The Arc of Oakland County, Inc. Historical Perspective
   By Thomas F. Kendziorski, Esq. Executive Director
   Revision Date January 4, 2007

I. Historical Perspective and Purpose of Organization

The Arc of Oakland County, Inc. ("The Arc") is a parent’s group and is a non-profit membership organization working directly with children and adults with all levels of intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families.  The purpose of The Arc is to provide direct and expert advocacy toward securing the proper services, programs and entitlements for the family member who has special needs.  Specifically, assistance is available in the areas of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, special education law advocacy, estate plan counseling, guardianship, community residential options, the monitoring of group homes, respite care, recreational opportunities, as well as information and referral.

The Arc is governed by a fifteen-member volunteer Board of Directors.  The chief professional officer of The Arc is Thomas F. Kendziorski, Executive Director, Attorney at Law.  Mr. Kendziorski (B.A., Michigan State University; J.D., Cooley Law School) who supervises a compensated staff of six, 150 volunteers, and a core agency budget of approximately $700,000.  The Arc of Oakland County is the largest local chapter in Michigan with 894 members, and is affiliated with both The Arc Michigan and The Arc of the United States.

The history of The Arc formally began in 1967 when a group of separate parent support groups in Oakland County decided to unite and gain strength from numbers.  The Arc has flourished over the years within the realm of systems advocacy, that is, offering a "business-like approach" in the direct service of helping individuals and families obtain legal rights, benefits and entitlements.  This organization and its members spearheaded the local grass-roots campaign in the late 1960's and early 1970's for passage of mandatory special education legislation.  The Arc has also been on the "front lines" over the last generation advocating for the closure of all public institutions for persons with developmental disabilities, and the creation in the community of all the necessary residential and mental health support services.

The Arc has also pushed for: reform in SSI and SSDI eligibility standards as many people with disabilities were threatened with benefit cut-offs in the early 1980's; implementation of the "Family Support Subsidy Act;" Medicaid reform, which led to a "Community Supported Living Arrangements" ("CSLA") pilot project in Oakland County and Michigan; "Inclusive Education" as an option for all students with special needs; and supported employment instead of segregated vocational programs.  Finally, The Arc of Oakland County has served as the “incubator” for many new ideas and now essential independent programs in the area such as:  the vocational organization “New Horizons Rehabilitation Services, Inc.,” the fine arts program known as, “Variety F.A.R. Conservatory Inc.,” the Oakland County office for the “Michigan Protection & Advocacy Services,” the Lahser Respite Home for children, “Oakland County Special Olympics,” and even the Oakland County Coffee House Dance, Inc.  The Arc conceived, developed and still operates its highly acclaimed comprehensive, lifetime advocacy service called the “Etheridge Plan,” and an outstanding respite program known as “Shared Parenting.”

The overall philosophy of The Arc is person-centered and family-centered in approach to all programs and services.  The least restrictive environment and dictates of the concept of normalization are key to everything The Arc stands for and accomplishes.  The professionalism of the employed staff at The Arc reflects these ideals, along with significant personal experience working through the problems inherent within the programmatic aspects of such beliefs.

The backgrounds of persons typically served by The Arc:63% Caucasian; 22% African-American; 13% Arab-Chaldean; 2% Asian-American; and 1% Hispanic.  Oakland County on the whole has approximately:  88% Caucasian; 7.2% African-American; 1.5% Arab-Chaldean; 1.8% Hispanic; and 1.5% “other,” out of a total population of 1.2 million (2000 census data).  As these figures clearly demonstrate, The Arc serves a wide and diverse group of persons, and all consumers have a developmental disability.

The Arc of Oakland County boasts a number of significant “highlights” over the last decade or so of its organizational lifetime:

II. Current Activities

The Arc of Oakland County works very hard at community relations, or "marketing," if you will.  Our credibility within the mental health services field is beyond reproach by public and non-profit providers alike.  This has come after demonstrating for many years of The Arc’s expert, reasoned and professional approach to its advocacy.

The Arc does its outreach through a variety of sources.  The following methods have proven quite successful:

1. newsletter, PROFILES, with a circulation of 1200 copies of each issue (6 per year); 
   
   
2. flyers delivered to special education programs across the county, for distribution to students and families; 
   
   
3. speeches to parent groups throughout the year; 
   
   
4. distribution of agency brochures identifying services; 
   
   
5. specialized mailings to members on time-sensitive topics; 
   
   
6. press releases; 
   
   
7. participation on the Oakland County Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee ("RICC"); 
   
   
8. participation on the Oakland Schools' "Project Reach" that is to identify "at-risk" children and assist their families in acquiring necessary programs/services;
   
   
9. networking with other agencies in the mental health field;
   
   
10. sponsoring the annual [celebrating 37 years in 2007] Dove Awards Dinner that recognizes persons in the community who perform outstanding work on behalf of people with disabilities; and,
    
    
11. a internet website that provides information on The Arc and other topics.
    
    

Our current grant and recreational programs include:

1. the annual Michigan Performing Arts Talent Show [celebrating 34 years in 2007];
   
   
2. a weekly Bowling League in Waterford; and
   
   
3. a weekly Weight Watcher’s program located in Troy.
   
   

III.  Community Needs and Trends

The Arc of Oakland conducts a year-long biennial “membership satisfaction survey” to better determine the needs of its members and the community at-large.  The initial survey was completed during August 1996 with results printed in our October 1996 newsletter, PROFILES.  We completed our third such survey in October of 2005.  The Board of Directors and staff use the findings to help determine agency policy and issue positions. Also, we implement separate survey instruments for our Shared Parenting respite program (annual) and our recreation programs.  Consumers and their families also pass on many written or oral comments and thank you notes (and on rare occasions, even criticisms) for the work we do on their behalf.

External factors constantly create changes in the mental health delivery system, welfare benefits, the SSI and/or Social Security disability programs, Medicaid and Medicare, special education law, and Probate and guardianship rules.  The Arc of Oakland County must remain vigilant and at the forefront of this knowledge requirement.

Over the last five years, the “amount” of advocacy requests has increased significantly.  The membership also remained incredibly strong even in tough economic times - a clear indicator that the services are valued.  The “quality” of services has also improved due in large part to maintaining a superb agency support staff that possesses a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience, which grows each year by assisting families with unique advocacy concerns. Further, attendance by staff at formal seminars/meetings improves this collective knowledge base.  Our “outreach” is also increased by conducting parent and professional community in-service training sessions about The Arc services, or on specific technical topic areas.

The “Full Management" of mental health services in Oakland County was completed several years ago; the county now controls all of what the state had been directly operating directly for decades.  The Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority Board is no longer under the direct oversight of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.  Also, the emergence of “long-term managed care” for persons with developmental disabilities has also seriously affected services as limitations and caps have become the standard in public mental health services.

There will always be a need to monitor the changes and the quality of the public and private service delivery system.  Most recently, the re-authorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (“I.D.E.I.A. 2004”) presents several new legal and advocacy challenges for parents and advocates alike.  The effective date of I.D.E.I.A. 2004 was July 1, 2005.

The on-going evolution and refinement of the Americans with Disabilities Act will present additional intakes and unique requests for individual advocacy along with information and referral to the private sector attorney.  We expect that the trend for information and advocacy help will continue to increase as the ADA becomes more understood by persons with disabilities and their families, and the courts decide additional cases.

Finally, the troublesome need for affordable housing and transportation for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Oakland County remain at the forefront of our legislative advocacy.  The institutions are long gone.  The special education mandate keeps “graduating” young adults at age 26, and a mental health system now confines many to a life at home waiting for a chance for vocational training and possible employment, or for residential care.  These three issues by themselves loom large for the membership of The Arc, and present the next set of challenges to overcome.

Listing of Programs & Services within The Arc of Oakland County, Inc.

Systems Advocacy - (Tom and Katie - primary; with other staff participation) - direct and expert, one-to-one counseling and legal assistance in the areas of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, special education law, special needs estate planning, guardianship, residential options planning, available public mental health programs and services (respite, vocational program, residential), recreational opportunities, and Information & Referral.

Staff Committee Assignments in the Community

Oakland County Regional Interagency Coordinating Council (RICC)-Gale


Oakland CMH Recipient Rights Advisory Committee-Katie


Oakland CMH Authority Board meetings-Tom


Oakland CMH Authority D.D. Advocates Committee-Tom


MORC, Inc. Informed Consent Committee (guardianship)-Katie


MORC, Inc. Behavioral Supports Committee-Sharon


City of Troy Disabilities Committee-Sharon


Oakland Schools Early-On Service Delivery Council for Children-Gale


The MI Conference of Executives of The Arc-Tom


The Oakland County United Way Executives Association-Tom


Oakland CMHA’s Citizens Advisory Committee-Gale


Oakland CMHA’s Self-Determination Committee-Lynn

Staff Committee Assignments within The Arc of Oakland County

Etheridge Plan - (Gale, Tom and Lynn) - offers a formal and comprehensive plan of lifetime advocacy that will provide consistent follow-up on the individual’s lifestyle while securing appropriate services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Services include: direct advocacy, making home visits, and serving as trustee and/or guardian.

Shared Parenting - (Gale and Lynn) - an innovative respite program for 30 families that provides, quite literally, a second home to young persons who have severe intellectual and/or either physical or behavioral challenges.  For 9 days each month, program participants live in the home of a “co-parent,” who is reimbursed for expenses at the rate of $50 per 24-hour day, thereby giving their natural parents and siblings a much-needed rest from the constant care requirements.  Families that participate in Shared Parenting are no longer able to independently provide the quantity of care necessary on an on-going basis, and who are forced into considering permanent, out-of-home placements.  Shared Parenting provides a quality alternative, and allows a family to remain intact.

Dignified Lifestyles - (Cindy) - regular monitoring of 10 group homes within Oakland County to ensure appropriate delivery of quality residential services.  Volunteers are assigned homes, perform unannounced visits, write reports, attend quarterly meetings to discuss issues and receive further training.

Michigan Performing Arts Talent Show - (Sharon) - for 34 years, this talent show has brought the opportunity to hundreds of children and adults with developmental disabilities to showcase their talent.  Bob Talbert, award-winning columnist for the Detroit Free Press emceed the event since its inception, but since Bob’s death, WJR-760 radio personality, Joel Alexander, has done a wonderful job.  It is now held at the Birmingham Community Center in the spring time.  Financial sponsorship is provided by the Manressa Caravan of the Order of the Alhambra, and additional volunteers are from the Birmingham Musicale and local music therapists.

Bowling League - (volunteers) - a Saturday morning recreational event in Waterford at the 300 Bowl for persons with special needs.  Gertrude Lomason coordinates a great crew of volunteers.  All bowlers receive trophies and recognition each May at the Annual Bowling Banquet.

Weight Watchers - (volunteers) - held at the Troy Community Center every Thursday night to offer a diet and nutritional program for persons with special needs.

Fund Raising Events - (Sharon- coordinator; all staff participation: financial accounting; bulk mailings; design flyers and tickets; set up and decoration; etc.)

Annual Dove Awards Dinner - 350 persons attend a gala event (usually in March) to honor and recognize those who make significant contributions on behalf of persons with mental retardation in Oakland County.  This event also includes a silent auction, which began in 2004.

Marathon Challenge - where the Executive Director solicits pledges and contributions from the membership for his running expeditions at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon each year in October.

Arts du Jour – each August, just prior to the annual Arts, Beats and Eats festival in Pontiac, The Arc participates in this formal event held at the Somerset Collection mall to benefit Oakland County charities.

Holiday Appeal - each year, The Arc solicits its memberships for a seasonal donation in time for year end charitable giving.

Other Activities

Legislative Monitoring - (Tom) - keeping up on the political happenings in Pontiac at the County Commission and Community Mental Health Authority Board; and at the Lansing and Washington, D.C., level as well.

Speaker’s Bureau - (Tom, Sharon, Katie) - the primary topics are: what services The Arc can provide; Wills & Trusts and financial benefits; and United Way campaign presentations.

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