Self-advocacy is defined as the action of representing oneself or one's views or interests. This year, CCBDD was full of people, both those we serve and those we employ, advocating for themselves and what they want for our community.

Just scroll through the newsfeed on the CCBDD Facebook page, and you will see many images and stories of self-advocacy. Aktion Club members taking officer positions and creating projects for children, Special Olympics participants meeting weight lifting and running goals, Regional Advocacy conference and meetings, people fundraising for a new inclusive playground, and individuals with disabilities finding their ideal job are just a few examples.

This winter, let's start thinking about more ways to be better advocates and how we can continue to promote self-advocacy in the new year.
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• Think about what makes you happy and healthy, and find out how to start doing it.
• Set new goals for yourself.
• Share your story with others and listen to their stories.
• Ask for help when you need it. Knowing that you sometimes can't do it on your own is also a part of advocating for yourself and your wellbeing. (If you are served by CCBDD, speak with your SSA about your goals.)
• If you have an infant or toddler and feel your child needs help with developmental growth, make a referral to our Early Intervention program. (see P.L.A.Y. Project article)
• Be inspired by other self-advocates!

The pandemic changed a lot of routines and habits for everyone. Some of these changes were incredibly difficult for individuals with disabilities. Due to caring for people with high needs and some individuals having increased risk of illness, Person Centered Services (PCS) in Urbana needed to make some tough decisions.

How can they make the health and wellness of their day service participants a priority while still maintaining a connection to the community and providing quality activities?

Many precautions are in place. There are less group outings. Visitors should call ahead, will be screened for illnesses and asked to wear a mask before entering. Staff amped up the cleaning, wear masks and try to keep day service participants in smaller groups. They also eat lunch and snacks in shifts. All of these changes were important to ensure the health of all their people.

What hasn't changed is the genuine care that the PCS staff has for people with disabilities. They still keep everyone mentally active with puzzles, crafts, games, books, music, and regional self-advocacy meetings.
They still engage everyone in physical active by having exercise time in the large dining area. They also walk the circular driveway outside their building when the weather is nice and up and down the long hallway when it is not nice.

The PCS staff encourages nutritional health by organizing a cooking club. They help the group pick out a nutritional recipe, take them to the grocery store to get the ingredients, and help them put the recipe together to share with everyone else at lunch time.

Then there is emotional health. This is encouraged through holiday celebrations and making friendships with each other. Staff members put a lot of love and time into creating the Thanksgiving feast pictured here., and they ensured that day service participants were invested in the process as well.

​In the meantime, Jess offers ideas to support families with a child on the autism spectrum and to help all families start the holidays and new year with engaging activities.

2.​ Visit some of Jess Baird's favorite websites like www.asensorylife.com and  www.inspiredtreehouse.com. These sites offer a wealth of resources for helping children with high sensory needs. There are checklists, tips and tricks, research information, and fun therapeutic activities.