Issue 6 | Spring 2025
Sara Wolff is an Independent Living / Self-Advocacy Specialist at MyCIL. She shares her journey as a person with a disability and how the support of family, friends, and community has enabled her to live a self-directed life, leading and inspiring others.
In recent years AI (artificial intelligence) has been in the news about its role in society. At St. Joseph’s University, AI is being used in a pilot program to help support aging adults with autism. Pepper, a 4-foot-tall robot programmed with activities, responses, and real-life scenarios like "taking a trip to Dunkin Donuts," is designed to provide attention and cognitive stimulation to adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and autism.
Although this pilot program is geared towards aging adults, like most technology, as improvements are made it may become more available to people of all ages.
Read "Philly researchers are using AI robots to better support aging adults with autism" on WHYY's website.
When someone is living a self-directed life, it means they are the expert. Self-direction is a shift away from supporting someone with a disability using traditional models which relied on external interventions and “expert strategies.” Self-direction positions the individual as the expert, and focuses on their strengths and goals. Self-directed autism, described in detail on the NeuroLaunch website, provides principles and strategies that can be applied by anyone living a self-directed life.
Read "Empowering Self-Directed Autism Strategies" on the NeuroLaunch website.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has released proposed changes to implement performance-based contracting for Supports Coordination services in the Consolidated, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) and Community Living Waivers as well as Targeted Support Management.
Read details of the proposed amendments and how to submit a public comment at pa.gov.
Register for recertification at MyODP
Register for initial certification at MyODP
Photo credit: "P900 2995 Profusion of Mountain Laurel blooms" by jjjj56cp is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
