The Freedom Center is currently working on a project to ensure that individuals with disabilities, who are victims of domestic violence and/or abuse, can utilize the safe havens and shelters located in Delaware. We have been researching the data and statistics related to the numbers of individuals with disabilities residing in Delaware who have been victims and how they were served.

We are also in the process of creating a self-assessment instrument to be used by safe havens and shelters to evaluate ADA compliance, both from a physical plant and access to support services (e.g., personal care attendant) perspective. Our end-goal is to assist safe havens and shelters to prepare, from a physical plant and support services point of view, to effectively serve victims who have disabilities. We have estimated that this will be a three-to-four year project.

If you personally or someone you know was a victim, please share your experiences in gaining access to a safe haven or shelter. Tell us what barriers you may have encountered; and what you feel should be done to improve the system.

This information will help the Freedom Center identify issues that may need additional training for technical assistance development.

Please comment on topics of interest or concern to you; submit comments as often as you like.

Please e-mail your story to info@fcilde.org and include “Domestic Violence” in the subject line.

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- A locally based health care provider is taking new measures to help people with disabilities get proper dental care.  

Deb Jastrebski has an adult son with down syndrome. When the people at AmeriHealth Caritas made the public announcement that they would be taking measures to treat people with disabilities, she teared up. Jabreski says hearing that the insurance company would take measures to properly train their dentists and promote an environment where people like her son could get care, made her emotional because of her family's pervious run-ins with the health care industry.  

"They feel that if somebody gets upset you have to bring more people in and hold them down and then sedate them and hold them down some more," Jackson said, "and all that does is create a cycle of negativity."

Read the full article here!

Self-Advocacy

This service is intended to empower persons with disabilities with the skills needed to identify and access the resources and services to which they have a right. Training may include identifying existing services; the application process for obtaining these services; the eligibility requirements; and the appeal process for adverse decisions. Essential to this service is the training and support the individual receives from Freedom Center’s professional staff, which empowers them to become their own self-advocate. The Freedom Center staff play a supportive role throughout this process.

Systems Advocacy

Freedom Center aggressively advocate for persons with disabilities by continually educating individuals; and encouraging agencies, businesses and organizations to increase the availability of resources necessary for persons with disabilities to live independently within their community. One way this is accomplished is through membership on committees and councils influential in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities; thereby assuring their responsiveness to those needs. If an agency, business or organization is not responsive, Freedom Center staff, consumers and Board members will directly advocate in an attempt to bring about the necessary response. Freedom Center makes every effort to empower persons with disabilities who are directly affected to join in this advocacy effort.