2022 has been another busy year for In the Driver’s Seat. As many of you, we’re looking forward to 2023 as a year of joy, hope, and growth. A quote by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle speaks to our wish for all of you: “We hope that 2023 is a year where the courage and the creativity and the power and the possibility that’s been resting in your bones shake loose and emerge as your new skin. May you wear it well, all year long.”
We thought that the end of the year would be a time for us to reflect on and be grateful for all of the good that’s happened in 2022.
In 2022:
Power Steering subscribers grew by 30%!!
Connect – our private online community for Self-Direction, has doubled the membership; members are reaching out and supporting each other in ways that we had hoped!
We held two successful Call to Action Forums focused on hiring staff; members shared ideas regarding locating, hiring and retaining self-hire staff.
The NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) awarded In the Driver’s Seat a grant to:
- Expand our support to the Central, Capital and Hudson Valley regions;
- Translate the website;
- Collaborate with organizations to host regional workshops/conferences around the state;
- Continue providing our bi-monthly newsletter, Power Steering.
Courtney Hathaway and Jennifer Russo were hired as consultants to support our efforts.
The WNY Self-Advocacy Association invited us several times to speak at meetings and workshops.
We collaborated with remarkable colleagues from the Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattan and Future Centered Care to develop and send out surveys to providers, Self-Advocates and family members about accessing employment using Self-Direction. The results will be shared in an upcoming newsletter and with the DDPC and OPWDD. We’re also working together on a conference focusing on Self-Direction – more to come in our February 2023 newsletter!
We continue to cultivate relationships and collaborations. We are grateful for the opportunities to learn, share, grow and participate in ways that we had hoped:
- NYS Senators – Senator Mannion, Senator Ortt, Senator Gallivan
- Finger Lakes, WNY and Central NY DDRO Self-Directed Liaisons
- Marlene Meyerson JCC
- Future Centered Care
- Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD)
- John Maltby & Carol Napier – NY Alliance
- The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) part of -Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (at the University of Rochester)
- Supporting Our Youth and Adults Network (SOYAN)
- NYS Self-Advocacy Association
- Starbridge
- Catholic Family Center
- People, Inc.
- Heritage Christian Services
The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) is hosting its annual FREE 3-day virtual transition institute on January 25 – 27, 2023, and In the Driver’s Seat is sponsoring the Self-Direction strand of presentations!
ARE YOU CONNECTED?
Have questions about joining or using Connect? Click the following links to learn how to use the platform.
- Adding Profile Photo And Key Information
- Additional Information
- Service Region
- Service Provider Information
- Contact Information
- Connecting With And Messaging Members
- The Activity Feed
