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Advocating for Better Wages, Benefits, and Training
Sumer Spika worked in direct support for years. Then, she and her colleagues advocated for their profession. They won raises, benefits, and the right to unionize.
She built strong relationships with lawmakers and organized events like when the Minnesota governor spent a day at her house, following a direct support worker, and, with the family member's consent, stepped in to do the job himself.
New! Impact: Employment and IDD
The new Impact explores the movement to end subminimum wages paid to people with disabilities in group settings and offers strategies for boosting employment rates in the competitive job market. This issue coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
“Having a job can help people build their social connections, gain a sense of purpose, and increase their independence, all of which can contribute to a more robust community life.”
Reimagining Disability Services
How would disability services be different if they hadn’t started as an alternative to institutions? What can we do now to make a real difference in the lives of individuals, their families, and communities?
ICI director Amy Hewitt challenged disability professionals to brainstorm bold ideas about community living and inclusion during the 2024 Reinventing Quality conference in Baltimore.
