June Advocate

A Message from our Executive Director

For the first time in a year, I can actually see light at the end of this long tunnel we called “COVID.” While we NEVER closed, services looked very different over the past year. The team at the Harford Center has worked so hard to provide as much service as safely possible. As we begin to expand our service capacity and scope, we are proceeding with the utmost caution. We are still requiring masks, daily temperature checks, and daily disinfecting of all surfaces and vehicles. We have purchased a HEPA air scrubber for the building and backpack sprayer for the buses. Safety is our priority. As we begin to reenter to the community, we will continue to follow the CDC and DDA’s guidelines. At present, we have 72% of our staff vaccinated and 74% of our participants. We continue to encourage everyone who wants the vaccine to get vaccinated. If you are interested in getting vaccinated, please visit https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine or talk with a Harford Center team member for assistance.

Like other agencies, we are struggling with a staffing shortage and are working hard to hire the best staff. Many staff moved on due to the hardships caused by the pandemic; however, we have retained a record number compared to other agencies. On June 21st, we will return to our “core hours” of 9am to 3pm. We are working to get more vehicles back on the road and planning for community outings. As the weather warms up, so do our spirits. This year is our 60th Year Anniversary- the diamond anniversary. Like the diamond, the Harford Center is strong and resilient. We have learned a lot over the past year, and one of the most important lessons is how to be flexible and adaptive. We will continue to adapt to this ever-changing landscape, and we will thrive. Our mission has not changed, and we are committed to providing a meaningful day to every person we support. Thank you for your continued support and faith in our work.

It's that time of year again! Tickets and sponsorships for our 6th Annual Ghoul and Oyster Roast are on sale here. We can't wait to see you there!

Please contact Dinah at dbertholdt@harfordcenter.org for more information about sponsorships or to donate raffle items.

Update regarding Masks and Safety Protocols for COVID:

The Harford Center’s first priority is safety. We will ALWAYS err on the side of caution. To that end, we will continue our mask mandate for all staff and participants. We will continually reassess this decision as more people get vaccinated and as more guidance is provided by the State. At present, we have approximately 74% of our staff and 72% of our participants vaccinated. We are HIGHLY encouraging that everyone get vaccinated. As guidelines are updated and more information is available, we will be reassessing our decision. In the meantime, we will continue with strict cleaning and masking protocols. If you visit the Harford Center building, we will still require temperature checks and masks for all visitors. Thank you for your support and understanding. Our commitment is to keep our participants, staff, and community safe.

Reminder: You're Invited!

Parent Meeting

Wednesday, June 9th

at 12:00 PM

on Zoom

Click here to attend!

We will discuss our return to "normal" hours on June 21, and address any questions or concerns you may have about safety, programs, etc.

We strongly encourage

you to attend! We hope

to see you there!

Staff Spotlight: Cheryl O'Quinn

Special Shout Out to Cheryl for doing an exceptional job! Recently, Dave Black (our Program Director) received a call from the mom of one of the people we support. A colleague of hers had seen Cheryl in the community with the woman's daughter. "[the mom's colleague] was amazed at what a wonderful job Cheryl did throughout the trip. Cheryl was polite, patient, explained everything clearly to [the person she was supporting], and did an absolutely phenomenal job," says Dave. Thank you, Cheryl, for showing the community what we're about! Way to go!

Has Person First Language Outlived Its Usefulness?

Person-first language has been around since 1960, when Beatrice Wright argued that a person is a total person regardless of disability. The idea really took hold in the late 1980s as advocacy groups started speaking out more and more about the unfair treatment of people with disabilities. Parent groups especially embraced the convention of “person before diagnosis” to avoid dehumanizing language that implied that disability is the most important part of a person.

The idea has really taken hold in professional circles. You’ll note that I wrote “people with disabilities” at the beginning of this article; that’s because of my professional training. In the field, it is considered very much offensive to not use Person First Language. Person First Language is also still popular with parents. For many people who’ve had to fight for basic human rights for their children, the idea of going back to an older way of talking about disability is anathema. It was not long ago that people with disabilities were often treated badly. In fact, it’s naïve to say that mistreatment is entirely in the past. It’s no wonder that many family members and advocates don’t relish the idea of letting go of this hard-won change. Some young people with disabilities, though, have started to see things a different way.

In a recent article for Autistic Self Advocacy Network (Read it here), Lydia Brown presents the case for saying “autistic person.” She points out that most self-advocates prefer that terminology, and that their lived experiences should outweigh the good intentions of well-meaning people who don’t have disabilities. People like Brown feel that autism is an essential part of who they are. While the argument has long been that the person is more important than the diagnosis (“you say person with cancer, not cancerous person”), Brown points out that this argument only holds water when the diagnosis is a completely negative disease. She believes that she should have the right to embrace the way she experiences the world, even if it isn’t neurotypical. Autism is not a disease, after all. It is a condition that, though disabling in many cases, has positive aspects. She sees cancer as something to be cured, but she sees autism as an intrinsic part of her identity, like race or sexuality. Just as you wouldn’t say “cancerous person” instead of “person with cancer,” you wouldn’t say “person with gayness” instead of “gay person.”

Language is always evolving, as are our values. One positive aspect of this debate is that the people on both sides of it truly do have good intentions. Perhaps the best we can do for now is to communicate openly and ask people how they would like to be addressed. It’s definitely food for thought. In the meantime, tell us what you think!

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Has Person First Language Outlived Its Usefulness?

Yes

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I'm Not Sure

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Legislative Wrap Up

With the Maryland General Assembly adjourned, here is a look at the fate of the bills we've been following this session.

House Bill 0247 has passed the house and will go to the senate. This bill aims to improve the experience of voters with disabilities by requiring election judges to give priority in line to voters with mobility challenges.

House Bill 0511 did not go to a full vote this session. If passed, this law would allow individuals with permanent physical disabilities to take a $1,000 personal exemption on their taxes.

Senate Bill 0327 has passed both the house and senate and has been approved by the governor. This law will add "disabled adults" to the definition of vulnerable adults, allowing people to sue for financial damages as well as bring criminal complaints against those who exploit them financially using tactics of abuse, manipulation, intimidation, isolation, or neglect.

Senate Bill 0441 would increase DDA funding to most individuals who choose to self direct their services. This bill was not brought to a full vote this session.

Senate Bill 0610 was passed by the house and the senate and approved by the governor. This law will extend the deadline by which hotels have to provide a certain number of beds that are accessible (determined by height).

House Bill 0660 was passed by the house and the senate and approved by the governor. This law will increase funding and capacity for organizations that train and provide support animals to veterans with disabilities.

Senate Bill 0300 was passed by the house and senate and approved by the governor. This law will require that Individualized Education Plans have a "continuity component" to be implemented in emergency situations.

Senate Bill 0209 was passed by the house and senate and approved by the governor. This law will require that students with disabilities be given the option of a continuation of services beyond their original anticipated graduation date if schools are closed for an extended period of time.

Senate Bill 0098 was not brought to a full vote. This bill prohibits pre-kindergarten programs that receive state funding from discriminating against protected classes, one of which is disability.

House Bill 0237 has passed the house and will go to the senate. This bill would require the Department of Education to establish an advisory group to develop a handbook for best practices in early literacy and dyslexia.

House Bill 321 has passed the house and senate and been approved by the governor. This law will require certain public buildings to have changing facilities in their restrooms for adults as well as children, and that a list of buildings that have those facilities will be available online to assist the community in planning outings.

Senate Bill 496 passed the house and the senate and was approved by the governor. This was an emergency COVID relief bill that provides $5 million in grants to DDA providers, businesses, and low-income individuals.

Please click here to find your elected officials. Search by your zip code and click on names to see full contact information. Tell them what you think!

Remember: Every single bill is available for the public to read at this website. You can search by topic and bill number and you can switch states or search nationwide. Keeping up with legislation is a great way to see for yourself what our elected officials are doing!