible consumers-employers within two weeks. Most importantly, STEPS empowers consumer-employers with valuable information to assist in getting the most from in-home services. We can also bring a STEPS workshop to your house of worship, to a support group meeting, or any other location that's handy for consumer-employers.

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LIFT Tips: The Art of the Time Window by Lina Bensel, IL and Housing Specialist Yes, that says "The Art of the Time Window." Getting the right time window is an art. Unlike a science, which is predictable, art requires flexibility. If you ride LIFT, you are probably familiar with how unpredictable it can be. Yet, the statistics they keep show that 90% or more of all rides pick people up within the given time windows. What is a time window anyway? In our transit system, a time window is a 30 minute period, counted from the beginning to the end of the 30th minute. This is referred to as 0- 30. If you are given a time window, say 9:00 to 9:30, 9:00 is the earliest time the ride can come; 9:30 is the end of the time you should have to wait. You can call Dispatch when that 30th minute arrives and no ride has shown up. Most LIFT service begins with a phone call to Reservations. Passengers or their advocates ask for rides to addresses at specific times. This is when the art of time window really takes place. You will be asked when you want to leave or be picked up. Sometimes you will be asked when you have to be somewhere. Sometimes you will have to tell them you must to be somewhere by a specific time. This is referred to as an "Appointment Time." Technically, according to the ADA and para-transit regulations, they can give you a time window an hour ahead or an hour behind what you request. With an appointment time, you can get a time that is up to two hours ahead of your appointment and that is legal. Effort is made in the LIFT system to get the time window at a time that would be acceptable to the rider. However, some things affect LIFT service and time windows in general. The further you live from a central point such as a LIFT garage, the less service is available to you. So if you live in say, Forest Grove, service is not likely to be as good as someone who lives in downtown Portland. Time windows are likely to be later or earlier than we want them in cases where the passenger is further away. In many cases, a time window can be negotiated. If you are going to a meeting downtown that starts at 9:30 a.m., you may be given a 7:30 to 8 time window, and this is letter-of-the-law OK. But you may not need that much time to get to the meeting if your home is close in. So you may say, "That seems a bit early." Many reservationists will go back to their computer screens to see if another bus could pick you up later and still get you to your 9:30 appointment time. Sometimes there is nothing else available. On the way home you may want to state the earliest time you can be picked up as in "no earlier than 12." This could result in a pickup window as late as 1 to 1:30 p.m. Again, you can ask for an earlier window. You may need to rephrase the request and omit the no earlier than out. What I have found is I still get rides around 12 to 12:30 when I do that. Time windows are important to all of us. Be ready at the beginning of them and call Dispatch at the end of them if the ride is not there yet. If your ride is extremely late, you will probably want to call Customer Service with the information. Sometimes they can tell you what happened to make it that late. It won't change things immediately. It will, however, give the system feedback that in turn, improves service for all.

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SMS Staff Corner: Focus on SMS Staff Member, Roseanna Ellis "I first took a "Write Around Portland" (WRAP) workshop here at ILR in 2007, and really enjoyed it--getting writing ideas and comparing my writing to other people's. So the next term I took another workshop. Then I went to two Returning Writers workshops downtown at WRAP, and now I'm on my third Seasoned Writers workshop. "This one is best of all, because you get to write and discuss your writing with people like you that you've become friends with, and there are always new opportunities there to further our writing skills; like having to publish our own "anthology" or zine, which makes us feel proud of our work, although it's not really a "finished" literary anthology like WRAP publishes with beginners' work in it. "WRAP also gives us other opportunities to read our work before the public, like at the Wordstock convention that was just held at the Convention Center--WRAP invited me to read one of my poems in their presentation, to represent the Seasoned Writers. It was great! I met so many writers and editors there! "I guess my poems do get kind of depressing sometimes, but, after all, disability is depressing! I'm trying to express what it feels like to lose a foot, because it's something that no one really understands until it happens to them. I think people need to hear this. I write to everyone, to no one, to whomever may hear, in hopes that my work may last a while after I die--for my posterity. For all those who've lost a foot or a leg or a hand or an arm, who can't write for themselves. I've always been writing, since second grade when I wrote my first story. Since I lost my foot, I've had a more serious reason to write." Roseanna Ellis Roseanna Ellis is a cherished SMS staff member who has been at ILR for nearly a year. All who meet her experience her kind nature and witty personality. Her cheerful, patient rapport with consumers and staff is simply irreplaceable. Roseanna is also a gifted writer who has participated in WRAP for several years. Her enthusiasm despite life's challenges is an inspiration to those lucky enough to meet and know her. ILR is lucky to have her! Thank you, Roseanna, for your hard work, dedication and feisty spirit!

ROLL IN THE PARK 2009 By Roseanna Ellis Anticipation! It's time for A Roll in the Park, And everyone at ILR is eager as a lark: With rustling of paper and pouring of ink, Blowing balloons and filling the sink;

With countless coffee cups downed in a wink, Ready for OMSI before we can blink. Tomorrow will catch us watching the drink As we stroll on the Esplanade's mossy brink;

We'll supply yummy lunches and cake in a wink, Sanitary so we won't end in the clink; We'll walk and we'll roll around the 'scope and the sub, And show them all what the dis-Abled can do!

So come out for a Roll in the Park with us, And please make it a trip by your Tri-Met bus. 'Cuz the drivers all know the way to OMSI, And they will get you there ever so promptly!

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4th Annual "A Roll in the Park" ILR Launches the Scott A. Lay Disability Advocacy Award Saturday, October 3rd proved a lucky day for participants at ILR's 4th Annual "A Roll in the Park" celebration. Weeks of late summer rain and cool temperatures gave way to warmth and sunshine as 100 friends, community partners and consumers joined for a celebration and a roll, stroll or walk around OMSI. The celebration honored dozens of hardworking ILR Volunteers and Community Partners. ILR also launched the Scott A. Lay Disability Advocacy Award to recognize the outstanding efforts of community advocates working to improve employment and other opportunities for people with disabilities. We are grateful to Scott's wife, Shawn Boa, and daughter, Melissa, for coming to accept the inaugural award and share in celebrating Scott's life with us. Community Sponsors Help ILR Roll Over the Years! Special Thanks to ILR's 4th Annual "A Roll in the Park" Sponsors: EASTCO Diversified Services, Inc. Kaiser Permanente Thrive: All plans offered are underwritten by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest. 500 NE Multnomah St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. Mount Angel Developmental Programs Oregon Health and Science University: Oregon Office on Disability and Health Performance Mobility Thank you to everyone who makes our work possible!

------Program Updates Rent Well Class (Formerly Ready-to-Rent) Resumes Jan 2010. To register, please contact Lina at 503-232-7411 or E-mail her at [email protected]. WRAP (Write Around Portland) Resumes February to April 2010. To register for this Friday class held from 11 to 1 p.m., please contact [email protected] or call 503-232-7411. Women's Group: Developing Positive Assertiveness: Women's support group has completed three curriculums in the past year: Anger Management; Women's Empowerment Group; and Developing Positive Assertiveness. Women come together once a week for a two hour session that includes a time of sharing and peer counseling, and the opportunity to focus on the curriculum. A new support group on assertiveness began on October 9th and runs through Dec 18th. The group is co-facilitated by ILR volunteers Sean Ray and Colleen Utter, and by IL Specialist Sarah Gerth. Learn about developing positive assertiveness, different behavior styles, and how to change behavior successfully. Learn how to talk about feelings, and Win-Win relationships. You will also learn about sending assertive messages, and the use of body language to convey assertiveness. Finally, you will learn four power steps to assertive communication. Communication tools for successful confrontation and active listening will be presented. The group is currently full, but we are taking a wait list for another class starting in January 2010. If you are interested in a future women's support group, contact Sarah Gerth at 502-232-7411 ILR Art Class Resumes January 2010: please contact [email protected] to sign up or call 503-232-7411.

New MSW Intern ILR is pleased to welcome Shane Evans as a Masters of Social Work intern. Shane is focusing about 15 hours a week during the next academic year on assisting Cathy Blahut with intakes in the Information and Referral pro- process. Shane comes to us with experience working with children in a therapeutic setting for mental health. Please take a moment to say hello and welcome!

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Exciting New and Ongoing ILR Activities! Advocacy Committee: 1st Monday from 1 to 3 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting: 4th Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Crossroads, TBI Support Group: 2nd and 4th Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. (Holiday Schedule: TBI's Support Group will resume in January 2010 STEPS Workshops: 3rd Monday from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Vision Impairment Support Group: 2nd Monday from 10 a.m. till noon Women's Assertiveness Group: Every Friday until 18 December from 10 a.m. till noon ------

ILR Sponsors Disability Mentoring Day On October 21st Independent Living Resources, in partnership with Providence Medical Center and the United States Immigration Office, celebrated a successful 2009 Disability Mentoring Day. We began this busy day at Providence Hospital where 14 students and 6 adult job seekers learned about careers in medical transcription and diagnostic testing. Pam shared her story of how she developed a disability, her decision to attend Mt. Hood community college to earn her degree in medical transcription, and how she performs her new skills as a medical transcriber. Then, by viewing Jello with grapes in it through their ultrasound equipment, students learned how ultra sound testing works. And finally, one of the x-ray technicians brought in a portable x-ray machine, explained about radiation and the precautions taken to protect x-ray technicians, and allowed the students to view some x-rays. Over lunch, Jaime Head, ILR's Work Incentives Coordinator, educated job seekers and students about Social Security work incentive programs. In the afternoon, a second group assembled at the Immigration office in downtown Portland. Angela Trimm met with 6 job seekers. The group learned about the different careers available at the Immigration office and about the hiring process. Afterward, we were honored to watch the swearing in ceremony of 27 new Americans. It was a touching celebration that brought tears to our eyes. The afternoon ended after a brief meeting with the director of the Immigration office. Jamal encourages people with disabilities to consider a career at the Immigration office. If you would like more information about careers with the federal government, you can visit www.usajobs.gov. Thanks to the staff at Providence and the Immigration office, as well as the teachers at David Douglas and Reynolds High Schools for making this day a huge success. We are already looking ahead to mentor Day 2010!

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ILR Job Opportunity Join a vibrant staff--people with disabilities serving people with disabilities. Job Opening for an Associate Director for IL Programs: Full-Time Position, Plus Benefits. Summary: The Associate Director for IL Programs is a management and direct service position. Key duties include leadership for IL Programs, individual and group supervision for staff, and peer mentoring. The ideal candidate will have a Masters Degree, a specialty in mental health services and IL Mentoring experience. People with disabilities meeting job requirements are especially encouraged to apply by E-mail: [email protected] with a cover letter and resume no later than December 15, 2009.

------Happy Holidays from Independent Living Resources by Sarah-Naomi Campbell, Executive Assistant and Office Manager As the days shorten and we head into the holiday season, I would like to give thanks to the staff, volunteers, consumers, and community partners who con- tribute to make ILR a success. I am proud of all the work we have accomplished this year. May each of you find the holidays filled with family, friends, and good cheer. Thank you for the happiness you've brought into our lives by sharing your experiences with us! Below are some holiday resources and fabulous free events to help fill your holiday season with joy. Happy Holidays from all of us at ILR! St. Andrews Community Center: Food box program and Adopt-A-Family program. Both programs are offered for families who have children in the home. Call 971-244-0339; intake is done over the phone; no need to come in. Parish boundaries are MLK Boulevard to NE 25th and Interstate 5 out to 25th (East-West boundaries). Killingsworth to Shaver and Ainsworth to Mason (North-South boundaries). They will be extending these boundaries a little to serve more people at Christmas. FISH Emergency Services: Will be offering Christmas food boxes, though no toys. Call 503-233-5533 beginning Tuesday, December 15th during regular open hours (Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Fridays) Must live within FISH's geographic service area: Multnomah County west of 92nd Avenue and Clackamas County. Toy 'n Joy Makers: Portland Fire and Rescue Serving families within the City of Portland that meet Federal HHS poverty income guidelines. Phone orders are accepted November 1st through December 23rd, 2009. For more information, please call 503-231-8697.

Compassion In Action (CIACC): CIACC will run Oct 26th to Dec 4th, providing food boxes to families in Clackamas County. The application is also available online at www.ciacc.org. People or organizations wishing to donate may also call 503-632-0562. Free Holiday Events Christmas ships parade This water parade consists of 55 to 60 ships that light up the Columbia and Willamette rivers every night for two weeks in December. All boat captains volunteer their boats, and decorate them with beautiful lights and holiday decorations. Restaurants overlooking the two rivers offer great seats to watch the parade, or several parks along the waterfront have uninterrupted views as well. Dress warmly, as gusts blowing off of the river can be cold. The parade will run from December 10th through the 21st, weather permitting. Tuba Christmas: This fabulous event features 200 tubas playing festive holiday carols. This free concert is an exciting way to celebrate the season as watchers are encouraged to participate by singing along! Join us in the heart of downtown Portland at Pioneer Court- house Square on December 13th between 1:30 and 3 p.m.

------ILR's Winter Recreation Events By Patricia Kepler, IL Specialist and ILR's Recreation Maven! (Please RSVP Patricia 1 wk. before event) Thursday, December 3--Portland Revels Concert. Tickets will go fast, so sign up soon! Friday, December 11--Annual Holiday party. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come join in the fun, sing holiday carols, play games, and enjoy some holiday food. RSVP by December 4th. Tuesday January 19--Movie Day. Join the ILR recreation group for an afternoon at the movies. Exact time and showing to be determined. Friday February 5--Oregon Seafood Festival: This winter event is a celebration of all things Oregon, but most specifically our wonderful Oregon seafood and wines. Scheduled in the quiet of winter, and smack dab in the middle of the Dungeness Crab season, it promises to be a popular event in Portland. The occasion is certain to be festive at the Oregon Convention Center, boasting a climate-controlled facility. Over 98,000 square feet of exhibit space will allow for lots of room to wander the event while stopping to sit and enjoy the good food, drink and live music throughout the event. Food item prices range from $1 and up. We will depart ILR at1 p.m. Participants are asked to arrange for their transportation home from this event. Space is limited. Friday March 19--Karaoke Night. Bring your voices and enthusiasm and enjoy a night of Karaoke. Bring $5 to pay for pizza and beverages. RSVP by March 12th. April 2010-Hearing Voices Story Tellers Festival. Exact Date and Time to be announced. May 5th--Cinco De Mayo. Ola! Come join ILR in celebrating Cinco de Mayo. There will be fabulous food and entertainment to make this day special. Please RSVP by April 28. We are often fortunate enough to get tickets for holiday performances and sporting events donated to our recreation program. Typically, we don't get enough notice for these donations to include them in the newsletter. You can check Patricia's voice mail for periodic updates by dialing 503-501-5488. Do you have recreation ideas for the recreation group? Please contact Patricia with your ideas. Call 503-232-7411 or [email protected].

------Inclement Weather ILR follows the Portland Community College Closure schedule. If PCC closes due to weather, ILR is also closed. ILR will also announce closures on ILR's voicemail message.

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People with Disabilities (Insert) Invisible and extremely visible, unusual and yet familiar, we are a cross-section of our communities. We defy categorization, and yet are often subject to stereotyping. We can be de- scribed by statistics, but are as alive and real as you are. While we are unique due to our disabilities, you could easily share our experiences. We are your neighbor who by bad luck gets a cold virus that slips into the brain, creates an infection, causes a coma and leaves blindness and ongoing seizures. We are your friend who in her 40's discovers she has MS and within a few years is using a wheel- chair for the rest of her life. We are the homeless man trying to make sense of a world turned to confusion for lack of medications needed to manage a chronic mental health illness. We are your cousin suffering with chronic headaches, problems with concentration and rage--the effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a car accident. We are a stranger born with a physical disability who obtains a masters degree and becomes an ILR Counselor. You meet us every day. We have unique needs that require recognition and response. "Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained." Helen Keller

INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCES Creating Opportunities Your investment in ILR creates opportunities for people with disabilities to discover new friendships and life skills. "The relationships that I have developed with various people who attend ILR activities have definitely enriched my life." Encouraging Choices Your investment in ILR creates social capital--the capacity for choice, self-advocacy, and systems change. "ILR has definitely been a stepping stone to all sorts of wonderful things for me. I can only hope that what I have put back in is equal to what I got from the agency." Advancing Equal Access Your investment in ILR opens doors for people with disabilities. Access to our communities allows people to participate more fully in life. "My favorite part of ILR is ... the art classes. The writing group reignited my passion for creative writing."

People with Disabilities Serving People with Disabilities Independent Living Resources is the only Center for Independent Living in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties dedicated exclusively to helping people with all disabilities by providing a broad range of services. We work with individuals--children to elders--whose disabilities are of a physical, cognitive, mental, developmental or sensory nature. ILR served more than 3,000 people with disabilities in 2008. We also served the families and friends who support ILR Consumers in being as independent as possible. ILR creates partnerships to expand services with diverse community-based organizations. Projects like Healthy Lifestyles, On the Move in Oregon, STEPS and WIN offer a wide range of services to help consumers achieve independent living goals in life. Community partners--other non-profits, private foundations and corporations--help us to realize our goals. ILR services provide a glimpse into the disabilities that people experience. The 2008 ILR Consumers who received Extended, Intensive Services (412) are revealed in the profile below. Mental Health: 98 Developmental/Cognitive: 96 Physical: 76 Visual: 28 Multiple/Other: 114 The 2000 Census identified 78,831 people with disabilities in Multnomah County. Statistics also reveal the compelling challenge of simply meeting everyday needs. We struggle with poverty and unemployment at almost twice the rate of the more able-bodied population. People with a Mobility Limitation accounted for 23,185 people (ages 16 to 64) or 30% of the 78,831 people in Multnomah County with a disability in the year 2000. You meet us every day. We have unique needs that require recognition and response.

------Independent Living Resources 2410 SE 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97214-5308 www.ilr.org Dear Friends and Colleagues, Your Support Promotes Independent Living for All People with Disabilities, innovative projects and programs that develop personal strengths and resources in difficult times! We are Peer Counselors and Independent Living Specialists. The majority of both Board of Directors and Staff have a disability, and so we gain insights into service by learning to work together as a team. People with disabilities work with ILR's Peer Counselors to explore options and solve problems. We empower people with disabilities with Resource Information and Referral. Access to important resources is often limited by disability--loss of sight, hearing or mobility creates barriers that don't exist for most. Assisting people to discover and use resources to empower independence is what we do at ILR. We enable consumers to develop varied and diverse Independent Living Skills. ILR offers individual and small-group instruction designed to develop a variety of skills: Anger Manage- t, Communication, Household Management, Leisure/Recreation, Low Vision, Travel, Personal Safety, Pre-Vocational Information, Self-Esteem, and Social Skills. We provide Support Groups, SSDI and SSI Benefit Planning, a Healthy Life- styles Workshops, Peer Support for Transitions from Nursing Home Life to Independent Living, Training for Consumers Who Employ Homecare Workers. We advocate for Individual and Systems Change. We all need an advocate at times in life, someone who helps us obtain necessary services or benefits. ILR is there to help. Sometimes the world around us creates barriers for people with disabilities. At ILR we are proactive, organizing toward system-wide change to make life easier for all people with disabilities! When we share a sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice comes alive! Your support for others helps us all to learn the "simple act of walking the earth" as sisters and brothers! Thank you for your generous spirit and financial support! Barry Fox-Quamme ILR Executive Director Please Send Donations to the Above Address. Donations with VISA, MasterCard, and American Express are now welcome through PayPal at www.ilr.org.