>>> THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF GREATER
SPRINGFIELD HAS BEEN SUPPORTING PEOPLE IMPACTED BY MENTAL ILLS
IN, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, HOMELESS, AND THOSE STRUGGLING
WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE FOR 60 YEARS.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.
OF M.H.A.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR SERVICES, IN PARTICULAR SERVICES
FOR THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND BRAIN INJURIES.
>> M.H.A.
IS REALLY A FULL SERVICE PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE
SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, WITH
MENTAL HEALTH, HOMELESS PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A CONTINUUM OF RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT AND IN-HOME
SUPPORTS.
WE STARTED ABOUT 60 YEARS AGO AS ADVOCATES FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVED
IN THE NORTHAMPTON STATE HOSPITAL.
THEN THERE WAS THE WHOLE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION MOVEMENT,
AND WE STARTED OPENING UP GROUP HOMES AND TAKING PEOPLE INTO OUR
HOMES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP HOMES NOW WHO HAVE BEEN
THERE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME SOME OF THEM.
>> TELL US SOME OF THE, ACTUALLY FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU COULD
DEFINE FOR US THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY,
GIVE US THE RANGE WHAT WAS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS SOME KIND OF
IMPAIRMENT COGNITIVELY.
IT MIGHT MEAN THAT THEY AREN'T ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY
WANT, THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MONEY, THERE'S SUCH
A WIDE RANGE, AND IT GOINGS RIGHT INTO DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES, WHICH MIGHT INCLUDE PHYSICAL DIGS ABILITIES.
AND WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
DISABILITIES.
>> AND YOU ALSO HAVE OUTPATIENT SERVICES?
>> FOR OUR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WE CALL THEM IN
HOME SUPPORTS.
SO IT'S KIND OF A SUPPORTED LIVING FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
THE COMMUNITY BY THEMSELVES OR WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND WE HAVE
PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK WITH THEM DOING WHATEVER THEY NEED, IF IT
GOING TO THE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS OR HELPING WITH
BUDGETS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NEED HELP AN HOUR A WEEK, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT
NEED HELP 10 HOURS A WEEK.
WE IDENTIFY THAT AND WORK WITH THEM IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO HELP PEOPLE TO GET TO THEIR MOST
INDEPENDENT LIVING SITUATION THAT THEY CAN.
>> AND THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE, AND I KNOW THAT SOME FAMILIES
WHO I HAVE SPOKEN WITH, THE BIG CONCERN IS AFTER KIDS AGE OUT OF
THE SCHOOL SERVICES, OBVIOUSLY THE WORRY IS WHO IS GOING TO
TAKE CARE OF THEM.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE, CAN THEY GET A JOB.
HOW DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT TERRITORY?
>> WE WILL HELP THEM DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE PEOPLE THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO ARE ACTUALLY IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES IN MASSACHUSETTS.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO START TO SEE IF YOUR LOVED ONE
HAS THE ABILITY TO GET THOSE SERVICES.
THEN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW INDEPENDENT THEY CAN BE.
SOMETIMES THEY CAN LIVE AT HOME WITH HIM THE FAMILY BUT GET
SUPPORT FROM SOMEBODY LIKE MHA TO HELP THEM.
>> ONE OF THE ISSUES TOO IS, YOU KNOW, IF THEIR PARENTS ARE
STARTING TO AGE AS WELL, WHO IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
THAT HAS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP A LOT.
>> THAT IS A CONCERN OF SO MANY OF THE PARENTS WHO ARE TAKING
CARE OF PEOPLE OF THEIR LOVED ONES WITH DISABILITIES.
WHO IS GOING TO DO THIS AFTER I DIE.
AND IN CONNECTICUT AND TENNESSEE THERE WAS A LAW PASSED THAT IF
SOMEBODY HAS DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR CARETAKER
IS OVER 80, THAT THEY GET SERVICES.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS A CON UNDRUM BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE
CARE OF THAT PERSON.
>> AND IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR FAMILIES, WHO OF COURSE NEED THE
SUPPORT.
S THAT STIGMA CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS?
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY IT HAS IN SOME DEGREE, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY
TO GO AS FAR AS PEOPLE'S REACTION, WHETHER IT BE IN THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM OR IN THE WORKPLACE IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY
WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
HOW DO WE WORK ON THAT?
>> LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK IT HAS CHANGED, BUT WE STILL HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO.
WE REALLY FOCUS ON COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, AND THAT DOESN'T
MEAN GETTING THE PARTICIPANT WITH THE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF
DIGS ABILITY.
IT MEANS INTEGRATING THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY IN REPPING KINDS
OF THINGS, WHICH IS THE GREAT THING ABOUT HANDICAP
ACCESSIBILITY, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY
NOW.
SO WE TRY TO GET THEM TO SHOWS OR RESTAURANTS, REGULAR THINGS
WE WOULD DO.
>> WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE DO YOU SEE IN SOME OF THE PEOPLE
THAT COME THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATION AS FAR AS THE
PROGRESS THAT THEY HAVE MADE, COULD YOU SHARE WITH US ANY
STORIES ABOUT THAT?
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH, I JUST SEE THE DIFFERENCES EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
AND WE HAVE SUCH A REALLY COMPASSIONATE STAFF.
WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURIES.
AND I WAS AT ONE OF OUR HOUSES THAT IS FOR PEOPLE WITH ACQUIRED
BRAIN INJURIES, AND I WENT, THEY'VE REALLY BEEN IN NURSING
HOMES THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT NOW THEY'RE BEING TAKEN OUT
OF NURSING HOMES AND PUT INTO GROUP HOMES.
ONE OF THE WOMEN WAS SITTING DOWN ON THE BENCH, SHE HAD JUST
GOTTEN IN, I SAT WITH HER AND INTRODUCED MYSELF, SHE HAD ONLY
BEEN THERE THREE DAYS, SHE SAID I'VE BEEN IN A NURSING HOME FOR
THREE YEARS AND I HAD NO HOPE OF EVER GETTING OUT.
SHE SAID MY FAMILY WANTED TO TAKE ME AND TAKE CARE OF ME,
BOUGHT I COULDN'T LET THEM DO THAT.
SHE SAID I GOT TO PICK THE COLOR OF MY ROOM.
SHE SAID I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE A HOME AGAIN.
AND IN TALKING TO HER, I FOUND OUT THAT SHE LOVES TO COOK.
SO NOW SHE DOES A LOT OF THE COOKING AND IT'S ACTUALLY
TEACHING THE STAFF HOW TO COOK.
YOU JUST HEAR THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME.
IT'S AMAZING THE WORK THAT HAPPENS AT AN AGENCY LIKE MHA.
>> AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE GROWING UP.
>> MY MOM WAS A SHARED LIVING PROVIDER, SO WE HAD TWO WOMEN
THAT LIVED WITH US FOR A LONG TIME THAT HAD DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES, AND THEY WERE JUST A PART OF OUR FAMILY.
THEY CAME TO OUR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, WE HAD BIRTHDAY PARTIES
FOR THEM.
AND M.H.A.
HAS A CONTINUE YOU UP OF CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, SO WE DO IN HOME OR SUPPORTED LIVING
SUPPORTS AND ALSO A SHARED LIVING PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE WHO
ARE ABLE TO LIVE WITH A FAMILY, LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED WITH
US, CAN DO THAT AND THEY JUST BECOME PART OF THAT FAMILY.
>> HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THIS FORWARD?
THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO CHANGE THAT STIGMA THAT MIGHT BE OUT
THERE.
DO YOU HAVE SUCTIONS, YOU KNOW, FOR SCHOOLS, FOR PARENTS?
HOW DO WE BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS?
>> I THINK IT'S TO CLUE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
IT'S THAT COMMUNITY INTEGRATE, AND BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WILL
MAKE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE.
YOU JUST TALK TO THEM LIKE THEY'RE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY'RE
PEOPLE.