Imagine Art & Systems Change.
Imagine Art is answering the call for systems change in three arenas: day habilitation; long term care and peer support.
Day Habilitation
Imagine Art began operating a facility-based arts center since 1997, established as a public art studio that offers free access to space, materials, equipment and support to people with disabilities. In 2008, we certified as a day habilitation center, accepting Medicaid funds to supplement direct care supports (i.e., safety supervision, attendant care, and delegated nursing services). In 2016, we opened our doors to invite non-disabled artists to access our high caliber arts services, creating the only integrated, inclusive day habilitation center in the nation.
What is next for Imagine Art in Day Habilitation?
We recognize the longstanding need for day habilitation reformation. Historically, day habilitation services are provided in large group settings with high staff ratios. The centers are segregated to only serve persons with IDD. The impact of COVID on day habilitation centers presents new challenges and new opportunity - for systems change.
In 2021, Imagine Art partners with 2 federal funding sources (below) to expand day habilitation services beyond our own walls and into existing community settings where we will further demonstrate the power of creative place.
AmeriCorps is a primary partner who provides 17 (full and part time) Members to serve as Artists in Residence. These Members are providing job readiness for our artists. Texas Council on Developmental Disability (TCDD) Effective January 2021, TCDD has awarded Imagine Art project mini-grant which allows Imagine Art to deploy our artists into community-based settings.
Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. TCDD funds Art a Gogh Go, a training extension that offers job readiness via an artist in residence track. Ten Artists with IDD (intellectual developmental disability) will receive coaching and support to serve as artists in residence who will be deployed, in teams, into community-based locations as teaching artists. The project offers 3 phases: readiness, deployment and then job development.
With AmeriCorps and TCDD support, our artists will establish new arts-based programming in existing settings. We will be inviting artists with and without disabilities to engage as catalysts, on mission, to bring transformational change to these settings. Three (3) pilot sites are under development.
Imagine Art is eager to speak into the redesign initiative and to provide mentoring support to area day habilitation centers. We have made our requests and intent clear and we are waiting for other parties to welcome our input.
Day Habilitation Resources:
Health and Human Service Systems Redesign Sub-committee Day Habilitation Services. Get involved or learn more by visiting: https://hhs.texas.gov/about-hhs/communications-events/meetings-events/2020/11/12/intellectual-developmental-disability-system-redesign-advisory-committee-day-habilitation-employment
Texas Council on Developmental Disability’s (TCDD) statement on Day Habilitation. https://tcdd.texas.gov/resources/fact-sheets/daytime-habilitation-texas/
A blog called, Sometimes a Lion, has a two informative posts on day habilitation centers. These posts are advocating for systems change and reformation.
Part 1 (Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Sheltered Workshops - https://arineeman.com/2015/09/20/sheltered-workshops-part-1/
Part 2 (Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Sheltered Workshops https://arineeman.com/2015/09/26/sheltered-workshops-part-2/
Home and Community Based Long-Term Care Services
Health and Human Services offers community-based supports that empower people with intellectual developmental disabilities to thrive in community-based settings.
Home and Community Based Services (long-term care Medicaid waivers) were established as an alternative to institutional care (state supported living centers and nursing homes). Over 65,000 Texans with IDD are on the wait list to access the Home and Community Based Waiver, with an average wait time of 17 years. People living in institutions or who are at imminent risk for institutionalization are eligible for a divergent slot, by passing the wait list.
The systems of providers, offering HCS services in Texas, is comprised primarily of for-profit entities who follow an established pattern of service delivery that meets the standard of the Texas Administrative Code of regulations. Many of these providers focus on group home service delivery and often establish sister companies offering day habilitation services. Fewer providers offer the “Own Home Family Home” placement to waiver participants. The OHFH provides 1:1 service in the individual’s private home. Due to the complexity of services, coupled with 1:1 delivery and lower gross net, fewer providers desire to offer OHFH services.
In 2016, Imagine Art was certified as a IDD Long-term care waiver provider. We currently provide managed care for 32 people (8 of whom are managing using Consumer Direct Services): 22 are living in their own home; 6 live in a Host Home; and 3 live in a Supervised Living Home (also referred to as a group home).
Imagine Art’s early focus was on establishing the “own home – family home, (OHFH)” model offering individualized services customized to function like CDS, but offering greater provider supports in attendant management. In addition, Imagine Art has Host Homes with custom host matching service that offer unique options in home type (family home vs. peer home). In 2020, we opened our first Supervised Living Home, traditionally called a group home offering 24-hour care for 3 men. In April 2021 we plan to open our first women’s home.
Our present focus is on building our capacity to coordinate quality services. The program has undergone much transition and turnover with significant revenue loss related to COVID. Our objective in 2021 is to stay true to our vision for high quality, person centered services that empower our clients to live abundant lives. Our eyes stay fixed on our long-range plans to integrate LTC services into our Live + Make project.
Peer Support
Traditionally, the field of peer support is designed to serve a population of person living with mental illness. We can easily see that a peer support model works in any setting and for any group of people who share a common identity, affinity, challenge and goal. We see the peer model working well in the clubhouses of Alcoholic Anonymous or with Parent to Parent, a Texas based resource for parents whose children receive special ed services.
Historically, people with intellectual developmental disabilities have not had access to peer support – support from their own peers in the way of sharing information, knowledge, skill building or experience in self-advocacy. The IDD services, systems – and even the acronyms – are complex to navigate. People with IDD are at a higher risk for abuse, neglect and exploitation, oppression and segregation.
Three years ago, Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) provided a 4-year grant for Imagine Art to develop a peer support training program. We responded to establish Training 4 Transformation, a program that trains and certifies person with IDD to be peer support specialists. Our efforts have focused on establishing the model, the curriculum and the protocol for certification. Peer leaders with IDD have provided input and support as program components develop.
2021 brings us to the 4th and final year of the grant (ends Feb 2022). This year we will finalize and prepare to publish the curriculum for distribution. We will deploy our Level 2 and Level 3 peers, who will begin serving in roles as advocates. There is an increased focus to integrate our peer support program with our long-term care program – by serving the individuals who receive long term care services. As a program provider, we see opportunity to champion peer support within the program, helping our clients to navigate challenges of long-term care.
Affordable Housing and Live + Make
Households who spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing are considered cost burdened. Affordable housing developers offer rental subsidies based on area median incomes (30%; 50%; 60%). For 2020, TDHCA states that a single individual earning $13,680 lives within 20% of the area median income (AMI). Rental rates for that group are $340 (efficiency) and $366 (1-bed). Unfortunately, affordable housing developers are serving 30%; 50%; 60% and 80% AMI. This leaves our community (below 20% AMI) at a higher risk for housing displacement and with fewer residential options (group home or living with aging parents).
A fewer number of affordable housing developers are able to offer 30% units. Traditionally, developers will destinate units for 30%, 50%, 60% and 80% AMI. Developers that offer deeper affordability (30% AMI) typically offer supported housing or project-based vouchers.
In 2021, Imagine Art focuses its efforts to develop its Limited Partnership (LP) with MRE Capitol. We will enter into a ground lease for the property at 1127 Tillery Street and begin efforts to secure $10 million for development of 66 units of deeply affordable housing that is anchored in the arts. We prepare to compete for Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 9% tax credits as our primary funding source.
Our Live + Make project integrates our programs (day habilitation, long-term care and peer support) and demonstrates the power of creative place to model a new delivery of services that are integrated, inclusive and high caliber to attract non-disabled players seeking like services. Live + Make will be a small incubator where the fullness of the vision is manifested.
