Unlocking Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities This insightful document explores how employment support can transform lives by creating practical knowledge for individuals with developmental disabilities. It highlights the challenges faced by this group in accessing integrated employment, despite decades of policy advancements and innovative strategies. The authors emphasize the importance of […]
Discovering the Choice System: Empowering Employment for People with Severe Disabilities This document dives into the transformative “Choice System,” a framework designed to empower people with severe disabilities to take ownership of their journey into meaningful employment. It explores how individuals, programs, and administrators can work together to create a system that fosters […]
This insightful document by John O’Brien dives into the transformative world of supported employment for people with severe disabilities. It explores how innovative approaches have shifted the focus from individual capabilities to leveraging broader social resources, enabling thousands to thrive in integrated workplaces. The paper highlights three key perspectives in supported employment: focusing on […]
This inspiring document, One Day at a Time, tells the story of Ray Browning, a trailblazer in Georgia who defied the odds to move out of a nursing home and into his own apartment, proving that people with severe disabilities can live independently with the right support. After 14 years in institutional care, Ray worked […]
This document is a practical and inspiring guide for service providers committed to helping people with disabilities build meaningful lives and connections within their communities. It introduces five essential tasks: discovering a person’s unique gifts and interests, developing opportunities for them to contribute, making strong community connections, providing personalized assistance, and safeguarding against challenges. […]
This insightful document explores the challenges and opportunities in creating meaningful change within organizations that serve people with disabilities. It highlights how learning can be uncomfortable, as it forces us to confront gaps between our values and actions, rethink ineffective routines, and navigate conflicts arising from diverse perspectives. It also emphasizes the importance […]
This insightful document explores how people with substantial disabilities and their allies can create stronger, more inclusive communities. Drawing inspiration from Martin Buber’s philosophy of mutual confirmation, authors John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien highlight the transformative power of relationships and shared action. Through real-life stories, such as Lisa’s journey from institutional care to […]
This document is a thoughtful guide for service providers who want to make a real difference in the lives of people with disabilities. It outlines five key tasks that help individuals move from social exclusion or isolation to active participation in their communities. These tasks include discovering a person’s unique gifts and interests, […]
This insightful document, “Embracing Ignorance, Error, & Fallibility: Competencies for Leadership of Effective Services,” by John O’Brien, explores the transformative power of embracing uncertainty in human services leadership. It challenges traditional approaches to supporting people with severe disabilities, advocating for personalized, community-centered solutions that prioritize relationships, dignity, and lifelong commitments. Through real-world examples from […]
This reflective piece dives into the transformative journey of institutional reform for people with mental disabilities, focusing on the pivotal shift sparked by the 1969 publication Changing Patterns in Residential Services for the Mentally Retarded. It explores how outdated institutional models, once seen as necessary, were challenged by emerging values of human dignity, community […]