Human Rights and Self AdvocacyA primary mission of the FNDSNB is to preserve and promote the basic dignity and human rights of individuals with disabilities and special needs. These individuals are entitled to the same rights as are available to all citizens in the community, and in the least restrictive environment. The Human Rights Committee serves as a liaison with the following agencies for the purpose of advocacy and protection:
- SC Protection and Advocacy for the Handicapped
3710 Landmark Drive, Suite 208
Columbia, SC 29204
1-800-922-5252(statewide)
- SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
3440 Harden Street Extension
Columbia, SC 29204
803-737-6774
- Governors's Division of Ombudsman & Citizens Services
PO Box 11369
Columia, SC 29211
803-734-0546
- Association for Retarded Citizens/SC
PO Box 21893
Columbia, SC 29211
803-754-4763
Other Related Links
The Fairfield/Newberry Disabilities and Special Needs Board operates according to theSouth Carolina Person-Centered System Of Services and Supports.The components of the system are as follows:
SOUTH CAROLINA'S PERSON-CENTERED SYSTEM OF SERVICES AND SUPPORTS
The Person-Centered Approach
The person-centered philosophy has the person with a disability as the focal point. The intent is to increase the control that consumers and families have in their lives regarding the services an supports they need and want. Each individual will have a plan of support that specifies his or her goals. Consumers and/or family members wil then choose the supports and assistance that they require to achieve the goals. Each type of support or assistance wil have a resource limit established. The consumer and/or family will choose the agency or agencies that they want to have provide each service.
This way the consumer or family sets the goals, chooses the type of services and chooses the service provider. They base the person's plan on strengths, interests, talents and target assistance to achieve specific results that the person wants.
Persons who are served now by local disabilities boards will have the option of changing to a different service provider if they are not satisfied with the assistance they are receiving. In practice, there will probably be little change, but it is important for persons to have the option to choose.
The start date is July 1998. This is a flexible date and agencies may begin sooner or later depending on how a phased-in or partial implementation would work in their community. As an incentive, the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs will reduce the amount of bureaucratic standards consumers, families and service providers have to follow. Further, we will streamline funding processes to increase efficiency and responsiveness of services and supports to consumers and their families. Safety will not be compromised and quality will be enhanced. Increased flexibility given to the local agencies will increase their efficiency and ability to better serve persons in need.
Individual Plan of Support
The individual support plan is key to indentifying what consumers need and want. Each individual plan of support is:
- Based on the individual and his or her strengths, interests, and hopes.
- Designed to include and encourage natural, community and neighborhood resources.
- Intended to be practical, positive, and realistic.
- Seen as the means to a quality life and not an end in itself.
- designed to set time frames for goals and the results that are expected.
- Developed by a circle of support composed of individuals who are important in the person's life and who know the person. The consumer and /or family decide who is a member of the circle.
- Intended to use only those agencies which can provide the services that assure each individual's goals, health needs and safety needs are met. The Department will work with service providers and caregivers to maintian quality and provide consumers and families with a high standard of care.
- Developed independently from organizations providing direct services.
- Designed to identify services and supports with authorized levels, understanding that needs vary and levels of support may need to change over time.
How is the Person Centered Approach Different?
In many respects, a person-centered approach is not very different from the way services are delivered now. Health and safety are still priority. Involvement of the family is still very important, and may be even more so in person-centered planning.
However, there are some differences. Currently DDSN determines eligibility, directly operates four regional centers and contracts with local disability boards to provide community services in all counties of the state. The Department also licenses programs, monitors and evaluates services, and provides training and consultation. The local boards provide services and support as well as service coordination. Service coordinators, among other duties, are responsible for developing the plan of support. Consumers and families monitor services and advocate for improvement.
Under the person-centered approach, the Department will continue to determine eligibility for services. Plans of support will be developed using the circle of support method by an organization or authorized individuals that are independent of both the Department and the agencies providing direct serivices. The Department will authorize individualized spending for each plan. The Department will also complete a utilization review of services to ensure that plans of support are implementd as intended, are effective, needed, appropriate and desired. Annual agency performance evaluations will change to focus on assessing the outcomes or results that consumers and families specify in their plans of support. Consumers and families will participate directly in stating whether or not the plan's outcomes have been accomplished.
The Department will shift licensing from an annual basis to a three-year cycle. Local disabilities boards would continue to provide service coordination and various types of services and supports. There would be less regulatory detail overall, thereby increasing prospects of enhancing efficiency. Consideration is being given as to how local disabilities boards can best self-assess their own services and supports with DDSN participation and assistance.
It is the Department's intent to build on the current system's strength and become person-centered, while adopting approaches and methods that allow administrative controls and enhanced fiscal accountability. By making improvements in the way we currently do business we should be able to become both person centered and as efficient as possible in our use of public resources.
Created by Carrie Mikell
June 2000
Located at 115 Nance Street, Newberry, Stepping Stone Greenhouse is open to the public on weekdays and offers a variety of seasonal plants at reasonable prices. For information on sales, contact 803-276-9691.
These services offer families the opportunity to develop a summer program that will best fit individualized needs. This could include paying for enrollment in a summer camp, or hiring a companion to assist the family member in attending various activities which allow for greater community integration for individuals. Services are provided to qualified individuals regardless of age, race, sex, religion, or national origin. Contact the Service Coordination Office in Fairfield at 803-635-5050 or Newberry at 803-276-0562.
STEPS focuses on providing health education to include family planning, prenatal care, reproductive health education and victimization. The goals of the program include preventing second generational retardation and to promote healthy, quality lifestyles for adults with disabilities.