First an excerpt from Seattle Times article June 27, 2017: “Fircrest and other institutions have changed a lot. Yet states have a mandate, under the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court Olmstead decision, to rely on segregated facilities as little as possible when serving people with disabilities. Tennessee in May joined the ranks of more than a […]
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Over several posts I have shared King 5 news investigators reports on “Last of the Institutions”. This hard hitting and truthful series pointed out Washington State’s archaic practice of institutionalizing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Advocates for inclusive communities have been waving the banner for years to close the institutions pointing out all the […]
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In December I posted a comment and link to a series of reports conducted by King 5 Investigators. The series entitled “Last of the Institutions”, is a multi-part in depth series examining the many facets of Washington States institutions for individuals with developmental disabilities. Susannah Frame who produced and narrates the series explores the social, […]
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When I look back over the past 42 years I have been in this business I am amazed at how far we have come supporting individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities. In 1973, when I started, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act had just been signed into law and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) now […]
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I am thankful to God for many things but I believe, next to my family, I am most thankful for Morningside and being a part of an organization with solid values, clear vision and a social justice mission. By extension I am also thankful for our staff who are very focused on what we do, have […]
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I was about 12 years old when the first Freedom Riders traveled to the south to demand full civil rights for African Americans. I asked my dad what it was all about. While he was explaining it I remember being somewhat baffled by the whole notion of inequality. I was raised Christian and taught we […]
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I think by now you know I am old. I don’t feel old but when I tell people I started in this business in 1973, well it’s been a long time – over 38 years. I remember my uncle telling me that in this business over time the pendulum swings back and forth around programs, […]
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Kismet (ˈkɪzmɛt) -n 2. fate or destiny Have you ever walked into a store and instantly felt a kinship, drawn into its presence like a magnet observing the ambiance and catching the eye of enthusiastic sales people? I had such an experience in Aberdeen recently when photographing a client for our upcoming 2010 Annual Report […]
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At the Lacey and Thurston County Chamber Forum’s that we sponsored I highlighted a statistic we use in regards to lowering turnover that was supplied by the Pizza Hut Corporation. They report that entry-level turnover is 250% annually; among its employees with disabilities, the rate is 32%. Adding a mentor component brought turnover down to […]
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What precipitated Morningside’s closing the sheltered workshop – client expressed need and their desire live and work like everyone else in the community. All successful companies regularly look to their customers to determine how they are going to provide great service so Morningside’s planning and moving to close the workshop really was no different. A […]
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