The Ad Lib, Inc. Drop-in Center: Consumer Management, Ownership and
Empowerment
2000
by Joe Castellani
A Safe Haven
The staff of Ad Lib, Inc. along with other area providers in Berkshire
County, Massachusetts, recognized that people with disabilities are still
in many ways socially isolated and need support and programming during
non-traditional service delivery hours. This social isolation is especially
great on weekends and holidays. Unlike many metropolitan areas, rural
Berkshire County does not have a wealth of integrated social recreational
programs or places for people with disabilities to meet, socialize, develop
a support system, or work on common issues. Many people with disabilities
were meeting in restaurants, on the streets, and other public places.
Others, who felt uncomfortable in most "mainstream" social settings,
simply had no place to go. None of these alternatives was an acceptable
outlet for many people with disabilities. To fill this void, a "safe
haven" was needed for all people with disabilities.
Today, Ad Lib's Drop-In Center (DIC) is that safe haven. At 5pm on weekdays
and 12 noon on Saturdays and Sundays, members begin assembling at the
Drop-In Center. Some hook up with a friend to go to supper. Others bring
a meal with them or order out. Many members choose to eat their meal at
the DIC in order to be with friends or to share something they may have
prepared at home. Regular and Leader Staff use this meal time to meet
with the Coordinator to discuss and plan for the night's activities.
Almost as soon as the DIC opens its doors, recreational activities begin.
The pool table cover is removed and members pair up for nightly rounds
of eight ball. Pool tournaments are a common and favorite activity for
many members. Other members turn on the television to watch the nightly
news or scout out programming for the evening. On any given night a member
might also go to an outside recreational event, such as a shopping trip,
baseball game, art show, or movie. Quiet activities such as board games,
video games, reading, puzzles and arts and crafts are chosen by other
members.
Scheduled structured activities occur simultaneously with unstructured
activities. Members of the DIC choose what they want to do. So, a Visiting
Nurse Association prevention clinic may be occurring in the conference
room while a competitive pool tournament is being played in the main section
of the center; or a group of members will be shopping at a mall while
others remain at the DIC to do arts and crafts projects.
The DIC collaborates with other local service providers to give members
the opportunity to participate in more structured activities and training.
For example, the agency collaborates with the Berkshire Visiting Nurses
Association to provide a monthly prevention clinic. Nurses visit the DIC
one time per month and perform blood pressure checks, temperature checks,
monitor height and weight, administer flu shots, and administer pneumonia
shots. On average, 25 - 30 consumers see the nurses per session.
Another collaborative effort is with the Community Access to the Arts
Program. This program provides members with instruction in fabric painting,
weaving on a wooden frame, and wood art. Projects are then displayed at
a local museum and an agency open house.
Amidst all of this activity, the DIC Coordinator can be found providing
one-on-one counseling, advocating, or supervising nightly activities.
The Coordinator's time is at a premium because many members choose to
work on their independent living goals through the DIC. While the Coordinator
may refer members to other Ad Lib daytime staff, she also works with members
on housing, benefits, educational, parenting, and vocational goals.
Making the Plan a Reality
Working with consumer groups led by the Berkshire Area Department of
Mental Health's Advisory Board, Ad Lib staff received direct consumer
input and information about the need for a cross-disability social recreational
center. Ad Lib, Inc. and its board of directors agreed that the program
fit in nicely with the independent living center's philosophy and mission.
During the start-up phase of the program, Ad Lib collaborated with the
Department of Mental Health, other human service providers, and interested
disability groups to generate resources to renovate a space at Ad Lib's
main office location. The physical layout of the Drop-In Center was simple
and modest. The Drop-In Center was basically a large open room distinct
and separate from the CIL's main offices. Consumers and the community
quickly began adding a personal touch to the DIC by contributing artwork,
games, crafts, books, furniture and other household items.
When Ad Lib moved into new office space in 1997, a larger, more modern
space was allocated to the DIC in order to accommodate the large growth
in membership. Staffing was also a collaborative effort between Ad Lib
and other interested parties in the community. While the goal was to have
a drop-in center that would be open 365 days per year, this was not possible
at first. In September of 1990, the Drop-In Center opened its doors. The
DIC was open two to three evenings per week and was primarily staffed
by Ad Lib employees and volunteers.
Measures of Success
The Drop-In Center's membership has grown from a handful of people utilizing
the program in 1990 to more than 500 active members in 2000. In fact,
over the past three years membership has increased on average by 100 consumers
per year. The average nightly attendance at the DIC this past year was
51, with a high attendance of 76 and a low attendance of 28. The program
is an open referral program. An individual can become a member of the
DIC simply by completing an intake with a staff person. All information
documented on the intake is self-reported and voluntary.
A second measurement of the DIC's success is the program's ability to
operate with all consumer staff and/or volunteers. In the early days of
the program, the DIC relied on Ad Lib daytime employees to staff the center.
Today, the DIC employs one full-time Coordinator, one half-time Leader
Staff, and 10-15 Regular Consumer Staff. All of these DIC staff are people
with disabilities and members of the Drop-In Center. The program no longer
needs staff and volunteers from the CIL or other agencies.
While the development of the program was heavily influenced by local
mental health groups, the intent of Ad Lib was always to create an atmosphere
and environment where all consumers would feel welcome. Statistics for
this past year indicate that the Drop-In Center has developed into a true
cross-disability program. Out of a total membership of 528 consumers,
303 did not identify mental illness as their primary disability. In fact,
disabilities represented in the DIC membership include brain injury, spinal
cord injury, loss of hearing, deafness, blindness, arthritis, cerebral
palsy, polio, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, amputation, orthopedic
impairment, psychiatric disabilities, mental retardation, learning disabilities,
degenerative disease, diabetes, epilepsy, stroke, spina bifida, speech
impairment, chemical dependency and environmental sensitivity.
Staff Development & Training
The Drop-In Center encourages members to become staff and then rewards
productivity by empowering them with roles of greater responsibility.
This not only empowers DIC members but also recognizes their ownership
of the program. There are four levels of responsibility available for
members:
- Member Status - Everyone using the DIC is expected to abide by general
rules of conduct. They are responsible for their own behavior but can
choose when or if they will accept a greater degree of responsibility.
- Volunteer - Members who are ready and willing to accept a greater
role at the DIC will be assigned regular duties. Assignments will vary
and are dependent on the member's abilities, comfort level, and choice
in accepting these duties. Volunteers often work regular shifts at the
DIC.
- Regular Staff - A regular staff member is scheduled to work shifts
during the week. Regular Staff have various duties but are in a position
of greater responsibility for the daily running of the DIC and are paid
a stipend for these shifts. Regular Staff assist Leader Staff in record
keeping, supervision and maintenance chores of the DIC. Regular Staff
attend trainings provided by the CIL and are encouraged to seek out
additional relevant training which would be beneficial to them.
- Leader Staff - Leader Staff have demonstrated that they are capable
of managing the nightly activities of the DIC. Leader Staff supervise,
counsel, document activities, and solve problems. Leader Staff are paid
a stipend for the shifts they work. Leader Staff often take on special
assignments like serving as Human Rights Officer for the DIC. They are
encouraged to attend and identify relevant trainings.
Drop-In Center staff receive on-going training. The purpose of these
trainings is to empower staff to more effectively deal with the day-to-day
problems they will be confronted with at the DIC and other work settings.
A by-product of staff training is personal growth and development. One
former staff member of the Drop-In Center now coordinates Ad Lib's Transportation
Program. This staff person's success can be directly related to the experience
he received at the DIC.
Other agencies and schools recognize the DIC as a good training ground
for their students and consumers. For example, the Drop-In Center accepts
interns from Berkshire Community College, the Springfield Technical Community
College, and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The Drop-In Center
has also hosted job experiences for consumers from the Department of Mental
Health, the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Berkshire Training
and Employment Program.
Governance And Leadership
Member leadership and governance is ensured through an active consumer
advisory board, member staffing, DIC staff meetings, direct feedback to
the DIC Coordinator or other Ad Lib management and access to the grievance
process.
The Drop-In Center has a consumer advisory board made up of members,
DIC staff, and a CIL board of director's liaison. The board makes recommendations
and provides input into the program and its policies. Membership on the
committee is open to any active DIC member. The advisory board ensures
consumer input and a mechanism for this information to be transmitted
to the Ad Lib, Inc. board of directors. Advisory board meetings are held
on a quarterly basis.
As was noted above, the DIC is 100% member staffed. Frequent staff meetings
are not only used to provide information and training to the DIC's workers,
but are also used as a means to obtain feedback and ideas on the operation
of the center.
Hours of Operation
The Drop-In Center is open during non-traditional service delivery times.
During the work week (Monday through Friday), the DIC is open from 5pm
to 10pm. On weekends and holidays, the DIC is open from noon to 8pm.
Transportation
From the inception of the program, there was an understanding that many
people would lack the resources to get to and from the DIC. Initially,
the Department of Mental Health's contract with Ad Lib provided some funds
for the use of taxi vouchers. The Department of Mental Health's idea was
to offer transportation in the least stigmatizing, most mainstream way
possible. However, this money could only be used for Department of Mental
Health consumers and proved not to be the most cost effective way to get
people to and from the center.
When Ad Lib began developing a more comprehensive approach to consumer
transportation problems and started to develop its own in-house transportation
program, the agency's paratransit van became available for DIC use. The
use of the van has allowed the program to expand its membership and provide
transportation in a more cost effective way. However, no matter what mode
of transportation is used, people are encouraged to act as independently
as possible. For example, those people in walking distance of the center
are encouraged to walk. Likewise, any member having his or her own means
of transportation is expected to use these resources.
Funding
Funding for the Drop-In Center currently comes from three primary sources:
1) the Department of Mental Health (DMH), 2) Massachusetts Rehabilitation
Commission (MRC) - State Independent Living, and 3) the City of Pittsfield.
In addition, Ad Lib collaborates with the Berkshire Visiting Nurses Association
and the Access to the Arts Program to provide specialized programming.
Ad Lib continues to seek out alternative funding sources to enhance the
DIC's programming.
Conclusion
Ad Lib, Inc. operates a member run and managed Drop-In Center. The DIC
operates on the principles of empowerment, development and responsibility
for all of its members. As members progress, they may choose to move on
to more responsible positions within the center.
The Center is a safe place for people to socialize, engage in recreational
activities, and access needed services. The DIC is a dynamic program which
is responsive to its memberships needs and wants.
In short, the Drop-In Center operates on the core principles of the Independent
Living Movement. Consumer control is the key to the DIC's success.
Contact Information
AD LIB
215 North Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413.442.7047 (v)
413.442.7194 (TTY)
41413.443.4338 (fax)
Email: adlib@vgernet.net
About the Author
Joseph Castellani is the acting director for
Ad Lib, Inc., the center for independent living serving rural Berkshire
County, Massachusetts. He has worked for the center for the past four
years, most of that time as director of services. His background includes
more than 20 years of experience working in the human service field. He
holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with postgraduate work in public administration.
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