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A MESSAGE FROM THE
DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONAL SERVICES AND QUALITY ASSURANCE It has been a very exciting time at TLC Outcomes. The pandemic has not slowed us down; it has been full speed ahead! The disability community observed National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October. The 2022 NDEAM theme was, “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation,” recognizing the important role individuals with disabilities play in a diverse and inclusive American workforce. At TLC, we are very grateful to our community that tirelessly advocates for individuals with disabilities to find and keep jobs! TLC Outcomes completed its 11th successful Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) Survey. CARF quality standards have been recognized as a roadmap for quality practices. The process to successfully attain accreditation is rigorous, and we are proud of our Outcomes community for meeting and/or exceeding these quality standards. TLC Outcomes employees have been tirelessly advocating and going above and beyond for our participants. Outcomes employee Ashleigh Seager is highlighted in this e-newsletter, along with Veronica Vasquez. You can also read about Chris, a TLC Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Success Story.
Karen Morgret
Finally, learn about the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities - What it is and why it matters?
The Treatment and Learning Centers
On behalf of the TLC Outcomes team, we hope you find this information helpful and informative. Please contact us with any questions!
Director of Vocational Services and Quality Assurance The Outcomes Service
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DID YOU KNOW? OCTOBER WAS DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contribution of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) spearheads this annual celebration. NDEAM focus areas include supportive and inclusive policies and practices benefiting workers and employers. The 2022 NDEAM theme was “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation,” recognizing the important role individuals with disabilities play in a diverse and inclusive American workforce.
TLC OUTCOMES SERVICE COMPLETES 11TH SUCCESSFUL CARF QUALITY SURVEY TLC Outcomes recently received accreditation in Employment Services from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Accreditation demonstrates a provider's commitment to continuously improve service quality and to focus on consumer satisfaction. TLC Outcomes received its first accreditation in 1986, and has continuously pursued accreditation as a commitment to excellence. To receive a copy of the latest accreditation report, contact Karen Morgret (kmorgret@ttlc.org) and a copy will be emailed to you. For more information about CARF, visit their website.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMISSION ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT MATTERS? WHAT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT MEANS The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights legislation that was signed into law 32 years ago on July 26, 1990. But the history of the disability movement and the ADA did not begin at the signing ceremony at the White House in 1990. The fight for disability rights began more than 70 years ago in the 1950s when parent groups throughout the country refused to accept that institutionalization was the only option for their children who had a disability. They wanted their children to lead fulfilling lives in the community and not shuttered away in dark institutions. In the 1960s, people with disabilities began to take charge of their own advocacy organizations and moved away from the patriarchal and charity-based model that dominated many existing disability organizations. Additionally, people with various types of disabilities began to join together in their advocacy efforts.
It became apparent that the old system of single disability organizations had separated people with disabilities from each other, resulting in advocacy that was often contradictory. The wave of self-advocacy led to the establishment of local groups like the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities, established in l978, to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. The history of the ADA and the Commission is a testament to the movement’s commitment to solidarity among people with different disabilities. The Commission was established to be a cross-disability group and has members who have a developmental, psychiatric, sensory, or physical disability. It also includes parents and agencies that serve people with disabilities. The Commission addresses county policy issues such as transportation, housing, healthcare, mental health wellness, telecommunication, and recreation. Cross-disability input is critical to best advising the County Executive and
County Council on what programs and services meet the needs of all people with disabilities or have barriers to services. What does the Montgomery County, MD Disability Community look like? Who has a Disability in Montgomery County, MD? According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, there are approximately 91,129 persons living in Montgomery County, MD with a disability. These figures excluded individuals who reside in nursing homes or other institutions.
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Please note: Some individuals may have identified as having multiple disabilities and age population totals will not equal disability type totals. For cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, and self-care difficulty, the population under 18 years includes persons aged 5 to 17. Children under 5 are not included in these measures. Information below is from the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities Annual Report 2022, published in October 2022.
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RESOURCES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY: DISABILITY NETWORK DIRECTORY As a service to website visitors, Montgomery County, Maryland has provided hyperlinks to informational resources developed by other agencies or organizations that provide services or programs for the County. This is a project of the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities.
Click on this link to access the directory.
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EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS WITH TLC OUTCOMES FY 22 ANNUAL REPORT DATA Consumers supported – Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) Average wage – $15.56 Average hours worked per week – 28 Consumers supported – The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) – Supported Employment Program Average wage – $18.71 Average hours worked per week – 23.5
TLC EMPLOYMENT SECTORS ALL PROGRAMS: DDA, DORS AND PRIVATE PAY
TLC Outcomes collaborated with employers from the following industries during FY22: administrative, childcare, construction, culinary arts/food service, custodian, elder care, facilities management, farming, hospitality, landscaping, retail, selfemployed, and education (teacher’s assistant). TLC supported individuals at several businesses in FY22, despite it being a year still impacted by a worldwide pandemic. Employers TLC Outcomes worked with in FY22 include: NIH, Office of Senator Tim Scoot, Petco, RM Realty Center, Red Wiggler Farm, Safeway Foods, Sandy Ridge Academy, Shoppers Food Warehouse, Skookum, Special Olympics, St. Peter Catholic School, The SPARKS group, Sunflower Bakery, TJ Maxx, Train Like a Pro, Unity Woods Yoga, U.S. Veterans Affairs, WRMMC, and more.
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Meet Chris! AAC Success Story Chris first attended speech therapy sessions at TLC last fall to develop his expressive language skills. He brought along an augmentative and alternative (AAC) application on his iPad. During sessions, Chris needed encouragement to interact with the iPad. He mainly used one word responses when speaking. Sometimes, he would say, “I don’t know,” when I asked him a question. His parents and I realized that he needed a new communication system. They purchased the TouchChat AAC with the WordPower app, and Chris immediately gravitated toward it! He quickly discovered how to request his favorite YouTube shows. He also learned to describe actions and answer questions about upcoming weekend plans. By the time he was almost done with therapy, Chris’ verbal language had also improved. He used more than one word to request and comment, and he was even comfortable helping his father describe events in pictures using AAC. Chris’ success shows that family involvement and client motivation are important when using AAC.
THE TREATMENT AND LEARNING CENTERS
Meika Billings Dopwell, M.S. CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist TLC Outcomes
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Ashleigh Seager Wins DDA Direct Support Professional of the Year Award
Ashleigh Seager was nominated and won this year's State of Maryland DDA Direct Support Professional of the Year Award. Ashleigh has been a wonderful addition to the Outcomes Team since she started working with us in November 2019. She had not been with the department even six months before we needed to close down due to the pandemic. Ashleigh was a pro at developing virtual support and assisting her supervisor in navigating Zoom. The two of them often practiced sharing their screens, trying out movies and different features with one another so they could be smoothly presented to the participants. Now that we are returning to the community, Ashleigh has again proved herself to be invaluable by finding numerous volunteer sites for our CDS program to participate in while they are starting to slowly integrate back into the community again. Ashleigh puts her best effort into whatever task is asked of her and does so with a smile on her face. Ashleigh was presented with her award along with a citation from Governor Hogan on October 14th.
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A Day in the Life of...
Ashleigh Seager
START THE DAY RIGHT
Assistant Community Inclusion Coordinator
1
Normally, I start the day by entering attendance from the day before. Then I meet with either individual participants or a group of participants, and we work on community engagement, life skills, and/or employment related activities.
OUT IN THE COMMUNITY When I meet with the Outcomes participant groups, we go to places such as museums, libraries, and parks. I have also taken a couple of groups to volunteer for a local food bank.
2 ONE-ON-ONE
3 WRAPPING IT UP After these meetings, I normally work on the virtual calendar and volunteer sites. I update next month's calendar with planned activities. I also try to help our groups with job skills by finding volunteer sites for them to volunteer regularly. So far, our groups volunteer at thrift stores, food banks, and furniture donation warehouses to sort, organize and stock various items.
4
When I meet with a participant one-on-one, I often assist them with their current goals and needs. This can include employment and socialrelated goals, apartment searching, medical appointments, errands, and/or community outings.
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MEET VERONICA VASQUEZ DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES Greetings, My name is Veronica Vasquez, and I am excited to join The Treatment and Learning Centers as the Director of Community Services. I am writing to introduce myself and share a little bit about my experience and my philosophies. I started my career in the mental health field, supporting individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders in a residential setting. This position introduced me to the helping field and allowed me to understand the importance of being a partner and team member in a person’s journey. I also learned the significance of goal setting, goal tracking, datadriven decisions, and evidence-based best practices. I joined the I/DD community as a Director of Community, Day, and Employment Supports. My biggest accomplishment in this role was restructuring the department to have a focus and clear pathway from Day and Community supports to competitive and integrated employment. In doing this, my passion for empowering people to lead meaningful lives grew tremendously. My philosophy became “Empowerment, Voice, and Choice” for all. I genuinely believe that when people are empowered, heard and understood, and supported in their preferences, they will have a meaningful life and will be able to accomplish their goals. I graduated with a master’s degree in Psychology from the American University in Washington, DC. Since then, I have continued my education to obtain certifications in trauma-informed care practices, and employment supports best practices. I look forward to partnering, learning, and growing with you. If you have any questions, please feel to reach out to me directly, 301-294-9205 x317 or vvasquez@ttlc.org
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TLC, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS RECOGNIZED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL
PROCLAMATION: NATIONAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH On October 18, 2022, Dr. Patricia Ritter, Executive Director of TLC, represented our organization as the Montgomery County Council gave a proclamation recognizing various community providers in honor of National Disability Awareness Month. Proclamations are issued to raise awareness issues affecting the residents of Montgomery County. Council President Gabe Albornoz and the County Executive Marc Elrich presented the proclamation.