Community by Paul Mansell
Founded in 1966, the Regional Center system is based on delivering services in the community where people with developmental disabilities live. SDRC’s vision statement says people with developmental disabilities will live productive and meaningful lives as valued members of their communities.
Communities are more than a geographic location, such as mid-city San Diego. It is an association of people with common interests, views, language, culture, achievement, status, vocations, and hobbies.
People’s identities are intimately intertwined with the communities they belong to. As the communities become more diverse, people grow and become enriched.
Community membership takes time and effort to develop and grow—a real challenge in the hyper scheduled lives we live in. There is a big difference between attending events and community. The difference lies in the bond that exists between its members and the commitments members have to one another.
There once was a time when people with developmental disabilities were isolated from communities in the name of protecting them from a dangerous world, and to give them specialized care. Advocates have waged a generation long campaign to integrate them into their communities. Having accomplished this, many people with developmental disabilities have a very limited community experience with all the people in their lives being paid professionals. As caring as direct care staffs are, they are no substitute for family, friends, colleagues and peers. As important as having professional boundaries are, it causes confusion among some service recipients—do their staff really care about them as persons, or do they support them just because they get paid.
A weak spot in some communities is that the reason why they exist is out of fear, anger, and hatred and stand in opposition to others. This violates the basic tenants of community of tolerance, acceptance, and the universality of the human experience.
Some barriers to accessing communities are transportation income, status, language, health and support needs, ability, and financial costs. Also without homework and support, persons with developmental disabilities might not even realize that the communities are out there. As I made reference to earlier, another barrier to accessing communities is balancing the demands of an already overloaded schedule. Then there are the fears of trying something new and breaking out of the same old same old.
Let me close by sharing how I spend my Saturday afternoons to illustrate how I live in the community. I begin my afternoons by hopping on the 215 and getting off at the El Cajon Boulevard Transition Station and walking over to Adams Avenue, where I go to my ATM and get some cash for the weekend and have lunch at Burger Lounge. I then hop on the 11 and go to Rite Aid where I pick up my meds—the pharmacist welcomes me by name. I then hop on the 11 again and go to Starbucks where I get my usual—iced passion tea, and I read. I round off my afternoon by going to mass. All in all, I am very pleased with community I have accessed and experience. I find mine very satisfying and I encourage others to find their communities to enrich their lives.