Life Without Limits Fall 2012/Winter 2013 : Page 1

Exceptional People; Exceptional Choices The UCP Agency with Choice program is based on the premise that “life without limits” means something different to each one of us... and that we should all be given every opportunity to determine what that entails for ourselves. For Montoursville High School graduate Amber Logan, it means living her life as independently as possible, filling her days with social activities, public speaking engagements, community volunteer commitments, and meaningful employment. Amber is encouraged and empowered to try--and succeed at--all these things with the loving support of her habilitation aides... one of whom happens to also be her mother, Diana Logan. You may be asking how such an arrangement is possible. That’s a great question. Fortunately, we’ve got a great answer in the UCP Agency with Choice (AWC) program. AWC affords individuals with special needs the opportunity to choose not only the level of support they receive, but also who provides it. Life L i m i t s without A biannual publication of UCP Central PA, dedicated to providing the community with news and opportunities to support our efforts to assist individuals with disabilities and their families... every day, in every way we can. Fall 2012/Winter 2013 Issue 8 Above, UCP consumer Amber Logan with her mother Diana Logan and UCP Agency with Choice Program Manager Kyle Kuehne; Left, Amber at home with her sister Erica; Amber sharing her story at a forum in Williamsport (photo courtesy of Williamsport Sun-Gazette) Amber was determined not to let the end of her school years mean her best years were behind her. Fortunately, she has a family support system that advocated for her throughout her school years and has continued to do so. They first learned of the AWC jointly-managed employment program four years ago through the Person/Family Directed Services Waiver. Immediately, Amber knew it was the right choice for her. Over the past several years, she has received assistance in managing money, doing housekeeping chores, seeking and finding a job, and becoming actively involved in her community. But what Amber feels most empowered to do as a result of her experience with AWC was improve the quality of her everyday life. In addition to working in the child watch room at the Eastern Lycoming YMCA, Amber is a volunteer receptionist at American Rescue Workers Food Pantry where she loves meeting and greeting all who cross her path or call the agency. She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Jones Center for Special Education Excellence. Amber actively participates in a weekly small group Bible study for individuals with diverse abilities and attributes much of her inner peace and strength to her deep faith. She would be the first to tell you that with God all things are possible and that her life is evidence of that. (continued on page 2) What’s inside: * Exceptional People * Award Winning Program Partners p. 1-4 p.5 * 2012: The Year in Review * Calendar of Events 2013 p. 6 p. 7 * President’s Corner p. 8

Exceptional People

Exceptional People; Exceptional Choices The UCP Agency with Choice program is based on the premise that “life without limits” means something different to each one of us... and that we should all be given every opportunity to determine what that entails for ourselves.For Montoursville High School graduate Amber Logan, it means living her life as independently as possible, filling her days with social activities, public speaking engagements, community volunteer commitments, and meaningful employment. Amber is encouraged and empowered to try-- and succeed at--all these things with the loving support of her habilitation aides... one of whom happens to also be her mother, Diana Logan. You may be asking how such an arrangement is possible. That’s a great question. Fortunately, we’ve got a great answer in the UCP Agency with Choice (AWC) program. AWC affords individuals with special needs the opportunity to choose not only the level of support they receive, but also who provides it. Amber was determined not to let the end of her school years mean her best years were behind her. Fortunately, she has a family support system that advocated for her throughout her school years and has continued to do so. They first learned of the AWC jointly-managed employment program four years ago through the Person/Family Directed Services Waiver. Immediately, Amber knew it was the right choice for her.Over the past several years, she has received assistance in managing money, doing housekeeping chores, seeking and finding a job, and becoming actively involved in her community. But what Amber feels most empowered to do as a result of her experience with AWC was improve the quality of her everyday life. In addition to working in the child watch room at the Eastern Lycoming YMCA, Amber is a volunteer receptionist at American Rescue Workers Food Pantry where she loves meeting and greeting all who cross her path or call the agency. She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Jones Center for Special Education Excellence. Amber actively participates in a weekly small group Bible study for individuals with diverse abilities and attributes much of her inner peace and strength to her deep faith. She would be the first to tell you that with God all things are possible and that her life is evidence of that. Over the past several years, Amber has done some public speaking at various colleges and forums on the topic of education for students with special needs (or, as she prefers the term, exceptionalities). That’s her true passion.“I love the idea of encouraging students to be the best they can be,” she says with a huge smile. Over time, she has come to learn that she really enjoys public speaking.She says she is excited by it, rather than nervous. And, she’s good at it. As she said in one interview, “Move over Sarah Palin... Amber’s coming through!’” A highlight of her speaking engagements was her role as one of the closing keynote speakers at the July 15, 2011 Jones Center Summer Institute: Navigating The Future Through Accountability For Individuals And Teams. The discussion featured a panel of individuals with special needs and their families sharing how they moved through the “lifespan” of growth and development, with a key focus on how accountability has been evident throughout their journey. The Jones Center for Special Education Excellence is a nonprofit organization established by the family of Dr. William Jones and his wife, Joan, in association with Bloomsburg University to support individuals with special needs, particularly in the area of education. Their dream is to bring together families and professionals from medical, educational, social services, and other disciplines to share, learn, debate, and advocate for education and support services that most appropriately align with each individual’s unique abilities and talents. Jones Center Summer Institute 2012: Autism: Attitudes and Acceptance One way they do that is through the annual Jones Center Summer Institute. The 2012 Institute, held at Bloomsburg Area High School on July 13, focused on Autism: Attitudes and Acceptance. UCP’s Agency with Choice program staff were on hand to participate in the networking sessions, to provide information about the program, and to answer questions. Featured Keynote Speaker at the 2012 Institute was Eustacia Cutler, Emmy-nominated writer and mother of Temple Grandin, Ph.D., a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, and the world’s most accomplished and well-known adult with autism. Ms. Cutler elicited a range of emotions among the audience of educators, paraeducators, disabilities advocates, and family members with her dry humor, keen insight, and heartfelt, moving description of what it was like raising a child with autism before such a diagnosis was understood or even acknowledged. She counseled the audience members in attendance that “there are no answers, only choices.” Another highlight of the Institute was a presentation on the importance of early literacy by Dr. Mary Katherine Duncan, Professor of Psychology at Bloomsburg University and founder of the BU Toy Library. She explained how she thought she “knew it all” clinically and academically... until she was faced with the reality of raising a child with autism. Dr. Duncan introduced a variety of early literacy play kits and other toys that have proved to markedly enhance the learning, communication, and motivation of children on the autism spectrum. A final bright spot of the conference was a rousing dance and drum performance by the “Superstars,” a group fitness class for individuals with special needs that is offered at the local YMCA in Williamsport, PA. (See next page for more about the Superstars.) Superstars Perform “Drums Alive” Amber, her mother, Diana, and sister, Erica, lead the Superstars weekly group fitness classes. Superstars features a variety of dance routines and a drum performance called “Drums Alive,” which they performed at the 2012 Jones Center Summer Institute. As Diana explained, Superstars benefit from regular exercise, the opportunity for self expression, the ability to develop rhythm and focus, and, finally, that most basic of human needs: the simple joy of building and nurturing friendships. More about the Agency with Choice program: The Agency with Choice (AWC) model is a joint employment arrangement between you (or your surrogate, if you prefer) and UCP. As the managing employer, you are responsible for managing the staff in your home. As your AWC provider, we are the employer of record and are responsible for handling the employment related finances and paperwork. The AWC service model empowers you or your surrogate to exercise employer authority and budget authority over the services you receive. As your chosen provider, we will reduce the employer related burdens associated with self-directed support services by performing (or helping you perform) such key tasks as: • management of payroll and employment-related taxes for your attendants (enabling you to manage your staffing needs... without all the additional paperwork) • payment of workers compensation premiums • assistance with orientation and training of workers • administration of payments for one-time-only and ongoing services provided by qualified vendors We also provide you with a monthly budget report, so you know what you’re spending... and how you’re spending it. The bottom line: if you select UCP as your AWC provider, you will experience the full choice and control of a managing employer... without the associated aggravation and headaches. The importance of choice: “When you have a child with autism, there are no answers, only choices.If something doesn’t work, change it.When you do, you will find that you, too, will change. Your attitude and your approach will change. Choosing and changing is what it’s all about.” - Eustacia Cutler Mother of Temple Grandin and Keynote Speaker at the Jones Center Summer Institute 2012 “Just a few years ago, I was a young woman with gifts and talents, but no confidence. That changed thanks to my family who advocated for me for many years and taught me to speak for myself.I learned that I have choices in life, just like everyone else. Now I choose to speak about my experiences with special education and to be a voice for others.” - Amber Logan Agency with Choice program participant and motivational speaker To learn more about The Jones Center, visit the web site for Jones Center for Special Education Excellence at Bloomsburg University: http://jonescenterbu.org To learn more about the Toy Lending Library, visit: www.bloomu.edu/toy_library or email Dr. Duncan at: butoylibrary@bloomu.edu To schedule a presentation by Amber Logan, email Diana Logan at dlogan57@verizon.net or call 570-368-2241.

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