OLMSTEAD UPDATES

News blog follows implementation of landmark 2014 federal consent decree that requires Rhode Island to remedy violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead decision. Over ten years, Rhode Island must reinvent state services for citizens with developmental disabilities to give them opportunities for supportive employment and meaningful activities in their communities.

By Gina Macris

An independent organization focused on innovation and success for people of all abilities is asking families to help shape the group’s advocacy by answering four questions about the lives of loved ones facing intellectual or developmental challenges.

RI Force – Rhode Island Families Organized For Reform, Change, and Empowerment – has set up an online questionnaire at SurveyMonkey that is aimed at those who could not attend the inaugural cafe conversations held in November to bring families together around common goals.

To take the survey, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHXMSGL

The introduction to the survey explains that “cafe conversation methodology is a simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue. It simply means ‘shaping our world through conversations that matter.’ ”

The survey, which promises anonymity to respondents, asks individuals to describe the “issues and challenges currently facing your family in regards to the quality of life of your loved one.”

It asks respondents to identify things that can change to improve the quality of life for loved ones, after looking holistically at public, non-profit and private facets of the community, including the arts, human services, environment, health care, education, media and business.

Finally, the survey asks for “one idea that would have the biggest impact” on a loved one’s quality of life.

The deadline for completing the survey is Jan. 30, said Ken Renaud, a leader of RI Force. The group plans to publish the results in February.