Understanding Zero Exclusion
This is what teams must ensure so that all individuals have the same chance to pursue their goals.
What is equal access?
These challenges — like substance use, homelessness, or legal trouble — are reasons to support someone, not reasons to shut the door.
What are barriers that need help/support, not exclusion?
This person is the only one who gets to decide if they want to try something new.
Who is the member?
Interest alone is enough. Engage in these conversations, do have to wait until the member asks.
This is the thing teams often wait for, even though Zero Exclusion doesn’t require it at all.
What is “being stable”?
This kind of challenge, like low reading skills or memory issues, means the person needs more support, not less.
What are learning or thinking challenges?
This is what staff should do when someone shows even a tiny bit of interest in a goal.
What is explore it and help them take the next step?
No screening out
This happens when staff limit or delay access to opportunities based on their belief that a person needs to reach a certain level of “readiness.”
What is using readiness as a barrier or making readiness-based decisions ?
This is the message people hear when staff assume they “aren’t ready” and don’t offer opportunities.
What is “You can’t do it”?
Which can reinforces stigma, reduces hope, limits recovery, and denies the person a chance to grow.
These supports — like reminders, breaking things into small steps, or using pictures — help people stay included.
What are simple ways to help someone succeed?
This is the reason NC DHHS expects Zero Exclusion across ACT, CST, and TMS teams — everyone deserves a fair shot.
What is making sure everyone gets equal access?
These things — like losing hope, giving up, or pulling away from services — can happen when people are screened out.
What are negative outcomes of exclusion?
This is what it’s called when staff decide who gets opportunities instead of letting the member choose.
What is screening someone out or gatekeeping?
This is why Zero Exclusion isn’t optional — it’s a required mindset for how teams offer opportunities.
What is treating Zero Exclusion as a must‑do, not a maybe?
This is how shutting people out (even by accident) hurts recovery, fairness, and trust.
What is making people feel left out and unsupported?
This increases hopelessness, reduces engagement, limits independence, and communicates that the person is not capable or deserving of opportunity.
This is how not offering opportunities affects the whole team — it lowers quality and goes against NC DHHS expectations
What is hurting service quality and fairness?
Not providing equitable access. It limits member opportunity and undermines recovery‑oriented practice.
This principle requires agencies and teams to actively change their practices so that every individual is offered opportunities based on their own interest. It calls on ACT, CST, and TMS staff to stop limiting or delaying opportunities, challenge old habits, and make sure access is consistent, fair, and driven by the person—not by staff assumptions.
What is Zero Exclusion?