Being an Effective Self-Advocate
2. Learn the rules of the game. Before you can receive VR services, first, you need to be determined eligible. If you have had a previous evaluation, say, within the past year for special education or Social Security Disability Income, you can bring the results of that evaluation. You don't need to have a second one. If you have an issue with your VR program that cannot be resolved, you can contact the Client Assistance Program. As a VR counselor, you can assist individuals in being self-advocates. Sound contradictory? Here's an example, your client is an 18-year-old high school student who thinks his Individual Education Plan is completely wrong and does not include the transition plan he thinks should be on it. He has talked to the school and so have you. The next step is to request a fair hearing. You and the student discuss this option. He writes a letter requesting a fair hearing. You edit it and the student mails it to the school. You remind him to send it certified mail.
Here is the point - if you know what their rules are for a given agency, program or government, you can use those to get what you need. If they have to have a public hearing, and they didn't have it, you can insist on that public hearing before they take action. If they are required to give employees a written warning before termination and they did not do it, you can appeal a termination.
3. Write it down! Make this a habit. When you have a meeting with someone, get their name, write down the person's name, title, the date and time of the meeting. Later, if it goes to a higher authority and they state that you never tried to resolve it with them, you can bring out your list of the six times you met. If you called five times and no one ever answered the phone, write down the dates and times of your phone calls.
4. Become a good listener. Some agencies are run by people who could care less and just are collecting a paycheck. Others may have sincerely good reasons for their actions. Maybe you are wrong and what you are proposing is too costly, dangerous or won't work. Listen to the reasons why they are not doing what you think should be done.
5. Come up with solutions. Now that you have listened to their side of it, have all the information and understand their procedures, how can the problem be fixed? Sometimes people know they have a problem but they don't know how to fix it. Coming in hollering at them isn't going to help. The solution may be as allowing a person to use a computer to type up reports rather than write them by hand. Or, you may require training for every teacher in a school district, which can take a long time to work out because you need to have substitutes or do training on the weekends or vacation days. Some teachers have second jobs, so you will need to have more than one training session. There may be a lot of details to iron out. The more complete a solution you have, the more likely you are to find others who will work with you to bring it the rest of the way.
6. Have a plan. Do not expect agency or school personnel to make long-term plans for you -- this is your responsibility. It's your life. What do you want to accomplish for yourself and your community as a self-advocate?
Next page, self-advocacy:tools of the trade