A Word from Kristi...
From learning about "normalization" at the Woodward State Hospital School for the Mentally Retarded in Woodward, Iowa to learning sign singing at the American School for the deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut, to training puppies...
My name is Kristi Allison, and I started Support Services for Independent Living, Inc. (SSIL) in October of 1999. I feel that I have been in this business, in some aspect, my whole life. I grew up with a sister, Kim, who is deaf and has had some pretty significant mental health issues. I also had a sister, Karen, now deceased, who, if she had survived, would probably have required full-care assistance in a group home facility.
These experiences have enabled me to see things from "both sides of the fence" when dealing with issues relating to the consumer and their families during tough decisions. Having been in the same position as a family member, and now as a professional, I can truly say that I have been in similar situations.
I started SSIL, Inc. with the thought in mind that if Karen had survived I would want the services to be such that I would be proud to offer any of them to her. I would want the staff to be the best available in the area, and the services, top-notch. Any facilities would be above standard and the in-home support houses would be anything BUT institutional. Each home would have a pet, if at all possible, and the staff would be as close to family as we could make it.
I believe that ISOLATION is the biggest disability and hinders the consumer more than anything else. I think we have succeeded in making our homes a place that are truly a home- away-from-home where the individual can reach their maximum potential. |
