A local state legislator received an opportunity to shadow Direct Support Professionals (DSP) this week, embracing the opportunity to speak one on one with Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
State Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, took Think Ability staff up on their request for an opportunity to shadow a DSP member this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think Ability Executive Director Robin Arter, said they feel honored to have legislators come and visit their campus, seeing how they operate, as well as their needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garvin\u2019s passion for representing individuals with disabilities shined through her words and actions on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garvin said working in long-term care gives her the familiarity the operations in this field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lot of the things are very similar,\u201d Garvin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Garvin, she has several pieces of legislation that she is carrying this year and continuously working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo help provide a better quality of care and better quality of life to individuals with disabilities,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cIt\u2019s defiantly a huge opportunity to be in the care setting and try to help understand it better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the Federal Government to the State Government there are many laws created everyday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Garvin, it\u2019s important to understand the impact of the laws on the industry and fields as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garvin said she was in the middle of putting several pieces of legislation together when she received the call to shadow the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt makes so much sense for me to go talk to individuals with disabilities and the caregivers that take care of them,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cI want to make sure that the legislation that we\u2019re passing and looking at for this next session \u2014 that will directly impact how they serve and who they serve \u2014 that it makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With an impactful experience, Garvin said she wants to work to make active treatment a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor certain businesses that kind of dabble in or work in the care type of individuals with disabilities \u2014 were not really focused on providing active treatment to individuals with disabilities in every single care setting,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cThat\u2019s not something that every single care setting focuses on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a priority to have trained staff, Garvin shared how well Think Ability works with active treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy priority is to really make sure that we have staff who are trained and have active treatment,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cTaking care of people who need that type of treatment and that type of care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Garvin, active treatment embodies what Think Ability does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThink Ability \u2014 thinks of the abilities of the individuals that they serve have to be productive citizens and community members and volunteers,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cThat\u2019s really what active treatment is about \u2014 ensuring that people have the training and the services and the access to participate in activities of daily living.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This would include the ability and the opportunity to have jobs and earn money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some individuals are also extremely interested in politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garvin said for those individuals who want to have that interaction, \u201cit\u2019s extremely important that the care type that they are in, provides the care type that meets their needs and their want for their personal lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This session, according to Garvin, her main focus is making sure those working in care settings are trained and certified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaking sure in every single care setting type, that the appropriate people are working in those care settings who are certified and trained to focus specifically on the needs of the individuals with disabilities,\u201d Garvin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making a change is one of Garvin\u2019s top priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d really like to focus on public policy,\u201d Garvin said. \u201cI think it\u2019s something that outlasts parties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garvin said this is an area she is extremely passionate about, as she serves regularly in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen you do something good that benefits Oklahoman\u2019s as a whole, not just one political party or another, to me that\u2019s public policy and so these bills that we\u2019re looking at \u2014 they drastically change the lives of people with disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event was coordinated by The Arc of Oklahoma and providers across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A release states, \u201cDSPs work directly with thousands of Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) every day providing support to them to participate in their community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arter said they just want people to know that they are here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an exciting time because the legislator is concentrating on Oklahomans with disabilities,\u201d Arter said. \u201cThat\u2019s good for the people we serve and potential people in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arter said they get a few calls throughout the week from community members in the area asking for services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf I had the vacancies,\u201d Arter said. \u201cWe\u2019d have to wait for them to have the funding assigned to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arter said it\u2019s an exciting time as they have addressed the waiting list and have prioritized Oklahoman\u2019s with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt just helps us grow,\u201d Arter said. \u201cWe give people in our community priority and the surrounding area priority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n