Katie Collins-Ihrke’s Story: It’s Worth It

Katie Collins-Ihrke, the Executive Director of the Arc of Howard County, had a problem. A few roommates weren’t getting along, something that would cause strife for anyone, but could spell be especially catastrophic for disabled people, whose benefits and ability to live in the community could be threatened. 

“In general we still treat people with disabilities as children, not allowing them to make decisions and make mistakes and fail,” said Katie. “What's at stake is people's equality and their right to live the life that they want and make choices for their life, even if someone else thinks it's a bad choice.”

Not wanting to take that choice away, but needing to settle the conflict, she called in Gail Godwin, Shared Support Maryland’s founder and a long-time friend of the Howard County Arc. 

“The thing I love about Gail and the Shared Support philosophy is that it really is person driven,” she said. “It's looking at the person. It's making sure that that person's decisions are made because the person wants them that way and not influenced by outside people.”

Gail helped ease the tension by getting back to what made each person tick, using an exercise called “Who is…?” that SSMD often uses to craft job advertisements when matching people with direct support providers. The exercise centers respectful descriptions and preferred language, talking about people’s capacities while also reading like someone you’d want to meet! With new reflections on just who they were as people, they matched their housemates better and settled seamlessly in the community.

Leading with a person-driven philosophy, that puts the individual at the center of decision-making, ensures that the person's decisions are not influenced by external factors, making it more likely that they will live a fulfilling life. By incorporating this philosophy into provider agencies, people with disabilities can exercise their autonomy and make decisions that align with their desires and values.

“Gail is really progressive when it comes to the thought process behind how we serve and support people with disabilities in the community, particularly at provider agencies,” Katie said.

“It's easy to get lost… from what it means to serve the people that we are here to serve. With Gail’s help, we are finding ways in which we can incorporate those person-driven practices in a way that also makes sense for our agency structure.”

Katie went on to add that this approach requires a shift in thinking and a willingness to change. It can be an extra challenge, but ultimately it improves the quality of life for people with disabilities.

“I've learned so much from Gail and every time I meet with her, I learn again. I think one of the things is that there are ways to incorporate these person-driven practices where it really is about the person as part of a larger operation,” she said. “That’s one of the things that I've learned and appreciate - new ways of making the organization more person-driven that we just haven't thought about or that we don't know how to think about. Gail helps you change your thinking.”

Changing one's thinking can be a daunting task, especially when one's beliefs and attitudes have been deeply ingrained over time. It requires a willingness to challenge one's own assumptions and biases, and to be open to new perspectives and ideas. Katie may have struggled with this challenge, recognizing the difficulty of changing her own thinking patterns, but pushing through anyway because she knows it's the right thing to do. By confronting her own biases and striving to be more open-minded, Katie is demonstrating a commitment to growth and self-improvement that can be difficult, but ultimately rewarding.

“Even if it seems like too big of a mountain to climb, there are some really easy ways to start shifting your agency model to being more person-driven rather than service-driven, which is kind of where broader agencies like us have lived in for a very long time.”

It is essential to recognize the right of people with disabilities to make choices for their lives and to incorporate person-driven practices into provider agencies. Person-driven provider practices can make a significant difference in the life of a person with a disability, and it is worth it to make the necessary changes to implement them fully.

“I think anyone who's wanting to make their services not just person-centered but truly person-driven should work with SSMD. It’s worth its weight in gold to have [Gail’s] expertise.”