La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § IX-103

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section IX-103 - Guiding Principles

A. Introduction

1. The OCDD holds that the provision of services should be based on the principles of sharing ordinary places, developing meaningful relationships, learning things that are useful, making choices, as well as increasing the status and enhancing the reputation of people served.

2. It is critical that these guiding principles be incorporated into the provision of work and work-related services.

B. Sharing Ordinary Places

1. Sharing ordinary places recognizes that when individuals with developmental disabilities participate in the daily life of their local community there are reciprocal gains for both parties. One goal, then, of Vocational and Habilitative Services is to provide opportunities and needed supports for learning and working in the community, side-by-side with people from all walks of life.

2. In expanding the principle of sharing ordinary places, it is also desirable that new skills be taught in those ordinary places that follow the usual pattern, duration and rhythm of life in the community. This means that skills are taught at the time of day at which they would ordinarily occur and for about as long as usual and as frequently. For example, if teaching the use of a telephone, an operating telephone would be used to call for a taxi when transportation is actually needed, or perhaps, to call out to order lunch or request a bus schedule.

C. Developing meaningful relationships. As a basic human trait, we rely on relationships with other people throughout our lives for friendship and support. These relationships are formed within our families, with neighbors, at work and church, where we shop and in many other places. In the delivery of services it is important that these relationships be supported and that, if desired, opportunities be created to form other relationships. These supports should be provided in sensitive, unobtrusive ways. The community offers a broad array of opportunities to meet and choose new friends.

D. Learning Useful Things

1. The utility of what we learn is broadly defined by the demands of life in our communities. But within this context, we make many choices, i.e., who to live with, the kind of work we want to do, what we do for fun, etc. The usefulness of what we learn, then, is defined not only by our ability to do certain, expected things, but also by our own choices. It is critical that individuals with developmental disabilities be given a voice in determining what they wish to learn.

2. Vocational and Habilitative Programs should teach skills that allow for full participation in the work/activities a person has chosen. The methods selected for training should reflect the chronological age of the consumer and be outcome oriented, rather than focused on a process.

E. Making Choices

1. When decisions are made that affect the lives of people, the choices of those people must be of predominate concern. Individual program design and implementation must reflect the choices and preferences of the consumer in the decision- making process.

2. To insure that choices made are relevant and workable, the Vocational and Habilitative agency must provide individuals with the information they need and opportunities to learn and use decision-making skills. A committed agency will support the development of communication skills and modes of self- advocacy skills.

F. Increasing Status and Enhancing Reputation

1. Webster defines status and reputation in terms of the esteem in which a person is held by a community. Status and reputation are important, not only in how we are seen by the community, but also in the how we view ourselves within that community. It is critical then, that the activities undertaken in Vocational and Habilitative programs promote dignity, respect and a sense of self-worth. This is particularly true in the case of individuals with developmental disabilities as, traditionally, they have been segregated from the general population and thus, viewed as less valued members of the community.

2. To promote a sense of self-worth, activities in which consumers are involved should be ones that are valued by the community at large. Consideration should be given to the values of the community in terms of the types of work made available to consumers. It is imperative that respectful language be used when communicating with consumers and "people first" language when referring to them. In the same vein, activities, materials, training methods should enhance the value of the individual, reflecting his/her chronological age and should in no circumstances be child-like.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § IX-103

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, LR 13:246 (April 1987), amended by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, LR 21:687 (July 1995).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 28.380 through 444.