08/04/98

Support Services for Cerebral Palsy..

Several people wrote to me about their children, bosses or others who live active, involved and, in many instances, inspirational lives with Cerebral Palsy. Many of them mentioned sources of support in Connecticut that I'd like to pass on to you.

- In certain conditions Cerebral Palsy is a crippling condition, but this does not take away from the intelligence of an individual with CP. The executive director of the organization I work for is a person with CP who uses a wheelchair, can't talk clearly and uses a headpiece to type on the computer. She is awesome and a great boss! Have you read the book "I Raise My Eyes to Say Yes"? It is a must read for anyone who is curious about CP from the point of view of the person with it.
-- My Awesome Boss Has CP

- I don't know if you've heard of Disabilities Network of Eastern Connecticut, but we do offer services to people with special needs of all kinds. We're located at 107 Route 32 in North Franklin CT 06254. (860) 823-1898 Voice/TDD;(860) 886-2316 Fax; Email: dnec@snet.net
    DNEC is a Center for Independent Living (CIL) and exists primarily to ensure that persons with disabilities are integrated as fully as possible, consistent with their wishes, into the communities in which they live and participate. This means that we believe that all people, both with and without disabilities should not be relegated to institutional and/or segregated forms of living and should be able to live where they choose. Obviously, there are some practical limits to this for everybody.
    We help people get out of nursing homes and other institutions. We fight discrimination. We advocate for people to be able to access the services they need to live as independently and as decently as possible. We help people with advocacy on a whole range of issues - education, employment, benefits, housing, recreation, etc.
    In addition to advocacy and helping people to exercise their rights, we also provide independent living skills training, peer counseling, and information and referral. We meet with lots of community groups to do community education. We have a small unit that specializes in services to deaf people. We have one staff member who specializes in services through technology and another who works with adolescents with disabilities. Finally, we do a lot of agitating for system-wide social change and networking with other advocacy groups that are in the same business as we are.
-- Please check out our website at: http://www.tiac.net/users/rucker/dnec.html

- As a person with cerebral palsy living and working in the community, I found much of what you said in your two pieces on this subject to be insightful. I especially liked your advice to Sylvia's parents. I would point out though that it's possible that Sylvia could do more on her own than anyone, including her parents, think she can. People with disabilities can improvise and be resourceful. Most people with CP feel that they are limited more by societal prejudices and devaluation as humans than by motor control issues.
-- Improvise and Be Resourceful

- As a social worker and outreach coordinator for UCPA of Eastern CT, I was thrilled to get on the Internet and see information for the general public about Cerebral Palsy. As my clientele tells me so often, "If people could see beyond my wheelchair and canes, they would see that I am just like they are."
-- Look Past the Wheelchair and Canes

- As part of my internship for a master's degree in education I worked with special education students on computers to help them become better writers. One of my students had Cerebral Palsy. He was a great kid -- hardworking, cheerful and bright. He was wheelchair bound and had low muscle tone, thus having to work hard to do anything.
    This experience was an incredible asset to me. I think any educator can benefit from time spent with special education students, because they teach us about alternate routes to accomplishment. And they teach us that people can succeed at nearly any task, given sufficient support. I know I'll be a better educator for the experience.
-- People Can Do Just About Any Task

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.