Green Mountain Self-Advocates

07/11/2024

Hi. We hope everyone is doing okay after the big and damaging rainstorm.
Some towns are saying people have to boil their water. They are:
• Lyndonville
• St Johnsbury
• Barre
• Barnet
• Plainfield

The list of towns is online at https://tinyurl.com/bd9mz8rp

Here is a plain language resource that GMSA has created from the floods of July of 2023.https://gmsavt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/What-Does-It-Means-When-Your-Town-Says-Boil-Your-Water.pdf

07/10/2024

GMSA recently visited the Connections Of Peer Support (COPS) local Self-Advocacy group. We had a nice visit.

We had the group vote for new officers for the GMSA board. We also presented a Peer Advocate job opportunity looking for Self-Advocates who are interested.

GMSA presented about voting to the group with a slideshow. We talked to the group about why voting is important for people with disabilities since this year is an election year. We showed the group some websites on how to register.

07/09/2024

GMSA visited the Winds of Change local Self-Advocacy group. It was a nice visit. The group had an barbeque outdoors.

GMSA had the group vote for new officers for the GMSA board. GMSA also presented a Peer Advocate job opportunity looking for interest from Self-Advocates in the group.

06/18/2024

David Frye and Hasan Ko from Champlain Voices are in Washington DC. Last night we took a walk to check out the White House. On Tuesday they will be going to an event at the White House. They are representing Green Mountain Self-Advocates and the VT DD Council.

06/17/2024

There are rules when we, as people with disabilities/self-advocates, get services. The rules are in place to make sure that we are in control of our lives. Here is a resource that with information on how it works.

https://gmsavt.org/resources/hcbs-settings-rule-2

06/14/2024

Chad our board treasurer is in Washington DC at a meeting on the new Access rules for services for people with disabilities. We got lots of details from CMS and the Administration on Community Living. The goal is to improve access and quality of services. AND last night we took a tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

06/13/2024

Things are changing in the state of Vermont around developmental services. There are new rules for our services called access rules. Here is a resource that will help with understanding what they are: written in plain language.

https://gmsavt.org/resources/a-plain-language-introduction-to-the-medicaid-access-rule

06/11/2024

Changes are being made to services for people with disabilities here in Vermont. There will be new agencies for case management. If you are curious to know what it's about these, here is a great resource on, "What Self-Advocates are saying about the NEW case managers coming in 2025!".

https://gmsavt.org/resources/what-self-advocates-are-saying-about-the-new-case-managers-coming-in-2025

06/10/2024

Not everyone within a group will agree with everything. Whether it's a decision, or about an issue that people care about, disagreements are common. Here is a great resource that can help you when disagreements arise. Tips for Running Groups When People Disagree.

https://gmsavt.org/resources/tips-for-running-groups-when-people-disagree

06/08/2024

Members of Green Mountain Self-Advocates met with June Bascom for lunch and gave her the ally of year award from the Voices & Choices Conference in April.

The following is from a speech from the conference made when the award was announced:

"Throughout her years working for the state, June spent her time educating others about the challenges and injustices faced by people who need support to communicate, as a champion of the Vermont Communication Task Force.

By raising awareness, she challenged biases and misconceptions, and opened doors to true acceptance and understanding.
June showed us all how to use our positions of privilege to amplify the voices of those who are often silenced or overlooked.

June recognizes when to step back, listen, and learn. She allows us to lead, ensuring that our voices are heard, respected.

She is respectful, but is not afraid to question issues that seem unjust or unfair. She goes out of her way to make sure that WE are at the table any time decisions are made about our lives and taken seriously.

Perhaps you have heard the saying; “If you don’t know your history, it will repeat itself”. June is a leader in educating the public about the history of the Brandon Training School and how the people who lived there were treated. This is her strong passion toward moving forward, but making sure that we all do not forget our past.
All of these qualities make June such a GREAT Ally to our movement.

Thank you June for all you do to help make society fully inclusive."

06/07/2024

GMSA visited one of our local groups, Next Step, in St. Albans, VT. We did a presentation on Leadership. The group wanted to learn more about what leadership is. Members of the group enjoyed it and learned a lot about how to be a better leader in self-advocacy.

Here is a link to the slide presentation on leadership:https://gmsavt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/What-is-leadership.pptx.pdf

06/05/2024

GMSA has an excellent resource library on many topics about self-advocacy. The most recent topics is, "A Vermont Example of Training for New Staff". This resource includes slides about Ableism, and The Rocks Exercise (Bringing the voices of our members into our workshops). Finally, it has links to videos addressing Disability Acceptance.

Slides about Ableism The Rocks Exercise – bringing the voices of our members into our workshops. Links to videos addressing Disability Acceptance

06/03/2024

Throughout the year, Green Mountain Self-Advocates does self-advocacy work with the Bridging students, a group of students with disabilities from local high schools in Chittenden County, VT.

On May 17th, the students did an event called the Bridging Pod Treasurers at the Echo Leahy Center in Burlington, VT. The event was to highlight what the students have accomplished since in the past year.

05/28/2024

On May 14th, GMSA participated in a panel for the Community of Practice as part of a plenary meeting. The panelist talked about their experiences, systemic ableism, how laws and policies are affected by that and gave advice on what to do about it.

05/23/2024

This week, GMSA met with a couple of self-advocates to help with getting their groups up and running again. We are happy that people are motivated to do that.

05/22/2024

GMSA had an in-person retreat for board members at the Killington Resort on May 13th and 14th. Members of the board did strategic planning on how GMSA will move forward as an organization

05/20/2024

This is a fun and important way to take a stand against racism.

Hello VT!! We’re back four our 6th annual Race Against Racism! The event is only two weeks away taking place on May 25th from 11:30-3:00pm on the Vermont State House Lawn. We hope to see all of you there! More info soon ‼️

04/11/2024

The Voices and Choices conference is sold out.
Registration is closed.

04/09/2024

Hey everyone. This is a final reminder! Our amazing Voices and Choices Conference is almost here! Today is the last day to register for it!

04/08/2024

Hey everyone. Our awesome Voices and Choices Conference on the 23rd and 24th is coming up. Tomorrow is the last day to register! Tuesday, April 9th! Don't forget!

04/07/2024

Hey everyone. Our awesome Voices and Choices Conference on April 23 and 24th is coming up! Make sure that you are registered. Last day to do so is Tuesday, April 9th.

04/06/2024

Hey everyone. This is a reminder that the Voices and Choices Conference on the 23rd and 24th is coming up very soon. Tuesday, April 9th is the last day to register! Don't forget!

04/05/2024

Hey everyone. Our Voices and Choices Conference is coming up this month on April 23 and 24th. The last day to register for it is Tuesday, April 9th.

04/02/2024

Please read this important article. And please check that you have the correct solar glasses.

With the April 8th North American total solar eclipse just over two weeks away, potentially unsafe eclipse glasses are polluting the marketplace. Buyer beware!

03/26/2024

Ready for an awesome event? On Monday, April 8, 2024, there will be a solar eclipse!

Looking at the sun during an Eclipse can be dangerous! Green Mountain Self-Advocates created 8 slides about using special eclipse glasses. We explain in Plain Language the Dos and Don’ts when looking at a solar eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Safety in Plain Language 2024:
https://selfadvocacyinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Solar-Eclipse-Safety-in-Plain-Language-2024.pdf

Make sure to mark your calendars!

03/26/2024

On Monday, March 25th, GMSA presented to new recruits at the Vermont State Police Academy. The topics that we presented on included disability awareness and how police officers can better interact with people with disabilities. We enjoyed presenting to nearly 40 new recruits.

03/01/2024

On Wednesday, February 29th, Max Barrows was interviewed on Vermont Public. The topic was on voting access for people with disabilities.

Here is the link to the interview:

While state and federal law require polling places to be accessible to Vermont voters with disabilities, that’s not always the reality in what are often historic buildings.