Transitioning Into Independence

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Transitioning Into Independence

• Disabled Students Residence Program
• University of California, Berkeley

Kevin Shields, Coordinator Disabled
Students Residence Program Cathleen Jay,
Disability Specialist Disabled Students Program
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Disabled Students Residence Program
(DSRP)Presentation Overview

• DSRP background and history
• 2008-09 enhanced DSRP services
• DSRP transitional model Phase I and Phase II
• DSRP nuts and bolts eligibility, funding,
  staffing, housing, medical care
• Independent living skills development
• Independent living class curriculum
• Integrating academic services
• A day in the life of a DSRP student
• Question and answer period

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DSRP Background and History

• DSRP is a transitional independent living skills
  program housed in the residence halls at UC
  Berkeley. DSRPs roots are early in the
  disability rights movement.
• DSRP grew out of the Cowell Program, which
  originally provided campus housing for a core
  group of quadriplegics in Cowell Hospital, UC
  Berkeleys student health center. In 1962, Ed
  Roberts became the first quad to live at Cowell,
  followed by John Hessler in 1963. By the late
  1960s a dozen students lived in the hospitals
  third floor wing.
• The Rolling Quads were among the first
  disability groups to articulate and implement a
  non-medical model of independent living and
  self-determination in disability management.
• With funding from the Department of
  Rehabilitation (DOR), the DSRP moved out of
  Cowell Hospital into UC Berkeleys Unit II
  dormitory complex in fall of 1975.
• Since 1975, DOR has continued to fund and support
  the DSRP.

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2008-09 Enhanced DSRP Services

• Historically, DSRP has proved independent living
  training for students with severe physical
  disabilities. Students generally use power
  wheelchairs for mobility and require personal
  care assistance with many activities of daily
  living.
• Starting with the 2008-09 academic year, DSRP
  services have been enhanced to serve any DOR
  consumer who would benefits from IL training
  while attending UC Berkeley.

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Phase I Assessment and Goals for Independent
Skills Training

• Each DSRP student participates in an initial
  assessment to determine the type and level of
  independent living training needed.
• Case management team includes DSRP staff,
  Disabled Students Program staff, Department of
  Rehabilitation counselors, University Student
  Health Service counseling and medical staff, a
  physiatrist from the Berkeley Disabled Community
  Health Clinic, and a clinical psychologist.
• The DSRP coordinator develops a set of individual
  goals for each student in consultation with the
  student and the case management team.
• The coordinator and DSRP staff assess each
  participants progress toward achieving goals on
  an ongoing basis. At the end of the semester,
  DSRP provides a quarterly written progress
  reports to the students DOR counselor.

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PHASE II Continuing Support

• Phase II will begin when it has been determined
  that the DSRP participant has achieved the
  independent living skills (ILS) goals identified
  in the Phase I assessment. Participants who have
  completed Phase I will be re-assessed for further
  ILS training needs.
• Phase II will provide a continuation of selected
  Phase I services in a follow-up format and
  addition ILS training as needed, with support and
  intervention on an individual basis.
• Additional ILS training services provided in
  Phase II may include post-Phase I housing
  management, attendant referral, and collaboration
  with the UC Berkeley Workability IV program.

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DSRP Nuts and BoltsEligibility

• Academic admission to UC Berkeley
• Substantial assessed need for disability-related
  independent living skills training while
  attending UC Berkeley
• Client of the State Department of Rehabilitation
  (DOR)
• Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) that
  includes DSRP independent living skills training
• An authorization for DSRP services from DOR

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DSRP Nuts and BoltsFunding

• The DSRP is a case service contract between UC
  Berkeley and the California Department of
  Rehabilitation (DOR).
• For students who qualify, DOR funds the cost of
  the DSRP. Students are responsible for standard
  UC dormitory room and board costs.
• UC Berkeley tuition and fees not covered by
  campus financial aid may be funded by DOR.
• To fund the cost of personal attendants most
  students access In Home Support Services (IHHS).
• IHSS is a county program that pays an hourly rate
  to attendants. Persons who qualify for IHSS
  services receive funding for up to 283 hours of
  attendant care per month.
• To qualify for IHSS students must receive SSI.

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DSRP Nuts and BoltsHousing

• The DSRP has fully accessible rooms reserved in
  the UC Berkeley Residence Halls. Students in the
  program have private rooms in dormitory buildings
  shared with the general UC Berkeley student
  population.
• After completing Phase I of the DSRP, students
  may choose to remain in the Residence Halls for
  their second year or move out into community
  housing.

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DSRP Nuts and BoatsDSRP Staff

• Until students have their own crews of personal
  attendants in place, the DSRP staff-- known as
  Special Assistants or SAs--assist students with
  their personal care needs such as eating,
  bathing, dressing, grooming, and bowel and
  bladder care.
• The Special Assistants Office, located in the
  Residence Halls, is staffed 24 -7. SAs are
  on-hand for unscheduled urgent needs as well as
  routine personal care.
• SAs help students hire and train personal
  attendants by providing tips on interview
  techniques, demonstrating routines, and training
  personal attendants on transfers, bowel and
  bladder procedures.
• SAs also act as key resources in connecting
  students to campus and community services, events
  and organizations.

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DSRP Nuts and BoltsMedical Care

• The DSRP is not a medical program.
• Each student assumes full responsibility for her
  or his health and medical care.
• For medical needs, students are entitled to use
  the University Health Service (UHS).
• The UHS is a full service medical clinic which
  can cover most medical needs on site or through
  its partners in the community.

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DSRP Nuts and BoltsAcademic Services

• Disabled Students Program (DSP) services
• DSRP students are eligible for DSP services
  throughout their academic careers at UCB
• Mandated services
• Academic accommodations
• Auxiliary Services
• TRIO Support Services
• Campus access services

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Independent Living Skills (ILS) Class

• The class provides a structured approach to
  teaching independent living skills.
• The curriculum is a complementary component to
  the daily practice of independent living.
• The class touches on a broad range of topics,
  emphasizing practical knowledge that will enable
  students to make an effective transition to
  independent living.
• Instructors are peer mentors and former DSRP
  participants

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ILS Class Peer Instructors
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Independent Living Skills Class Topics

• I.H.S.S Applying for and managing In Home
  Support Services
• How to use Disabled Students Program services
  and campus resources
• Attendants and You (Part 1) Hiring and training
  attendants
• Survival Guide (Part 1) Interacting with the
  world around you, traveling, public
  transportation and wheelchair repair
• Attendants and You (Part 2) Recruiting
  attendants and how to market yourself
• Survival Guide (Part 2) Drugs, Alcohol and You
• Money Management SSI, Financial Aid, IHSS, DOR
• Survival Guide (Part 3) Disability and
  Sexuality
• Disability Studies and History of Disability in
  the U.S.
• I.H.SS Revisited Paperwork and attendant
  management problem solving

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Day in the life of DSRP Scheduling

• Schedule as many tasks as possible.
• Morning Night Routines
• Bowel and Bladder Trips
• Meals
• Study sessions
• Domestic and administrative responsibilities

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Discussing Scheduling.
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Day in the life of DSRPReinforcing the need for
scheduling

• Now the schedule is in placewhat happens next?
• The importance of keeping ones scheduled
  appointments often needs a great deal of
  reinforcement.

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Day in the life of DSRPGetting Started

• Out of bed into the morning routine.
• The process can take some people 15 minutes and
  it can take up 3 hours for some.
• Why is there such a big difference in morning
  routine times?

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Morning routine
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Day in the life of DSRPOff to Class.

• Class Starts as early as 8AM and go as late as
  9PM
• Lighter Loads are important to think about
• Starting later in the morning
• Mobility Assistance can be an issue

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Day in the life of DSRPArriving in class

• Classroom Assistance and Accommodation needs
• Student must work with an Academic Specialist,
  faculty and peer assistants to handle class work,
  homework, exams, laboratories, field trips and
  academic accommodation planning.
• Students work with the campus access Specialist
  to address campus physical access needs

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Day in the life of DSRPAll the best laid plans

• Things that just must fit somewhere?
• Post Office
• Banking
• Shopping
• Doctors and Therapy Appointments
• Managing your appointments with SSI/IHSS/DOR
• Socializing

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Day in the life of DSRPThe glue that binds

• Communication with staff and attendants is vital
• Time management
• Keeping appointments is very importantmore
  important is to cancel them if you cannot make it

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Day in the life of DSRP Planning life around
your classes

• Food the fuel of your dayWater and bread?
• Where to eat ?
• When to eat ?
• What to eat?
• Homework the fuel for your mind!
• When do you study?
• Where do you study?

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Studying in the dorm lounge
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Day in the life of DSRP Back to the dorm

• Oh yeah I have to schedule!
• Homework
• Dinner/Bio Break
• Homework
• Party?
• Night Routine and to bed

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Night routine in dorm room
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Day in the life of DSRP What about the rest?

• More homework
• Study Groups
• Student Organizations
• Internships
• Resume building
• Oh yeah - I have a staff to hire before May and
  the DSRP is over.
• Socializing and all the fun stuff.

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DSRP students on campus Disabled Students
Union Poetry Slam /Open Mic Night
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DSRP Academic Outcomes

• TOTAL PARTICIPANTS FROM 1995-96 TO 2007-08 75
  STUDENTS
• GRADUATED 40
• STILL ENROLLED AT UC Berkeley 25
• WITHDREW FOR HEALTH REASONS 1
• WITHDREW FOR PERSONAL REASONS 5
• DISMISSED 2
• DECEASED 2
• PERCENT GRADUATED 39/48 83
• N 48 EXCLUDING 25 STUDENTS STILL ENROLLED
• AND 2 STUDENTS DECEASED

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DSRP MAJORS AND DEGREES EARNED AT UC BERKELEY

• BACHELOR OF ARTS
• Psychology, History, Political Science, Social
  Welfare, Integrative Biology, Sociology,
  Development Studies, Political Economy of
  Industrial Societies, Classical Civilization,
  American Studies, English, Linguistics, Cognitive
  Science, Interdisciplinary Studies, Molecular
  Cell Biology, Art, Spanish, Italian Studies,
  Statistics, Rhetoric, Applied Mathematics,
  Architecture, Theater Performance Studies,
• BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
• Environmental Economics Policy, Business
  Administration, Civil Engineering, Chemistry
• GRADUATE DEGREES
• J.D. Law, M.P.H. Public Health, M. P. H. City
  Regional Planning, M.S.W. Social Welfare

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Questions?
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• Kevin Shields, Coordinator
• Disabled Students' Residence Program
• University of California
• 260 Cesar Chavez Student Center
• Berkeley, CA 94720-4250
• Email kevinshields_at_berkeley.edu
• [phone]
• [phone] fax
• http//dsrp.berkeley.edu
• http//dsp.berkeley.edu
• OR
• Lisa Harris, Contract Administrator
• Department of Rehabilitation
• [phone]

Contact DSRP