Hosted by Candace Cunningham, Candace’s Corner podcast series invites leaders across our state to talk about key issues affecting the disability community.
This season, Candace explores the history of the developmental disabilities system in Missouri and talks to people who have made a significant difference in transforming the system from institution care to individualized supports.
Episode Details
In this episode, Candace talks with Larry Opinsky, a Missouri advocate, parent, and leader in self-directed supports. He has helped people with disabilities and their families for almost 20 years.
Larry learned about leadership through a program called Partners in Policymaking.
He worked on a board called Missouri Protection and Advocacy. This group helps protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Larry is active in his community. He worked with his local school district to improve services for students with disabilities. He also helps makes his synagogue more welcoming and inclusive.
Larry serves on boards that support people with disabilities.
Discussion Topics
- What self-directed supports are
- How Missouri moved away from institutions
- How families and advocates pushed for change
- What challenges still exist today
- What future improvements are needed
Glossary and Resources From this Episode
Definitions
- Advocacy — Speaking up to create change. People with disabilities and families helped change laws and systems by:
- Sharing their experiences
- Asking for better services
- Choice and Control — Making decisions about your own life.
- Choice is deciding what you want.
- Control is having the power to make those decisions happen.
- This is an important part of living independently.
- Community-based supports — Assistance that helps people live in their own homes and be part of their community. Examples include:
- Help at home
- Support at work
- Help with daily living
- Community living — Housing arrangements that support independence with private, personal living spaces and social inclusion with shared common areas.
- Home and Community-Based Services — Services that help people live at home and be part of their community instead of living in a facility.
- Self-Directed Supports — Services where a person with a disability is in charge of their own support. This means you can:
- Choose who helps you
- Decide when and how you get support
- Manage your services and budget
- System Change — Improving how services are created and delivered. These changes happen because of advocacy and leadership. Some examples include:
- Moving away from institutions
- Expanding community-based supports
- Giving people more control over their services
Resources Mentioned
- Missouri’s Self-Directed Supports Program is run through the Department of Mental Health and available to those with a DD waiver.
- Self-Directed Supports Connecting Group is led by advocates (like Larry Opinsky). This group:
- Connects people and families
- Shares information about self-directed supports
- Helps people learn how to use these services
- STL Advocate is service led by Larry Opinsky, based in St. Louis, Missouri. Larry helps people with disabilities and families find supports, understand services, and make decisions about their lives.
The WeSaid at the UCEDD is a Training and Technical Assistance Hub that gives people with developmental disabilities opportunities to speak up, lead and teach others.
