Friends & Relationships
Staff read your text messages with your boyfriend/girlfriend without asking. Can they do that?
Staff can borrow money from people they support if they promise to pay it back.
False! Staff should never ask for or take money from you.
True or False: my case manager decides when and where my PCP meeting will take place.
False! You decide when and where your PCP meeting takes place
You need to go to the store to buy some shampoo and conditioner. You like shopping at Target more, but staff say Walmart is easier to get to and cheaper.
Which store should staff take you to?
Target!
It is your choice what stores you spend your money at.
You think one of your rights has been violated, but you're not sure.
Who can you call to learn about your rights?
Disability Rights Maine (DRM)
Your guardian says you cannot spend time with your friend because they don't like that your friend smokes cigarettes. Which of the following is true?
A. Guardians can always choose your friends.
B. You have the right to choose your friends.
C. Staff can not allow your friend to come over because the Guardian says so.
B! Whether you are under guardianship or not, you have the right to relationships and friendships.
Only ____ can decide how you spend your personal spending money.
You!
Who can you invite to your PCP meetings:
A. Your girlfriend/boyfriend
B. Your favorite support staff
C. A DRM Advocate
D. All of the above
D! All of the above. You decide who is invited to your PCP meeting.
You are out of personal spending money until next week, but you ask staff to take you to the mall to window shop. Staff say no because they're worried the mall will be too busy in the heat wave.
If staff don't take you, is that a rights violation?
Yes!
You don't have to have spending money to enjoy the community.
You’ve asked staff to give you privacy during phone calls, but they keep staying in the room, or standing in the doorway, and listening even after you asked them to stop.
What can you file to formally report a concern about your services?
A. Person Centered Plan
B. Reportable Event
C. Developmental Services Grievance
C - a Developmental Service Grievance
You have the right to choose who you spend ____ with.
Time.
Which of these is your personal property?
A. Your wallet
B. Your lollipop wrapper collection
C. A cool magazine you got for free
D. All of the above
D! All of these are considered personal property, regardless of if you paid for it or not.
Which of the following are allowed to be PCP goals:
A. I want to take a trip to Disneyland in Japan.
B. I want to start my own ice cream business.
C. I want to adopt an albino ferret.
D. All of the above
D all of the above are perfectly acceptable PCP goals! Remember, your goals are for YOU decide, there is no limit to what your goals can be!
You wake up to a beautiful day outside and decide you'd like to have a picnic at the park for lunch.
How should staff respond to this request?
A. "Not today, we already planned for lunch at the house"
B. "That sounds fun! Let's see if we can make that happen!"
C. "Sorry, where we eat is up to staff."
B!
You get to decide what you eat, where you eat, and when you eat it. Staff should work with you to make the picnic happen.
Fill in the blank:
You got into an argument with a staff person. They take your iPad and said you'll get it back later. You don't think this is fair and violates your rights.
You can call your case manager and ask them to file a __________ Event.
Reportable.
All of your service providers are Required Reporters and should file a Reportable Event when you ask them to.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!
Chris tells staff they don't want their sibling visiting anymore. The sibling insists they have a right to visit because they're family.
Who decides whether the visit happens?
Chris. He decides who he spends time with and who visits him, regardless of family relationships (unless there is a court order or other legal limitation).
You spend all of your personal spending money for the month on squishmallows and now your staff are stressed out. How should staff respond?
A. “You are banned from shopping.”
B. Support budgeting and talk about choices
C. Throw away the squishmallows
B! You have the right to spend your personal spending money however you choose. If you run out, staff should work with you on budgeting and informed decision making.
Only four months after his annual Person-Centered Planning meeting, Ben announces, "I have BIG news! I want to move, get a job, and adopt a dog. Can we schedule another planning meeting ASAP?."
Staff respond, "Sorry, you just had your PCP meeting not too long ago. We should wait a few more months before making any big changes"
Are staff right?
No! A person can request a planning meeting whenever they have important goals or changes they want to discuss. Planning shouldn't happen only once a year.
You wake up excited to go to the library. By lunchtime, you decide you'd rather go bowling.
Fill in the blank:
People have the right to change their ________.
Mind!
Plans can and do change, and you can change your mind whenever you want.
A friend tells you that a staff person has been going into their room without knocking and yelling at them if they say anything about it. Your friend is scared to report it.
Question: What is one ways you can support your friend to get help?
A group home has a house rule that no residents are allowed to date because "it causes drama."
Is this an appropriate house rule?
No. Programs cannot create blanket rules that take away people's legal rights. Restrictions must be individualized and only in the case of an emergency of BMP.
A staff member “holds onto” someone’s debit card because they think the person spends too much money. Nothing about this is in the plan.
Is this okay? What rights may be affected?
No.
Possible rights:
During a planning meeting, staff and family members talk for most of the meeting. The person receiving services barely gets to speak.
Why is this a problem, and what should happen instead?
Person-centered planning should focus on the individual’s goals, choices, and voice.
The team should:
You tell staff that you want to learn how to ride the city bus so you can visit your favorite coffee shop by yourself. Staff say, "It's much easier if we just drive you everywhere."
What should staff do? Should they help you ride the bus or continue to drive you?
Help you learn to ride the bus safely!
staff should build supports that help people reach their goals, not do things for them because it's easier.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!
Staff make a weekly meal schedule and post it on the fridge. It says what everyone will eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. You weren’t asked what you like or want to eat. When dinner comes, you ask for something different, but staff say, “You have to follow the menu, we already planned the whole week.”
Name TWO ways you could get help with this problem.
Any two of the following: