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Celebrating 18 Years of Building Community
As we celebrate the 18th anniversary of Values Into Action, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Marian Frattarola-Saulino, shares a message of gratitude for the Values Into Action community. From the beginning, this was about YOU. Our community, our rights, and our determination to live our best and everyday lives. VIDEO TRANSCRIPT Hello Values Into Action community. […]
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Students RISE to Higher Education
Purpose of Proposed Legislature: Providing students with disabilities better access to accommodations in Higher Education. Background: There is concern about how accessible universities are to students with disabilities. Universities and colleges need current documentation of disabilities for students to receive accommodations. They do not accept IEP and 504 plans from K-12 education. S.2550, the RISE […]
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The Importance of Having a Vision for Your Life
Social Role Valorization (SRV) is a set of principles used to help make positive changes in our lives. The use of SRV benefits those who are often disadvantaged because of social status. SRV is often used when planning ways to support children and adults with impairments. SRV can also be used to impact the social […]
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Networking in Action: Valuing Community Connections
Photo: Julie and Kristian Smith-Diaz, Community Support Facilitator, in action at the Northampton Community College Career Fair At Values Into Action, our vision is a world where people with disabilities are accepted and welcomed in their communities. Our simple goal to hire people who align with this vision brings challenges. We continually assess best ways […]
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How I Retained Staff When the World Turned Upside Down
Last year, Marian presented at the Reinventing Quality Conference in Baltimore. She asked me to share some comments on how I retained my staff during the pandemic. I’d like to share them with you now. Below is my power point slide and the comments I shared. Hey everyone. I’m Robert. I was asked to talk […]
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Adapting in Partnership
An accidental fall and fractured hip changed Elissa’s life within minutes. Yet, through her recovery, Elissa demonstrated perseverance that was nothing short of incredible. Elissa’s Support Partners played an essential role in this recovery. During Elissa’s time in the hospital, her Support Partners brought a sense of normalcy to an unfamiliar setting. They brought smiling […]
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Holding Space for Lived Experience
We talk a lot about the importance of shared lived experience. But why is this so important? If we want to partner with individuals to support them in their vision for a good life, we need to know what they want and need. The shared lived experience of disability can help us understand. It can […]
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ODP Waivers Renewed
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) recently announced three waiver renewals. These include the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed waivers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administers these waivers. The effective date is January 1, 2023. The Office of Developmental Programs recently announced the renewals. A bit of background on the process. […]
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Pay It Forward
I’ve been thinking a lot the past few days about what would be a good topic for my first attempt at composing a blog in a very long time. After researching and considering several topics, I realized the answer was right in front of me all along. So, I decided to co-produce (a word we […]